Yakima Valley College Case Study

Yakima Valley College is now offering students an opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Applied Science Degree, as of 2014: The Bachelor of Applied Science Degree in Business Management (BASM), Dental Hygiene (BASDH), and Information Technology Networking-System Administration (BASIT). The community and technical colleges play an important role in producing baccalaureate degree graduates in Washington State. State Board of Community and Technical Colleges advocated for the community and technical college applied baccalaureate programs to help meet state goals for increasing the overall number of baccalaureate degrees awarded. These degrees will also help to expand the workforce mission of community and technical colleges to serve the needs of local and state employers. Most baccalaureate programs include evening and online instruction for working students who would not otherwise be able to attend, in addition to providing high-quality instruction based programs at a fraction of the cost. These degrees are designed to help local students grow professionally, …show more content…
I have identified two big threats in the college. Many times, the economy dictates what the admission rate will be for the quarter as well as the drop-out rate for current students. These very real threats, although good for the health of the community, stifles the educational growth of future workers. A tangible example of this is the effect a robust economy has on the Workforce Education Department. During times of great prosperity, some programs get cut at the college due to lack of student interest. When the economy is good fewer people are interested into earning a college degree. As a result, the college has fewer programs to offer students who seek specialized degrees, or technical certificates that will help them find a