September 17, 2021 | Issue # 196
Last week, the House Education and Labor Committee approved its $761 billion component of a House reconciliation bill that would establish free community college tuition in participating states and expand federal Pell grants. At the same time, the House Ways and Means Committee’s provisions would include $9.1 billion over 7 years for a revamped Trade Adjustment Assistance for Community Colleges and Career Training grants program. That committee also is working on a provision that would eliminate the taxation of Pell grants and change the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) law to, in effect, allow community college students to receive Pell grants as well as the $2,500 tax credit.
This is great news for community colleges and students. But it’s not a done deal. There are many hurdles to jump before enactment. AACC will continue to advocate for our sector, and we’ll continue to keep you informed.
“New Options for Mental Health Services”
Community colleges are finding new ways to address mental health issues and broadening access to mental health support. Learn more in CC Daily.
Community College of Beaver County is launching a concierge program to better reach potential students off campus. Read about it in the AACC 21st Century Center blog.
| Submit Nominations for the 2022 Outstanding Alumni Awards
The AACC Outstanding Alumni Awards recognize community college alumni who have excelled in their chosen fields. We encourage AACC member institutions to nominate alumni. We’ll be honoring award recipients at the 2022 AACC Annual Convention. Deadline to submit: October 22. Register for the Equity Audit Webinar AACC will host a webinar on October 6 at 3:00 p.m. (ET) focused on the campus equity audit, which is a comprehensive evaluation of inequities that serves as a benchmarking tool to identify and address disparities in educational systems. Learn more and register here. Take Part in Fraud Awareness Training The Office of Inspector General (OIG), as the independent oversight arm of the Department of Education, is working to ensure that education-related coronavirus response funds are used as required and reach the intended recipients. AACC is hosting a webinar presented by federal officers who will provide an overview of fraud indicators, best practices, and examples of cases investigated by the OIG. The free webinar will be held September 21 at 2:00 p.m. (ET). Register now. Register for Pathways Workshops AACC is hosting a virtual workshop series for colleges committed to guided pathways reforms aimed at improving outcomes and equity for all students. The first workshop will take place October 14. Learn more about the series and registration here. |
On September 8, members of the AACC Executive Leadership Team and I participated in a virtual listening tour meeting with CEOs from Washington.