WA State PLays Bingo with UW

Crosscut Seattle - Branch campus bingo: "The site of the next University of Washington campus has been narrowed to a final four: two sites in Everett (Everett Station and Riverside Point), Marysville, and Lake Stevens. A consultant will deliver a recommendation to Gov. Chris Gregoire this week, and lawmakers are tasked with choosing the winner during the 2008 legislative session. In Everett, citizens have turned out in droves at pep rallies wearing Husky purple, flying their Dawg flags high. Marysville is busy positioning itself at the apex of a possible tri-counties campus. Lake Stevens officials dream of a campus with easy access from Highway 2 and an improved Highway 9. It seems there are no detractors of the notion of planting a UW flag in Snohomish County. More than 70 sites volunteered to the initial call. Is this prize really such a big deal? The UW in Snohomish County might not be like the existing branch campuses in Tacoma and Bothell — a technology-driven curriculum is being discussed for the north branch, as well as a residential experience, whereas the other two offer a range of degrees and are not residential campuses. But a look at the Tacoma and Bothell locations is instructive in how a UW branch can adapt to and influence the surrounding communities — and other nearby colleges."

This is a very important article for anyone interested in either higher education in WA state or the development of an environment that is conducive to job growth. Lisa Albers points our that WA is 38th in the nation in the rate of completioof4 years of college. she also depicts the branch campuses as secoind rate choices for thiose st8dents who can not get to or get into the main school in Seattle.

The main rationale for building these campuses seems to be the local economic impact of the campus being present rather than a well thought our plan for higher education. None of these branches have the resources to eb nationally ranked, a fact emphasized when Albers points out that the branches should be compared with WA state's excellent collection of public and private 4 year colleges.