ACCT Trustee Quarterly Fall 2011 by Moire Marketing Partners

The Road Ahead | Community Colleges and the Common Core | The VFA: A Framework for Success

fall 2011

infORmatiOn is

PO WER the 2011 acct leadership congress empowers trustees with the knowledge to drive student success.

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2010-2011 Chair

Peter E. Sercer, Sr. Midlands Technical College, SC

Chair-ElECt Roberto Uranga Long Beach City College, CA

ViCE Chair Jean Torgeson North Iowa Area Community College, IA

SECrEtary-trEaSurEr John W. Sanders John A. Logan College, IL

immEdiatE PaSt Chair Thomas M. Bennett Parkland College, IL

CEntral rEgional Chair Jean Torgeson North Iowa Area Community College, IA

northEaSt rEgional Chair LeRoy W. Mitchell Westchester Community College, NY

PaCifiC rEgional Chair Rebecca Garcia Cabrillo College, CA

SouthErn rEgional Chair David H. Talley Palm Beach State College, fL

WEStErn rEgional Chair Robert “Bob” Feit Southeast Community College, NE William E. Coleman, Jr. Mercer County Community College, NJ Colton J. Crane Central Wyoming College, WY Anita Grier City College of San francisco, CA Jeffrey A. May Joliet Junior College, IL P. G. Peeples Kentucky Community & Technical College System, KY James R. Perry Union County College, NJ James K. Polk Illinois Central College, IL George Regan Robeson Community College, NC

from the Chair One Final Challenge From the Chair Last OctOber, when I tOOk On the rOLe of ACCT Chair, I issued two challenges to the association: 1) acquire at least one new member college for every state from which ACCT had no member and 2) enlist at least one member trustee from each of ACCT’s five regions to serve on the ACCT State, Province, and Territory Coordinators Network. The goal of these challenges was to increase communication among community college boards throughout the country so that the association can do even more for our membership. I am pleased to report that we have made great strides in meeting this challenge. In the winter 2011 issue of Trustee Quarterly, I issued another challenge to all readers: don’t put down the magazine until you have learned something new, and then write down that new idea and bring it to your next board meeting. I encourage you to do the same thing with this issue. Before my term as Chair is up, I want to issue one more challenge — and this one goes out to all ACCT member colleges, trustees, presidents, and your entire communities. Read Jee Hang Lee’s advocacy column on p. 8 and then pick up the phone and call your members of Congress. Tell them that continued funding for community and technical colleges is essential, not optional. Cutting vital funding for programs such as Pell Grants is not “cutting the fat” — it’s cutting a lifeline for students, workers, and future workers. In the end, it means a slower economy and an uncompetitive national workforce. Please read and consider ACCT President and CEO J. Noah Brown’s thoughts on the past, present, and future of community colleges (p. 10). Once you do, you will realize that this has been a year of focused ideas, communications, and actions at ACCT for one simple reason: so much is at stake for all of us. Your active participation is imperative. I look forward to seeing you at the 2011 ACCT Leadership Congress in Dallas, and I urge you to make your voice heard in Washington during the 2012 Community College National Legislative Summit this coming February 13-16. Registration for the NLS opens early this fall at www.acct.org. Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for rising to the challenge. PETER E. SERCER, SR. MIDLANDS TECHNICAL COLLEGE, SOUTH CAROLINA

Dorothy “Dottie” Smith State Center Community College District, CA Robin M. Smith, Diversity Committee Chair Lansing Community College, MI Nancy Watkins Hillsborough Community College, fL Frederick “Fred” Whang Tacoma Community College, WA Roberto Zárate Alamo Colleges, TX

T R U S T E E Q U A RT E R LY

fALL 2011

TrusTee

QuA r T e rLY

The Voice of Community College leaders

from the President & CEO

fall 2011

Editorial Team

Many Colleges, One Future

EDITOR-In-CHIEf J. noah Brown President & CEO

ManagIng EDITOR David Conner Marketing & Communications Specialist

EDITOR Mark toner EDITOR aT laRgE Laura peters COnTRIBUTIng WRITERS Jee Hang Lee Director of Public Policy

narcisa a. polonio Vice President for Education, Research & Board Leadership Services

ira Michael shepard ACCT Legal Counsel

EDITORIal aSSOCIaTES Julie Golder alion elizabeth alvarado Keyshia Jimerson John steinecke DESIgn & PRODUCTIOn www.moiremarketing.com – Washington, D.C. Your opinion Matters COnTaCT: David Conner (866) 895-aCCT (2228) dconner@acct.org

TRUSTEE QUARTERLY (ISSn 0271-9746) is published three or four times per year as a membership service of the association of Community College Trustees (aCCT). aCCT is a not-for-profit educational organization of governing boards of public and private community, technical, and junior colleges. Membership is also open to state coordinating boards, advisory boards, and state associations. The mission of aCCT is to foster greater understanding of and appreciation for community college boards; support boards in their efforts to develop public policies focusing on meeting community needs; help build board governance leadership and advocacy capacity through in-service education and training programs; and support boards through specialized services and programs. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and values of the association of Community College Trustees. non-members may subscribe to TRUSTEE QUARTERLY for $60.00 per year (plus postage for international subscriptions). Third-class postage paid at Washington, D.C.

1233 20th Street, nW, Suite 301 Washington DC 20036 (202) 775-4667 faX: (202) 775-4455 E-mail: acctinfo@acct.org www.acct.org

1-866-895-aCCT (2228) faX: 1-866-904-aCCT (2228) 2

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This issue of TrusTee QuarTerly wenT To print shortly after we 300 million Americans held our breaths waiting for the nation’s leaders to come to agreement over the debt ceiling. While I have no doubt that the vast majority of elected officials have the best of intentions, it was astonishing to realize that the country might shut down because so many couldn’t find common ground. There is a lesson in this, and it is one that ACCT has held fast to for decades: when our common mission is what drives us, we can always find a common voice — and that is the only way to make progress. ACCT’s membership remains, in my opinion, the strongest it has ever been. Since the recession began, almost incredibly but undeniably, community college boards have become stronger and even more mobilized. This is because of our collective commitment, our actions, and our ability to come together and speak with one voice. As you read this issue, you will undoubtedly notice how many individuals and organizations are working together on our shared commitment to access and student success. Insightful contributions from leaders of the National Governors Association (see p. 12), State Higher Education Executive Officers (p. 14), the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (p. 16), and the Center for Global Advancement of Community Colleges (p. 18) all contribute to the conversation. ACCT is especially excited to present an update on the Voluntary Framework of Accountability (VFA) by Kent A. Phillippe, associate vice president of research and student success at the American Association of Community Colleges, ACCT’s sister association and co-partner in the VFA project, along with The College Board (p. 32). Also sharing their insights in this issue are featured speakers from the 2011 ACCT Leadership Congress (p. 22). Representing higher-education and philanthropic organizations, these tremendously accomplished individuals are among the most diverse array of leaders that the ACCT Leadership Congress has ever been privileged to welcome. And finally, but importantly, make sure to read ACCT Director of Public Policy Jee Hang Lee’s advocacy column (p. 8), which discusses in greater detail the debt-ceiling debate and how it could affect higher education funding, as well as ACCT Vice President for Education, Research and Board Leadership Services Narcisa Polonio’s thought-provoking case study (p. 21) and article on guidelines for trustee travel (p. 40). Finally, a recent event — the opportunity to participate in the landmark 100-year anniversary at Gateway Technical College in Racine, Wisconsin — prompted me to reflect on our past, present, and future. These thoughts are captured on page 10. I would love to hear what’s on your mind this October when I see you in Dallas for the 42nd Annual ACCT Leadership Congress.

J. noah Brown aCCT PresidenT and Ceo

Contents

TRUSTEE QUaRTERlY | fall 2011

DEPaRTMEnTS 8

AdvOCACy Striving for Stability Jee Hang Lee

CASE STUDY Preparing for Change on the Board

Narcisa A. Polonio, Ed.D

ACCOUNTABILITy ON THE ROAd Guidelines for Trustee Travel Narcisa A. Polonio, Ed.D

LEGAL New Rulings on Constitutional Issues Weigh on Higher Education Administration Ira Michael Shepard

22 fEaTURES 10

The Road Ahead —

J. Noah Brown

ACCT’s President & CEO shares his thoughts on the past, present, and future success of the community college movement.

Anything But Normal — Travis Reindl In the face of unprecedented challenges, trustees must explore new models.

Common Core State Standards — Paul E. Lingenfelter Community college trustees have an important role to play in advancing college readiness.

In EVERY ISSUE 1

From the Chair

From the President & CEO

News

ACCT Lifetime Members

Around the Regions

Searches and Retreats

Interface

Advisor

Prior Learning Assessment — Cathy Brigham Evaluating previous work and knowledge can help improve student outcomes and save money.

Global Education — Zepur Solakian and Sherry L. Dean

COVER IllUSTRaTIOn: MIKE aUSTIn

Programs with an international focus can help reinforce the locally based community college mission.

Information Is Power: 2011 Congress Q&As Congress keynote speakers share their perspectives on the evolving mission of community colleges.

Framework for Success — Kent A. Phillippe After 18 months of work, the Voluntary Framework of Accountability will deliver its first set of metrics this fall.

T R U S T E E Q U a RT E R lY

fall 2011

LeT THe LAW WORK FOR YOu

NEwS 2011 ACCT Regional Awards Announced The ACCT Awards Committees are pleased to announce the 2011 ACCT Regional Awards recipients. Each Regional Awards recipient is automatically nominated for a national-level Association Award in the same category. The Association Awards will be announced during the 2011 ACCT Leadership Congress Awards Gala Banquet in Dallas on Friday, October 14, 2011.

Timing is everything when it comes to advocacy, but not everyone has time to pay attention to pending legislation day in and day out. ACCT’s Latest Action in Washington (LAW) Alerts do the work for you. Since 2008, over 1,500 new people have signed up to receive ACCT’s LAW Alert e-mails — brief summaries of legislative actions e-mailed to subscribers as legislation happens, giving community college trustees, presidents, and other leaders and advocates time to contact their representatives and exert influence before it’s too late. Please encourage your fellow trustees, presidents, and colleagues to stay up to date about legislation that affects their community colleges by joining the LAW e-Alert network. To join, simply e-mail publicpolicy@acct.org with “LAW Alert” in the subject of the e-mail. For more information about ACCT’s advocacy services, visit www.acct.org/advocacy.

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Trustee Leadership Award Recipients CENTRAL REGION: NORTHEAST REGION: PACIFIC REGION: SOUTHERN REGION: WESTERN REGION:

Moudy Nabulsi, Southeastern Community College, Iowa David Mathis, Mohawk Valley Community College, N.Y. Jim Harper, Portland Community College, Ore. Karen Durden, Gulf Coast Community College, Fla. James Howell, Rose State College, Okla.

Equity Award Recipients CENTRAL REGION: Kentucky Community & Technical College System, Ky. NORTHEAST REGION: Montgomery County Community College, Pa. WESTERN REGION: Tarrant County College District, Texas

Chief Executive Officer Award Recipients CENTRAL REGION: NORTHEAST REGION: PACIFIC REGION: SOUTHERN REGION: WESTERN REGION:

Bonnie Coe, Central Ohio Technical College, Ohio Robert Messina, Burlington County College, N.J. Mary Spilde, Lane Community College, Ore. Joe May, Louisiana Community & Technical College System, La. Stephen Kinslow, Austin Community College District, Texas

Faculty Member Award Recipients CENTRAL REGION: NORTHEAST REGION: PACIFIC REGION: SOUTHERN REGION: WESTERN REGION:

James Berry, St. Clair County Community College, Mich. John Wadach, Monroe Community College, N.Y. Cathy Wei, Pasadena City College, Calif. Steve Meier, St. Petersburg College, Fla. Pamela Millsap, College of the Mainland, Texas

Professional Board Staff Member Award Recipients CENTRAL REGION: NORTHEAST REGION: PACIFIC REGION: SOUTHERN REGION: WESTERN REGION:

Rebecca Garrison, St. Louis Community College, Mo. Nikita Lemon, Baltimore City Community College, Md. Tria Bullard, Columbia Gorge Community College, Ore. Doris Simpson, Tri-County Technical College, S.C. Pamela Perkins, Seward County Community College, Kan.

ACCT congratulates the 2011 ACCT Regional ACCT Award recipients for their outstanding work. Visit www.acct.org/about/awards to learn more about the ACCT Awards program.

Call for Proposals: 2012 ACCT Trust Fund Board Grant ACCT is seeking proposals for the 2012 ACCT Trust Fund Board Grant program. The ACCT Trust Fund Board Grant was created in 2007 for the purpose of funding projects that focus on programs and/ or activities of national interest to ACCT member boards and individual trustees. The objectives of the ACCT Trust Fund Board Grant are:

California assembly member Paul fong (D-Cupertino) with the California Community Colleges legislator of the Year award.

Former ACCT Board Member Named California’s ‘Legislator of the Year’ On May 10, California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott and members of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges honored Assembly member Paul Fong (D-Cupertino) for his support of the California Community Colleges and higher education. Fong, a former member of the ACCT Board of Directors and an ACCT Lifetime Member, was selected as the California Community Colleges Legislator of the Year. Fong is a member of the California Assembly’s Select Committee on Community Colleges as well as a member of the Community College Caucus. Before serving in the Assembly, Fong was a member of the Foothill-DeAnza Community College District Board of Trustees and served consecutive terms as board president. He taught political science at evergreen Valley College in San Jose, Calif. “Assembly member Paul Fong has been a tireless supporter of higher education and the California Community Colleges in particular, and I congratulate him on being named our legislator of the year,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Jack Scott. “As a former community college district board president, Paul Fong knows how budgets work and exactly what will happen to the state’s community colleges if an all-cuts budget is passed. He continues to fight for the nearly 3 million students that attend our 112 community colleges, and it is because of his hard work, his knowledge, and his dedication to higher education that we honor him today.” Through Fong’s legislative efforts, foster youth who age out of the system are now given residency status and do not have to pay out-of-state tuition if their birth parents were not Californians (AB 669). He also authored a bill that was signed into law in September 2010 that will ease community college transfers to the university of California (AB 2302). Another of Fong’s bills, if passed, will provide a more efficient electronic transcript system (AB 1056).

1. Financial support for projects that initiate, enrich, or support innovative programs or activities created for the specific purpose of engaging and improving community college governance; 2. Recognition for ACCT member institutions that have demonstrated a specific interest in and support of community college board programs and activities; and 3. enrichment of ACCT’s service to trustees through the contribution of new ideas that can be shared with our community college trustee membership. The deadline to submit proposals is Friday, December 2, 2011. To download the request for proposals and proposal guidelines, go to www.acct.org/resources/trust.

T R U S T E E Q U a RT E R lY

fall 2011

NEwS Travel to China This October This October, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) will lead a delegation of college presidents, vice presidents, and trustees to China. Attendees will have the opportunity to: • Promote the development of vocational and technical education partnerships in China and other countries represented at the conference, such as Germany, the u.K., Australia, and Canada. • establish meaningful partnerships in workforce development program capacity building, as well as curriculum development and articulation. • Attend presentations on international student mobility. • Visit a variety of vocational and technical institutions. • experience China’s rich culture. Part Two: P ost-Beijing Trip October 17-22, 2011 Following the Beijing program, the AACC delegation will participate in a five-day trip to vocational and technical institutions in Shenyang, Shanghai, Changsha, and Guangzhou to establish relationships and discuss partnership opportunities. For more information and to view photographs from last year’s trip, go to http://bit.ly/pBRxxT.

ACCT, AACC Launch Website to Save Pell Grants In June, ACCT and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) launched a major advocacy campaign to protect Pell Grants for community college students. ACCT and AACC partnered to create www.pellgrantactioncenter.org, which serves as a central resource for community college advocates. On June 21, the associations produced a live webinar to detail what community college leaders can do to save the Pell Grants program. The webinar is available for viewing on the website. As Congress considered fiscal year 2012 appropriations, ACCT and AACC issued a call to action to preserve the Pell Grant maximum funding level at $5,550. More than 9.4 million students are projected to receive a Pell Grant in 2011-12, with more than a third of those recipients attending community colleges. In total, community college students will receive approximately $10 billion in aid this year to help afford tuition, books, transportation, and living expenses. Given the focus on cutting spending in Washington, the national associations deemed it critical to make the case for investing in the nation’s long-term economic competitiveness. For an update on the Pell Grant program and other FY 2012 appropriations, see ACCT Director of Public Policy Jee Hang Lee’s advocacy column on page 8.

