Commentary

AI for college leaders: Things I wish I’d known sooner

Lately, I’ve had more and more conversations with colleagues and staff members about AI. What I’ve noticed across these conversations is that while there’s broad awareness of basic tools, the depth of understanding and usage…


House sets top-line number for FY 26 funding

While congressional Republicans will press down on spending for domestic programs, the chair of the House Appropriations Committee has indicated that his panel will not make dramatic cuts to align with the president’s budget request….



Making the case for good data

Policymakers, college leaders and students all rely on clear, timely data for decision-making. But not all data systems are created equal. Angela Perry, a senior advisor for postsecondary and workforce pathways at the Data Quality…


Looking ahead at distance learning, AI

Community college presidents and senior leadership recently gathered for a deep dive into two hot-button issues for two-year colleges — the future of distance learning and artificial intelligence (AI). The leaders convened May 19-20 at…


A nation of immigrants imperiled

At the recent graduation ceremony for Northern Essex Community College’s Center for Adult Education, we celebrated the accomplishments of 24 students who had completed their High School Equivalency exams, dozens more who finished English for…



A broader conversation about AI ethics in higher ed

In May, artificial intelligence (AI) use in the classroom once again took center stage when a student sued Northeastern University. The lawsuit arose after the student discovered that her professor had used ChatGPT to create…


Washington Watch: Senate passes reconciliation bill

By a 51-50 vote, with the tiebreaker cast by Vice President J.D. Vance, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday passed the so-called “One Big Beautiful” reconciliation bill. Shortly before the final vote was tallied, Senate Republicans…


CEO on social media

The students, faculty, staff and community residents of Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) in Wisconsin know all about their president, Anthony Cruz. They know he loves pickleball. He likes to eat out. He recently got…