Supporters of trades, industry, community, and education, we call upon you to assist and fight for the Wood Technology Center. 

Faculty & Students learned late on Thursday(3/19) that Seattle Central College's Wood Technology Center programs (Carpentry, Boat Building, Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Training/P.A.C.T) and its building are on the chopping block. 

The Seattle Central College President and the District Chancellor, with the district's Board of Trustees, announced an official "state of emergency" on Wednesday(3/18) based on a budget crisis. This allows the Colleges to close programs, waive contract agreements, and terminate tenured faculty. Part of the plan to balance the Seattle Colleges' budget deficit is to close WTC programs and sell the building. 

It's time to stand up once more to protect WTC/PACT programs. 

This proposal is a result of a very local budget crisis caused by fiscal mismanagement and budget chaos at Seattle Central College specifically and at the Seattle Colleges District overall. Right now it's not even clear that Seattle Central College has a definitive accounting of its budget and deficit. It is true that the state budget and rising costs are posing grave threats to technical education programs at community and technical colleges across Washington. Yet the fiscal and leadership problems at Seattle Central College are unique -- and closing Wood Tech Center is not a solution to this longterm crisis. 

An emergency Executive Board meeting was just announced for next Monday, March 30th and college leadership just scheduled a meeting with WTC faculty and staff for Monday March 23rd. 

Across the state, programs with low enrollment, high operating costs, uncertain future employment, or low wages for graduates are at particular risk. WTC/PACT's programs face none of those problems - in fact, WTC programs are at full student capacity and have waitlists; jobs for WTC's highly trained workers are plentiful; apprenticeships are looking for enrollees, and jobs are well-paid. Selling an irreplaceable building that is custom-designed to support construction workforce training is no reason to end programs that have been training builders in our community for nearly 90 years. 

Help support WTC students & faculty reason with Seattle Central's leadership and help them recognize the importance of this school and what it provides for the trade industry within Seattle. 

Want to support more? Visit our website to find out how you can further help our mission of keeping WTC open. We want SCC leadership to hear your voice, personal story, experience, and thoughts on why closing this school is a decision that could impact generations of industry workers and lack thereof. 

INFO:

Savethewtc.com