Community colleges are increasingly recognizing that diverse leadership is needed to reflect and honor their student and faculty populations. "Students need to feel like they're welcomed," says Robert Vela, president of San Antonio College and head of the National Community College Hispanic Council, an AACC affiliate council. "If…

This article describes how community colleges have evolved from early computers to virtual campuses and beyond in just a few decades.

Many community colleges have been in their communities for decades, and some take it for granted that campus stakeholders, prospective students and their families, and the public at large understands who they are and what they do. But like entities of all kinds, community colleges are becoming increasingly aware of the need to forge a consciously…

As the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) expands its Registered Apprenticeship College Consortium (RACC) among community colleges and employer partners, those involved are looking to countries like Germany and Switzerland for inspiration. In some cases, that has meant partnering with companies from those countries, which have had more comprehensive…

There is perhaps no perfect time for community colleges to build new facilities as the pandemic and other factors impact student enrollment. Fall 2020 admission at community colleges dropped 10% from a year earlier, according to National Student Clearinghouse data from December 2020, far outweighing the 1% decline in undergraduates at public and…

Study abroad can be a crucial opportunity for learners to thrive in a global, interconnected economy. While overseas study programs prepare participants for the worldwide workforce, community college students are at a disadvantage if these journeys are not integrated into the classroom experience. As many two-year institutions lack a dedicated…

State fiscal support for higher education has met sluggish growth recently, a trend that has community college leaders working to meet student needs despite a shrinking resource pool. According to an annual report released in January by Grapevine, state financial aid for higher education increased just 1.6 percent between the 2017 and 2018 fiscal…

Community college presidents and board members come and go. But a major driver of the continued success of two-year colleges is how fruitfully the relationships between CEOs and their boards evolve over time--from the onboarding process when a president first takes the helm to the "outboarding" process that starts with them giving…

Community college students are more likely to be low-income, people of color and first generation in their family to attend higher education than their four-year peers. For a combination of these reasons, they are more apt to be housing insecure. This article discusses how some community colleges are providing new solutions for residences for…

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…

The Arizona Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AzAMI) is still a year away from the end of the U.S. Department of Labor grant that expanded the program, but already, AzAMI Executive Director Leah Palmer at Mesa Community College (MCC) in Mesa, Arizona, is fielding calls from companies that have hired her students through the institute. As state…

In 2012, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) released a report stating, in no uncertain terms, that "the American dream is imperiled." Data supporting this declaration highlighted a sagging economy and a record number of Americans who had fallen into poverty. A product of the 21st-Century Commission on the Future of…

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…

There tends to be a belief that community colleges are focused on the needs of their immediate communities. However, employers everywhere are looking for a more globally competent workforce. Even if that means to be an informed citizen who can help solve complex problems is changing, with challenges such as climate change or the coronavirus…

Community colleges are utilizing unique support programs and disparate modes of learning to build community in the era of COVID-19. Student of different backgrounds are finding themselves facing similar challenges during the pandemic. This article profiles a student-athlete, an immigrant, a full-time worker, and a student of color from an…