ACCT Welcomes 24 New and Reinstated Members Altamaha Technical College, Ga.

Germanna Community College, Va.

Selkirk College, B.C.

Bates Technical College, W.Va.

Greenfield Community College, Mass.

Blue Ridge Community & Technical College, W.Va.

Massasoit Community College, Mass.

South Carolina State Board for Technical & Comprehensive Education, S.C.

Bristol Community College, Mass.

McDowell Technical Community College, N.C.

Centennial College, Ont.

Moultrie Technical College, Ga.

Community & Technical College System of West Virginia, W.Va.

North Country Community College, N.Y.

Excelsior College, N.Y. Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Ga.

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Paul D. Camp Community College, Va. Rockingham Community College, N.C. Santa Barbara City College, Calif.

South Piedmont Community College, N.C. Southside Virginia Community College, Va. Southwestern Community College District, Calif. United Tribes Technical College, N.D. Utah Board of Regents, Utah

ACCT Celebrates 100-Year Anniversary of Nation’s First Technical College On July 12, J. Noah Brown, ACCT president and CeO, served as a featured speaker at Gateway Technical College in Racine, Wis. The centennial program celebrated the 100th anniversary of Gateway, the first technical college in the united States. “For the past 100 years, technical colleges have served a vital role in our nation’s economy,” Brown said. “With today’s high unemployment rates, Gateway and other technical colleges are more important than ever in educating and training the workforce and getting America back on track.” Gateway Technical College President Bryan Albrecht agreed, stating that “today’s economy depends on technical education as never before. We are celebrating the investment and partnerships forged over the last century between the college and its communities, as well as the great expectation of future efforts to educate a well-trained workforce.” ACCT commends and congratulates Gateway Technical College for pioneering a successful model of higher education and workforce training. “I am here to tell you: Community and technical colleges are America’s economic engines,” said Brown. “The colleges here in Wisconsin, like Gateway, constitute the bedrock of our communities’ economic future and the hopes of millions of individuals struggling to gain their slice of the American dream. So while today is a time for celebration for an incredible achievement, let’s not lose sight of the immense significance of this centennial to the economic and social fabric of America.” aCCT President J. Noah Brown at the Gateway Technical College Centennial Celebration in Racine, wis.

President Brown’s full remarks are available online at http://bit.ly/rlkbDm.

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Published by the American Association of Community Colleges

www.CommunityCollegeTimes.com T R U S T E E Q U a RT E R lY

fall 2011

advocacy

Striving for Stability

Reinforcements will be needed to secure funding for higher education under a shaky debt ceiling. by Jee Hang lee

Since the beginning of the year, political pundits have been saying that the debate over raising the debt ceiling would consume the political discourse in Washington, as much as the healthcare debate did before it. For several months, Congress and the Administration negotiated and worked on a path to raise the debt ceiling, which governs the ability of the federal government to borrow money to fund programs and fulfill its obligation to pay interest on the national debt. While the negotiations experienced starts and stops, Congress and the Administration were ultimately able to pass a complex bill that sets out a detailed course of action for Congress over the next several months. While increasing the debt ceiling level, the Budget Control Act of 2011 also creates a process to reduce federal spending, sets budget allocations for FY 2012, and supports the federal Pell Grant program. The process of passing the act was difficult, but the arduous part for Congress and its new “select committee” remains to come in the form of future funding cuts.

Composed of 12 members of Congress appointed by its leadership, the bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction is required to draft legislation by November 23 that would reduce the budget deficit by up to $1.5 trillion through federal fiscal years 2012-2021. If the committee reaches an agreement on a proposal, it would require majority support within the committee to be discharged and considered by the full House and Senate, where it would not be subject to amendments or a Senate filibuster. Congress is required to vote on the committee’s package by December 23, 8

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but it will still be subject to presidential approval or veto. Congressional leadership has announced the following 12 members of the committee: • House: Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas) Co-Chair, Rep. Xavier

Becerra (D-Calif.), Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.), Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-S.C.), Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), and Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). • Senate: Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) Co-Chair, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), John Kerry (D-Mass.),

IllUSTRaTION: KEN ORvIdaS

The Impact of the ‘Select Committee’

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), and Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.). The committee is expected to look at all federal programs, including mandatoryfunded entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare. It may also examine tax policy. One significant wrinkle in this discussion is how the committee will treat the expiring Bush-era tax cuts. Of significance to community college leaders, the committee may consider cuts to programs across the landscape, including the Pell Grant program. Even the mandatory funds available for the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant program would be eligible for potential cuts. If Congress fails to approve at least $1.2 trillion in savings, an automatic reduction in spending, known as “sequestration,” will occur on January 2, 2013. A number of programs, such as Social Security, Medicaid, Pell Grants, and several low-income mandatory spending programs, such as Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), would be exempt from this process. While the Pell Grant program would be exempt from cuts in FY 2013, it would be subject to reductions by the Appropriations Committee starting in FY 2014. If Congress fails to agree upon any reductions, the expected across-the-board cuts would amount to between 7.5 percent and 9 percent of all non-exempt spending, with equal amounts coming from defense and non-defense discretionary programs. The result of these across-the-board cuts would be significant; for example, funding for the Department of Education would be cut by over $4 billion if reduced by 9 percent. If the committee succeeds in having some reductions approved by Congress, the percentage of the acrossthe-board cuts would reflect the reduced remaining amount.

Paying down the Pell Grant Shortfall With the Pell Grant program facing an $11.2 billion shortfall in FY 2012

and a subsequent shortfall in FY 2013, Congress was faced with the daunting choice of either decreasing the maximum — or reducing eligibility within the Pell Grant program or reducing funding for a large number of other education programs. Given the low appropriations allocations in FY 2012 under the budget introduced by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), the Pell Grant program was in danger of experiencing serious changes. Under the Budget Control Act, however, Congress reached an agreement with the Obama Administration to eliminate the in-school interest subsidy on graduate/ post-secondary student loans in order to generate revenue for Pell. The Administration had initially proposed this item in its FY 2012 budget request, and the law also eliminates the up-front rebates for direct loan repayment incentives. In total, the elimination of these two provisions will generate $21.7 billion in savings. The Budget Control Act allocates $10 billion of these savings for the Pell Grant program in FY 2012 and $7 billion in FY 2013. The remaining $4.7 billion will be applied to deficit reduction.

The appropriations Process and Higher Education funding Another important ramification of the Budget Control Act is that it sets the budget and appropriations parameters for the upcoming fiscal year. The FY 2012 appropriations begin on October 1, and the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill has yet to be considered by either appropriations subcommittee in the House or Senate. The additional budget authority given to the House appropriators will have an immense impact on this bill, as well as the other 11 appropriations bills that fall under the discretionary spending limits imposed by the new law. For FY 2012, the Budget Control Act sets a discretionary spending limit of

$1.043 trillion in new budget authority — $24 billion higher than the levels the House was operating under with the Ryan budget, but $6 billion below the current level of funding for FY 2011. With the higher allocation, the House and Senate will likely both announce their new discretionary allocations for the appropriations subcommittees in September and set parameters by which the committees may craft their spending bills. The additional $17 billion in mandatory funding to the Pell Grant program, as well as the larger overall spending caps, will significantly increase the ability of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee to fund essential programs. However, the $6 billion decrease in total spending levels from FY 2011 will still require some funding cuts. While the new law provides significant funds to pay down the shortfall, there are still major concerns about whether the Appropriations Committee will try to force some eligibility changes or reductions in the Pell Grant award maximum to reduce the overall cost of the program. Throughout this process, ACCT will need the support and advocacy of trustees and other community college leaders to support the Pell Grant program and other higher education programs. We strongly encourage you to participate in the “Stand Up for Pell Grants” campaign and continue to support the critical programs that support community colleges. ACCT has a number of resources, including its online Policy Center and federal legislative updates through the Latest Action in Washington (LAW) e-mail alerts. For more information on this campaign, please visit www.pellgrantactioncenter.org.

ACCT Director of Public Policy Jee Hang Lee can be reached by e-mail at jhlee@acct.org, or by phone at 202-775-4667. T R U S T E E Q U a RT E R lY

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theAhead road B y

N o a h

B r o w N

i had The hoNor oN July 12 of represeNTiNg accT at Gateway Technical College’s centennial celebration — a tremendous milestone for the nation’s oldest publicly funded

a special message from accT’s presideNT oN commuNiTy colleges’ pasT, preseNT, aNd fuTure successes.

technical college. Located on the shores of beautiful Lake Michigan in Racine, Wisconsin, Gateway was founded in 1911 by the Wisconsin legislature and has grown from the Racine Continuation School in its earliest days to part of a vibrant statewide, 16-campus technical college system, which now serves more than 400,000 students each year. As I sat on the dais during the public ceremonies, I reflected on just how far our community and technical colleges have come, realizing at the same time that we have the opportunity to match and surpass this distance in the future. In my formal comments to the gathering of dignitaries, including Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and State Rep. Cory Mason, I said: “It is vitally important that policymakers at all levels understand fully the economic prowess of our community and technical colleges.”

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My point was that our colleges constitute economic engines for our communities and nation as a whole. Our nation has invested time and time again in the education of its people, from the GI Bill in 1944 to President Truman’s Commission on Higher Education in 1947, which called on making K-14 universal and free, to the National Defense Education Act of 1958, in response to Sputnik, to the Higher Education Act of 1965, which created federal student aid programs. These are only a few examples of how our policymakers have responded to challenges threatening to undermine our nation’s national and economic security. Yet now, in an era of economic stress and global instability, our colleges are being tasked with doing more with less, as 43 states face budgetary shortfalls and are forced to slash funds for education. The stress on our boards and presidents is evident at just about every event and gathering I have attended over the past three years. While community and technical college leaders display abundant passion and dedication to steering their colleges through the economic storms that rage through most of our communities, no one can predict exactly how or when we ultimately will come through the storms into calmer waters. The situation is made worse, in my opinion, by the increasing rancor and partisan divides that now define our nation’s politics. It is troubling that at the precise moment when our community and technical colleges are most needed, funding and resources are being taken away — jeopardizing our colleges’ collective ability to serve as a stabilizing force and “on-ramp” to economic opportunity for millions of individuals.

IllUSTRaTIon: KEn oRVIDaS

Taking the Future into Our Own Hands I also firmly believe that if we in the community and technical college world want things to change in our favor, we must redouble our efforts to be more forthcoming with our results and the success of our students. Put simply, we can and must steer our colleges in the direction of greater accountability, transparency, and improved measures of success. This is why ACCT joined with AACC and The College Board to create the first-ever measures that take into account the unique mission and carrying roles of community and technical colleges — the Voluntary Framework for Accountability (VFA). The VFA is proceeding rapidly and is now being beta-tested at some 70 campuses around the country (see p. 32). It represents the first systematic effort to develop a language that accurately describes the multiplicity of missions that our 1,200 colleges serve, while also creating that commonality that will allow us to educate and inform policymakers about the immense economic and social impact our colleges have every day. At the same time, we must work effectively to ensure that every student that comes to our colleges with the desire to

succeed and earn a meaningful and measurable credential does so. The new paradigm for higher education focuses on student success and completion, which is much more than just rhetoric or a way for some to score political points. Our nation has fallen from ranking 1st in the world’s production of college graduates to 12th place, according to The College Board. This has profound consequences for our economy and, frankly, our ability to maintain our historically high standards of living in the immediate future — and perhaps especially in the long term. And student success is nothing new; working toward improving college completion has everything to do with delivering on the community college promise of access. Without measurable success, “guaranteed access to affordable, quality higher education” is a hollow promise. Increasing our accountability, developing the best metrics by which to measure success and completion, and communicating with policymakers and the public alike is the way to turn the tide in our favor. We must demonstrate our economic prowess by linking the education and training we provide to a tangible return on investment, which in turn creates more wealth for our communities and reverses the erosion that is eating away at the stability of our economic futures. This is why ACCT continues to invest so much in our membership — the boards that guide our community and technical colleges. The more information and tools that we can provide to boards, the more college presidents, administrators, faculty, and support staff can be empowered to do in support of helping the more than 12 million individuals who turn to the community and technical college system each year. The Gateway centennial was an opportunity to reflect — to be proud of and celebrate just how far we’ve come as a sector not only of higher education, but also the nation’s workforce and overall economic health. But as I and the other speakers repeatedly emphasized from the podium, the story is far from complete. How hard we work on being transparent, accountable, and dedicated to student success and completion will determine how the next chapters will be written. More specifically, our work today will determine whether our community and technical colleges will survive the current economic storms and emerge as stronger and more vibrant and effective than before. I am confident in the future success of our colleges and our students and grateful for the opportunity to be a part of something so uniquely American — community and technical colleges.

J. Noah Brown is the president and chief executive officer of the Association of Community College Trustees.

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The Road Ahead for Higher Education: B Y T R AV I S R E I N D L

BUT

THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD DEAL OF TALK IN RECENT MONTHS about a “new normal” for states and their higher education systems. But how do we define this new normal? More importantly, what does it mean for governors and trustees? The new normal for higher education is about increasing productivity — graduating more of the students our states need with the resources we have. States and their colleges and universities must meet this challenge to grow our economies and maintain our quality of life. That is why the National Governors Association (NGA) focused on these issues through Complete to Compete, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire’s initiative as the association’s 2010-11 chair. Three massive forces are colliding to create the new normal. First, our economy continues to demand more skilled workers. The number of jobs requiring education beyond high school continues to rise at the same time we face evidence that there

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is a growing mismatch between the jobs that are open and the skill levels of the people available to fill them. Second, states face short-term and long-term limits on revenues. Over the next two to three years, states will continue to grapple with the aftereffects of The Great Recession. Beyond that, they will have to contend with slower revenue growth and increasing competition for available revenues from areas such as health care and infrastructure. Third, the face of America is changing. Our fastest-growing populations — low-income students, working adults, and students of color — are those who have faced and continue to face the greatest hurdles getting to and through college. These trends make it clear that we are in a time that demands a commitment from governors and trustees to map out new ways of measuring, funding, and delivering higher education. A new approach starts with the metrics we employ to gauge

THE NEW NORMAL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IS ABOUT INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY — GRADUATING MORE OF THE STUDENTS OUR STATES NEED WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE. the performance of our colleges and universities. Our higher education system is awash in data, but much of it is not very helpful to policymakers or trustees in assessing the return on investment of existing dollars or in setting priorities for the investment of future dollars. In July 2010, NGA released a set of common completion metrics that address important questions about students’ progress through certificate and degree programs. Half the states have already committed to collecting and reporting these metrics, and Washington state has enacted the metrics into law for its public four-year institutions. This summer, NGA published a companion set of recommended metrics designed to provide information about the efficiency and effectiveness of states’ higher education systems. The metrics tackle questions such as the following: 1. How well are our higher education systems doing at producing certificates and degrees that correspond to states’ economic needs? 2. How are our higher education systems doing at graduating students relative to enrolling them? 3. What is the return on state and student investments in terms of completed certificates and degrees? 4. Are colleges and universities maintaining or improving learning even as they seek to graduate more students? It is important that we use these metrics, not just collect the data. Governors and trustees have a number of opportunities to make use of performance measures, whether in developing budgets, approving or evaluating programs, or deciding whether to deregulate (or re-regulate) administrative services. Financing higher education represents another essential part of the policy conversation about the new normal. Increasing college attainment without significant new resources demands that elected leaders and trustees ask tough questions about how and to whom dollars flow. They also must consider new funding models that promote efficiency and attainment. Ohio offers a key example. Starting this year, all state funding for public four-year institutions will be awarded based on courses completed rather than attempted, and funding incentives for degree completion will be phased in over time. For two-year institutions, appropriations will be based on students’ achievement of key markers of progress toward certificates and degrees starting next year. Finally, our states and colleges and universities must be open to new ways of offering courses and programs. For example,

while educating working adults will be critical for many states as they seek to meet workforce needs, too many institutions lack the capacity to serve this population effectively. Indiana offers an innovative example through its adoption of Western Governors University, a private, non-profit online institution that allows students to advance when they are ready instead of waiting until the next semester. WGU Indiana students are eligible for state student aid, opening the doors to college for more working adults. The new normal is also calling us to do less of some things — or, in some cases, stop doing them altogether. These include: 1. Raising tuition as a first rather than a last resort. Additionally, tuition and fee levels should be evaluated relative to family income in the state, rather than tuition and fee rates at peer institutions. 2. Paying for unnecessary duplication and under-enrolled programs. It is good for colleges and universities to have aspirations. But when multiple institutions are offering the same degree program, all of them with low enrollment, policymakers and trustees have a right — and a duty — to push back. 3. Ignoring high rates of remediation needed to compensate for shortcomings in the K-12 system. As a nation, we spend billions of dollars on remedial courses that could go to other priorities. The Common Core State Standards Initiative represents a promising effort to diagnose and remedy students’ skill gaps while they are still in high school. 4. Delaying hard choices about pensions and benefits for higher education employees. Failing to create more sustainable benefit systems will only siphon more and more taxpayer and tuition dollars from the classroom. Governors and trustees recognize that the road to a strong and lasting recovery runs through our campuses. But if we do not take steps to define our own “new normal” — as states, as systems, and as institutions — our competitors will define it for us, and in ways that will leave our educational system far short of first in the world.

