Support Sought for Learning Center

GOLDENDALE, Wash. — Klickitat County commissioners, officials from Yakima Valley Community College, Goldendale High School, the Washington State Employment Security Department and Washington State University are requesting legislative support for a new learning center to serve Klickitat County residents seeking higher education opportunities.

Plans for the proposed center were outlined here during a news conference today (Jan. 10th) at the Klickitat County PUD. The learning center would provide opportunities for degree and non-degree programs, credit courses and continuing education classes to time- and place-bound adults in Klickitat County.

Goldendale High School would provide physical facilities.

“We welcome this additional resource for local residents eager to pursue higher education,” states YVCC’s Paul Strater, Business Development Center director. “This cooperative project with WSU is another enhancement to bring more learning options to this area. YVCC is proud to be working with WSU and the other four-year universities to increase higher education offerings here.”

“WSU is pleased to be working in partnership with YVCC College,” said Jim Zuiches, dean of the WSU College of Agriculture and Home Economics. “The proposed learning center should offer the opportunity for citizens to finish the last two years of their baccalaureate degree and facilitate the availability of our extended-degree program.”

Zuiches noted that WSU’s statewide Extended Degree Program allows people who have completed their freshman and sophomore years of college to earn a bachelor’s degree in social science. The learning center would offer local assistance for EDP students.

The learning center would provide Internet access to higher education admissions and registration information, libraries, database information, technology transfer data, alumni and event information and other higher education resources of the university.

Programs would be delivered by traditional and distance education methods, including on-site teaching, satellite broadcasts, videotapes, and computer on-line courses.

In the past year, the legislature funded learning centers in Tacoma, Port Townsend, Longview-Kelso, Wenatchee, Yakima and Colville. WSU will seek funding for up to a total of eight, including the Klickitat center, during the next session.

If funded, the Klickitat County Learning Center could be operational by July 1, 1997.

For further information on the proposed center, contact WSU Cooperative Extension at (509) 773-5817.

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