November 20, 2020 | Issue # 175
Last week, we held the AACC Annual Fall Meeting virtually. While we would have liked to gather in person, the safety of our members remains paramount, so we continue to hold meetings virtually until it is safe to convene again. Our staff did a remarkable job of scheduling and facilitating the nine commission meetings, as well as our board and board committee meetings during the week. I have been informed by AACC’s staff liaisons that attendance at these meetings was at an all-time high, and that each commission had very rich conversations.
Most commissions had dialogue around the status of the 2020 general election. In addition, there were discussions on a variety of important areas, included but not limited to: lessons learned during the pandemic, a continued focus on equity and inclusion in teaching, learning and the college experience, apprenticeships and CTE, enrollment declines and strategies for attracting and recapturing students. Thank you to each commissioner who carved out time to participate in these convenings that serve to inform AACC about the issues that are most important in each of your colleges and communities.
As we move into the Thanksgiving holiday next week, I encourage you all to maintain your vigilance in keeping your college communities, families, and yourselves safe
“A Strategy to Ensure Equity, Retention Amid COVID”
This CC Daily article includes strategies to connect students to services and supports and engage them in the life of the college.
“Launching a DEI Certification Experience”
Read how Lone Star College-Tomball launched the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Certification program for staff and faculty in this AACC 21st Century Center blog post.
I participated in a virtual seminar on how the recent elections will affect higher education earlier this month for WCET, an organization that focuses on practice, policy, and advocacy of technology-enhanced learning in higher education. You can view that seminar here.
Complete the AACC/HBS Survey
This week, we sent out a survey focusing on collaboration between America’s community colleges and employers. We’re excited to partner on this survey with Harvard Business School’s Project on Managing the Future of Work, and we’re excited to learn more about how your college is working business leaders to create the workforce of the future. We hope you’ll take the time to fill out the survey.
In 2021, in place of the annual convention, AACC will offer two options for professional development: AACC Live and AACC Digital. We’re accepting submissions for session proposals for both conferences now. Read the proposal guidelines for AACC Live here. And submit proposals for AACC Digital here.
We’re accepting nominations for the Awards of Excellence, Outstanding Alumni Awards, Leadership Award, and the Dale P. Parnell Faculty Distinction Recognition. Deadlines vary, so click the links to learn more.
On November 12, AACC government relations staff reviewed the recent national election results and their implications for community college priorities in the Executive Branch and Congress. If you missed the webinar—or you want a second look—you can view the webinar slides here.