Travis Reindl is a program director in the education division of the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the National Governors Association or individual governors’ offices.

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Common Core State Standards for collEgE and carEEr rEadinESS: A Leadership Opportunity for Community College Trustees B y

Pa u l

E .

l i n g E n f E lt E r

“School rEform” haS BEEn an amErican PrEoccuPation for more than a quarter century, but few would claim we have made significant progress toward the goal of widespread educational achievement. Roughly 30 percent of high school students fail to graduate in four years, and the number of students with high school diplomas who require remedial work in college is far too high. We clearly must do something different in order to achieve better results. Inadequate readiness for college work is not simply a K-12 problem, nor does the full responsibility for remedial education lie with community colleges. Educators at every level and trustees of all colleges and universities have a critical leadership role to play in increasing the knowledge and skills of the American people. No sector and no educator can dodge a share of the responsibility. If used as a lever on other systemic issues, the recently developed Common Core State Standards in mathematics and English from the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors’ Association could become a powerful catalyst for significant improvement. 14

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ROughLy 30 peRCenT Of high sChOOL sTudenTs fAiL TO gRAduATe in fOuR yeARs. In part, the Common Core State Standards emerged as a matter of economic necessity — K-12 leaders have found it prohibitively expensive to develop and implement unique standards and assessments for each state. But the educational benefits will be far more significant than the economic benefits. While the important dimensions of human knowledge and skill cannot be exhausted by any compendium of learning objectives, the abilities to use language and perform quantitative analysis are fundamental to everything else. The Common Core State Standards initiative aspires to: 1) define the knowledge and skills in English and math that, at the end of high school, would signify that a student is ready for success in college or a career; 2) define the learning progression through elementary and secondary education needed to achieve college and career readiness; and 3) provide valid, formative, and summative assessments of student progress toward college and career readiness through each stage of elementary and secondary education. The guiding principles behind the standards have been “fewer, clearer, higher, evidence-based, and internationally benchmarked.” Virtually all who have studied the Common Core State Standards agree that the capabilities of U.S. high school graduates will be dramatically higher if these learning objectives are widely achieved. Significant educational progress may be within our grasp if educators throughout the United States can stay tightly focused on these learning objectives and develop curricula and instructional approaches that will help students achieve them in far greater numbers. Shared learning objectives, supported by a widely accepted “yardstick” for assessing student achievement, could become an enormously constructive and powerful tool. Why are common learning objectives needed? Confusing, multiple standards keep students guessing (often wrongly) about their preparation for college and work. States have wasted valuable resources by continually reinventing the wheel independently with no material differences in substance, but too-wide variability in the level of expectation. Simply put, confusing, multiple standards have been an obstacle to educational progress. A national consensus on math and English-language skills is both possible and highly desirable. In fact, we have always had an implicit consensus in these fields; it is irresponsible not to articulate this consensus clearly. The Common Core State Standards represent a superior product that is worthy of support. It may benefit from fine-tuning over time, but we should not waste time and effort on tiny refinements before implementing this tool. Of course, consistent learning objectives and uniform assessments in math and English will not automatically generate more student learning. The potential contributions of common K-12 standards can be realized only if: • The assessments are widely credible in the postsecondary community.

• Elementary and secondary teachers have the capabilities and the curricula necessary to enable students to achieve these learning objectives. Excellent curricular materials and more effective professional training and in-service professional development are critically important. • Attainment in math and English is complemented by the other components of a college preparatory curriculum: social studies, science, languages, and the arts. • All entities with a critical role — teachers, school leaders, and colleges and universities — work together more effectively in implementing the standards and promoting continuing quality improvement. Many postsecondary leaders are working to promote and facilitate the successful implementation of the Common Core State Standards. How will colleges and universities benefit from these efforts? First, high school graduates who meet the standards will be able to enroll in entry-level college courses in math and English without any need for remediation or further demonstration of capacity. Assessments of attainment of the common standards should replace current placement tests. Second, high school graduates meeting the standards will be eligible for admission to moderately selective colleges and universities. (We now admit many students who do not meet these standards.) Higher levels of attainment on the standards and specific high school course requirements may be required for admission to more selective institutions or programs. Third, colleges and universities will be able to demonstrate their relevance and willingness to address a critical national priority — the quality of elementary and secondary education — by providing in-service education for current teachers and developing the capability of new teachers to enable students to achieve these standards. Supporting K-12 improvement is vital to the success of postsecondary education and its public support. Why are community college trustees so important? More than any other sector of higher education, a community college has the ability to influence the community it serves. Community colleges can help their students be more successful while they are still in high school. Community colleges also can advance the capabilities of K-12 teachers by helping them retool to teach these learning objectives and by giving constructive feedback based on student performance in college. Effective partnerships between community colleges and K-12 schools in their community can lay a foundation for more widespread educational attainment in the United States. Nothing is more important to our future. Paul E. Lingenfelter is president of the State Higher Education Executive Officers (www.sheeo.org).

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Prior

Learning assessment: an essential proCess for empowering today’s adult learners

B y

C a t h y

B r i g h a m

Most adult students with significant work experience have technical and work-related competencies that have been acquired from non-collegiate environments — work, training, military service, or independent study, for example. colleges that offer ways to evaluate this prior learning for college credit can help students progress more efficiently towards a degree, certificate, or credential — saving the student both time and tuition dollars. historically, colleges have had difficulty with prior learning assessment (Pla) because of the demands it places on administrators and faculty. however, the council for adult & experiential learning (cael), a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing barriers for adults interested in continuing their education, has launched an online resource, learningcounts.org, that makes Pla an academically sound, cost-effective option well within reach of community college students and the institutions that serve them. the national call to improve postsecondary degree completion rates has led many college and university boards to re-examine their policies surrounding Pla. a recent multi-

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StudentS with PLA creditS hAd higher grAduAtion rAteS, better PerSiStence, And Shorter timeS to degree comPLetion. campus study conducted by cael, fueling the race to Postsecondary success, demonstrates that students with Pla credits had higher graduation rates, better persistence, and shorter times to degree completion. indeed, the report shows that Pla users were more than two and a half times more likely to graduate than their peers who had not used Pla options (see chart, below). in addition, by having their prior learning recognized, many students develop long-term educational aspirations. Pla often gives adult learners a “leg up” on completing their degree — and on believing that they can complete their degree.

PLA and Its Effect on Graduation Rates

college leaders must not overlook how it can also help relieve classroom overcrowding. By exempting a student from a course for which he or she already has knowledge, Pla-friendly campuses can free up seats for others and place students with similar educational needs in the same classroom. in addition, cael’s study of 48 community colleges and universities demonstrated a positive correlation between Pla usage and improved retention rates, an issue plaguing many two-year institutions. adult learners frequently co-enroll, viewing the community college primarily as a means to complete degree requirements that they will ultimately fulfill somewhere else. offering Pla services has been correlated with improved retention rates at institutions nationwide, alleviating concerns about fulfilling degree requirements — and doing so affordably.

National Network of Partners

while campuses recognize the value and impact of Pla, many still lack the financial and personnel resources to offer appropriate services. cael, working with other Pla advocates, has developed learningcounts.org as a complete one-stop resource on prior learning assessment in all of its formats. learningcounts.org has access to a national roster of credentialed faculty — individuals with regionally accredited graduate degrees in the field and access to specialized training in Pla. this roster continues to develop, and cael welcomes interested community and technical college faculty to participate in this program.

PLA and the Two-Year Institution while Pla is often touted as a marketing tool to help differentiate one institution from another, recent cael research has shown two more relevant results for the two-year institution: freeing up seats in crowded classrooms and improving retention. Both can improve financial efficiency, and the latter is essential to improving college completion. considering Pla’s potential to increase enrollment, community

learningcounts.org is building a national network of partner institutions. Participation among community colleges grew dramatically through a formal partnership announced in July. Beginning this fall, the arkansas association of two-Year colleges (aatYc) will use learningcounts.org as a way to accelerate the degree completion of its students. aatYc will implement several features of learningcounts.org, including a standardized process for assessing prior learning of all of its students. trustees serve a vital role in cultivating partnerships in their communities, and Pla can be a useful tool in engaging business leaders. Partners outside higher education see the value of learningcounts.org in improving overall education and workforce readiness across the nation, and employers and workforce organizations are signing up to be partners with the service. not only does Pla expand the professional training resources available to employees, but it also usually does so at greatly reduced costs and in considerably less time.

The Future Is Now with national attention currently focused on the completion agenda, now is an opportune time for community and technical college boards to reconsider their local Pla policies and practices. always among the vanguard in serving the underserved, two-year institutions now have the opportunity to lead in prior learning assessment — one of the most powerful ways to increase services to adult learners while also impacting completion numbers. for information on how your college can join the pilot, please visit www.learningcounts.org.

Cathy Brigham, Ph.D., is director of academic programs and dean of the faculty at The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Visit the LearningCounts.org Facebook page at www. facebook.com/LearningCountsORG.

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o gl b al Education an economic DevelopmenT soluTion By Z e pu r S o l a k i a n a n d Sher ry l . d ea n

These are challenging Times for communiTy college leaders. as community colleges receive fewer state dollars, these institutions must develop alternate funding sources. Trustees are faced with difficult decisions as cost pressures mount against the backdrop of state accountability measures, competition, and the need to serve greater numbers of students. one solution to leading community colleges out of the current fiscal crisis is growing global education programs. 18

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Along with providing students with the experiences they need in A globAl economy, internAtionAl progrAms yield more thAn $2 billion AnnuAlly for community colleges. many community college trustees recognize that the definition of “community” has expanded to the national and international scale as the result of pervasive technology change. community college students must compete and cooperate on a global scale. Thinking globally and acting locally is therefore a “winwin” for community college constituents. creative leaders at leading two-year institutions are implementing models based on multinational partnerships and ways of linking global education to college completion and localization. in 2008-09, nearly 100,000 international students attended u.s community colleges, a 62.5 percent increase from 2004-05. The economic impact of international students at these community colleges was more than $2 billion in 2007-08. however, global education is often among the first initiatives to be questioned or cut in difficult financial times, when it can offer the solution to funding, the completion agenda, and the need to make the global local. globalization of higher education will continue to increase in the long-term. community colleges participating in internationalization benefit from the global movement of students and faculty, a point long recognized by four-year institutions.

Keys to Global Education global education represents a vital component of community college services for the following reasons: Relevancy in an increasingly competitive higher education marketplace. students are demanding international experiences and curriculum. community colleges possess the institutional flexibility to provide global activities. Increased operating funds. international students are increasingly choosing u.s. community colleges before transferring to four-year institutions. community colleges responding with internationally competitive educational programs increase student enrollments and positively impact operating budgets. Student workforce competitiveness. global competency is valued by employers. community college students who do not have international experiences incur an employability penalty in the global labor pool. Support of the college mission. global education, including student exchange and study abroad programs, addresses mission issues of completion, comprehensive international curriculum, and community relevance. Community economic development. international programming brings regional, state, national, and international exposure for community colleges and can contribute to both local and regional economic growth.

Trustee Support: A Necessary Ingredient Joshi ashok, a trustee at salt lake community college (slcc) in utah, represents a growing number of trustees who have embraced global education as integral to the community college mission. “i firmly believe that there is urgent need for educating

people globally,” ashok says of slcc’s work in rural india. “it is the key to a peaceful, coexistent world, especially during these unsettled, disturbing times.”

Four Models That Work slcc is one of a growing number of community colleges reporting impressive global education successes as a result of board of trustee leadership and support. below are examples of four successful programs. Herkimer County Community College, New York. part of the state university of new york (suny) system, hccc’s vision statement includes a commitment to global education: “hccc students will…become productive citizens engaged in a global society.” The college has a robust international student population that has steadily grown since the mid-1990s. in 2010, the college established a center for global learning, bringing together the office of international programs and the english as a second language classrooms and faculty offices. in 2008, hccc’s board of trustees enthusiastically embraced the suny “china 150” program, through which the college hosted students from china’s earthquake-ravaged sichuan province. college staff helped students find housing, assisted with course registration, and developed a schedule of special activities throughout the academic year to introduce the chinese students to the history and culture of the region. following the “china 150” program, the hccc board supported a number of visits to china by members of the college’s senior administration. These visits resulted in several agreements, including one with a private chinese company interested in student-placement programs and a pilot program that brought six members of the college’s faculty to china in the summer of 2010 for a three-week teaching and cultural exchange tour that introduced chinese high school students to american higher education and culture. hcc faculty taught at the Tianjin youth and children’s center in the city of Tianjin and at laizhou no. 1 high school in the city of laizhou. in 2010, hccc entered into an agreement with the suny institute of Technology and china West normal university (cWnu) in sichuan. The two-year pilot program allows cWnu students to transfer to hccc after their first year of studies in china to complete their second year in one of several business programs. These students earn concurrent associate’s degrees from herkimer and cWnu, after which they may transfer to sunyiT to complete a bachelor’s degree in certain designated majors. hccc’s global education programs receive significant support and commitment from the college’s president and board of trustees. “our international programs allow native and international students to expand their view of community and extend it to the entire world,” says hccc president anne marie murray. “Diversity of programs, ideas, backgrounds, cultures and experiences are woven through all that we do at hccc, so that all of our students, no matter what their backgrounds, are prepared

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the Accessibility of A quAlity educAtion And the growing world mArketplAce hAve creAted An internAtionAl demAnd for institutions of higher educAtion thAt will meet specific locAl needs. for the world in which they will live and work,” adds board chair Donald J. snyder. Trustee mary ellen clark stresses the importance of board support: “as leaders of an institution of higher education, it is essential that we commit ourselves to learn about different local cultures by living and working in those cultures and offering opportunities that help all of us — international students, local students, faculty, staff, board members, community members — to continue to grow and learn, and develop a profound respect for the differences and similarities of people everywhere,” she says. Washington. another successful model of institutions embracing international education programs is one adopted by the state of Washington. spearheaded by gov. chris gregoire, Washington is the only state that includes international students and study abroad as part of an export initiative, enabling community colleges and universities to recruit on a uniform front in a program known as study Washington. fred Whang, a trustee at Tacoma community college, reflects upon Tcc’s commitment to global education: “The u.s. is a global leader and will remain so for many years to come, primarily because of our educational and cultural systems, which nurture innovative thinking and the willingness to take risks,” he says. “however, our global leadership status is being challenged, and in some arenas, has already been overtaken. one of the ways in which we can maintain our leadership role within the world community is to ensure that our colleges extend invitations to foreign students so that our students can meet and talk with these future leaders of their countries… and then can craft and synthesize new ideas which will help our country to continue developing and producing groundbreaking achievements in the world community.” ross Jennings, associate vice president of international programs at green river community college in auburn, Wash., points to the program’s benefits to the bottom line. “We all recognize that finances at state-supported schools have been slashed to the bone,” he says. “[Today, colleges] must either cut services to students, damaging their ability to upgrade and train for the jobs of the future, or generate revenue.” at green river, tuition from international students generated over $10 million in gross revenues in 2010-11 and netted $5.5 million to the general fund, according to Jennings. “That money paid for a lot of classes and services for both domestic and international students that would otherwise have been cut,” he says. “in this budgetary climate, the notion that recruiting and taking care of international students is ‘outside the mission’ of community colleges is simply not true — the opposite is true, in fact.” Houston Community College District, Texas. The houston community college system serves more than 6,600 international students, the largest international student population of any community college in the nation. hcc also aggressively markets the community college model overseas, at no cost to local taxpayers. most recently, hcc won an exclusive $45 million, five-year contract with the community college of Qatar as part of a Qatari

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government education initiative. hcc developed a specialized curriculum, provided faculty and staff, and instituted a fully operational community college from the ground up in the middle eastern nation. more than 300 Qatari students enrolled in fall 2010. “Whether in a specific knowledge area such as oil and gas or in the administration of higher education, demand for american expertise has grown rapidly,” says hcc chancellor mary spangler. “The accessibility of a quality education and the growing world marketplace have created an international demand for institutions of higher education that will meet specific local needs. With the strategic intent of finding a right fit, hcc adapts to its partner’s needs, rather than standardize its existing model.” Miami Dade College, Florida. miami Dade college (mDc) sponsors robust global education programs, including the center for latin american and caribbean initiatives, the confucius institute, the Diplomat in residence (Dir) program, and student study abroad in numerous countries. The mDc District board of Trustees is deeply involved in and passionate about global education in the local community. leading by example are chair helen aguirre ferré, who serves as the voice of the americas through her newspaper, Diario Las Americas, the oldest-running spanish-language daily in the u.s., and Trustee marielena a. villamil, who received the first Dr. mario villarroell international leadership award for her work with the american red cross’ latin america and caribbean leadership committee. a strong proponent of service-learning projects with an international reach, villamil cites the relief efforts that took place at mDc following the devastating earthquakes in haiti. “never before has global perspective been so important to producing well-rounded students,” ferré adds. “i am especially proud to be a part of the work that miami Dade college has done to weave knowledge of diverse cultures into the core curriculum of all mDc graduates.” The successful programs created by these visionary trustees and presidents reinforce the idea that global education is not contrary to the locally based community college mission. rather, global education infuses colleges with additional resources and fuels growth. any college can replicate these successes — but it takes a visionary board and administration to make it happen.

