I am a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and am pleased to celebrate LGBTQ+ Month. This national celebration is a reminder of all that has been accomplished and all that remains to be done for our LGBTQ community and allies. Over 10 years ago, the challenging and emotional experience of coming out to my […]
Leaders and Training Articles
Community colleges face a crisis. Are former students the answer?
More than a decade after the Obama administration called for the U.S. to lead the world in college completion, a recent update from Lumina Foundation reveals significant progress — and unfinished business. Since 2009, the number of working-age adults with post-high school credentials has increased by 16 percentage points to nearly 54%. But there’s still […]
The role of leadership in distance learning
We all know that distance learning has been thrust into the higher education spotlight over the past three years, but as we continue to return to a more predictable blend of in-person and online teaching experiences, what does the future of distance learning look like? And how do leaders within the distance learning field guide […]
Getting to the top while being true to yourself
When I started thinking about becoming a president, I attended a leadership seminar where the keynote speaker provided words of wisdom and caution for those of us eager to advance into the role. “It is lonely at the top.” At the time, I did not realize the value of this sage advice. But today, now in […]
Viewpoint: Trustee support is critical for equity-focused reforms
Higher education will play a key role in strengthening communities as we recover from the pandemic, and community college students are key to our economic prosperity. To ensure that students become the skilled workers and critical thinkers our workforce needs, boards of trustees must play a key role in policy and budget decisions that open […]
Impacting student success
When we think of what college classrooms look and sound like, we first might imagine the way movies portray them: esteemed professors lecturing to row after row of students in a large, stadium-style hall. It’s different Tarrant County College (TCC). At the Texas college, the focus is a method of education in which students actively […]
Harper’s JEDI Faculty Fellows are a force for change
When you hear the word JEDI, you might think of lightsabers and a galaxy far, far away. But Harper College’s JEDI Faculty Fellowship isn’t focused on “the force,” but being a force for change. Harper’s Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (JEDI) Faculty Fellowship began this fall semester as a leadership and professional development opportunity for […]
Investing in educator development
Palm Beach State College (PBSC) recently celebrated the opening of the permanent home for its Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence (CTLE) at the Lake Worth campus. The center will serve as a hub for innovation, further elevate classroom instruction for students and position the college as a leader in educator development and professional learning. Staff, faculty, students, trustees […]
Flexible schedules for staff
During the height of the pandemic, remote work for community college employees was mandated. Now, the opportunity to work from home (at least part-time) is an ongoing option for some college employees. Cleveland State Community College in Tennessee offers its employees work-from-home Fridays. For the college, the change wasn’t a stretch. Even before the pandemic, […]
Icons of community service
Community service has long been one of the outstanding features of the community college. Edmund J. Gleazer, Jr., president of the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (AACJC) — now AACC — from 1958 to 1981, had long advocated for community service as a major priority of the community college. Under his leadership, the […]