In 2011, a bond measure that would benefit Clackamas Community College (CCC) in Oregon failed. The main lesson from that loss, says CCC President Joanne Truesdell, was to know your demographics, and pay attention as they shift. “We learned two important things from that experience,” Truesdell says. “One is that we had a larger number […]
Advocacy and Funding Articles
Rhode Island makes a promise to students
Two weeks ago, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo laid out a proposal for free tuition at state colleges. Now Rhode Island’s Governor Gina Raimondo has announced plans to offer tuition-free education for full-time students at the state’s public postsecondary institutions. Rhode Island’s Promise would provide two years of free college for every Rhode Island student […]
Infrastructure plan would create many jobs that require some college
A new analysis of President-elect Donald Trump’s $1 trillion proposal to revamp the nation’s infrastructure could create as many as 11 million new jobs over the next decade, including positions that would require at least an associate degree or postsecondary certificate. About 45 percent of the new infrastructure jobs would require at least some college […]
New skills for a changing workforce
Strengthening and expanding career-education opportunities is the goal of the New Skills for Youth initiative. Ten states will pilot the program: Delaware, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Wisconsin. They’ll work to increase the number of students who graduate from high school prepared for careers. Each state is receiving a $2 […]
Emergency funding helps seven Ill. colleges
In September 2016, the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) declared a state of emergency for the community college system due to the drastic loss of state revenue over the last two years. Colleges have struggled financially while waiting for the state’s General Assembly to pass a comprehensive balanced budget. Last June, lawmakers passed a stopgap […]
An agenda for the new administration
As the new administration of President-elect Donald J. Trump develops its higher education policies, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has laid out its vision of how the federal government can help community colleges continue in their mission to provide high-quality education and related programs. Increasing access and success for students Strengthening the Pell […]
Keep in touch with your federal reps
Most community college public affairs, public relations or community relations professionals wear many hats. And when our plates are really full at the office, it sometimes seems best to push aside those initiatives that seem the least impactful. Unfortunately for some, engaging in federal government relations becomes one of those casualties. For many of us, […]
Presidential candidates weigh in on higher ed
Over the past eight years, community colleges have had a seat at the table and have played a prominent role in several programs implemented by the Obama administration. Today’s election marks a significant change in the political landscape. Both presidential candidates have higher education proposals. Hillary Clinton’s plan Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s “New College Compact” […]
Say #PellYes to Year-Round Pell
Nearly 40 percent of all community college students receive a Pell grant. By making Pell available year-round, more students would stay in school and make progress toward completion. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has launched a campaign to bring attention to the need for year-round Pell (YRP), which was eliminated after only one […]
Connecting colleges to NSF-ATE grants
Mentor-Connect is a leadership development and outreach initiative for the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE). It’s designed to provide mentors, faculty development, and resources to help community colleges apply for and benefit from ATE. Basically, it’s a catalyst for the advancement of technician education. ATE began in 1993, and has since provided […]