Zepur Solakian (left) is executive vice president for global communication and public relations at the Center for Global Advancement of Community Colleges. Sherry L. Dean (right) is CGACC’s senior global education specialist. For more information, visit www.cgacc.org.

case study advancing govERnancE

Preparing for Change on the Board

This case is provided as a tool to foster discussion on governance issues related to board transition. By narcisa a. Polonio, Ed.d.

or JJ JoNes, the past six moNths had beeN a

report for the college and reported a series of findings to the

challenge unlike any he had faced during his first term as

board on how to improve both the work of the current firm and the

chair of his community college’s board of trustees. With

process of selecting an auditing firm. he indicated in open public

three new trustees about to join the board and a new president

session that the current firm was too small and lacked the experi-

starting his tenure, his long-serving peers had elected him

ence to handle the needs of the college.

unanimously to serve a second term, in part to ensure stability and

Jones had been delighted when these three new trustees

continuity in board leadership. but things immediately started to

joined the board, bringing with them an array of new experiences

change as soon as the three new trustees joined the board.

and points of view. however, he soon realized that their approach

Jones remembered what he had learned from aCCt training —

to trusteeship had become an extension of their professional jobs.

that just one new trustee constituted a “new board.” however, the

at times, he felt they were imposing their professional judgment

dynamics of having three new members completely changed the

over that of the college’s administration. board meetings had taken

tenor of the board. the new trustees saw themselves as having a

on a different tone and were lasting more than four or five hours.

mandate from the community to clean house and bring greater scru-

Worried that board meetings would become more disruptive

tiny and transparency. he quickly realized that the media and college

if he didn’t determine a plan of action, Jones asked himself how

constituencies had become aware of the difference in tone.

and why the board had changed so dramatically. Was the previous

the new trustees were knowledgeable professionals who

board too accommodating of the administration? Was it that the

brought significant expertise. one was a lawyer, another an ac-

new president did not have enough experience? Jones felt that the

countant with a major firm, and one owned and headed a con-

administration was doing a good job and knew that the college had

struction company. the new trustees soon bonded and referred to

a stellar reputation. While he realized that the damage had already

themselves as the new generation of leaders in the community.

been done, Jones wondered if more effort should have been made

the lawyer made it a point during public meetings to continu-

to prepare the new trustees.

ously question the assumptions made by the administration on

Discussion guiDe

just about every item. he publicly stated that his job as a trustee was to protect the college from possible liabilities and unnecessary risks. he would research agenda items and come prepared with a legal brief on applicable laws and the implications for the college. he openly questioned and disagreed with the legal counsel to the board on numerous items, and drilled the president in a way akin to a deposition for criminal proceedings. the owner of the construction company scrutinized every construction or repair project on campus. she made it a point to meet with the construction firms and review all the contracts and projects that were approved before she had joined the board. she publicly questioned staff during the board meetings and openly stated that they did not have the appropriate training to oversee construction projects. she questioned the bidding process and the

1. What are some steps that should have been taken to help the new trustees understand the difference between governance and management? 2. What is the proper balance between professional judgment and personal preference? 3. What should be included in a new trustee orientation program? What is the responsibility of the administration in providing an orientation for new trustees, and what is the responsibility of the board? 4. Now that the damage is done, what actions can Jones and the rest of the board take to come to a resolution and focus on the success of the college?

lack of direct involvement of the board, and presented a resolution supporting the need for a new bidding process for all construction projects and outsourcing contracts. the certified accountant scrutinized the most recent audited

ACCT Vice President Narcisa Polonio can be reached at 202-775-4670, by cell phone at 202-276-1983, or by e-mail at npolonio@acct.org. T R U S T E E Q U a RT E R lY

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The 2011 ACCT Leadership Congress empowers trustees with the knowledge to drive student success.

infORmatiOn is

PO WER i l l u s t r at o n b y m i k e a u s t i n

2011 ACCT Annual Leadership Congress

Dr. AnThony s. bryk

Jim Gibbons

Dr. PhiLiP Uri TreismAn

President, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

President and Ceo, Goodwill industries international

Professor of mathematics and Public Affairs, Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin

sustainability and adaptability mean survival, particularly in challenging times. to that end, the 42nd annual acct leadership congress will zero in on trustees’ roles in guiding their colleges through today’s uncertain economic climate, while at the same time ensuring that the enduring community college commitment to access for all is balanced with the need to ensure that far more students complete degrees or credentials. congress sessions and workshops will address changing financial realities, workforce demand, instructional accountability and effectiveness, equity and diversity, sustainability, and effective governance. the completion commitment will remain at the forefront throughout the proceedings, with a special general session panel and town hall meeting devoted to new ways to advance the completion agenda, both in community colleges across the nation and in the halls of state legislatures and the capitol. on the following pages, featured congress keynote speakers share their thoughts on the role community colleges can — and must — play in helping ensure the nation’s continued economic leadership. We hope you will be inspired by their words on these pages, as well as in person in dallas later this fall. T R U S T E E Q U A RT E R LY

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“oUr Work CAnnoT be Done WiThoUT invesTmenT AnD invoLvemenT by oThers. PArTnershiPs WiLL be key To bUiLDinG A neW CAPACiTy For imProvemenT.” Dr. Anthony S. Bryk, President, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching

Dr. Anthony S. Bryk, President The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching By Narcisa A. Polonio, Ed.D

dr. anthony s. bryk is the ninth president of the carnegie Foundation for the advancement of teaching. he held the spencer chair in organizational studies in the school of education and the graduate school of business at stanford university from 2004 until assuming carnegie’s presidency in september 2008. previously, he was the marshall Field iv professor of urban education in the sociology department at the university of chicago, where he helped found the center for urban school improvement, which supports reform efforts in chicago public schools. dr. bryk talked with Trustee Quarterly about the Foundation’s changing role, its past and present work with community colleges, including a current push to revamp the developmental math curriculum, and the role trustees play in the completion agenda. “i think that trustees should be deeply involved in ensuring student success at their institutions,” he said.

Q: Tell us about the historic role of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching within higher education and how it is evolving. Carnegie has always been an institution whose thinking and actions have been organized around teaching and those who teach. The Foundation’s accomplishments include influential policy reports addressing quality, access, and assessment; the development of the Teachers Insurance Annuity Association of America (TIAA); publication of the Flexner Report that dramatically changed medical education; creation of the Carnegie Unit; founding of the Educational Testing Service; and establishment of one of the leading research tools for educational researchers, the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The Carnegie Foundation was also a leader in the effort to provide federal aid for higher education, and has contributed to a major body of work on higher education teaching and scholarship. We are currently working toward a more productive approach to educational research and development, joining researchers, practitioners, and experts on common goals to solve problems in networked communities. Today, our initiatives are focused on creating pathways for student success in community colleges and improving teaching practice. Carnegie’s newly developed research approach relates to the idea of the scholarship of

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teaching and learning, introduced by the Foundation in 1990, where faculty learn from each other, improve on what they find works, continuously create new knowledge, and take what is learned to make it usable by others.

Q: When did the foundation begin working with community colleges? The Foundation’s efforts with community colleges started in 2004, when we turned our attention to this fastest growing segment of American higher education. The centerpiece of a collaboration between The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and Carnegie was an initiative with 11 California community colleges [called] Strengthening Pre-collegiate Education in Community Colleges (SPECC). SPECC brought faculty, institutional researchers, and professionals from student support services together to address the challenges of teaching and learning in remedial education. SPECC had four broad goals: (1) to provide helpful resources, tools, expertise, and technical assistance for improving pre-collegiate education in math and English; (2) to facilitate learning among and between the 11 participating campuses; (3) to work intensively with a select group of faculty to develop multimedia representations of what works in pre-collegiate math and English courses; and (4) to work on sustainability and leadership.

Q: What trends are you seeing in the higher education landscape? The landscape itself is what most concerns me right now. We are setting lofty goals for ourselves as a nation, and educators are under tremendous pressure to help all students achieve these high standards. Our colleges and universities experience the same unfortunate U.S. economy that our citizens do. Professors face classrooms populated with students who are underprepared and struggling and who may have had little access to the educational and technological benefits of their classmates. Students enter college with cultural differences, different learning styles, different knowledge bases, different motivations, yet all hopeful that they will get both the preparation and credentials they need to succeed. What is needed is a new research and development infrastructure that will focus on high-leverage problems of practice embedded in the day-to-day work of improving teaching and learning and the institutions in which this occurs. This entails a commitment to a rapid prototyping process where innovations

With President Obama, national commissions and summits, funders, and private citizens all calling for increased accountability from community colleges, these institutions fully realize that improvement solutions that will support student success are drastically needed. Community colleges are a gateway institution for many students of color, students who are English language learners, and students who come from low and moderate-income households. These institutions are uniquely positioned to advance social equity and fuel labor needs for a 21st century economy. Yet, in two-year colleges, about 75 percent of students need remedial work in English, mathematics, or both (Beyond the Rhetoric: Improving College Readiness Through Coherent State Policy, 2010) and currently only 40 percent of community college students complete their programs (Wall Street Journal, April 21, 2010). Well-meaning and hard-working people are tackling the problems of student retention and completion in this sector, but a more coordinated approach is necessary.

hopes dashed. The gatekeeper is often mathematics. Students with varied academic and language backgrounds enter community college with common expectations only to remain, sometimes for years, in developmental courses that are non-credit bearing and do not move them toward a degree, certificate, or transfer. This is especially true in mathematics. Between 60 and 70 percent of students referred to developmental mathematics do not successfully complete the sequence of required courses. Many spend long periods of time repeating courses or simply leave college. Either way, they are not able to progress towards their career goals, a shortfall with dire consequences for them as individuals and for our society. A careful analysis of this problem reveals a complex of sub-problems within community colleges that contribute to the high failure rates. Instructional systems do not engage student interest in learning; student support systems inconsistently meet students’ needs; human resource practices and governance structures create barriers for change; and there is insufficient access to data and insufficient use of data to inform improvements. Small gains may be possible by focusing on single elements, but dramatic change ultimately requires a systems view of how these elements, and others, interlock to create the overall outcomes currently observed. In addition, the mathematics sequence itself is flawed. It is Carnegie’s belief that community college students will have greater motivation to succeed and persist if their mathematics study is engaging, meaningful, relevant, and useful. The mathematics pathway for students pursuing majors in the heavy math-oriented disciplines is well-established; students work their way through algebra to calculus. Certainly, students entering higher education pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields need to be proficient in pre-calculus and the algebra on which it depends. However, other alternatives for non-STEM majors are needed.

Q: The Foundation has ventured into community

Q: What do community and technical college governing

college-based initiatives — particularly the Work in

boards need to know about the Carnegie Foundation for the

Developmental mathematics in Community Colleges

Advancement of Teaching?

are co-developed by researchers and practitioners, tried out in schools and other learning contexts, refined, and retried. It also demands an engineering orientation where adaptability to local contexts is a direct object of study. It is not good enough to know that a program can work; we need to know how to make it work reliably over many diverse contexts and situations. This means accumulating a rigorous knowledge base on practice improvement, where the clinical test of adequacy is its capacity to advance demonstrable broad-based improvements in teaching and learning. It also means considering new institutional arrangements among research universities, sites of clinical practice, and the commercial sector.

Q: how do these trends relate to community and technical colleges?

program. Why has the Foundation undertaken this venture? As I mentioned before, community colleges are gateway institutions for many Americans and second-chance institutions for countless others, enrolling almost half the nation’s undergraduates. Yet these open-door colleges are many times places where students who enter with high hopes for success leave with those

Carnegie is developing and promoting an R&D infrastructure that we call Improvement Research. It will allow us to cull and synthesize the best of what we know from scholarship and practice, rapidly develop and test prospective improvements, deploy what we learn about what works in schools and classrooms, and add to our knowledge to continuously improve.

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“CommUniTy CoLLeGes Are CreATinG The WorkForCe oF The 21sT CenTUry.” Jim Gibbons, President and CEO, Goodwill Industries International

We are orchestrating a common knowledge development and management system to make certain that whatever we build and learn becomes a resource to others. We believe that this approach will not only produce powerful solutions to the challenges of improving educational practice in many contexts, but also will offer a prototype of a new infrastructure for research and development.

and leadership award and the 2010 recipient of the Jefferson award for greatest public service benefiting the disadvantaged. in december 2010, gibbons was appointed by president obama to serve for two years on the White house council for community solutions. he spoke with Trustee Quarterly about goodwill, community colleges, and the importance of partnerships to serve communities.

Q: From your personal perspective as a longtime

Q: What is Goodwill industries international’s mission,

educational leader, what would you say is most important

and how does it represent the communities in which it serves?

for community college trustees to know and do?

Goodwill started out in Boston as a social entrepreneurship project, and it has grown to 158 Goodwill locations around the country with total revenues of $4 billion. Eighty-five cents on every dollar goes back into employment training and other wraparound services. Goodwill serves more than 2 million people each year. Operating not on a “handout” but a “handup” philosophy, Goodwill has helped over 170,000 people gain employment in the last year. Each Goodwill operates with a local board of directors to represent the community and meet its needs; Goodwill is all about being in and of the community.

We know that our work cannot be done without investment and involvement by others. Partnerships will be key to building a new capacity for improvement. Such arrangements will be even more important in today’s economic environment. This is true for the relationships between trustees and their institutions as well. I think that trustees should be deeply involved in ensuring student success at their institutions. I don’t think I can put it any better than the recently organized Democracy’s Challenge Call to Action that six national organizations representing the country’s 1,200 community colleges, their governing boards, faculty, and students signed in April. In the Call to Action, they asked “every community college president, trustee, administrator, faculty member, counselor, advisor, financial aid officer, staff member, and stakeholder to examine their current practices, to identify ways to help students understand the added value of degrees and certifications, and to help them progress toward their goals.”

Jim Gibbons, President and CEO, Goodwill Industries International By Narcisa A. Polonio, Ed.D and Laura Peters

Jim gibbons describes the emerging partnerships between goodwill industries international (gii) and community colleges as a “natural fit.” gibbons joined goodwill in april 2008, coming from national industries for the blind (nib), where he served as president and ceo for ten years. prior to nib, gibbons served as president and ceo of campus Wide access solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of at&t. also while at at&t, he held leadership positions in operations, product management, and mergers and acquisitions. gibbons attended the harvard graduate school of business administration, where he was the first blind person to graduate from harvard with a mba. he earned his bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from purdue university. gibbons was the 2009 recipient of the ypo social enterprise

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Q: Describe the strategic partnership between Goodwill and community colleges around the nation. Goodwill has cultivated an intentional partnership with community colleges in recent years, but the truth is that these relationships were already thriving within local communities. In fact, most Goodwills have strong relationships with community colleges. It’s a natural fit — these organizations complement each other both in their strengths and their weaknesses. Community colleges are facing the Completion Challenge, while Goodwill is trying to enhance wraparound services for people in local communities. As both are trying to foster the workforce of the 21st century, the opportunity to develop a partnership could not come at a better time.

