Columbia Gorge Community College
 |
 The front of the main building | |
| Type | Community college |
|---|---|
| Established | 1977 |
| President | Frank K. Toda[1] |
| Location | , , 45°35′28″N 121°11′20″W / 45.591°N 121.189°W |
| Website | www.cgcc.edu |
Columbia Gorge Community College is a community college in The Dalles, Oregon, United States on the Columbia River in The Columbia River Gorge.
Location and facilities
The Dalles Campus is located at 400 East Scenic Drive, next to Sorosis Park, overlooking the town. The Hood River Indian Creek Campus is located at 1730 College Way, next to Indian Creek in Hood River, with scenic views of Mt. Hood and Mt. Adams.[2]
History
The college began in 1977 as the Wasco Area Education Service District, which not long after was changed to Treaty Oak Education Service District. The original incarnation of the college operated in leased facilities in downtown The Dalles for 16 years.
In 1989, a public vote changed the college's designation from a service district to a community college, and later its name was changed to Columbia Gorge Community College. In 1993, a bond election allowed for the purchase and remodeling of the current campus facility, a former hospital.
In 2001, voters in Wasco County and Hood River County approved the annexation of Hood River County to the college's service district. The Hood River Center operated out of rented facilities near the waterfront in Hood River County.
In 2008, the college completed construction of its new campus in Hood River and a new Health Sciences Building on its campus in The Dalles.
In 2013, the college became independently accredited.
Today, Columbia Gorge Community College serves students from all over the mid-Columbia region, in both Oregon and Washington.
Accreditation
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities approved Columbia Gorge Community College's request for independent accreditation, following a journey that began in 2006 upon direction of the college's board. The institution joins the other 163 accredited colleges and universities in the states of Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington.
Columbia Gorge Community College has been accredited since its establishment in 1977 through a contract with Portland Community College (PCC). The college's quest for independent accreditation enjoyed the full support and encouragement of PCC, which had been responsible for program review and other key functions. Graduates now receive the diplomas from CGCC instead of PCC.
CGCC achieved formal candidacy for independent accreditation in 2008, which in itself allowed the institution to compete for federal grants and award financial aid. Independent accreditation now confers additional benefits including greater flexibility in developing new instructional programs and improved service to students.
See also
References
- ^ www.cgcc.edu CGCC — Welcome from Dr. Frank Toda, President. Retrieved 2010-07-07.
- ^ http://www.cgcc.edu/sites/cgcc.us/files/catalog/CGCC-Catalog-2014-15.pdf Catalog, Columbia Gorge Community College. 2014. "Our Location and Facilities." Retrieved 2015-03-09.