October 14, 2026
My interview with U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Vice President for Policy and Programs, Jason Tyszko, has some valuable strategies about how community college presidents can engage employers. This second episode of Talking about Talent also includes tips on deepening relationships with local and state chambers of commerce.
Several developments in U.S. Department of Education (ED) programs deserve attention this week:
Some community colleges have not yet completed their Financial Value Transparency/Gainful Employment (FVT/GE) data reporting for the 2024 and 2025 reporting cycles. AACC urges community colleges to assess their reporting status and to register for ED’s October 29 webinar if additional clarity is needed for compliance.
The student loan default rate is up and the Department of Education has launched a default loans support center to help students manage their federal loans. The full national student loan cohort default rate briefing can be reviewed here.
AACC will host an October 28 webinar, “How the Federal Grant-Making Process May Change,” to address proposed Office of Management and Budget (OMB) guidance and Education General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) rules related to grants.
Yesterday, I spoke at Prince George’s Community College’s (PGCC) Skill Enhancement and Employee Development Day. One message I carried was that professional development can be a form of self-care. Encouraging staff to stay engaged with peers and to challenge themselves to continuous learning can help sustain the energy we all need to serve students. I was inspired by PGCC’s extraordinary professional development offerings that encourage everyone to develop rich professional communities.
The Alliance for America’s Skilled Trades has produced a new dashboard that can help colleges to connect with their local workforces. By understanding the trends in 124 skilled trade categories—searchable by state—colleges can plan for programmatic needs in response to real labor conditions.
Eighty-five former college and university presidents have signed PEN America’s Renewing the Social Contract for Higher Education, a powerful communication to current college presidents. Thirteen retired community college presidents were among the signatories of the document, which affirms the need for higher education to articulate its true value to the public and the nation. It also encourages institutions to reflect on where they might improve and highlights the principles that enable our institutions to flourish. It is a thoughtful piece and I commend our colleagues’ courage in crafting it.