- On September 11, I participated in a meeting of the Executive Committee of the AACC Board of Directors.
- On September 10, I signed in to watch the recognition of AACC’s 2020 Outstanding Alumni. Later in the day, I attended the virtual celebration of Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard on her 10th Anniversary with the college.
- On August 28, I participated in a work group meeting as a part of the Strada Center for Consumer Insights Advisory Board.
- On July 30, I participated in a Virtual Apprenticeship Forum hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor.
- On July 29, I participated in a phone call with The Six.
- On Thursday, July 23, I was delighted to participate in a virtual meeting with officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to discuss ways that our two organizations could work more closely together. Joining me for the call were Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jennifer Worth and Chief of Staff Angel M. Royal. We received a briefing from Administrator Joseph Ben-Israel. We have invited a member of the rural development team to speak to our board next week regarding the department’s priorities that have a focus on community colleges. Later in the day, I participated in a virtual meeting regarding the newly announced AACC/NGA project with Board Chair William Serrata, San Jacinto College Chancellor Brenda Hellyer, Dallas College Chancellor Joe May, and Texas Association of Community Colleges President and CEO Jacob Fraire. I was joined on this call by Senior Vice Presidents Jennifer Worth and David Baime, and Chief of Staff Angel M. Royal.
- On Wednesday, July 22, I delivered a virtual keynote presentation to the Austin Community College Board of Trustees. The focus of the presentation was an update on community colleges in the COVID-19 era, and good to great boards. Later in the day, I participated in a call with The Six.
- On July 20, I participated in a virtual meeting with a representative from IBM, as well as American Workforce Policy Advisory Board Members Sheree Utash and Jay Box, and Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jennifer Worth to discuss learning employment records.
- On July 9, I participated in a virtual call with College Promise Campaign Executive Director Dr. Martha Kanter.
- On July 8, I participated as a speaker in a Black Male Presidents Roundtable via Zoom hosted by Rockland Community College President Dr. Michael Baston. Later in the day, I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
- On July 7, I participated in a Zoom call of The Six.
- On July 6, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO J. Noah Brown. The presenter was Dr. Joe May, chancellor of Dallas College. Dr. May shared the inclusive tuition approach that Dallas College has implemented to support the college’s equity and access mission.
- On July 1, I was pleased to listen in to a webinar of our community college leaders with U.S. Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. The participants were Community College of Baltimore County President and Past AACC Board Chair Dr. Sandra Kurtinitis, Dallas College Chancellor Dr. Joe May, Hillsborough Community College President Dr. Ken Atwater, Ivy Tech Community College President Dr. Sue Ellspermann, and Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Dr. Francisco Rodriguez.
- On June 29, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO J. Noah Brown. On June 30, I participated in a call of The Six. Dr. Lynn Tincher-Ladner, president and CEO of Phi Theta Kappa, along with two of her student officers: Lavada Burse, PTK International President from Grayson College in Texas, and Elena Wong, PTK International Vice President for Division III from Oakland Community College in Michigan. They discussed several PTK initiatives and how students are adapting in the COVID-19 environment.
- On July 2, I participated in a virtual meeting of The Six.
- On July 1, I joined a conversation between Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and several members of our association to discuss how community colleges are serving students during COVID-19. Participating in the call was Dallas Colleges Chancellor Joe May, Ivy Tech Community College President Sue Ellspermann, Hillsborough Community College President Ken Atwater, Los Angeles Community College District Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez, and AACC Past Board Chair and Community College of Baltimore County President Sandra Kurtinitis.
- On June 30, I participated in a virtual meeting of The Six.
- On June 29, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Members of our two boards had the opportunity to hear from Executive Director of the College Promise Campaign Martha Kanter and Chair of the College Promise Advisory Board Noah Brown on the status of College Promise programs nationally.
- On June 26, I participated in a virtual meeting of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.
- On June 25, I participated in a phone call with The Six.
- On June 24, I joined the Commissions on Public Relations Advocacy and Advancement and Economic and Workforce Development to provide welcome comments. I also joined leaders of other higher education associations for a roundtable convened by U.S. Congressman Lipinski to discuss our sector’s concerns regarding COVID-19. Later in the day, I was pleased to join several of our member CEOs in a conversation with Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to discuss how our sector is serving students during COVID-19. Participants on the call included AACC Past Board Chair and President of Cuyahoga Community College Alex Johnson, AACC Board Chair and President of El Paso Community College William Serrata, AACC Board Member and President of Northern Virginia Community College Anne Kress, AACC Board Member and President of Laramie County Community College Joe Schaffer, AACC Board Member and President of Central Piedmont Community College Kandi Deitemeyer, and Former AACC Board Chair and President of Jackson College Daniel Phelan.
- On June 23, I was pleased to join the Commission on Structured Pathways and provide welcome comments to commissioners via Zoom. Later in the day, I participated in a Zoom meeting of The Six.
