Community Colleges of Spokane

Community Colleges of Spokane is a community college district based in Spokane, Washington, USA. Founded in 1963, CCS serves some 38,600 students a year, spread across a 12,300-square-mile (32,000 km2) service district in Eastern Washington. It comprises Spokane Community College, Spokane Falls Community College and the Institute for Extended Learning. Its current chancellor is Dr. Christine Johnson. The schools have a combined enrollment of almost 19,000 students.

Spokane Community College. Established in 1963, Spokane Community College, or SCC, is a comprehensive educational institution meeting the needs of students and business and industry throughout Eastern Washington and the Inland Northwest. SCC provides transfer degrees to four-year colleges and universities and also has over 60 career-technical degree and certificate programs in manufacturing, transportation, building trades, environmental science, business, information technology, public safety, hospitality and culinary arts. SCC's health sciences division is the largest among Washington's community and technical colleges.

President: Joe Dunlap

Headcount (fall 2009): 7,436

Spokane Falls Community College. The college, commonly known as The Falls, opened in 1967. SFCC offers programs for students seeking an associate of arts or associate of science transfer degree, with some 60 percent enrolled in transfer degree programs. SFCC also offers many one-of-kind career-technical programs including orthotic/prosthetic technician, hearing instrument specialist, physical therapist assistant and occupational therapy assistant (starting fall 2011). The college also is considered a center of visual and performing arts, with highly regarding programs in drama, music, fine art, photography and graphic design.

SFCC has a close working relationship with the Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute, a higher education facility adjacent to the campus for students from Japan studying in the U.S.

Interim president: Pam Praeger

Headcount (fall 2009): 5,954

Institute for Extended Learning. The IEL coordinates a number of education centers in Spokane and Eastern Washington, offering adult literacy programs, liberal arts-transfer and career-technical degree options, noncredit continuing education, and workforce development services. It also coordinates Spokane County Head Start, Early Head Start and a state Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program. In collaboration with Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College, the IEL provides a wide array of educational opportunities to people residing in Ferry, Lincoln, Spokane, Stevens, Pend Oreille, and Whitman Counties. The Institute for Extended Learning uses time-tested and innovative educational delivery systems to give students, both urban and rural, access to learning opportunities they otherwise might not have.

Chief executive officer: Scott Morgan

Headcount (fall 2009): 5,300

SCC and SFCC have a combined intercollegiate sports program, competing in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges East Region as the Community Colleges of Spokane Sasquatch (also referred to as the Bigfoot). Sports include soccer (men/women), cross country (men/women), volleyball (women), basketball (men/women), track and field (men/women), tennis (men/women), golf (men/women), baseball (men) and softball (women).

Famous quotes containing the words community and/or colleges:

    Commitment, by its nature, frees us from ourselves and, while it stands us in opposition to some, it joins us with others similarly committed. Commitment moves us from the mirror trap of the self absorbed with the self to the freedom of a community of shared values.
    Michael Lewis (late 20th century)

    The present century has not dealt kindly with the farmer. His legends are all but obsolete, and his beliefs have been pared away by the professors at colleges of agriculture. Even the farm- bred bards who twang guitars before radio microphones prefer “I’m Headin’ for the Last Roundup” to “Turkey in the Straw” or “Father Put the Cows Away.”
    —For the State of Kansas, U.S. public relief program (1935-1943)