When every pocket becomes a supercomputer
When I walk across our campuses, I see students and employees engaged with their mobile phones, tablets and laptops. Each of those devices is now a portal not just to information, but to intelligence. With…
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Higher education’s talent pipeline is clogged with half-finished doctorates
With a new academic year in full swing, millions of students are just setting out on their college journeys. But for many of their professors, advisors and mentors, an important academic journey of their own…
Beyond the playbook: Why adaptive leadership matters now
In an era marked by rapid shifts in enrollment patterns, funding models, technological disruption and public expectations, community college leaders face challenges that extend far beyond their traditional problem-solving methods. These are adaptive challenges, marked…
Bracing for impact
America is headed for a labor shortage crisis in the coming years, and we may not even be aware of it. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the U.S. employed population is…
Washington Watch: AACC asks members to respond to IPEDS information request
A new admissions data collection system proposed by the U.S. Education Department (ED) would result in a significant increase in reporting to the federal government and, for community colleges, data collection on students altogether. In…
Three key elements of transformative leadership
As college administrators, we face a range of challenges, from moderate to very stormy situations. Inheriting a department, division or even an entire institution that is essentially in “good order” will require applying solid administrative…
Enrollments are up, but can students afford to stay?
College enrollment has finally recovered, thanks in large part to the surge in enrollment at community colleges. Two-year career and technical education (CTE) programs are feeling this growth acutely with some of the largest enrollment…
Washington Watch: ED begins rulemaking on reconciliation loan changes
The U.S. Education Department (ED) this week kicked off one of two upcoming negotiated rulemaking sessions to implement the higher education components of H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) reconciliation legislation. The table…
Community colleges: Workforce engines of the future
In a week when a government shutdown dominates headlines and political polarization seems irreparable, one invaluable sector has quiet bipartisan support in our nation: community colleges. More than 1,000 of these colleges educate 10.5 million…
How community colleges can strategically engage with lawmakers
From individual institutions to statewide coalitions, community colleges are developing sophisticated approaches to legislative relations that strengthen ties with elected officials. Building these relationships can bring immediate and long-term benefits for your college. This article…