Q: What are some of the more specific partnership models? About two years ago, Goodwill held a small conference called “Thinking to Action.” At Goodwill, we view ourselves as practitioners, so we brought academic thinkers from community colleges and other nonprofit organizations to the workshop. The outcome was the identification of complementary skill sets between Goodwill and community colleges and the recognition

of three key models illustrating how they can successfully work together to serve communities: • Goodwill is partnering with Forsyth Technical Community College, N.C., to reach deeper into the community, serving more than 3,000 students. In a shared-assets model, Goodwill provides the wraparound services and the space, and Forsyth Technical Community College provides professors. By sharing staff and resources, our organizations are better able to engage students and enhance the completion rate. • In San Antonio, Texas, Goodwill and Alamo Colleges have developed a revenue-sharing model. Goodwill markets workforce training to the community, while Alamo Colleges delivers the content. • Finally, Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) has partnered with Goodwill and other local nonprofit organizations to share professors and space. Goodwill has a relationship with 100,000 employers around the country, and they work together with NOVA to outline what job opportunities are out there and what skillsets are needed. These are examples of economic models, but at the end of the day, our work is to help the communities.

Q: What impact has the recession had on Goodwill’s ability to carry out its mission? Goodwill is actually continuing to grow in the downtrodden economy. The organization works in this economy precisely because of the mission and its relevance today. The need for wraparound services and secondhand donation-based stores is increasing, as many people remain unemployed or otherwise affected by the economy. Goodwill has 2,500 retail stores with 98,000 employees — only Walmart has more retail locations. Goodwill is based on a market-driven social enterprise model that relentlessly pursues improvement and better efficiency. We utilize our human resources to the fullest and offer on-the-job training and first-time employment opportunities. Our sources of income support additional programming.

Q: Where do you see community colleges standing in all of this? Community colleges, like Goodwill, are more relevant in today’s world and economy than ever before. We are at a pivotal point in the American economy, where workers are not prepared for the jobs available and the nation’s global economic leadership is at stake. We need to work together to develop the workforce so that it has the right credentials. Community colleges are taking

great steps forward in creating the workforce of the 21st century. They must tune into the needs of the communities and work from there.

Q: how can community college trustees help to connect resources within their communities on behalf of their institutions? Community college trustees are in a role of great responsibility, so they must accept even greater accountability and transparency in governance. Trustee engagement in the Completion Challenge and transitioning students into gainful employment is crucial. Community college trustees are leaders in their communities. They are ambassadors for the entire community college system as they advocate for a 21st century workforce.

Dr. Philip Uri Treisman, Professor of Mathematics and Public Affairs, Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin By David M. Conner

philip “uri” treisman is professor of mathematics and public affairs at the university of texas at austin, where he is the founder and director of the charles a. dana center. he is a senior partner at the carnegie Foundation for the advancement of teaching, where he is working on new approaches to help students succeed in community college mathematics courses. he is also a senior advisor to the aspen institute’s urban superintendents’ network and serves on the boards of the new teacher project, the aFt innovation Fund, and the military child education coalition (mcec). treisman recently served on the stem working group of the president’s council of advisors on science and technology and on the carnegie institute for advanced study commission on mathematics and science education. he was a founding member of the board of the national center for public policy in higher education. treisman was named a macarthur “genius” Fellow in 1992 for his work on nurturing minority student achievement in college mathematics and the 2006 scientist of the year by the harvard Foundation of harvard university for his outstanding contributions to mathematics. treisman spoke with Trustee Quarterly about the lifechanging influence of community colleges on the trajectory of his life and why he is so committed to helping minority and underprivileged students change their lives’ trajectories as well.

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“We neeD seConD-ChAnCe sysTems in oUr CoUnTry; PeoPLe neeD To knoW ThAT WiTh hArD Work AnD eDUCATion, yoU CAn imProve yoUr LiFe. CLosinG Doors AnD eLiminATinG ACCess in The nAme oF QUALiTy is A beTrAyAL oF oUr mission.” Dr. Philip Uri Treisman, Professor of Mathematics and Public Affairs, Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin

Q: From your earliest experience at a community college to your current work, you’ve come a long way and, in a sense, full circle. Can you tell us more about your earliest experience with community colleges? I went to community college in my mid-20s. I was convalescing from a pit viper bite, which left me paralyzed and with seizures. And I was wondering how in the world I was going to make a living for my family. I like to do physical work and I wanted a skilled job, so the natural thing to do was to go to Los Angeles Community College System while I was working full-time as a gardener. And like so many of my fellow students, I pieced together courses at different campuses depending on my work schedule. I was older and in classes with young kids just out of high school. And I was lucky to have Jack Stutesman as a math teacher; he took me under his wing and told me that I could be a math person. He took me over to what was then Valley State — now it’s Cal State University at Northridge — introduced me to a relative of his, and actually helped me transfer and get a job there as a math tutor. As is so often is the case with good community college faculty members who have students who aren’t clear about what possible lives are available for them, in our role as teachers we can help these students imagine their futures and make a pathway. It’s the human element. We need to work on systems improvement, but we forget that when we interview successful community college graduates, so many of them refer to particular people who helped them in their lives. We can’t forget that the human element and good faculty are key and have to be protected.

Q: you were honored by the macArthur Foundation with a “genius” fellowship in 1992 for your work with minority students. Can you share what works? When I went to LACCD, a lot of my fellow students were unsure about education — we were taking a gamble. And we all had tremendous deference for the faculty and felt like outsiders at the institution. When I finally got to UCLA — it took me five years to get through my community college courses — there were all these students who just felt so comfortable at the university, like they all had relatives who were professors. And it made me wonder about their lives and the nature of their sense of privilege. When I went to Berkeley eventually as a doctoral student and was responsible for helping a new wave of

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students — African American and Latino, Native Americans, and women in the sciences — it struck me that they were feeling like I had as an outsider. I noticed that the university for some reason was focused on addressing their weaknesses. And what was great about community college for me is that I was clear on my weaknesses, but my community college faculty focused on my strengths. And it gave me the idea that I could be most helpful to these students by focusing on their strengths and building on them. I think I never would have had that observation without having had Jack Stutesman at LACC and Ralph Connell at Santa Monica Community College. I don’t even know if they’re alive, but we should honor them.

Q: What is the role of governing boards in this work? For me, a big observation was that for all of these students who had really sacrificed to get to the university, all they really needed was an understanding of the system that they were in. They needed someone to help them understand what the real requirements for success were. Now that I work with so many community colleges, I see all these students who are overwhelmed with the choices we provide them. Yes, we have a diverse clientele, but so many of our students need a small number of choices. They need packaged programs, fixed-price menus. And so many who I deal with are outraged that we don’t make them do what we know is good for them. So I think that trustees, in addition to the most central role of asking tough questions and establishing the long-term vision of their institutions, really need to consider rethinking that enormous amount of choices. We also need to rethink mandatory advising for many students — maybe not for all, but for many like I was, with no clarity about what they are doing. At more and more campuses, mandatory advising or guidance counseling seems to be disappearing in the budget cuts. When I was a student, the faculty were directly responsible for my success; they were my advisors. Now for many students, all that has been professionalized, and students have to go out and seek support. Trustees need to rethink the organization of student supports so that there’s a more direct connection to the good people whose job is to help students and the faculty whose job is to teach students directly.

Q: What is your view of remediation and its role in the community college? The need for remediation will never go away, because our economy is very fluid and we’re always going to have people

coming back who are rusty in basic skills. And even though we do need to work on prevention and strengthening K-12, we need second-chance systems, because in our country, people need to know that with hard work and education, you can improve your life. That’s what we do in community colleges. And closing doors and eliminating access in the name of quality is a betrayal of our mission. I feel pretty strongly about that.

Q: With funding in jeopardy for vital programs, such as

the federal Pell Grant program, which help disadvantaged students, what can trustees do at their colleges and beyond their colleges to defend these programs? First, trustees have to understand that for a few years in most systems, the average age of students was getting younger. Now it’s reversing because of the economy. Faculty I speak with have said that students in their classes have cashed in their 401(k)s and are desperate for a better life. So the stakes are much higher now. We have an increased obligation to make sure that our programs do connect to better lives, better jobs, and better citizenship, and that is going to put enormous stress on us. We need trustees to be advocates for education as a public good, because if there is no opportunity for upward mobility in our country, then we are really threatening the social fabric on which our democracy depends. Trustees have to innovate constantly — really work on efficiencies, really work on partnerships with local industries. Our community colleges have to be engines of economic development, and they have to resist changes that have only to do with status and nothing to do with the lives of people in their communities.

Q: how does this correlate with overall student success? We now know that completion really is a value for our students. And the dangers are that in the rush to completion, we’ll compromise access or quality. The challenge for trustees is to take on the completion agenda seriously in ways that don’t threaten the other two agendas that must be central to our work — access and quality. We’re already seeing institutions make meaningless certificates so that they can put a checkmark under completion. We have to make sure that the certificates and degrees we issue have labor market value. We can’t increase completion by lowering standards. On the other hand, we have to make sure that some abstract ideas of quality don’t get in the way of completion. We have hard work to do, and for trustees, it’s work across their systems,

not only within their systems. We need to make it easier for people to aggregate legitimately earned units. Right now, the landscape is a littered landscape of lost credits. And lots of military and corporate people are losing credits not because they haven’t done legitimate work, but because of failure to articulate credits across systems. Bureaucracies are causing failure and unnecessary expense. Usually trustees have to focus on their own systems as a team, but in this case, they have to look at the power across their institutions — and this is why ACCT is so important, because it’s a venue in which that kind of work can happen. [The Voluntary Framework of Accountability] is a very, very positive step.

Q: if you had a magic wand and could change just one thing that would significantly improve student success, what would it be? A fundamental redesign of developmental math education. Our developmental courses, which 60 percent of our students need to take, are shaped more by the weight of history than the current need of the workforce. Every decade or so, we need to ask fundamental questions about the goals of our programs. And for developmental education, that time is now.

Q: Why mathematics? Developmental mathematics is a burial ground for tens of thousands of students who come to us because they want to improve their lives through education. We have to make sure that the courses and pathways work for the students who put in the effort, and the current pathways do not. In one community college, I asked the institutional research director to give me the number of students over the past three years who started in arithmetic who finished the calculus sequence. He said, “Rosa Martinez.” It is painfully funny — sometimes you laugh with pain. I know I wouldn’t have made it if I hadn’t had the accident of meeting a person who made sure I did. But our system can’t depend on accidents. Sometimes we need to remodel. We need to do extensive remodeling on those pathways. Trustees are facing increased demands for accountability. And through the Voluntary Framework of Accountability, that is a really constructive response, and we need to work throughout all our systems to implement and develop that accountability so the public understands the value we have and we understand the work that lies ahead of us.

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Achieving SUCCESS, COMMITMENT to ExCELLENCE, and Strategic APPROACHES on Friday, october 14, an esteemed panel of leaders from three national independent higher-education non-profit organizations will share the stage to discuss achieving success, commitment to excellence, and strategic approaches to student success. this general session features sarita e. brown, president of Excelencia in education, michelle a. cooper, president of the institute for higher education policy (ihep), and William e. trueheart, president of achieving the dream. in its own way, each of these organizations works toward advancing the common goals of guaranteeing access to higher education and improving student success for all students, regardless of socioeconomic status or any other classification. brown, cooper, and trueheart will speak from their dynamic points of view on how community colleges can continue to ensure access to high-quality education while at the same time advancing the completion agenda. excelencia’s core purpose is to foster excellence by helping latino and all students persist in higher education. the core purpose of ihep is to use strategic approaches to link access and success by conducting research and policy analysis. ihep’s five areas of focus are access and success, accountability, diversity, finance, and global impact. Finally, achieving the dream’s core purpose is to use proven strategies to help more community college students, particularly low-income students and students of color, persist in college and earn a certificate or degree.

miCheLLe A. CooPer President, institute for higher education Policy

michelle asha cooper, ph.d., is president of the institute for higher education policy (ihep). While leading one of the world’s premier research and policy centers, cooper is responsible for developing new ideas and strategic approaches that help low-income, minority, and other historically underrepresented student populations gain access to and achieve success in postsecondary education. an expert on various higher education issues, cooper is well-versed in domestic and international issues related to higher education opportunity, with special focus on underserved populations, including access and success, college readiness and preparation, diversity, federal and state higher education trends and policies, higher education financing options, and tuition and financial aid.

WiLLiAm e. TrUeheArT President, Achieving the Dream

sAriTA e. broWn President, excelencia in education

sarita e. brown is president of Excelencia in education, a national not-for-profit organization working to accelerate latino success in higher education by linking research, policy, and practice to serve latino students. she has spent more than two decades at prominent national educational institutions and at the highest levels of government working to implement effective strategies to raise academic achievement and opportunity for low-income and minority students. in 2009, brown was honored with the harold g. mcgraw Jr. prize in education for her “innovative thinking, strong leadership, and accomplishment by example.”

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William e. trueheart is president and chief executive officer of achieving the dream, a national nonprofit organization that helps more community college students succeed, particularly low-income students and students of color. he is the former president and ceo of the pittsburgh Foundation, one of the oldest and largest community foundations in the country, and former president and ceo of reading is Fundamental inc., america’s oldest and largest children’s and family literacy organization. additionally, trueheart is the former president of bryant university (formerly bryant college) in rhode island, and the first african american to head a four-year private college in new england.

RECRUIT ACCT INTERIM SERVICES

AIS

INTERVIEW

TRANSITION. SIMPLIFIED.

NEGOTIATE

www.acctsearches.org

APPOINT

Oftentimes, colleges undergoing a presidential transition can be best served by the appointment of an interim president. ACCT Interim Services assists governing boards with the process of selecting transitional leadership. AIS is your gateway to transition, simplified.

Four Reasons Interim Presidents are Valuable 1. Interims can provide stability while keeping the institution's priorities on track during transition. 2. They can help the college transition smoothly during the process of identifying a new permanent president. 3. Interim presidents can lend specialized expertise and skills needed during the transition. 4. They can lend a fresh perspective and address issues that may have been either ignored or handled poorly in the past. ACCT has an extensive registry of retired presidents.

