From the Desk of George Boggs
March 5, 2010
Issue #736
Policy and Advocacy
1. WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE CALL WITH COMMUNITY COLLEGES. The White House is holding a conference call for community colleges with senior White House administration officials for an update and discussion about the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA), which is currently pending in the Senate. SAFRA includes the American Graduation Initiative.
When: Tues., March 9, 1:00 PM EST
Phone: 800-762-6085
Title: White House Education Call (provide title to operator in lieu of passcode).
AACC Contact: David Baime
2. GET READY FOR THE FEDERAL DIRECT LOANS PROGRAM. AACC continues to advise its member institutions to be prepared to participate in the Federal Direct Loans program as of July 1, 2010. We give this advice because the prospects for continuation of a vigorous bank-based, Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program remain uncertain. If your college participates in the FFEL program, we urge you to speak with your local lenders to ascertain their plans for making loans after July 1. For more information, visit the Department of Education Web site.
AACC Contact: David Baime
3. SENATE HELP COMMITTEE MARKUP STILL PENDING. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) still has not scheduled a markup on FY 2010 education reconciliation legislation. The House passed companion legislation (H.R. 3221) in mid-September. Community college advocates have been urging the Senate to act on its version, but it has held back because of the ongoing possibility that health care reform legislation might also be advanced under reconciliation procedures, and Congress can pass only one reconciliation bill each year. It appears that the reconciliation process will in fact be used to move health care legislation forward; AACC anticipates that the education reconciliation legislation, which includes the American Graduation Initiative, will be acted on along with it.
AACC Contact: David Baime
4. COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT TESTIFIES BEFORE SENATE COMMITTEE. Robert Templin, president of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), recently testified before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions during a hearing on reauthorization of the Workforce Investment Act (WIA). Templin detailed several successful training partnerships between NOVA and local community-based organizations, emphasizing that programs must have a bridge to postsecondary education to be truly successful. He also called on Congress to make community colleges a hub of the workforce investment system in the reauthorized WIA. The hearing coincides with extensive behind-the-scenes discussions among committee staff about WIA reauthorization. AACC and other workforce policy stakeholders hope that this activity will lead to a Senate bill in the near future. Learn more and see a video interview online.
AACC Contact: James Hermes
5. AACC ADVOCATES FOR PASSAGE OF JOBS BILL. The Senate has passed its own version of the jobs bill (H.R. 2847) and sent it back to the House for final passage. The Senate version of the bill is a $15 billion measure dedicated to payroll tax credits for companies that hire additional personnel. This version is much more limited in scope than the version passed by the House last December, which included extensions of unemployment insurance and COBRA health benefits, funding for infrastructure projects and job training programs and a $23 billion education jobs fund for public K–12 and higher education institutions. AACC continues to advocate for this crucial support. Senate democrats have indicated that they intend to consider additional jobs bills and support public-sector jobs in their agenda; however, this funding is not part of the next bill to be considered, which focuses on extending expiring tax provisions and programs through the end of the year.
AACC Contact: James Hermes
6. COMMUNITY COLLEGE ENERGY TRAINING ACT GAINING TRACTION. Support for the Community College Energy Training Act (H.R. 3731) continues to grow with 111 co-sponsors in the House. Introduced by Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) in October, this bill mirrors the one authored by Senator Wyden (D-Ore.) last spring (S. 1097). It would authorize $100 million annually FY 2010–FY 2015 for a program administrated by the Department of Energy, in coordination with the Department of Labor, for competitive grants to community colleges to provide workforce training and education in energy-efficient construction, retrofitting and design; sustainable energy technologies; water and energy conservation; recycling and waste reduction; and sustainable agriculture.
AACC Contact: Laurie Quarles
Program Initiatives
7. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION INVITES ATE PROPOSALS. NSF is soliciting proposals for the Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program. With an emphasis on two-year colleges, the ATE program focuses on the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation’s economy. The program involves partnerships between academic institutions and employers to promote improvement in the education of science and engineering technicians at the undergraduate and secondary school levels. The deadline for preliminary proposals is April 22, 2010. The deadline for full proposals is Oct. 21, 2010. Click here for more information.
AACC Contact: Ellen Hause
8. NEED EQUIPMENT FOR YOUR NURSING AND ALLIED HEALTH PROGRAMS? The Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Professions, has funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for the Equipment to Enhance Training for Health Professionals Initiative. The 21 health professions with training programs under Titles III, VII and VIII of the Public Health Service Act are included in this initiative, with individual criteria for each of the competitive grant programs. For more information, visit the HRSA Web site.
AACC Contact: Roxanne Fulcher or Laurie Quarles
New Resources
9. ASSOCIATE NURSING DEGREES CRITICAL TO MEET NEEDS. Speakers at a national forum on nursing education discussed whether a bachelor’s degree should be required for entry-level nursing jobs. Read about it in the Community College Times.
AACC Contact: Matt Dembicki
10. COMMUNITY COLLEGES URGED TO RAISE ACHIEVEMENT OF MEN OF COLOR. The College Board’s The Educational Crisis Facing Young Men of Color underscores the scope and urgency of the educational crisis facing minority male students and highlights a number of programs that have proven effective in meeting the needs of this underserved group. Read the report online.
