Grays Harbor College took a step toward offering students a bachelor of science degree in computer science after a state board approved its proposal to do so earlier this month.
After the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges gave the go-ahead for GHC to add the computer science offering at an Oct. 18 meeting, the community college in Aberdeen will now seek approval from the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, and in the meantime work to organize curriculum and advising for the program, a spokesperson for the college said in an email to The Daily World.
The college said it will identify a start date for the program after receiving final approval.
GHC’s proposal to offer the bachelor’s in computer science degree, as well as the framework for the program, was developed in agreement with South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, which was also approved for the degree by the state board Oct. 18. The agreement will allow students to begin a computer science degree at GHC, and upon completion of associate-level courses, transfer to the community college in Olympia to complete the bachelor’s degree.
That framework could change in the long run as GHC gains the necessary capacity and demand for the degree. Ultimately, the two colleges will “seek to transition into a formal collaboration where a student could start and finish the (bachelor’s of science in computer science) degree at either institution,” the college said in an email.
With the collaboration, the colleges will serve students and employers in the Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Region of Washington, which includes Grays Harbor County, Pacific County, southern Mason County, and northern Lewis and Thurston counties.
GHC’s work toward building a computer science program was triggered by the Washington state Legislature’s 2021 passage of Senate Bill 5401, which authorized community and technical colleges to offer bachelor of science degrees in computer science. The bill aimed to equip more Washington students, especially low-income or students of color, with necessary credentials for high-demand jobs in the technology sector.
According to the Washington Technology Industry Association, the technology sector accounts for 22% of the state’s economy, a higher percentage than any other state in the union. The tech sector grew by 33% from 2019 to 2022, when tech employers added 89,000 new workers, bringing the industry total to about 361,000 jobs — many of which require bachelor’s degrees.
The tech giant Amazon contributed funding to the state board for the development of computer science programs across the state. The state board also requested a $9 million 2024 supplemental budget resolution from the state Legislature for expansion of computer science programs.
A survey conduced by Grays Harbor and South Puget Sound colleges revealed high interest in computer science locally. Currently, The Evergreen State College and St. Martin’s University are the two options for students in the Grays Harbor and South Sound regions seeking a bachelor’s degree in computer science.
GHC’s computer science offering would be the college’s first bachelor of science degree, and fourth bachelor’s degree overall, joining three applied science degrees in teacher education, forest resource management, and organizational management.
“While there is still work to be done before GHC will be ready to offer the Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, the State Board’s decision to approve our degree proposal with South Puget Sound Community College is a big step forward,” GHC President Dr. Carli Schiffner said in a statement. “I am proud of the faculty and staff at GHC who have had a hand in this work, especially our faculty members including Jamie Reino, Terri Bell, Alison Criswell and Tom Kuester, and our team in the office of Instruction including Evi Buell, Paulette Lopez, Marjie Stratton and Nicole Lacroix.”
Contact reporter Clayton Franke at 406-552-3917 or clayton.franke@thedailyworld.com.