Narcisa A. Polonio, Ed.D. VP of Research, Education & Board Leadership Services 202.276.1983 narcisa_polonio@acct.org Keyshia Crawford Jimerson, M.Ed. Program Specialist 202.775.6484 kjimerson@acct.org

Framework forSuccess by Kent A. PhilliPPe

Over the past 18 mOnths, cOmmunity cOllege presidents, ceOs, trustees, deans, faculty, institutional researchers, and 58 pilot colleges have created the voluntary Framework of accountability (vFa) — the first national accountability framework to measure community college performance more accurately. With the first set of vFa metrics set for delivery this fall, the initiative’s partners recently met to discuss progress on the initiative and the upcoming implementation of a Web-based data collection and display tool. the vFa’s aim is to define rigorous measures that are specific to community colleges and that best gauge effectiveness at serving the sector’s missions and students. the vFa addresses three categories of institutional measures: student progress and outcomes, career and technical education (both credit and non-credit), and student learning outcomes. With significant funding from the Bill & melinda gates Foundation and lumina Foundation for education, the american association of community colleges (aacc) — in partnership with acct and the college Board — is managing the vFa. the stage One vFa technical manual that defines the metrics and explains the initial approach and plan for reporting on student learning outcomes is available at www.aacc.nche.edu/ vfa. in addition to the technical manual, materials available through the vFa website include data sheet templates, a summary of pilot testing outcomes, and various resource sheets on the initiative. phase ii of the vFa draws to a close this fall with the delivery of the first set of vFa metrics; a roadmap for supporting college use of the framework; a strategic implementation and rollout plan based on market research; and details on the upcoming

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vFa Data collection and Display tool, which will be the focus of phase iii of vFa. the vFa Data tool — which has been in planning and will be built throughout 2012 — includes a function for colleges to benchmark their data against colleges that are similar in demographics and other characteristics. this benchmarking capability will promote effective institutional policies for increasing student success. as aacc builds the data infrastructure of the vFa, the technical manual and accompanying data sheets will be available for any community college or state system to review or use. Ongoing development of the vFa in phase iii will focus on further refining workforce, economic, and community development metrics and research in the area of student learning outcomes. the results of this work will inform continued improvements to the framework. “We are working with community colleges to ensure that the vFa has the core measures that are most usable and relevant, but that the framework is dynamic enough to accommodate changes in the community college sector, technology, and data,” said aacc president and ceO Dr. Walter Bumphus. “if done well, the vFa will be the foundational accountability framework for our sector and used in perpetuity.” this past summer, the initiative’s partners and nearly 60 members of the working groups and steering committee met in Washington, D.c., to wrap-up vFa phase ii work and adopt strategies for the third phase. as part of that meeting, the attendees reviewed in detail the findings from the pilot testing of the vFa measures. Based on the testing data and survey feedback from 40 pilot sites that submitted 58 data sets, participating community colleges are largely satisfied that the

after 18 months of work, the

Voluntary Framework of Accountability will deliver its first set of metrics this fall. vFa’s student cohort and outcomes measures provide the correct ways to tell the community college story and best gauge the effectiveness of these institutions. not surprisingly, challenges highlighted by the pilot testing include lack of clarity with some operational descriptions, deficient availability of data — particularly in the non-credit, workforce, and adult basic education arenas — and limited institutional research capacity to compile, calculate, and submit data. measures in the area of student progress and outcomes are more clear and consistent, as these are traditional measures for which the sector has a common understanding and language and for which there is quality data available. in the area of career and technical education (workforce), our colleges know what outcomes are important to measure. however, the data is hard to get, and variances across institutions will make it necessary to establish some baseline definitions of workforce terms before creating rigorous and consistent metrics. to address the challenges with measuring workforce and economic outcomes, the framework’s developers have identified and included in the vFa “aspirational” metrics — the metrics that are relevant and important enough to the sector that they are to be included in the framework regardless of the ability, at present, to collect and report these data. this roadmap of measures will guide the research and development objectives of phase iii. establishing what data the colleges need to collect will also inform work directed at improving national data sets. additionally, pilots reported that compiling data for the vFa challenged the limited resources of the colleges’ institutional research (ir) departments, particularly at the smaller institutions that piloted the framework. however, their feedback indicated that the benefits of using the vFa cohort and metrics’ definitions outweighed the burden of reporting these outcomes. participants also indicated that the framework would become easier to use and data quality would improve as colleges develop methodologies and data collection protocols based on the vFa. the vFa Data tool will also streamline the process for data collection and analysis, easing the burden on ir staff. lastly, as community colleges and state community college systems agree that the framework’s measures are the right measures and adopt the vFa, the ability to leverage the data for multiple purposes, such as internal improvement and external accountability, will

further mitigate the burden on overly taxed ir staff. One of the greatest challenges in establishing an institutionally based accountability framework is creating metrics addressing the quality of the educational experience that are appropriate to community colleges. in order to address the topic of student learning Outcomes (slOs), working group members examined a variety of potential approaches and gathered feedback and information from the pilot colleges. initially, vFa participants will be asked to report current slO activities using a transparency framework created by the national institute of learning Outcomes assessment (nilOa). each vFa participant will report their slOs process and assessments on the college’s website through the transparency framework template to: 1) share more publicly the college’s efforts in assessing slOs; 2) help establish some common understanding of assessing and reporting slOs; and 3) inform conversations on appropriate learning outcomes for community colleges and how the sector might develop usable, valid, and possibly common assessments. in phase iii of the vFa, aacc will convene a focus group with thought leaders on slOs and assessment practices to examine the learning outcomes appropriate to the associate’s degree leve and inform the operational definitions and assessment of these outcomes. aacc, acct, and the college Board are committed to providing community colleges with the metrics that are most appropriate for community colleges. But we are not the creators of this product, merely the conveners of the colleges to enable its creation. the continued success of the vFa relies on ongoing dialog between vFa staff and the college professionals who helped create and will use the vFa. the vFa staff will continue to reach out for feedback and assistance in ongoing efforts to help our colleges be appropriately accountable to internal and external audiences. For additional information on the vFa, please visit www.aacc. nche.edu/vfa and feel free to submit feedback and suggestions.

Kent A. Phillippe is associate vice president of research and student success at the American Association of Community Colleges.

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2011 Governance Institutes for Student Success - Texas and Washington

Fostering Community College Student Completion Through Effective Governance

Ensuring Statewide Success GISS Institutes held in Texas and Washington provided tools to help trustees lead on learning outcomes.

Trustees and presidents representing 18 Texas community and technical colleges attended GISS in Fort Worth.

ACCT, in partnership with the Community College Leadership Program (CCLP), College of Education, The University of Texas at Austin (UT), and with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is proud to announce the successful completion of the pilot initiative of the Governance Institute for Student Success (GISS). Institutes were held in Washington and Texas this year, following a successful launch last year in Ohio. From June 26-28, the GISS was held for 127 trustees and presidents from all 31 community and technical college districts in Washington, along with the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC). A third GISS was held from July 31-August 2 for 64 trustees and presidents representing 18 community and technical colleges in Texas. During each institute, participants focused on effective governance policies leading to improvements of student outcomes, examined their board self-assessments and student success data under the guidance of GISS experts, and discussed commitments and next steps for their colleges and the state. 34

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“A group of our trustees now have a firm understanding of student success and how important data is in the process. And I know they are going to bring it back to the remaining trustees and we are going to implement new policies.” PURPOSES The Governance Institute for Student Success provides an opportunity to: • Conduct state-specific programs to strengthen the governance of community and technical colleges and improve student success, equity, and completion; • Convene trustees and presidents from community and technical colleges to share and elevate knowledge of how effective governance contributes to a culture of transparency and accountability focused on improving student success, equity, and completion; • Assess institutional readiness on how to improve outcomes and gain political commitment to strengthen institutional capacity to accelerate and improve student success, equity, and completion; • Enhance the trustees’ and presidents’ roles and responsibilities in establishing policies, priorities, goals, and practices that accelerate and improve student success, equity, and completion; • Promote advocacy for completion as a key measure of college outcomes and student success.

2011 Governance Institutes for Student Success - Texas and Washington

More than 125 trustees and presidents represented all 31 Washington community and technical college districts at GISS.

“As a new president, this has been a great experience of setting the agenda with some of our board. The focus is on student success.”

Texas leaders participate in roundtable discussions.

GISS Staff Narcisa Polonio ACCT Vice President for Education,Research, and Board Services Byron McClenney Project Director, Achieving the Dream Margaretta Mathis Associate Director, Achieving the Dream Vega Subramaniam GISS Project Coordinator Elizabeth alvarado ACCT Program Specialist Pat Ma ACCT Program Specialist acacia Gaski CCLP Administrative Associate

tOPICS COVEREd • Why Improve Education Outcomes? Why Here? Why Now? • Working Effectively as a Governance Team • Improving Student Equity, Success, and Completion

“I will take back the information from the selfassessment…the language of boardmanship and looking at student success, how to ask questions about the data and then looking at what we can do…so that we have more students succeeding.”

• Building a Strong Governance Foundation for Student Success • Group Breakouts to Examine Student Data • Top Ten Reasons for Progress • Thinking Strategically: Trustees & Presidents Fostering Student Success • Moving the Needle: What We Are Learning about Transforming Community Colleges • Fostering Conditions: Policies, Lessons, and Commitments

For additional information, contact Narcisa A. Polonio, Ed.D. at 202-775-4667 or narcisa_polonio@acct.org. T R U S T E E Q U A RT E R LY

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aCCT lIfETIME MEMBERS

Edward “Sandy” Sanders, aR Dick Trammel, aR Donald Campbell, aZ Gloria Guzman, aZ fred Harcleroad, aZ Debra Pearson, aZ linda B. Rosenthal, aZ Esther D. Tang, aZ Jane Gregory, BC Chuck ayala, Ca lewis S. Braxton, Ca lois Carson, Ca Carole Currey, Ca Denise Ducheny, Ca Isobel Dvorsky, Ca Dorothy Ehrhart-Morrison, Ca Paul fong, Ca Paul J. Gomez, Ca Walter Howald, Ca Worth Keene, Ca Bruce Ketron, Ca Brenda Knight, Ca Marie Y. Martin, Ca William H. Meardy, Ca Carl Robinson, Ca Herbert Roney, Ca armando Ruiz, Ca Evonne Seron Schulze, Ca Pete Tafoya, Ca leslie Thonesen, Ca David Viar, Ca John Dent, CO John Giardino, CO George Boggs, DC Ken Burke, fl Jody T. Hendry, fl Nancy Watkins, fl Kenneth R. allbaugh, Ia Harold Brock, Ia*

Robert Davidson, Ia Joyce Hanes, Ia B. a. Jensen, Ia Kirby Kleffmann, Ia Wayne Newton, Ia Wanda Rosenbaugh, Ia linda Upmeyer, Ia Steven J. Ballard, Il Mark fazzini, Il Phyllis folarin, Il Raymond Hartstein, Il Patricia Jones, Il James lumber, Il Judith Madonia, Il Robert McCray, Il Michael Monteleone, Il David Murphy, Il Rich Nay, Il Therese G. Pauly, Il franklin Walker, Il Jerry Wright, Il Robert Burch, KS James D. Hittle, KS Jo ann Huerter, KS Dick Klassen, KS Ed Nicklaus, KS Jo ann Sharp, KS Darrell Shumway, KS lauren a. Welch, KS Mary Beth Williams, KS M. W. “Bill” Wyckoff, KS Joan athen, MD Daniel Hall, MD Nancy M. Hubers, MD Robert lawrence, MD Brad W. Young, MD William C. Warren, ME frank S. Gallagher, MI Robert E. Garrison, MI*

David W. Hackett, MI fred Mathews, MI Shirley Okerstrom, MI George Potter, MI David Rutledge, MI anne V. Scott, MI Celia M. Turner, MI* Denise Wellons-Glover, MI James B. Tatum, MO Troy Holliday, MS James Stribling, MS John forte, NC Hugh lee, NC George little, NC Helen Newsome, NC* Kathleen Orringer, NC Raymond Reddrick, NC C. louis Shields, NC lynda Stanley, NC alwin arce, NJ angelo Cortinas, NJ Clara Dasher, NJ Nino falcone, NJ William T. Hiering, NJ Donald loff, NJ William McDaniel, NJ* Virginia Scott, NJ Charles Tice, NJ Barbara Wallace, NJ Ronald Winthers, NJ Beatrice Doser, NM Gloria lopez, NM Robert Matteucci, NM Nancy R. Rosasco, NV arthur C. anthonisen, NY David Mathis, NY Donald M. Mawhinney, NY Jean M. McPheeters, NY Richard N. adams, OH

Maureen Grady, OH Rebecca l. Redman, OH Victor f. Stewart, Jr., OH Ken Bartlett, OK Norma Jean Germond, OR Doreen Margolin, OR* Jim Voss, OR Gene P. Ciafre, Pa Morrison lewis, Pa Gene E. McDonald, Pa Betty K. Steege, Pa John Wright, Pa E. Stewart Blume, SC Sheila Korhammer, SC Montez C. Martin, Jr., SC William O. Rowell, SC James Smith, SC Elmer Beckendorf, TX Manuel Benavidez, Jr., TX* Kitty Boyle, TX Don Coffey, TX Bennie Matthews, TX Carla McGee, TX Della-May Moore, TX Pattie Powell, TX lydia Santibanez, TX W. l. “levi” Smallwood, TX J. Pete Zepeda, TX M. Dale Ensign, UT frank Mensel, UT Marilyn Blocker, Va Robert W. Harrell, Jr., Va Melanie l. Jackson, Va Elizabeth Rocklin, Va Ruthann Kurose, Wa Naomi Pursel, Wa Vaughn a. Sherman, Wa Joan Jenstead, WI* Dennis Christensen, WY * Deceased

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They deserve more than just a gold watch. ACCT LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP Do you have board members getting ready to retire? Are you looking for ways to recognize them for their hard work and dedication? Don’t let them go without an ACCT Lifetime Membership!

7 REASONS TO BESTOW A LIFETIME MEMBERSHIP

Giving outstanding and retiring board members a Lifetime Membership to ACCT is a way to thank them for their service, recognize them among their peers, and ensure their ongoing interest in your college.

2 Lifetime Members receive complimentary registration to all ACCT meetings, including the Annual Leadership Congress and the National Legislative Summit, after retiring from their local boards.

3 Lifetime Members receive all of ACCT’s award-winning publications, including Trustee Quarterly magazine, and the Advisor and From the Desk of ACCT newsletters.

4 Lifetime Members are recognized publicly in Trustee Quarterly, on the ACCT Web site, and elsewhere. 5 The Lifetime Membership program supports and promotes ACCT’s continuing trustee education and professional development.

6 Colleges that purchase Lifetime Memberships can deduct the expense from taxes to the fullest extent allowed by law. 7 It’s just a nice thing to do — and haven’t your most exceptional trustees earned it? For applications or assistance, go to www.acct.org/membership/lifetime/honor-trustee.php, contact the ACCT Membership Department by phone at (202) 775-4667, or e-mail acctinfo@acct.org.

Around Regions the

cENTRAl REgiON Illinois’s new “High School to College Success Report” compares ACT scores to grades earned in first-year college courses among Illinois high school graduates who went on to attend the state’s postsecondary institutions from 2006-08. Colleges are using results to align curriculum, offer preparatory curriculum, and communicate with high schools.

In Michigan, Saginaw Valley State University is partnering with Macomb Community College to allow graduates of the community college to pursue a bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory science at SVSU. Under the agreement, Macomb Community College’s clinical laboratory technology students can transfer up to 62 credits to SVSU.

Delaware Technical & Community College will launch a second-of-itskind degree in food safety this fall to train entry-level technicians and inspectors for food-processing companies. The Arthur W. Perdue Foundation donated $200,000 to help fund the program, which will include two new specialty science labs.

Supported by a federal grant, Mott Community College in Michigan provided a free 18-week training program for anyone interested in pursuing a career as a truck driver. Participants were able to obtain a commercial driver’s license and complete a certificate or associate’s degree while earning money by driving or interning for a company.

Maryland’s first middle college high school, the Academy of Health Sciences, admitted its inaugural class of 100 ninthgrade students in June. The Prince George’s Community College program is focused on providing students an education in the field of health sciences. A new class will be added each year until full enrollment, approximately 400 students in grades 9-12, is achieved.

Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana will offer an English composition class this fall at Franklin County High School. Taught by a full-time Ivy Tech faculty member, the pilot class will determine whether there will be further course offerings of this nature. Complete College America awarded the Kentucky Community and Technical College System a $1 million grant to improve retention rates and improve its Learn on Demand online degree program. The program focuses on high-tech and high-demand careers, such as nursing and information technology, and the grant will be used to add tutoring and academic advising.

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NORTHEAST REgiON Capital Community College in Connecticut graduated its first class of students in its federally funded health information technology program this summer. It is one of 23 colleges across the country participating in a grant program funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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Students at Bristol Community College in Massachusetts can now receive 24-hour help from tutors through a new online program launched by the college this summer. Operated by Smarthinking, the tutoring service offers more than 1,000 tutors worldwide to help students at any time of the day on nearly any subject. New Jersey’s 19 community colleges will receive $133 million in building and renovation funding after Governor Chris Christie signed the FY 2012 state budget into law on June 30. In addition, the New Jersey Student Tuition Assistance Rewards Scholarship (NJ STARS), a merit-based scholarship

for community college students, was fully funded. Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania received a 2011 award for Institutional Excellence in Climate Leadership from Second Nature. The award was presented at Second Nature’s fifth annual Climate Leadership Summit of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) in Washington.

PAcific REgiON Pima Community College in Arizona is proposing to require that incoming students have a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent and minimum scores on placement tests in mathematics, reading, and writing at the seventh-grade level in order to be admitted. The college’s data show that unprepared students have only about a 1-in-20 chance of completing a college-level course. California Community Colleges approved a new rule limiting the number of times a student can repeat a class. Students may take required classes three times, and they can petition for a fourth; students who cannot finish with a passing

grade can keep enrolling if the college agrees to pay for it. Legislation allowing undocumented students to apply for private scholarships at University of California, California State University, and California Community College campuses was signed into law at Los Angeles City College by Gov. Jerry Brown. Brown described the California Dream Act as an investment in the culture and the economy. The Utah Board of Regents approved a new strategy to conduct collective bargaining for student transit passes on behalf of the state’s higher education institutions. The contract with the Utah Transit Authority is expected to be a three-year contract, as opposed to the traditional year-to-year agreements.

