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Report to the Higher Education Coordinating Board
October 15, 1998
Planning for Higher Education in Spokane
"Spokane’s position in the 21st century will not be based on the value of goods produced here, but on the value of knowledge and knowledge-based services we can sell."
Shaun O’L. Higgins, Measuring Spokane
In his recent book, Measuring Spokane,
The educational plan for Washington State University focuses on the realities of the present and the predictions for the future. The Greater Spokane region—the Inland Northwest—has a low density of population, suggesting the potential for growth that does not exist in the metropolitan areas of Western Washington. Spokane also has the highest percentage of young adults (18-24) in the region, a cadre of potential students. These students, coupled with the potential for life-long learning and the need for retraining of existing residents, will form the core of the student body for the Riverpoint campus. Another important audience will be students outside the region who are attracted to WSU Spokane because of emerging programs, particularly those in the health sciences and high tech disciplines. Higgins’ comparisons of Spokane with similar MSAs (Metropolitan Service Areas) that already have strong major higher educational institutions (Wichita, Colorado Springs, Charleston, and Ann Arbor) bodes well for the development of both the economy and the educational infrastructure. The prevalence of medical facilities, the high incidence of real estate investment, the historical architecture, and the overwhelming interest in outdoor activities all provide support for the programs Washington State University has elected to emphasize in the development of the Riverpoint campus. Similarly, the need to strengthen the research base of Spokane bodes well for the existing relationship between Washington State University and the Spokane Intercollegiate Research and Technology Institute (SIRTI), and the planned collaborations through SIRTI, the Health Sciences Consortium partners, and other business and industry partners. Additionally, the globalization of trade and economic development pose challenges as well as opportunities for economic development. Finally, the HECB's recent survey, Post Secondary Education Needs of Spokane County Households (1998)3, suggests that local residents are most interested in programs in health fields, business, and education.
B. Responsiveness to the Spokane Context
There are a number of issues that need to be addressed to enable higher education and the economy of Spokane to thrive. As Higgins points out, the Inland Northwest has six unresolved issues that counter efforts toward change. Washington State University faculty and administrators believe that the presence of a strong research university can provide resources that are responsive to these issues. We have chosen to use Higgins’ analysis as a framework because it is one of the most recent and thorough studies of the region.
1. Economic and Cultural Diversity. Spokane is a fairly homogeneous area, but the state and the world are increasingly heterogeneous and interdependent. Washington State University’s success at increasing ethnic diversity among its faculty, staff, and students at the Pullman campus from the fall of 1988 to the fall of 1997 suggests that academic and cultural programs that are attractive to a broad array of students are a drawing card for a diverse student body. During this period, ethnic diversity among students increased from 8.2% to 12.5% and among faculty and staff from 5.5% to 6.5%. The presence of a strong university with a diverse student body and strong international programs increases the likelihood of international companies locating in the area. The strength of WSU’s International Programs office, minority student and staff organizations, a Memorandum of Understanding with Plateau Tribes, and a willingness to work collaboratively with the various populations of Eastern Washington will enhance our efforts in meeting this need. Similarly, the presence of new academic programs will strengthen the economic diversity of the region, providing continuing education for local employees and graduate degrees to upgrade skills. In collaboration with other four-year institutions, WSU can provide language instruction and international business skills and well established international connections and relationships that are critical to international trade relationships and competitiveness. WSU's strengths will augment Whitworth's International Management program.
2. Low levels of income. Every study of Spokane documents the disparity between income level and cost of living in Spokane as well as the gap in income between Spokane and state and national incomes. Income cannot increase without an increased skill level among the residents. It is critical that the institutions of higher education in Spokane work collaboratively with each other and with the K-12 system to provide educational programs that create a "seamless web" for students to transition through the educational system with expectations and support that make it possible. This takes time to develop and, although much has already been done, it will take a concerted effort on the part of all institutions to make a series of initiatives pay off in the future.
3. Job Development. Several studies of the Spokane area point to the need to develop manufacturing sector jobs. Other studies emphasize the need to develop the health sciences and technology or engineering. Higgins discusses the need to implement strategies for the copyright industries and support for patents. All of these jobs require higher education. "Knowledge workers" are critical to the development of a knowledge-based economy. Research universities have the tools to make this happen. Washington State University’s position as the senior research partner in SIRTI, the presence of a Research Park in Pullman and an Office of Intellectual Property Administration at WSU, as well as collaborative relationships with the University of Idaho Research Park at Post Falls will all be available to the Spokane community and to the industries that establish partnerships with WSU and its collaborators in academic and research programs.
4. Gauging Progress. Higgins appropriately cautions us to gauge progress by comparing Spokane to similar cities nationally rather than just to Seattle as has been the practice. If one looks at the larger entity of the Inland Northwest, the potential is overwhelming. It is a region that incorporates land for industrial development; hospitals and medical facilities that serve an area even larger than portions of the three states; lakes, rivers, and mountains for resort development; and a rich historical tradition that supports ethnic diversity and liberal arts education. We must measure the educational needs of the region by drawing on particular strengths rather than transporting Western Washington to a different geographical and cultural region.
5. Critical Thinking. Every community in the country faces difficult choices and conflicting agendas. Politics and history frequently hinder our development as cities or as a nation. What kind of community does Spokane want to be? What existing strengths will complement community interests in maintaining a livable environment? How can the institutions of higher education work together to ensure that they produce graduates who have the critical thinking skills necessary to go beyond tunnel vision or blind obeisance to outmoded images of Spokane? How can politics, education, economics, and lifestyle preferences work together to establish a hospitable community? These are the questions answered by education, by collaboration, and by citizens united by common goals rather than divided by narrow idiosyncrasies.
6. Home Ownership. Housing remains expensive in Spokane in relation to income, and affordable housing is necessary for the development of new businesses and for enhancing the lifestyles of the residents. Washington State University’s Design Institute has already worked closely with the community, and ongoing development of the academic disciplines associated with the Institute (Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Apparel and Interior Design, and Construction Management) in partnership with Eastern Washington University’s Urban and Regional Planning Department can provide support for community development efforts.
Paul Sommers in his recent economic report for the HECB identified a substantial demand for college educated personnel in all of his alternative scenarios for Spokane's economic development. He suggests that a significantly higher percent of new workers will need a college education than was the case for the existing workforce. He also points out that continuing education for all employees will be increasingly required in the future. Sommers concludes that, "Health care and high tech and manufacturing services are identified as major growth sectors for the future."4 He also concludes that, "One factor clearly limiting the development of health care and high tech in the Spokane area is the availability of higher education services."5 WSU's plans have been developed within the context of this analysis.
Comments
and questions submit to: mlmrogers@wsu.edu Revised 10/22/98.
Copyright © 1996 Washington State
University.
URL: http://www.wsu.edu/provost/spokane98.htm