When strategy becomes a moral act
When was the last time you took a moment to reflect on why you became an educator? For some of you, it has always been your lifelong dream to serve society in this manner. For…
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Reporter’s notebook
DOL unveils $145M for performance-based apprenticeships ED seeks to drop ‘regional’ from accrediting agencies ED opens public comment on FAFSA form What a growing Pell shortfall could mean for students DOL unveils $145M for performance-based…
Resilience is designed. Are you designing it?
I returned from the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) annual Workforce Development Institute (WDI) feeling excited about the leaders of today’s community colleges. Dr. DeRionne Pollard, the new president and CEO of AACC, and…
Entry-level jobs in the age of AI
Artificial intelligence (AI) and large language models are reshaping how work is organized across the economy, including the nature of entry-level employment. While concerns about job loss often dominate public discussion, the more consequential shift…
Why community colleges must recenter learning in community life
For more than three decades, community colleges have been asked to do more with less while continually justifying their value to students, employers and policymakers. Since the 1990s, accountability reforms and performance‑based funding have elevated…
When 1+1 = 0.5
We like to think teamwork is additive: Two people working together should produce more than they could alone. In practice, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, no matter how talented or committed the individuals are,…
Washington Watch: ED announces ‘neg-reg’ on accreditation
The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Monday announced its long-anticipated negotiated rulemaking to reform the accreditation system, which ultimately will result in new regulations. The department’s announcement comes in light of a high-profile executive order…
How AI can transform student creativity, strategic thinking
Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly moved from novelty to inevitability in higher education. Students are already using AI tools, sometimes productively, sometimes problematically, often without clear guidance from faculty. The question is no longer whether…
Navigating millage campaigns: A strategic guide for community colleges
Community colleges across the country need stable funding to serve their students. Many get this funding through millage votes, where local taxpayers decide whether to support their community college with property tax revenue. This article…
Community colleges are not a fallback. They are a bold first choice
College enrollment increased again this fall, continuing a cautious recovery for higher education following the decline of the Covid pandemic. But it isn’t four-year institutions driving much of the growth. It’s community colleges. Undergraduate enrollment…