- On June 22, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Members of our two boards had the opportunity to hear from faculty members regarding their current teaching experiences in the COVID-19 environment. A special thanks to Christine Arnold-Lourie from College of Southern Maryland, Vanessa Ferguson from Mott Community College, Therese Filicko from Clark State College, and Tracy McCoy from Midlands Technical College for sharing their experiences with us.
- On June 19, I coordinated a meeting for Dr. Randi Cosentino, president of the U.S. Naval Community College with some of the regional accreditors to discuss the plans for this new institution. Special thanks for Southern Association of Colleges and Schools – Commission on Colleges President Dr. Belle Wheelan, Higher Learning Commission President Dr. Barbara Gellman-Danley, Middle States Commission on Higher Education President-Elect Dr. Heather Perfetti, and New England Commission of Higher Education Dr. Barbara Brittingham for participating in the call today.
- I addressed the AACC Commissions on Research, Data and Accountability and Diversity, Inclusion and Equity on June 17. I also participated in a virtual call of the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board.
- On June 16, I spoke with a reporter from the New York Times. Later in the day, I was pleased to address the Commission on Institutional Infrastructure and Technology. I also participated in a virtual call of The Six.
- On June 15, I co-hosted with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown a virtual convening of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors for the purpose of hearing from the CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, Johnny Taylor. Mr. Taylor spoke about employment trends in the COVID-19 environment.
- On June 12, I was interviewed by Diverse Issues in Higher Education.
- I had the opportunity to meet the new president of the U.S. Naval Community College, Dr. Randi Cosentino, via Zoom on June 11. In addition, I participated in a call with The Six.
- On June 10, I had the opportunity to provide welcome comments to the AACC Commissions on College Readiness and Student Success via Zoom.
- On June 9, I was pleased to address the AACC Commission on Small and Rural Colleges via Zoom. Later in the day, I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
- On June 5, I participated in a call of The Six.
- On June 3, I hosted a virtual coffee and conversation with AACC Board members and members of the Presidents Academy Executive Committee to discuss the unrest and protests around the country in response to the murder of George Floyd. Later in the day, I participated in virtual meetings of the AACC Board Committees on Audit and Finance and Directors and Membership Services to handle critical board matters.
- On June 1, I co-hosted with Association of Community College Trustees President and CEO Noah Brown a Zoom meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors. We heard from NASPA President Dr. Kevin Kruger and Senior Director for the Center for First-generation Student Success Dr. Sarah Whitley to discuss the work of the center and to hear their thoughts on how to serve first-gen students during this COVID-19 era.
- On May 28, I participated in a phone call of The Six to discuss the federal policy issues.
- On May 27, I was delighted to join Southern Association of Colleges and Schools President Belle Wheelan for a podcast to discuss accreditation in the COVID-19 era and beyond.
- On May 22, I convened my leadership team for our bi-weekly meeting. Later in the day, I received an update on our Expanding Community College Apprenticeships project from AACC Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jennifer Worth and Executive Director of Apprenticeships Anne Hoeltke.
- On May 21, I was pleased to participate in our Community College Voice Podcast series in a conversation with AACC Board Chair Alex Johnson, ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown, and ACCT Chair Dawn Erlandson.
- On May 20, I participated in a phone call with The Six.
- On May 18, I cohosted a Zoom call with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown for the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors. We were joined by Louisiana Community and Technical College President Monty Sullivan, New Jersey Council of County Colleges President Aaron Fichtner, and Virginia Community College System President Glenn DuBois. These state directors answered the following questions: How has your state been able to deal with the CARES Act Funding and subsequent guidance which was confusing for many at best? What are three key questions and challenges that you are dealing with since March 15 and the COVID-19 pandemic? How has your state addressed CTE programs during this pandemic? And What are key measures you are taking for colleges in your state to reopen offices? Later in the day I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
- On May 14, I received an update on the AACC Pathways project from Drs. Gretchen Schmidt, Kay McClenney and Ms. Sarah Cale. Later in the day I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
- On May 13, I participated in the College Promise Advisory Board Meeting convened by Dr. Martha Kanter and ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown, who serves as the chair of the group. Later in the day, I participated in a Zoom call with The Six.
- On May 11, I co-hosted a Zoom call with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown for the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors. We received an excellent presentation from Dr. Nance Roy, president of the JED Foundation on the mental health of students in the COVID-19 environment.
- I participated in a call with the Washington Higher Education Secretariat (WHES) on May 8.
- On May 7, I participated as a panelist in a webinar, “Will Diversity Suffer after the Budget Crisis from COVID-19,” hosted by Diverse Issues in Higher Education. Later in the day I participated in a call of The Six.
- On May 4, I co-hosted a Zoom call of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Cuyahoga Community College President and AACC Board Chair Alex Johnson, El Paso Community College President and AACC Chair-Elect William Serrata, Lansing Community College President and AACC Board member Brent Knight, Anne Arundel Community College President Dawn Lindsay, and Northern Virginia Community College President Anne Kress provided insights and strategies that they are putting in place or are considering in preparation to reopen their institutions. Later in the day I participated in a CC Voice podcast on college readiness and dual enrollment. I was joined by Dallas County Community College Chancellor Joe May, AACC Director Tammy Reichelt, and Superintendent Debra Kerr.
