| Bellevue College | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1966 |
| Type | Community college |
| President | B. Jean Floten |
| Students | approx. 35,000 for 06-07 school year[1] |
| Location | Bellevue, Washington, USA |
| Campus | 96 acres (390,000 m2) |
| Gender balance | 60% women, 40% men[1] |
| Mascot | Bulldogs |
| Website | http://bellevuecollege.edu/ |
Bellevue College (formerly Bellevue Community College or BCC) is a public institution of higher education located in Bellevue, Washington, a suburb of Seattle. It serves 35,000 students per year, making it the second largest institution of higher education overall in Washington state (behind the University of Washington and ahead of Washington State University). Bellevue College offers two bachelor's degree programs in addition to having multiple collaborative bachelor's programs with Eastern Washington University, Washington State University, and the University of Washington. The school also offers a multitude of associate's degree programs covering the first two years of a college education as well as technical degrees, certificates, and continuing education programs. The college has a range of distance and online learning options as well.[2]
In 2007, the college started a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Radiation and Imaging Sciences. In 2009, bachelor degree offerings expanded to include a Bachelor of Applied Arts degree in Interior Design.[3]
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Bellevue Community College was established in 1966 as an alternative place of higher education for residents of the east side of Lake Washington.[4] The School opened with a total of 464 students[4] in portable classrooms on the campus of Newport High School.[4] Two years later, construction began on a permanent campus, and school size grew throughout the 1970s. During the 1980s, slow growth led to a reduction in staff and enrollment. College growth once again increased during the 1990s, and peaked with a total enrollment of 39,300 during the 2000-2001 school year.[4]
Many of Bellevue College's students earn their college freshman and sophomore credits (and receive an associate degree), and then transfer to a four-year institution to continue their education. Additionally, the college offers 2 applied bachelor degree programs, one in Radiation & Imaging Sciences and another in Interior Design.[5]
Bellevue College offers a variety of high school programs, such as Running Start, for high school juniors and seniors.[6]
The Associated Student Government (ASG) holds elections for all students once a year to elect their representatives. The ASG allocates funding from their S&A budget, a fee collected per the vote from the student body meant to enrich the lives of students on campus. Some examples of programs supported by the ASG are, the math and reading labs, Black Student Union, and LGBTQ. The Jibsheet is the weekly English-language student-run newspaper.[7]
BC participates in the Northwest Athletic Association of Community Colleges,[8] also known as the NWAACC. Facilities include a baseball field, a soccer field, and a gymnasium[9] Notable former athletes include MLB All-Star Pitcher Evan Meek, St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher Blake Hawksworth, and Actor James Caviezel.
In 2009, Bellevue College promoted bills in the Washington State Legislature to greatly expand its four-year degree programs. It also changed its name from Bellevue Community College to Bellevue College in anticipation of this. The bills did not pass, but they would have allowed the college to offer more four-year degrees (it currently is only allowed to offer two) and would have put the college under the oversight of the Washington Higher Education Coordinating Board, among a few other changes. Part of the reason that the bills did not pass was that the University of Washington opposed it, saying that any extra higher education money should go to its campuses in Seattle, Bothell, and Tacoma, and not to a new college.[10] Yet, public comment and community response to the college's request for expanded four-year programs has been overwhelmingly positive.[11]
The President of Bellevue College has indicated that she will continue to push for the expansion. In the meantime, however, the state higher education board did approve a second major, a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Interior Design, which will start being offered in January 2010.[12]
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