Scripps-Howard News Service

• Editorial: Public higher education to the rescue
  One of the great accomplishments of this country is its system of widespread, accessible and affordable public colleges and universities. In the current economic climate, the affordable part is assuming ever-greater importance.
  The AP reported on one student, Rebecca Gottlieb, 19, who left Tufts University and its $50,000-a-year annual cost and transferred from the Boston area school to Western Washington University. The school is both closer to home and, at $15,000 a year, significantly cheaper.
  Western Washington told the AP that it was experiencing a 28.5 percent increase in the number of students wanting to transfer from other four-year schools. In addition to the numerous other services public colleges and universities have performed for the country, they are now serving as an educational safety net.
  (Note: This editorial refers to an AP story which ran nationally yesterday, including in the Los Angeles Times, Boston Globe, ABC News.com, USA Today and the New York Times)

The Bellingham Herald

• Rachor's repeat just as sweet
  When Claire Rachor birdied the final hole of her high school golf career at the Class 2A state tournament she felt a rush of relief, like a weight had been lifted.
  Three strokes off the lead to start the day, Rachor knew a couple of things after carding a final round 72 at Apple Tree Golf Resort in Yakima on Thursday, May 28 - she'd played well enough win a second state title, and she had just played her last round of high school golf.
  Rachor hopes to continue building on her golf success next season at Western Washington University. She turned down the chance to play at a couple of NCAA Division I programs for the opportunity to stay close to home, friends and family.
  "I've had a lot of fun the last four years, but I'm ready to move on to college," Rachor said. "Both for the competition and for school to be a little more serious."
  

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• College of Western Idaho hires new president
  The College of Western Idaho has a new president.
  The fledgling Nampa junior college announced Friday that Berton L. "Bert" Glandon has been appointed to lead the school.
  Glandon has been president of Arapahoe Community College in Littleton, Colo., since 2002.
  Glandon has a bachelor's degree in business and a master's degree in communications from Western Washington University. He received a doctoral degree in educational administration from Brigham Young.

Harvey Mudd College magazine

• Space hero, STEM advocate, and rock star
  The elite group of legendary American space heroes now includes George “Pinky” Nelson ’72.
  George was inducted, along with fellow astronauts William Shepherd and Jim Wetherbee, into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame during a public ceremony at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on May 2.
  This is the eighth group of space shuttle astronauts named to the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame. The addition of Pinky, one of only four space shuttle astronauts to fly the Manned Maneuvering Unit untethered in space; Shepherd, commander of the first crew to man the International Space Station; and Wetherbee, commander of the longest docked shuttle-Mir mission, will bring the number of space explorers enshrined in the Hall of Fame to 73.

The Olympian

• Three named to Fish and Wildlife comission
  Gov. Chris Gregoire has appointed David Jennings, Rollie Schmitten and Dr. Brad Smith to the Fish and Wildlife Commission.
  Smith, a resident of Bellingham, is dean of the Huxley College of Environmental Studies at Western Washington University. Smith also served as the first director of the Office of Environmental Education for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.