AACC Contact: Kevin Christian
11. REGISTER FOR CRD’S NEXT FUNDRAISING WEBINAR. On Wednesday, March 31, 11:00 a.m. EST, “The CEO and CDO Partnership in Fundraising” will address the roles CEOs and CDOs play, what CEOs and CDOs should expect from each other, working the CEO’s calendar, prepping for the ask, linking the CEO’s community activities to resource development and prepping for the elevator speech. Presented by Marsha Drennon, president, State Fair Community College (Mo.), and Jacqueline Almquist, executive director, SFCC Foundation and director of development, State Fair Community College (Mo.). $95.00 for CRD members; $155 for nonmembers. For more information and to register, visit the CRD Web site.
AACC Contact: Mary Heiss
Grants and Partnerships
12. AACC ANNOUNCES SERVICE LEARNING GRANT COMPETITION. Through its Community Colleges Broadening Horizons through Service Learning project, AACC will award eight one-year grants of $3,000 each to community colleges for service learning projects in new media/Web 2.0 strategies or environmental education. Colleges will receive training and technical assistance from experienced service learning mentors. This initiative is supported by the Learn and Serve America program of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Proposals are due April 9, 2010; the funding period is July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2011. Click here for details.
AACC Contact: Gail Robinson
13. GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR COLLEGES RETRAINING BOOMERS. Civic Ventures and MetLife Foundation have announced the availability of six one-year $25,000 grants to retrain adults over 50 for encore careers in health care and education. Get more information and submit applications online by April 12, 2010.
AACC Contact: Mary Sue Vickers
Events & Services
14. 2010 AACC OUTSTANDING ALUMNI ANNOUNCED. The class of 2010 will be honored on April 19 in Seattle at AACC’s annual convention. Thank you to all of the colleges that submitted a nomination for the award. Nominations for the 2011 award will be accepted in late summer 2010.
AACC Contact: Sarah Lawler
15. AACC SEEKS NEW COMMISSION MEMBERS. AACC invites member CEOs to apply to serve on one of six AACC Commissions. To be considered, return the nomination form by April 24, 2010. To learn more about AACC Commissions, review the AACC Advisory Group Overview and the list of AACC Advisory Commissions. For more information, contact Heather Lee Anne Owens by e-mail or phone (202-728-0200, ext. 255).
AACC Contact: Heather Lee Anne Owens
16. WEBINAR: “GETTING STARTED ON YOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN.” Produced in partnership with AACC and CASE, this webinar is scheduled for April 22, 2:00–3:30 p.m. EST. AACC members will receive a special discount on registration, so your final cost is just $195. Registrations open now.
AACC Contact: Sarah Lawler
17. TOUR THE BOEING ASSEMBLY FACTORY AT AACC’S ANNUAL CONVENTION. Boeing will host a VIP tour of its Seattle assembly factory for member CEOs attending the AACC Convention following the closing session on April 20, 12:30–5:30 p.m. The event is free, but you must preregister by April 10 to attend. The tour will feature presentations on the use of visualization technology and highlight opportunities to create revenue while bridging workforce needs.
AACC Contact: Norma Kent
18. GET AHEAD OF THE LEADERSHIP GAME BY ATTENDING PRECONVENTION WORKSHOPS. Are you a new president looking for some insight from those who have been in your shoes? Or is fundraising a topic you know nothing about? Do you strive to move into the presidency one day? These are just three of the 10 workshops offered, for only $200. Click here to read descriptions and to register.
AACC Contact: Tavia Cummings
19. PROMOTE THE CENSUS “TAKE 10” TO ENSURE YOUR SHARE OF FEDERAL FUNDING. The Decennial Census undertakes to count every person residing in the United States. But this activity is more than mere counting. An accurate count of local populations helps to ensure that every community receives its fair share of federal funding, which includes resources for services such as health care, education and roads. You can help inspire your community to return every census form by using the electronic toolkit available online, where you can track your community’s progress daily. Encourage your campus and your larger community to take 10 minutes to answer 10 simple questions.
AACC Contact: Norma Kent
20. EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVES ON HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING. To promote understanding of European higher education and encourage exchange between senior higher education leadership, the European Commission has designed a study program tour focusing on key issues such as European education reform, innovation and policy. Click here for more information.
AACC Contact: Michael Allen
21. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY. The Northeast Region of The National Council of Black American Affairs will host its annual spring conference March 18–19 at Essex County Community College in Newark, N.J. “Culture of Evidence: Best Practices in Institutional Effectiveness and Organizational Vitality” will provide community college administrators with two days of informative and progressive professional development opportunities. For more information, click here, or contact Lorraine Lee.
AACC Contact: Kevin Christian
22. APPLY FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CLASSIFICATION. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching invites colleges to apply for its elective classification on community engagement, which provides a means for colleges to describe their identity and commitments to community. Colleges intending to apply must register in advance to receive the online application by March 31, 2010; applications are due Sept. 1, 2010. For complete information, visit the Carnegie Foundation Web site. Several informational sessions are scheduled to assist colleges in the application process, including a March 5 webinar sponsored by New England Campus Compacts, an April 18 forum at the AACC annual convention and a May 26 workshop at the Community College National Center for Community Engagement conference. The next opportunity to apply for the community engagement classification will be in 2015.
AACC Contact: Gail Robinson