commentary


ED clarifies aid awards for ‘header’ term

The U.S. Education Department (ED) on Thursday clarified how institutions should award summer financial aid if schools offer “header” terms prior to their fall-spring academic year. Without obtaining complete and accurate Institutional Student Information Records…


A Fight Club mentality to cyber security

“The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club.” What? Where’s the fight? The fight is happening on every college network. Malware, phishing, denial-of-service attacks, SQL injections, zero-day exploits, DNS…


Washington Watch: AACC comments on pending ED rules

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) on Monday provided formal oral input to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on regulations pending at the U.S. Education Department (ED), focusing on issues that had…


The ‘when and how’ of baccalaureate programs

Students seeking to enroll in a bachelor’s degree program face many challenges, whether they are entering a college or university directly from high school, transferring to a college or university after completion of an associate…



The benefits of being a PRIDE Club advisor

In 2007, when I was considering an offer for a faculty position after grad school, I checked the college’s website to be sure that they had an LGBTQ+ student organization. As a queer-identified educator, I…


Embracing VR

America’s community and technical colleges have long been perceived as no-frills institutions that offer specific skill sets, two-year degrees, and a cost-effective path to a four-year college or university. But this image is rapidly changing…


A democracy…voting and engagement

Those of us who work in community colleges are fortunate in many ways. We enjoy the opportunity to interact with a great diversity of students who have chosen to enroll at our institutions. We know…