Editorial: Higher education institution would benefit the Valley
October 2, 2008
By Editorial Board
A dog park, a community center, a new hospital, a skate ramp — of all the ideas proposed in the Valley lately, none of them seem as appealing as the one floated recently by Bellevue Community College.
The accredited two-year school reiterated this week its long-standing desire to have an increased presence in the Snoqualmie Valley. Thanks to a faltering deal that would have had Snoqualmie Valley Hospital move to a new 72-acre site just off I-90, those desires may now expand much more than anyone expected.
BCC already was involved in talks with the hospital to set up offices of learning, once the new hospital campus was up and running. An official at the school confirmed last week that, should the hospital decide on a different location, BCC would not only still be interested in setting up shop at the original site, it may even enlarge its presence.
BCC is the third-largest educational institution in Washington state, with more than 33,000 students enrolled. The good majority of the school’s programs are associate-degree transfer programs, although BCC is currently a candidate for accreditation as a four-year institution.
Exactly what the school would offer as part of a campus in the Valley is not known. Regardless, a BCC presence would be beneficial. It’s no secret how valuable higher education is to an individual. People who attend college not only earn more money, they are more likely to become valuable members of the community, whether they’re creating jobs or simply volunteering.
A college campus would not only provide jobs, it would attract business to the area. It could also possibly draw in thousands of students who otherwise wouldn’t come to the Valley. And, for prospective students already in the Valley, it never hurts to attend class a hop and skip away — certainly not with the ever-increasing value of time and gasoline.
We welcome the idea of a higher-educational institution in the Valley. And the sooner it can happen, the better.
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