SOuTHERN REgiON As a result of strong advocacy efforts by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), the recent legislative session

included a tuition bill allowing LCTCS to increase and standardize tuition costs and fees at its 16 institutions located throughout the state. In North Carolina, Gov. Beverly Perdue said that a legislative proposal to merge the 15 smallest community colleges into larger campuses would hinder rural communities. The State Board of Community Colleges also opposed the proposal, which argued that such a merger would save $5 million per year by cutting administrative costs. Virginia community college students will pay an average of $285 more this year, according to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. The overall increase is smaller than last year, in part because the state legislature allocated an additional $97 million in general funds to public colleges to help offset operating budget reductions, SCHEV officials said. More than $130 million in construction projects are underway at West Virginia’s community and technical colleges, funded largely by a $78 million bond issue from state lottery revenues and a $30 million budget allocation for two advanced technology training centers. Officials say the projects will help the colleges meet needs for administrative and classroom space.

New River Community and Technical College in West Virginia signed an articulation agreement with West Virginia University-Parkersburg that gives New River graduates the opportunity to complete a four-year baccalaureate degree without traveling. New River’s welding lab also was accredited as an approved testing site by the American Welding Society. A total of 27 classes are being offered this fall in the program.

Blackfeet Community College, a public, tribally controlled community college located on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Montana, became the first Native American building in the nation — and the first education building in the state — to receive LEED Platinum certification.

wESTERN REgiON

Nebraska’s Mid-Plains Community College opened an extended campus in Broken Bow, as part of the school’s mission to expand offerings in its rural 18-county service area. Much of the $1.3 million project was funded by private donations.

The Greeley Planning Commission approved a 15-well oil and gas project on the Aims Community College campus in Colorado. The wells will be drilled vertically for the first 1,000 feet, then extend diagonally another 7,000 feet. Colorado will receive $1 million in grants from Complete College America to improve remedial courses in the state’s community college system. A recent study found that nearly one in three Colorado college students require remediation in at least one subject.

Northeast Community College and Wayne State College in Nebraska created the College Center, a location in South Sioux City where students can take classes offered by both institutions. The College Center provides a career pathway in business administration, elementary education, and criminal justice.

The Grainger Foundation donated $20,000 to the Austin Community College Foundation in Texas to fund eight $2,500 scholarships for students pursuing associate degrees in business industry programs. The scholarships will go to students enrolled in heating, air conditioning and refrigeration technology, welding technology, automotive technology, and building construction technology programs.

Around the Regions provides an opportunity to share what’s happening in the states and around the regions. This section focuses on state legislative and budgetary issues, economic development, and finance. Please e-mail items from press releases or newsletters to ACCT at dconner@acct.org. Fax submissions to 202-223-1297. T R U S T E E Q U a RT E R lY

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on The

RoaD: The Dos & Don’Ts of Trustee Travel Expenses By Narcisa a. PoloNio, Ed.d. Community College trustees throughout the country selflessly volunteer countless hours to govern their colleges, typically without compensation, except for reimbursement for travel expenses. But to protect the goodwill efforts of trustees, it is imperative that boards put into place, and that trustees follow, procedures and guidelines to account for travel and allowable expenses. Travel is a necessary component of every trustee’s job description. Board members must travel within their communities to establish and maintain relationships with local businesses and other stakeholders, as well as throughout the state and nationally to advocate on their respective colleges’ behalf. Travel is also vital for education and networking. ACCT sessions that begin at 7 a.m. are reliably attended by hundreds of trustees eager to learn and share ideas. The Annual ACCT Leadership Congress, Community College National Legislative Summit, and Governance Leadership Institutes are programmed from beginning to end with information, new ideas, and networking opportunities for trustees, and it is important that travel for these and other reasons that benefit the

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college are well documented so that they are not misconstrued as opportunities for vacation at the college’s expense.

Dos: Procedures and Guidelines At a minimum, trustees should be required to follow the same procedures and guidelines required of college employees. For example, Desert Community College District in California has comprehensive travel procedures based on the California Education Code, Section 87032: The governing board of a community college district shall provide for the payment of the actual and necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, of any employee of the district incurred in the course of performing services for the district, whether within or outside the district, under the direction of the governing board. The board may authorize an advance of funds to cover such necessary expense. Such advance shall be repaid or adjusted upon filing of a regular claim for the actual and necessary expenses incurred. The governing board may direct any employee of the district to attend any convention or conference or to visit schools for the discussion or observation of any school matter appertaining to the duties of the employee or any question of interest to the district. Necessary documentation usually includes destination, dates, the purpose of travel with evidence, such as a conference brochure, the estimated travel, lodging, meal, and registration costs, and an

Travel should be well documenTed so iT is noT misconsTrued as opporTuniTies for vacaTion aT The college’s expense. explanation of any other anticipated expenditures. In addition, the guidelines should detail the approval process, and definitions of gratuities (i.e., allowable percentage to tip), as well as detail prohibited expenses, examples of which are detailed below.

• When using a personal automobile, a person may be reimbursed for either the cost of mileage or gasoline, depending on the college’s policy, but never both.

Dos: Reimbursable Expenses

While most aspects of travel expense reimbursement are common sense, any question that is likely to arise should be proactively and specifically addressed in a reference manual, which should be kept by every member of the board, as well as the professional board staff and the college president. While the basic “dos and don’ts” are fairly cut-and-dry, exceptions may occur that should be addressed by the manual. Examples of such questions are: • What happens when a trustee is unable to attend an event because of reasons beyond his or her control? Who should be responsible for expenses incurred, and who is responsible for canceling and negotiating any recouped costs, when possible? Is any documentation of the reason for not attending required? • Is it appropriate to take a taxi, shuttle service, or limousine when a rental car is available and more cost-effective? • What factors should be considered when determining the most economical mode of transportation to and from locations? • What are the guidelines for expenses when a trustee brings a spouse or other family members to a destination for which he or she is traveling on behalf of the college? The answers to these and related questions vary at the discretion of each college or college district. For example, College of the Desert stipulates that reimbursement is limited to a single-occupancy hotel room and any additional costs must be covered by the individual. Some colleges allow for miscellaneous expenses such as postage, photocopies, presentation-related expenses, and a “safe-on-arrival” personal call home, while others do not. Whatever decision is made by the college, it must be established in written policy to avoid confusion and unnecessary miscommunications that may cause friction among board members and the administration — or even undue criticism from the public and local press. Traveling is an obligation and, to many, a privilege afforded to trustees. But without clear guidelines, travel expenses can be misunderstood and knowingly or unknowingly abused. There is no reason for this ever to happen; it is the college’s and the board’s responsibility to set clear guidelines for travel expense reimbursement and follow them.

Tarrant County College District in Texas shared the following general language and guidance for compensation and expenses: Board members shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out board business at the board’s request and for reasonable expenses incurred while attending meetings and conventions as official representatives of the board. Travel by board members shall be approved by the board president (chair) and limited to issues that affect the college district. Reimbursement by the business office shall be made upon presentation of appropriate documentation of receipts. The Tarrant County College District reimburses board members for the use of their personal cars at a mileage rate approved by the board or for the actual cost of commercial transportation plus parking and taxi fees, as well as expenses for lodging, meals, and other incidental expenses. Following the same procedure required for all employees of the district, board members are required to file statements and, to the extent feasible, attach receipts documenting the actual expenses for which reimbursement is requested. The board also has a provision that upon returning from meetings, the attendee is required to share the benefits of the meeting whenever possible, including through oral or written reports.

Don’ts: Generally Non-Reimbursable Expenses The following travel expenses are generally considered ineligible for reimbursement: • Housing or travel costs incurred from extending travel for sightseeing or other personal reasons, including visits with family or friends in the area • Alcoholic beverages • Entertainment expenses (i.e., in-room movies, snacks, room service not covered by per diem allowance) • Transportation to/from any entertainment or recreational venue • Conference-sponsored tours or side trips • Traffic or parking tickets received while on travel • Additional mileage beyond what is necessary for the business portion of the trip • Mileage expenses for the use of personal vehicles should be charged at the rate set by the college and not exceed the cost of economy airfare to the same destination. • When opting to use a personal automobile for a destination that would be otherwise reachable by a commercial flight, en-route meals and lodging should not be charged to the college.

The Importance of a Guidebook

ACCT Vice President Narcisa Polonio can be reached at 202-775-4670, by cell phone at 202-276-1983, or by e-mail at npolonio@ acct.org.

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Presidential Searches The Board Leadership Services staff and consultants of the Association of Community College Trustees are pleased to have assisted in the search for the following community college chief executive officers.

Southeast Arkansas College, Ark. Dr. Stephen Hilterbran President Former Vice Chancellor Baton Rouge Community College, La. “Each of us on the Southeast Arkansas College Board of Trustees was pleased with the quality of presidential candidates provided by ACCT. We are extremely pleased with our choice of Dr. Hilterbran as president. He brings significant expertise in teambuilding and student success and retention, which is critical as SEARK addresses evolving challenges and opportunities.” — Judi Norton, Board Chair

Reedley College – State Center Community College District, Calif. Dr. Mitjl Capet President Former Executive Assistant to the Chancellor College of the Canyons, Santa Clarita Community College District, Calif. “We are anticipating great things from Dr. Capet. He has a very impressive track record in community college leadership; he is a good fit for Reedley College.” — Dorothy “Dottie” Smith, Board President and District Chair

Las Positas College - Chabot Los Positas Community College District, Calif. Dr. Kevin Glen Walthers President Former Vice Chancellor, Administration West Virginia Community and Technical College System and West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission, W.Va. “I am very excited about the future of Las Positas College under the leadership of Dr. Walthers. He is passionately committed to both the community college mission and to the students we serve.” — Dr. Joel Kinnamon, District Chancellor

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Coast Community College District, Calif. Dr. Andrew Jones Chancellor Former Executive Vice Chancellor of Educational Affairs Dallas County Community College District, Texas “Dr. Jones brings a great deal of energy and proven leadership skills to Coast Colleges. Dr. Jones definitely stood out in a field of well-qualified candidates, and our board is confident that he will bring outstanding leadership to our district.” — Jerry Patterson, Board President

Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana - Wabash Valley, Ind. Dr. Ann M. Valentine Chancellor Former President Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Minn. “Dr. Valentine has a remarkable amount of experience in higher education. Her involvement in student development and commitment to campus communities will be a great asset.” — Thomas J. Snyder, President, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana

Yuba Community College District, Calif. Dr. Douglas Houston Chancellor Former Superintendent/President Lassen Community College District, Calif. “Dr. Houston brings to YCCD a wealth of knowledge in the realms of accreditation, participatory governance, human resources, and finance. Dr. Houston is an exceptional leader who will continue to lead and position our district favorably in the future.” — Xavier Tafoya, Board Chair “ACCT did a great job and helped YCCD find a perfect fit.” — Bren Hastey, Board Vice Chair, Search Committee Chair

Yavapai College, Ariz. Dr. Penelope (Penny) Wills President Former President Northeast Iowa Community College, Iowa “After a comprehensive search conducted by ACCT, the Yavapai Community College Trustees selected Dr. Wills to be its next president, replacing Dr. James Horton Jr., who is retiring this year. Dr. Wills has been president of Northeast Iowa Community College for the past seven years, and during her tenure successfully promoted the passage of a $35 million bond levy, developed a new quality council, and introduced the college’s first educational master plan. The Yavapai College Trustees look forward to Dr. Wills’s leadership of the college. She brings significant experience and accomplishments in the areas of student academic achievement and community economic development to the position, all of which set the stage for furthering the goals of Yavapai College.” — Dr. Dale Fitzner, Board Chair

Northern Marianas College, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Dr. Sharon Hart President Former President University College of the Caribbean, Kingston, Jamaica “Dr. Hart possesses an extraordinary resume, with many years of proven academic and executive leadership. We firmly believe that she has the qualifications necessary to lead the college to unprecedented heights in providing high-quality postsecondary education to our students.” — Juan Lizana, Chairperson

West Los Angeles College, Los Angeles Community College District, Calif. Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh President Former Vice Chancellor of Educational Services and Technology Coast Community College District, Calif. “Los Angeles Community College District is very excited to have Mr. Abu-Ghazaleh assume the presidency at West Los Angeles College. His administrative experience in information technology strategy and enrollment planning will benefit the college community tremendously. These strengths, in addition to a great respect for shared governance and an appreciation for collegiality, will provide a solid foundation for lasting and effective leadership.” — Daniel J. LaVista, Ph.D., District Chancellor “We are delighted to have Mr. Nabil Abu-Ghazaleh assume the leadership role at West Los Angeles College. He has unwavering passion for the community college mission.” — Miguel Santiago, President, LACCD Board of Trustees

Bronx Community College, City University of New York, N.Y. Dr. Carole M. Berotte Joseph President Former President Massachusetts Bay Community College, Mass.

Washtenaw Community College, Mich.

“Dr. Berotte Joseph is returning to CUNY with extensive experience as a community college president, faculty member, administrator, and higher education advocate. She has a deep commitment to student success and to the university’s mission of access to a high-quality education. We are delighted to welcome her back to CUNY and the Bronx.”

Dr. Rose Bellanca President

— Benno Schmidt, Board Chairperson, and Matthew Goldstein, CUNY Chancellor

Former Provost and Chief Operating Officer Northwood University, Fla. “The Board of Trustees and the entire college community are looking forward to welcoming Dr. Bellanca to campus as president of Washtenaw Community College. We are confident her impressive credentials and passion will enable her to lead a great institution to even greater levels.” — Pam Horiszny, Board Chair

“In a nationwide search, the Bronx Community College presidential search committee considered dozens of candidates for this position. As the chair of the committee, I am pleased with the outcome of this search. Dr. Carol Berotte Joseph is a highly qualified leader with deep roots at CUNY as a student, a professor, and a senior administrator.” —Frieda D. Foster, Search Committee Chair and CUNY Trustee

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Vice Presidential Searches ACCT’s Board Leadership Services is now providing assistance to chancellors and presidents looking to identify a new member of the executive leadership team for the college or district. We are pleased to announce the completion of the following searches for provosts and vice presidents.

Brookdale Community College, N.J.

York College/City University of New York, N.Y.

Dr. Dianna Phillips

Dr. Geneva Walker-Johnson

Executive Vice President, Educational Services

Vice President for Student Development

Former Dean, Technical Education

Former Dean of Student Life, Centers, and Sites

Monroe Community College, N.Y. “Dr. Phillips brings a unique set of abilities and experiences to the office of the Executive Vice President for Educational Services, and her passion for student success is extraordinary. Her solid educational leadership ability and concern for students will continue to enhance Brookdale’s outstanding academic environment.” — Dr. William Toms, Interim President “We launched a nationwide search to find the best candidate to lead Brookdale’s academic divisions, and we found her in Dr. Phillips. She comes to Brookdale with a broad range of experience in academia and a proven record of educational leadership in the community college sector. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Phillips to Brookdale.” — Jacob Elkes, Interim Board Chair

BOaRD SElf-aSSESSMENTS aND PRESiDENTial EValUaTiONS aCCT would like to thank the following colleges, that have taken advantage of our Board and/or President Evaluation Services. Baltimore City Community College, Md. Community College of Baltimore County, Md. Napa Valley College, Calif. Ohlone College, Calif. San Joaquin Delta College, Calif. State Center Community College District, Calif.

Old Dominion University, Va. “I am delighted Dr. Walker-Johnson has accepted our offer to lead the Student Development area. She comes to us with over 15 years of executive experience. Members of the search committee, the executive cabinet, and the student development area, as well as our students, are energized by the prospect of her leadership.” — Dr. Marcia V. Keizs, President, York College/CUNY

BOaRD RETREaTS aCCT would like to thank the following colleges, that have taken advantage of our Retreat Services. Central Wyoming College, Wyo.

Northeast Community College, Neb.

Coast Community College District, Calif.

Ohlone College, Calif.

Community College of Baltimore County, Md.

Rockland Community College, N.Y.

Heartland Community College, ill.

San Joaquin Delta College, Calif.

Houston Community College System, Texas

Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, W. Va.

