Student athletes face challenges that many of their traditional peers do not. Not only are athletes expected to perform in their sport, they're also required to achieve in the classroom, a dual hardship for a demographic already tackling the difficulties associated with non-traditional learning. But with athletics programs entrenched at many…

George Knox reflects on his 15-year career as president of Labette Community College in Parsons, Kansas. Knox writes that, as a first-time president coming into a brand new system, he was very fortunate to have many seasoned presidents and mentors in Kansas and from the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) Presidents Academy. He says…

Building relationships is the essence of the community college. Higher education administrators learned long ago that building rapport with businesses, state and local government, and constituents is the best way to represent the interests of the community. But that does not make it easy. Board members come and go and the shifting dynamics of…

The road from teenage resourcefulness to a real-deal corporate operation was paved by the Bucks Business Association, a student led group at Bucks County Community College (BCCC) that hones student leadership, money management and organizational skills. Community colleges throughout the country are sharpening the startup-minded acumen of their…

In October 2013, nearly half of U.S. community colleges--46.2 percent-- said upgrading their campus networks is a "very important priority" within the next three years, according to The Campus Computing Project, a survey of 94 community colleges. More robust networks are needed to support a host of new wireless access points and the…

Community colleges are pulling back the covers of student performance in favor of a new "culture of evidence." One hundred two community colleges in 22 states have joined Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count. Backed by a partnership of foundations and research organizations, the effort provides funding, coaching, and data-driven…

In 1985, then American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) President Dale Parnell wrote of the "neglected majority," a phrase he coined for the astounding 70 percent of high school graduates who did not plan or aspire to attain baccalaureate degrees. Twenty-two years later, community college and public policy leaders still face the…

This article describes the annual William Inge Festival at the William Inge Center for the Arts which spawns creative arts in the 21st century workforce. In April 2006, the festival will celebrate its 25th anniversary and its tradition of honoring American playwrights, including Garson Kanin, August Wilson, Arthur Miller, Edward Albee, Neil Simon,…

The "Dream It. Do It." campaign was launched by a community that cares about its growth, its future and the future of its young people. Launched as a joint initiative with the National Association of Manufacturers and its Manufacturing Institute in a bold and committed effort to fill the talent shortage looming for U.S. manufacturers,…

Facilities that accommodate technology are much in demand today and nowhere more so than at colleges and in other learning environments all over the country. But the cry for "high-tech facilities" rings false: Buildings designed simply to look high-tech will be outdated more quickly than ever. It is no surprise that the very best…

Five trends are emerging that will not only change the role of human capital in the United States but will also challenge the legacy system of workforce development, skills and competency-focused institutions, and assuredly, community colleges. Workforce investment boards, for example, are currently geographically constrained in environments that…