The debate regarding University Center of North Puget Sound is not just about the present, it is also about the future. Decisions made now will determine the kind of higher education opportunities available for our children and grandchildren 20 years from now.
Current hearings in Olympia on House Bill 1792 and Senate Bill 5636 outline a plan to assign management and leadership of the University Center of North Puget Sound to Washington State University.
Everett Community College has done an outstanding job over the last six years rescuing the struggling North Snohomish, Island, and Skagit Counties’ higher education consortium. They also supported four-year degree offerings from multiple partners in the area. We applaud these efforts.
However, to meet the long-term higher education needs of this region, WSU will deliver the critical engineering-related programs we are lacking in our region to support the interests of a major employment base with statewide importance.
This is a great opportunity for our region and that is why this legislation has the strong support of community and business leaders. Last month, business leaders endorsed an economic development strategy that reconfirmed access to higher education as its top priority.
Engaging a research university partner can help us take the steps necessary to meet our future economic needs and it makes sense that the management of a “university center” be by a university. The Herald, in a recent editorial, said, “Having the flag of one of the state’s two research universities planted in Everett lays the foundation for a more robust expansion of baccalaureate and graduate programs in the future.”
The Boeing Co. has consistently discussed its urgent need for additional engineers to counter an aging workforce. Boeing needs 1,000-plus workers a year with engineering degrees to keep pace with an estimated loss of one-quarter of its 20,000 engineers in the next five years due to retirement. If we expect Boeing — and its network of suppliers — to continue as a keystone of our aerospace-driven economy, we must insist on the means to graduate highly skilled, homegrown engineers.
The ability to provide advanced educational opportunities is a huge asset for any community. Snohomish County is the most populated county in the nation without a four-year institution. Recent studies have suggested that the unmet need for four-year and graduate degrees in the region will exceed 7,500 students by 2025 — and will grow as time goes on.
These bills provide a firm foundation for our community to build higher levels of academic achievement. We must recognize the unyielding expectations of an economy characterized by worldwide competition for engineers, scientists, physicians, technicians, programmers, analysts and managers.
We need to ensure that as a community, we provide the educational resources for area students to develop the necessary skills to meet the growing employment opportunities in our region. We believe approving this legislation is the right first step.
This piece was co-signed by Rich Anderson, Holly Burkett-Pohland, Rick Cooper, Crystal Donner, Mike Holcomb, Jim Langus, Troy McClelland, Gary L Meisner, John Mohr, John Monroe, Scott Murphy, Carol Nelson, Duane Pearson, Ross Rettenmier, Buzz Rodland and Greg Tisdel.
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