Unemployment rates continued to fall slowly as the economy gains strength following the longest recession in over half a century. This report addressed the challenges of the community colleges attempting to reach the unemployed and underemployed. Responses from a survey conducted by the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama, were…

The purpose of this study was to examine policy issues from the unique viewpoint of state offices that are responsible for the supervision of community colleges and their role in developing the workforce. Using selected survey items from the 2012 Survey of Access and Finance conducted by the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama, 50…

There are growing pressures for community colleges and regional universities to accommodate the rise in student enrollment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate access and funding issues across public higher education institutions in the United States. Responses to a survey, conducted by the Education Policy Center at the University of…

The purpose of this report was to summarize the impact the economic recession had on funding, access, and overall support for U. S. community colleges in 2008. Mortgage foreclosures, reduction in stock values, and an enormous credit crunch were headlines of economic news in the final quarter of 2007 and throughout 2008. A survey conducted by the…

With current tuition increases at more than double the rate of inflation and cuts in state funding and Pell Grant programs, students and their families are being squeezed financially. The purpose of this study was to uncover access and funding issues by displaying current year and future year predictions for all access sectors including community…