In four years of managing the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Student Service Center--a one stop shop--from concept to fruition, the author has collected some tips and tricks and a toolbox of key components for success. The NAU Service Center journey started in 2012, when university leadership came together for a two-year concept review that…

By 2030, experts expect one in five American workers to have an immigrant background. And there are already 44 million immigrants in the United States. Most arrive with unmet workforce training needs. Even those with advanced degrees from their own countries can face language and cultural barriers that can leave them stuck in jobs that squander…

Leaders in the business community often talk about the "skills gap," the gap between the skills needed for good jobs in the economy and the skills that prospective employees possess. Though there is debate as to whether or not such a gap actually exists, the idea of the "skills gap" can be a helpful way to frame instances where…

Few professors teaching at community colleges today expect students to learn every nuance of every technological device they are likely to encounter throughout the course of their careers. Educators can expose students to enough of a base so that when the technology does evolve--and it will--they have the confidence and ability to adapt and…

With Arizona's mining industry in decline and its construction and housing market racked by economic upheaval, workers in rural regions across the state are enrolling in community colleges at a record clip. At Central Arizona College (CAC), administrators have reported 16 percent to 20 percent growth each semester for three years running. Georgia…

This article explores the different steps involved in adopting a new service model at the University of Arizona Science-Engineering Library. In a time of shrinking budgets and changing user behavior the library was forced to rethink it reference services to be cost effective and provide quality service at the same time. The new model required…

Annually, ACT provides a snapshot of the college and career readiness of ACT-tested high school graduates. This report is offered as a service to inform policymakers and practitioners about selected indicators of effectiveness and how that translates into readiness. It is designed to stimulate discussion, inquiry, and action. This report for the…

In Arizona, one of the country's fastest growing states, the demand for well-educated employees will only increase over the next several years. In the decade leading up to 2013, healthcare occupations will see growth of 50 percent. Almost 1,800 dentists will need to be hired to fill new posts and to cover retirement, for example. Teachers will be…