Chemeketa Community College

Chemeketa Community College officials are considering a $10.50 per credit increase in tuition and fees for Oregon residents.

At a meeting Wednesday night, Chemeketa administrators suggested that members of its Board of Education consider the proposal to partially offset expected budget shortfalls while Oregon weathers the national economic recession.

Chemeketa students currently pay $61.00 per credit for tuition, and that cost per credit would rise to $70. The universal and services fee students pay will also increase $1.50 to $8 per credit hour. The total cost of tuition and fees would increase about 16 percent to $78.00 per credit hour under this proposal. Chemeketa’s board will take action on student tuition and fee proposal February 18^th. If approved, the increases would take effect fall term 2009.

“Chemeketa has traditionally kept its costs among the lowest of Oregon’s seventeen community colleges,” said Craig Smith, Chemeketa’s chief financial officer. “We anticipate other community colleges, which are facing the same funding circumstances we face, will have to adjust upwards. Our goal is to place tuition charges for Chemeketa in the middle third of state community colleges.”

Last year, student tuition and fees accounted for 23 percent of Chemeketa’s general fund budget with local taxes providing 24 percent and state sources providing 44 percent. Miscellaneous revenues and the beginning fund balance forwarded from the previous year account for the remaining 9 percent of Chemeketa’s revenues. Community colleges throughout the state are already facing a decline in state funding for the 2009-11 biennium and college officials are concerned the situation could get worse.

“Current economic trends suggest we could be facing even more funding cuts,” said Liz Goulard, vice president. “We have to plan for the right balance of increased revenue and cost reductions to maintain the education and workforce development training our local residents require now more than ever.”

Terry McLaughlin would stand up to anyone who would dare to tarnish the Chemeketa College Volleyball team’s historic undefeated 50-0 season.“There are those who might claim that we had an easy season, but our team fought their way back from close matches four times,” said McLaughlin, head coach.Looking back, he could see the team beginning to take shape as early as tryouts.“We had 50 athletes turnout for the two tryouts, and it was the decisions we made there that made all the difference,” he said.

 Two players, Chelsea Fosback and Alisha Shigley, were named two-year college All-Americans, first and second teams, respectively. McLaughlin was named Coach of the Year by the American Association of Volleyball Coaches.The 2008-09 volleyball team is just the second undefeated team in the Chemeketa’s history. The first was the 1990-91 men’s basketball team that went 33-0.The team member decided early on that if they didn’t perform no one on the team would receive any honors. McLaughlin said that commitment paid out in spades.

 “This was a cohesive team from the start,” he said. “If they hadn’t been unified working toward a common goal, none of the rest would have been possible.”McLauglin returned to Chemeketa coaching this year after a seven-year break between 2001 and 2008. During his prior 14-year run, McLaughlin led the Storm team to a cumulative record of 491-173, a .739 winning percentage, and two championship seasons in 1997 and 1998. His teams accumulated nine top five finishes in NWACC.(Photos: McLaughlin, Fosback, Shigley.)

The Chemeketa Chorus, with special guest Bethany Evans, a local professional harpist, will perform a peace-themed concert 7 p.m. In the Bldg. 6 Auditorium. Admission is free.

The theme of the performance is “Peace,” and musical selections include:

     Peace Round/Peace Bells
Here We Come A-Wassailing
O Come, O Come, Immanuel
A Ceremony of Carols (Middle English)
God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
Bashanah Haba’ah (Hebrew)
Carol of the Bells
Let There Be Peace on Earth

Evans will accompany the chorus for five pieces from “A Ceremony of Carols,” composed in Middle English by Benjamin in 1942.

Chemeketa is hosting two holiday sales to raise money for it’s athletic and art programs.

The Athletic Department is sponsoring a craft fair in the lobby of Bldg. 2 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 5.

The Art Gallery is hosting an art sale Dec. 5 and 6, from 10 a.m. til 6 p.m. Student, faculty and staff-produced art will be on sale.

Chemeketa will be honoring the accomplishments of it’s volleyball and men’s soccer teams tomorrow, Dec. 4, at noon. Join us in the lobby of Building 2 for the celebration.

Chemeketa’s athletic teams are working together to raise money for the 2009 athletic department programs by selling 22″-24″ holiday wreaths from Evergreen Wreaths for $20 each.

Pre-order by calling 503-399-5082 or stop by the Athletic Department in Building 7. Wreaths will be available for pick up Friday, Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the lobby of Building 2 on the Salem campus.

Paying by check? Please make it out to Chemeketa Community College.

The Chemeketa volleyball team beat Walla Walla Community College in four sets Saturday to win the Northwest Athletic Association of Community College’s championship title. The title is the first for the team since 1998.

Congrats to all the women on the team and thanks for your hard work.

Tip of the hat to the men’s soccer team as well. The team, in its inaugural season, played for the NWAAC soccer championship on Sunday, but fell 4-3 to the Walla Walla Warriors in overtime

Last week, Taylor Marrow lead a discussion of the Confederate flag and its origins and meanings. Click below to hear the full discussion. If you’d like to read another take, African American writer Marc Bernardin briefly discusses his childhood fandom of the Dukes of Hazard and their famous car emblazoned with the flag.

 

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Chemeketa’s Taylor Marrow will lead a discussion about poverty in Marion, Polk and Yamhill counties (Chemeketa’s coverage area)  today from 1:30-3:30 p.m. in the Multicultural Center, Building 2 on the Salem Campus.

Chemeketa celebrated the history and cultures of indigenous people on the Salem campus last Thursday. For a full gallery of pictures, click here.