The University of Washington, Bothell, hopes to begin offering classes at Everett Community College in January.
Eventually, the branch campus wants to establish a “twig” campus in the city as part of its effort to expand its presence in Snohomish County.
The move comes as the Legislature examines higher-education needs in the area, and after UW Bothell was granted four-year status, with funding for more students to go with it.
“In my view, our partnership with Everett is going to accelerate dramatically in the next year,” said Steve Olswang, interim UW Bothell chancellor.
EvCC is heading a study of regional higher education needs, looking particularly at how universities and community colleges can work together. It will report to the Legislature by Dec. 1.
Charlie Earl, EvCC president, said it’s too soon to say if UW Bothell will be moving in.
“I love the goal. But it is not a deal,” Earl said. “We have all the universities to collaborate with making the determinations of future relationships with the universities, and we haven’t crossed those bridges yet.”
The college and members of the North Snohomish, Island and Skagit Counties Higher Education Consortium – which EvCC now manages – hope to have a better idea of the options by October, he said.
The consortium includes five universities and three community colleges that, for now, offer courses at Everett Station.
Olswang said there are no details yet for a UW Bothell presence at EvCC, including what courses might be offered. But the time to look at expanding UW Bothell’s reach is now, he said.
Besides EvCC’s study, the state Higher Education Coordinating Board and a regional committee will spend the next year studying the possibility of a four-year university in Snohomish County.
“There is a void. There is a significant population that needs to be served,” Olswang said. “We need to respond to that need, because no one can wait for a new college to be built. … We believe we are the Snohomish County choice.”
Currently, there are 88 transfer students from EvCC at UW Bothell.
In all, 27 percent of UW Bothell’s 1,300 students come from Snohomish County. The campus gets the bulk of its undergraduate transfers from the University of Washington, Seattle and from students who live on the Eastside – a trend that is likely to continue.
The university is just over the county line in King County where I-405 and Highway 522 meet. The specter of navigating I-405 on a daily basis seems to spur some Snohomish County students elsewhere, Olswang said.
UW Bothell this year also plans to sign a dual-enrollment agreement with Bellevue Community College, and has similar agreements with Cascadia and Shoreline community colleges.
Dual enrollment allows community college students with at least 45 credits to take upper-division classes at UW Bothell.
Melissa Slager is a writer for The Herald in Everett.
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