In the vacant lot at the 900 block of North Broadway Ave., institutional leaders, staff, government officials and community members gather for a long-awaited groundbreaking ceremony. About 40 people from all over the state huddle together for this memorable occasion. There was lots of excitement happening. Loud music playing, people in conversations and groups taking photos, while the wind swiftly blew. Finally, people begin to settle into their seats. This moment is part of new beginnings for Everett Community College (EvCC).
On September 17, EvCC broke ground on the new Cascade Learning Resource Center (CLRC). This center is the future gathering space for students, faculty and community members. During the groundbreaking ceremony, Bob Bolerjack, EvCC’s Board of Trustees Vice Chair, announced, “The vision for a new learning resource center is over 15 years old. We knew we needed a place where students could access tutoring and get help from the writing center and have the state-of-the-art library that wasn’t squeezed into a basement.”
The CLRC project has overcome many obstacles. In 2018, the American Federation of Teachers Everett chapter presented a vote of no confidence regarding the EvCC Board of Trustees because of building locations and accessibility conflicts. In addition, many teachers and students strongly advocated for the CLRC’s new site to rest in the heart of campus. Overcoming this challenge allowed the Board of Trustees and EvCC to move forward with their plans.
Lynn Deeken, Dean of Arts, Learning Resources and Pathways at EvCC, said, “I’m proud of the thought, planning, expertise and care that has been poured into this building for years that has got us to this point today. It won’t really be complete until the students and the faculty and our entire community makes it their own.”
CLRC received its name from the historic Cascade Hall destroyed by arson in 1987. Cascade Hall once housed the EvCC’s student center and the library. The new 65,000 square foot Cascade Learning Resource Center will house the Tutoring Center, Writing Center, Russell Day Gallery, library and much more.
EvCC’s current library system caters to a traditional community college education. The books and resources available focus on the current curriculum provided. While the library system is perfect for many community college students, it doesn’t offer the Everett University Center (EUC) adequate service. EUC students hoped to utilize the new CLRC for research, book use and computer access. The EvCC library does not meet the EUC student’s need for a university library.
One solution to the lacking library access for EUC students started with Dr. Mark Beattie, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs at Washington State University Everett (WSUE). He started a program with the Everett Public Library to help university students properly access research materials. He presented the library with the question, “How can we access things?” The library solution was to give all students library cards, regardless of location. All WSUE students are eligible for library cards.
Even though the new CLRC cannot fully support EUC students, it is still a place for students, faculty, staff and community members to come to learn and grow. In his ceremony speech, Bob Bolerjack said, “We want the Cascade Learning Resource Center to be a place for students, staff and community members to utilize for years to come. It will be a visible addition to north Everett that is theirs to enjoy. We are a community college, and we know the community deserves the access to resources that we will be offering here.”
Jessica Kupcake 