In the Media

Whatcom Community and Bellingham Technical colleges are each cutting more than half a million dollars in spending this school year, but exactly how those cuts will be handled is still being discussed on both campuses.

Gov. Chris Gregoire announced earlier this month that the anticipated state deficit has grown to about $520 million through mid-2011, driven mostly by low tax collections. To help close the deficit, Gregoire has asked most state agencies be cut state-funded spending by about 6.3 percent.

Western Washington University is announcing more cuts.

President Bruce Shepard details the latest proposals to save money in a letter to the campus.

Western Washington University’s Shannon Point Marine Center has been awarded more than $867,000 in federal grants.

If our reading of the situation is correct, it is ludicrous. Is Ottawa so short-sighted that it cannot see the idiocy of putting this service in jeopardy in order to collect $550,000 a year? A recent study by the Border Policy Research Institute of Western Washington University in Bellingham determined that Canada's federal, provincial and municipal governments collect an extra $1.9 million in sales taxes and hotel room taxes from the additional tourists the second train delivers.

So waiving the fee would bring in more than three times that amount in revenue while stimulating the aforementioned economic spinoff benefits.

With two players posting birdies on the final hole, Western Washington University rallied to tie Western New Mexico for the team title at the Grand Canyon University Fall Invitational Women's Golf Tournament which ended Tuesday, Sept. 28, at the Coldwater Creek Golf Club in Goodyear, Ariz.

The Vikings, ranked No. 18 in the Golf World/National Golf Coaches Association/NCAA Division II Preseason Top 25, shot 296 Tuesday to finish with a 36-hole total of 591. That tied them with Western New Mexico, which led by three strokes after Monday's first round and shot a final-round 299. Host Grand Canyon finished third at 597 (295).

In perhaps the tightest finish in the 39-year history of the tournament, Chico State edged host Western Washington University and Cal State Monterey Bay by one stroke to win the WWU Men's Golf Invitational that ended Tuesday, Sept. 28, at the Bellingham Golf and Country Club.

Just four strokes separated the top five teams in the 15-team, 54-hole event.

Western Washington University's Center for Economic Vitality has been awarded a $664,726 Washington Export Assistance Program grant to support its new Jump Start Washington Exports initiative, a program focused on supporting the export of Washington state products and services through research, training initiatives and hands-on assistance for businesses.

Here are a couple ideas: Head south from Bellingham and stop at Taylor Shellfish, 2182 Chuckanut Drive, near Oyster Creek Inn. They'll have educational exhibits, including a touch tank from Western Washington University's Shannon Point Marine Center (Saturday only); oyster-shucking demonstrations; and crab races, among others.

The U.S. divorce rate has held steady at 45 percent since 1981.

Jay Teachman, a sociology professor at Western Washington University, said age (older than 26) and education (a bachelor's degree) are far more important predictors of marital success than cohabitation, which he believes has no effect on divorce rate - except for one group. Serial cohabiters, those who have had more than one live-in romantic relationship, do have a significantly greater divorce risk, he says.

"These people are, just like the original cohabiters, the risk-takers, not as committed to unions," Teachman said. "They're more likely to cut bait when things go wrong."

Two Western Washington University athletes were honored by the Great Northwest Athletics Conference on Monday, Sept. 27.

The Vikings' Sarah Porter was named GNAC cross country Women's Athlete of the Week for Sept. 19-25.

Katie Sharpe, a senior from Bellingham, was named GNAC Women's Golfer of the Week for Sept. 19-25 after placing fifth at the Sonoma State Invitational with a 54-hole score of 223, posting rounds of 73, 76 and 74 while leading the Vikings to a second-place team finish.