In search of a close-knit college in Washington state

[branchandroot]

Help me, Obi-Web!

Everyone who lives in Washington state, I have a question for you:

Do you know of any colleges or universities that are close-knit? Community oriented? Small, liberal arts colleges are often good for this.

See, my spouse and I both work at a college we like a lot. Alas, that college is in Ohio, which is not currently a very nice place to be thanks to the new governor. *shakes her fist at the people who voted for the asshole* I mean, seriously, can we borrow Wisconsin's judge, please? We need one down here too. And, honestly, Georgia is freaking me out, right now, and the federal government seems to have largely gone batshit insane, and, let's be straight up about this, if everything goes to hell (or to The Handmaid's Tale, which is seeming alarmingly less ridiculous by the month) I want to be living somewhere my fellow citizens will be at least a little less likely to outlaw my love, sexuality, life choices, and religion.

Besides, what better place to be, when the real oil crisis finally hits, than someplace with abundant hydropower? And, at least, awareness and the start of planning for the approaching time when it will be less abundant.

So! Cascadia ho! In, you know, two or three years when we're out from under the damn mortgage insurance.

And this means finding new jobs, and that means colleges that have what we really value: a close community among the faculty and staff (and at least some of the administration).

Any suggestions?

Comments

[7veils]

If you aren't too frightened of living on the Pacific Rim what with the upsurge in seismic activity around the Ring of Fire these days, the Olympic College in Bremerton might appeal to you.

I don't know anything about the Lewis-Clark state college, but the last time I was in Washington, I really enjoyed the small and very beautiful city of Coeur D'Alene. I've also heard good things about Gonzaga in Spokane (that was close to where I used to live, so quite a few people I knew attended it and spoke well of it.)

I don't know if you will be any better off in the long run, though, especially if there is as much of a backlash against the Republicans in Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio as we've been hearing lately.

[branchandroot]

*wry* I /did/ read up on the Cascadia subduction zone, yeah. One more reason in favor of Washington and not Oregon.

*makes notes*

*sighs* Eh. I haven't actually seen any backlash to speak of hereabouts. This is, by and large, a depressingly conservative state, despite the isolated flares of liberality in the big urban areas. I've been thinking for some time that I want to be in a more congenial social matrix. The current politics are just the last straw to start me really looking for ways and means.

[chronolith]

Gonzaga is one of the Jesuit flagship schools and pretty conservative. For Jesuits. Just a note.

[7veils]

I didn't know that. I was only going on the word-of-mouth of graduates, but I'm not really in the habit of quizzing people on their beliefs or level of tolerance towards beliefs that differ, so a detail like that would've passed by me completely.

But I think this brings up a really good point: that no matter where a person lives, there are enclaves of people whose minds and hearts are closed to them, and this resistance and obstruction increases, the more committed this person is to living and expressing their liberation. Also, I've lived in the most conservative province in Canada for the past year-and-a-half, and have never felt endangered for freedom of expression like I did when I lived in a small, rural area that is regarded as one of the 'last bastions of the hippies.' This is to say that it isn't the area's politics which determine how much oppression and opposition a person receives — not necessarily. I don't think there is a place on the planet now that isn't facing some sort of struggle between those who want to live with kindness and liberty, and those who prefer authoritarianism.