- On April 30, I had a call with Lumina Foundation CEO Jamie Merisotis to provide updates on AACC’s work.
- On April 27, I co-hosted a Zoom call of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. The topics discussed included related technical instruction and considerations for reopening community colleges. Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jen Worth and Lone Star College Chancellor Steve Head provided valuable information to those on the call. Later in the day, I hosted a virtual meeting of the AACC staff and I participated in a call of The Six.
- I was pleased to attend a webinar on April 23, led by Director Kevin Christian on engaging diverse students in a swift transition to online teaching and learning. Later in the day, I participated in a phone call of the Six to discuss AACC’s priorities around COVID-19.
- On April 22, I was joined by OADN CEO Donna Meyer for a podcast to discuss the state of nursing education.
- On April 21, I was joined by AACC Senior Vice President for Workforce and Economic Development Jennifer Worth and Dr. Martha Parham to record a podcast on related technical instruction and the implications for moving these types of programs to an online format.
- Also on April 21, I received communication from the U.S. Naval Community College (USNCC) on behalf of the new CEO Dr. Randi Cosentino to facilitate connections to regional accreditors. AACC continues to engage with USNCC as their leaders further develop their strategies for serving enlisted servicemen and women, as well as those individuals on their bases wanting to upskill.
- On April 20, I co-convened a Zoom meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Participants heard from ACE President and CEO Ted Mitchell regarding the Statement on Principles Acceptance of Credit and the higher education priorities before Congress. They also heard from Organization of Associate Degree Nursing (OADN) CEO Donna Meyer regarding the top issues impacting nursing programs related to COVID-19. Later that day, I recorded a podcast with AACC Senior Vice President for Public Relations Martha Parham on top-of-mind issues in the COVID-19 environment.
- On April 17, Dr. Angel Royal and I participated in a Zoom call with AACC Board Chair Alex Johnson to plan for the board’s upcoming virtual meeting.
- On April 16, I participated in a Zoom meeting of the National Advisory Board for the College Promise Campaign.
- On April 13, I co-convened a Zoom meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown. Participants on the call heard from National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA) CEO Kathleen Santora and Valencia College General Counsel and Past NACUA Chair Bill Mullowney regarding legal issues currently impacting community colleges, as well as the issues that colleges should be concerned about in the future.
- I convened a Zoom meeting of members of the AACC Executive Leadership Team on Tuesday, April 7 and Friday, April 10.
- On April 6, I co-hosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown to discuss the CARES Act and financial aid implications for community colleges. We were joined for this call by ACE Executive Vice President Terry Hartle, as well as NASFAA President Justin Draeger and Karen McCarthy.
- On April 3, I participated in a conference call with Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Labor John Pallasch, and other members of the Department’s team to discuss our current ECCA program, and related technical instruction.
- On April 1 and 2, I participated in calls with the Six.
- I was pleased to join AACC Senior Vice Presidents David Baime and Martha Parham, and Associate Vice President Jim Hermes on a webinar to discuss the stimulus package for higher education.
- On March 30, I cohosted a meeting of the AACC and ACCT Boards of Directors with ACCT President and CEO Noah Brown to discuss the impact that COVID-19 has on college accreditation. We were joined by SACS President Belle Wheelan and HLC President Barbara Gellman-Danley to discuss pass/no pass grades and other important items.
- On February 20, I met with AGB Search Consultant Dr. Rod McDavis to receive an update on his work. (DC)
- On February 11, I participated in a phone call with Organization of Associate Degree Nursing President Donna Meyer to receive an update on the status of nursing, and on February 12, I was pleased to speak with Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA) President Mike Hansen to receive an update on issues on which CCBA is focused. (DC)
- On February 8, at the invitation of Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) President and CEO Noah Brown, Dr. Aileen Bumphus and I attended the ACCT Board of Directors dinner. The next day, I participated in meetings of the AACC Executive Committee and the AACC/ACCT Joint Executive Committees Meetings, which are held in conjunction with the National Legislative Summit. (DC)
- On February 3, I was joined by Dr. Angel Royal for a meeting with Strada Education Network CEO Bill Hansen and Executive Vice President Carol D’Amico to discuss our organizations’ priorities. Strada Education Network has been a longtime AACC supporter and corporate partner. (DC)
I attended a meeting of The Six on February 4, and later in the day I participated in a phone call with Assistant Secretary of Labor John Pallasch. (DC) - On January 28, I was pleased to join National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities President and CEO Barbara Mistick for dinner to discuss ways that our organizations might work more closely together. (Washington, DC)
- On January 21, I provided a keynote presentation and served as a member of a panel addressing participants in our FLI at WDI meeting. (Amelia Island, FL)
