Cascadia College president reports enrollment rebound, seeks legislative support for student services building

Cascadia College President Eric Murray briefed the Woodinville City Council on enrollment gains and program developments, and invited the council to the college’s 25th‑anniversary celebration.

"Enrollment is 25% up," Murray said, describing a strong rebound after pandemic‑era declines. He credited a mix of initiatives: a Kenmore grant of more than $100,000 to tutor students affected by pandemic learning gaps, intrusive advising procedures that require students to meet with advisors before registering, embedded tutors in math and English classes, and a mentoring program that has grown from 12 to more than 100 students.

Murray highlighted Cascadia’s role in transfer pathways — "we have a 95 percent acceptance rate of Cascadia students into UW when they've completed 2 years with us" — and noted that Running Start serves more than 1,000 students from over 45 high schools. He also reported more than $500,000 raised for the Cascadia College Foundation since its relaunch three years ago.

On facilities, Murray said a new Student Services Building is on the funding list and “is on the docket to be built starting July 1 as long as the legislature comes through with what they've said they're going to do.” He asked the council to consider partnerships and to publicize faculty openings; the college is recruiting part‑time instructors and volunteers for its mentoring program.

Councilmembers thanked Murray for the update and asked follow‑ups about student preparation and retention strategies; Murray described multiple placement methods, pairing strategies for developmental classes and the resource intensity of the mentorship program. No formal council action was taken on the presentation.