Howard Community College, Md. lone Star Community College System, Texas Mesalands Community College, N.M. Napa Valley College, Calif.

State Center Community College District, Calif. University of New Mexico Gallup Community College District, N.M. Waukesha County Technical College, Wis.

Should you need information, assistance, or just have a question about presidential searches, services for trustees, or general questions on board operations and procedures, contact ACCT Vice President for Research, Education, & Board Leadership Services, Dr. Narcisa Polonio, at 202.775.4670 (office), 202.276.1983 (mobile), or e-mail narcisa_polonio@acct.org.

fall 2011

T R U S T E E Q U a RT E R lY

2011 NEW TRUSTEES GOVERNANCE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE

accompanied by their presidents, new trustees come together in Washington, D.C., for a unique experience to accelerate the learning process and orient themselves with the basics of boardsmanship.

August 3-5

Trustees and Their Presidents

New

Gather in Washington, D.C., for the 2011 New Trustees Governance Leadership Institute

THIS AUGUST 3-5, NEW CoMMUNITY CoLLEGE trustees and presidents from 13 states met at the National Center for Higher Education in Washington, D.C., to learn what makes an outstanding board member and how to strengthen the board/president relationship, in addition to networking with others from around the country. Participants came from Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, New Mexico, oklahoma, Texas, and Wyoming.

“I wish I had this training before.”

AGENDA

“All the speakers were tremendous!”

• Boardsmanship 101—Focusing on the fundamentals of being a good board member

“I see ACCT as a vital partner in my future as a regent.”

• “Rookie trustee syndrome” • Gaining acceptance and becoming an effective voice • The board/CEO relationship • Understanding the budget, financial documents, and capital projects

“The GLI concentrated on key issues.”

• Dealing with the media • Guidance and tips for working with board support staff

Participants exchange T-shirts from their colleges.

“The best thing was fun and interactive activities.”

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fall 2011

legal

New Rulings on Constitutional Issues Weigh on Higher Education administration by Ira Michael Shepard ACCT General Counsel

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Background checks have become the norm in higher education, and this Supreme Court decision is important in that regard. Administrators should also review state and local regulations, as they may also have an impact on the nature and substance of the background checks that can be used at a specific college or university. Faculty Free Speech Rights and Academic Freedom: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit recently analyzed First Amendment and academic

freedom issues in handing down an important decision in Adams v. UNC at Wilmington. The issue before the court was whether a college can deny a professor a promotion based on his writings. In this case, a lower court had ruled that it could, relying on a prior Supreme Court precedent that job-related speech or writing is not protected by the First Amendment. The professor argued that “academic freedom” is an exception to this rule and that a professor’s job-related speech and

“As a matter of fact, I have read the Constitution, and, frankly, I don’t get it.”

The U.S. SUpreme CoUrT and U.S. Court of Appeals have weighed in on two important constitutional issues that affect higher education administration. The first, NASA v. Nelson, impacts the government’s ability to perform background checks on employee applicants and addresses the tension with privacy rights of U.S. citizens. The second, Adams v. UNC at Wilmington, impacts faculty free speech rights and the breadth of “academic freedom.” Government Background Checks: The issue before the U.S. Supreme Court in NASA v. Nelson was whether the background check required by NASA of all contract scientists, engineers, and administrative support personnel violates the constitutional right to privacy and/ or the Federal Privacy Act. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals had previously held that NASA’s background check, which includes questions about drug treatment and other personal matters, had the potential to violate employee and applicant “informational privacy rights” and had enjoined the use of background checks by the agency. In an 8-0 decision earlier this year authored by Justice Alito, the Supreme Court reversed the 9th Circuit holding and concluded that no privacy violation occurred. The court concluded that the U.S. Constitution does not prohibit the government from taking reasonable steps to protect legitimate government purposes. The Supreme Court also pointed out that NASA routinely employs important safeguards to provide employees with substantial protection against public disclosure of personal information.

Model StandardS of Good Practice for truStee BoardS writings are therefore protected by the First Amendment. The Fourth Circuit reversed the lower court decision, holding that the professor in question had the right to a jury trial over the issue of whether his writings, in this case “conservative” writings which were arguably completed as part of the professor’s employment obligation to participate in scholarly writing and speaking, were the reason for his promotion denial — and if they were, whether the writings were protected by the “academic freedom” provision. A significant dilemma, which will be raised at the upcoming jury trial, is the faculty-peer committee rationale for the promotion denial. The faculty committee concluded that the professor’s writings were not sufficient in the area

2011 ACCT Congress LegAL sessions Community College lawyers roundtable Cumberland F, exhibition level Thursday, October 13 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. learn the latest trends in the legal issues facing community college boards, including effective monitoring and handling of litigation, free speech issues, ada issues, supreme Court action on affirmative action in Higher education, legal ethics, and the top five areas of legal vulnerability facing community colleges. Continuing legal education credit is available (now approved in 15 states).

of scholarly peer-reviewed venues, not that his writings were objectionable. The professor, however, argues that the peer review denial was motivated by a feeling that his conservative writings were objectionable and therefore protected under the First Amendment academic freedom exception for job-related writings. The issue may ultimately wind up returning to the Supreme Court for further clarification of the scope of “academic freedom” under the First Amendment.

Ira Michael Shepard is a partner with the law firm of Saul Ewing, LLP, in Washington, D.C., and ACCT’s general counsel.

alternate CaPital develoPment oPtions Pegasus ballroom b, lobby level Friday, October 14 9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. the economic woes of 2010-11 have created even more need for innovative alternative funding for programs and facilities. Join aCCt staff, counsel, and experts in finance, development, and delivery to discuss the possibilities now available. Presenters ira shepard, aCCt general Counsel; Co-managing Partner, saul ewing llP allen Kaplan, trustee, austin Community College, texas Jorge rodriguez, Coastal securities, san antonio, texas

Presenters robert P. Joyce, Professor of Public law and government, institute of government, university of north Carolina

Jeffery tamkin, tamkin group, los angeles, Calif.

ira shepard, aCCt general Counsel; Co-managing Partner, saul ewing llP

all 2011 aCCt Congress sessions will take place at the Hyatt regency dallas.

lee burch, burch & associates, Houston, texas

in support of effective community college governance, the board believes: that it derives its authority from the community and that it must always act as an advocate on behalf of the entire community; that it must clearly define and articulate its role; that it is responsible for creating and maintaining a spirit of true cooperation and a mutually supportive relationship with the college president; that it always strives to differentiate between external and internal processes in the exercise of its authority; that its trustee members should engage in a regular and ongoing process of in-service training and continuous improvement; that its trustee members come to each meeting prepared and ready to debate issues fully and openly; that its trustee members vote their conscience and support the decision or policy made; that its behavior, and that of its members, exemplify ethical behavior and conduct that is above reproach; that it endeavors to remain always accountable to the community; that it honestly debates the issues affecting its community and speaks with one voice once a decision or policy is made. adopted by the aCCt board of directors, october 2000. *The term “board” refers to a community college board of trustees or appropriate governing authority.

T R U S T E E Q U a RT E R lY

fall 2011

GLI DIVERSITY +

Governance Leadership Institute

THE PATH OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION FOR BOARDS OF TRUSTEES

A MUST ATTEND FOR TRUSTEES AND PRESIDENTS PROMOTING DIVERSITY

For registration and hotel information visit

www.acct.org/events

November 10-12, 2011

Latin Quarter of Historic Ybor City in Tampa, FL

net work news fAll 2011

INTERFACE

A publicAtion of the community college professionAl boArd stAff network in cooperAtion with the AssociAtion of community college trustees

Professional Board staff MeMBer 2010-2011 executive coMMittee OFFICERS Terri Grimes, President Executive Assistant to the President/Board Highland Community College, Ill. terri.grimes@highland.edu Sherri Bowen, Vice-President Executive Assistant to the President Forsyth Technical Community College, N.C. sbowen@forsythtech.edu Wendy Dodson, Secretary Executive Assistant to the President Sandhills Community College, N.C. dodsonw@sandhills.edu BJ Marcil, Immediate Past-President Assistant to the President/Board of Trustees North Arkansas College, Ark. bjmarcil@northark.edu MEMBERS-AT-LARGE CENTRAL REGION Joan Tierney Administrative Assistant Joliet Junior College, Ill. jtierney@jjc.edu NORTHEAST REGION Sean Fischer Executive Assistant to the President and Director of Board of Trustee Services Atlantic Cape Community College, N.J. sfischer@atlantic.edu PACIFIC REGION Robin Lewison Executive Assistant to the Chancellor San Diego Community College District, Calif. rlewinson@sdccd.edu SOUTHERN REGION Wanda Brown Executive Assistant Randolph Community College, N.C. wcbrown@randolph.edu WESTERN REGION Debbie Novak Assistant to the College President Colorado Mountain College, Colo. dnovak@coloradomtn.edu

Dallas, Here We Come! Like many of you, i am Looking forward to aCCt’s annuaL Leadership Congress in Dallas. Once again this year, the Professional Board Staff Network will sponsor three events. It can be challenging to come up with ideas that are pertinent to all of our roles, but I believe once again we have selected a wide variety of topics that we hope you will find interesting. Our PBSN activities during the Congress will begin with our third annual PBSN Meet & Greet on Wednesday afternoon. We hope to see you there! I am excited about this year’s three-hour workshop session, which will be held on Thursday afternoon. Our topics will include upward mobility for the board staff member, the board staff role in a presidential search, increasing efficiencies in the office through the use of technology, and team-building skills. In addition, Vice President Sherri Bowen will share her experiences planning for a visit from the President of the United States. Friday morning’s annual business meeting will include recognition of the ACCT 2011 PBSN regional award recipients, ascension of officers for 2012, and election of the Secretary and Members-at-Large from each region. The executive committee will also present a recommendation for minor changes to the PBSN bylaws. On another topic, I am excited to let you know that PBSN has joined the world of Facebook! Look for our Facebook group by searching “ACCT Professional Board Staff Network” and “friend” us. It is hard to believe that this is my last official Interface article as PBSN president, since Sherri will begin her term as president in Dallas. She has been a tremendous help to me this year, and I know she will do a great job. Reflecting back over the past year, the African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” has been my motto because I have found that it also takes a village to be PBSN president. I could not have made it this past year without the support of some very special people. First and foremost, I personally want to thank this year’s executive committee members. The entire executive committee worked very well together and made my job easy — well, easier! Thank you BJ, Sherri, Wendy, Joan, Wanda, Sean, Debbie, and Robin, as well as former PBSN presidents Carol Gregory and Pamela Perkins. We made a great team! A very special thank you to my college president, Dr. Joe Kanosky, board chair David Shockey, and the rest of my board of trustees for their ongoing support and encouragement, and to former trustee Frank Walker, who encouraged me to join PBSN back in 1998. I would also like to thank my husband, Kim, and our sons, Kyle and Bret, who shared in this journey and supported me along the way. Thank you all! It is my pleasure to end my last official Interface article with some happy news. Congratulations to past PBSN president and last year’s central region member-at-large award recipient, Linda Peltier, who has been promoted to vice president of strategic human resources at Edison Community College. Please join me in thanking Linda for all she did to advance PBSN, and wishing her well in her new position. TERRI GRIMES HIGHLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE, IL

T R U S T E E Q U A RT E R LY

fALL 2011

net work news fAll 2011

INTERFACE Getting to Know Your PBSN Executive Committee and Incoming President By Sherri Bowen, forsyth Technical Community College, N.C.

in previous issues of TrusTee QuarTerly, terri grimes and i have shared some background on the members of the Professional Board Staff Network Executive Committee. Here, I’m happy to highlight the last of our executive committee members to be featured, Joan Tierney of Joliet Junior College ( JJC). An interesting fact about JJC is that it has the distinction of being the nation’s first public community college. I know Joan is proud to work for this historic institution and is always happy to share some of its history. Joan is the PBSN Central Region Member-at-Large. Her career began at the age of 16, while still in high school, by working as a co-op student in the school savings department at the Joliet Federal Savings and Loan Association. Joan held several different positions at the bank, working her way up to a bank officer for the bank and its holding corporation. She held the position of executive assistant to the president for 22 of the 27 years that she worked for the bank. Joan was also responsible for preparing the monthly board of director’s reports and served as the official board recorder. After the bank was sold in 1995, Joan joined Joliet Junior College as the senior executive assistant to the president and secretary to the board of trustees, the position she currently holds. As stated by Joan, “All of us that work for presidents and boards know how very rewarding, enriching, and challenging this position can be. Our motto is ‘It’s what we do’.” As the incoming president of PBSN, I wanted to give you a 50

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little information about myself as well. I began my career at Forsyth Technical Community College in 1989 as a part-time secretary in the Allied Health Division while attending classes at Forsyth Tech. I hold an associate degree in administrative office technology, a diploma in automotive systems technology, and licensure as an Emergency Medical Technician. I have also completed FEMA ICS 700A and 100A training, and I hold a bachelor’s degree in business administration. I am currently working on my master’s degree in public administration with a concentration in emergency management at the University of North Carolina — Pembroke. Moving up the ladder at Forsyth Tech, I was hired full-time as the secretary to the Allied Health Division in 1993. In 1996, I became the staff associate to the vice president of community relations and development and the director of the marketing and public information department. In 2000, I was promoted to the public information specialist in marketing. In 2002, I was hired as the administrative assistant to the president. After obtaining my bachelor’s degree in business administration, I was promoted to my current position as the executive assistant to the president in 2005. I am married to a captain at the Lewisville Fire Department, Marty, and have two sons, Cody, who is seven, and Dakota, who is five. I look forward to serving you and the PBSN next year as your president.

net work news fAll 2011

INTERFACE

Professional Board Staff Network Executive Committee. From left: Wendy Dodson, Robin Lewison, Terri Grimes, Sean Fischer, BJ Marcil, Sherri Bowen, Wanda Brown (not pictured: Debbie Novak, Joan Tierney).

The Professional Board Staff Network (PBSN) Executive Committee invites you to attend the

2011 ACCT Leadership Congress

October 12 – 15, 2011

Information is Power: Fostering Sustainability and Student Success PBSN Meet & Greet Wednesday, October 12 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Location to be announced)

What better way to start your Dallas experience than by joining your PBSN Executive Committee for an opportunity to mingle and get better acquainted in a relaxed atmosphere? We’ll give you a brief overview of our three-hour workshop session on Thursday and the business meeting on Friday. Enter for an opportunity to win one of several door prizes provided by PBSN Executive Committee members. Casual attire welcome.

Annual Three-Hour Workshop for PBSN Thursday, October 13 1:45p.m. – 4:45p.m.

PBSN Business Meeting

(Location to be announced)

This interactive session will include presentations on upward mobility for the professional board staff member, team-building, ways to improve office efficiencies through the use of technology, and the board staff member’s role in a presidential search. Vice President Sherri Bowen will also share her experiences of planning for a visit from President Barack Obama and the White House Staff!

Professional Board Staff Network

1233 20th St., NW, Ste. 301 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 775-4667 For more information visit www.acct.org or email Terri Grimes at terri.grimes@highland.edu

Join us for the annual business meeting where recipients of ACCT’s 2011 Professional Board Staff Member regional awards will be recognized. A recommendation will be presented to make minor changes to the PBSN bylaws, and members present will have an opportunity to vote on the recommendation. Elections will be held for Secretary and a member-at-large from each of our five regions, and the ascension of officers for 2011 will be held. PBSN members are encouraged to consider running for Secretary or the member-at-large position for their respective region.

We hope you’ll join us at the PBSN sessions scheduled during the 2011 ACCT Annual Leadership Congress in Dallas, Texas. PBSN Executive Committee: Terri Grimes, President Sherri Bowen, Vice President Wendy Dodson, Secretary B. J. Marcil, Immediate Past President

Members at Large: Joan Tierney, Central Region Sean Fischer, Northeast Region Pacific Region (Vacant) Wanda Brown, Southern Region Debbie Novak, Western Region

T R U S T E E Q U A RT E R LY

fALL 2011

advisor eLeCtion of Board and diversity Committee memBers Elections for ACCT Regional Directors and Diversity Committee members will be held at the Regional Caucuses and Meetings on Thursday, October 13, 1:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. during the 2011 ACCT Leadership Congress at the Hyatt Regency Dallas in Dallas, Texas. Elections for Directors-at-Large will be held on Friday, October 14, 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., during the ACCT Senate Meeting.

2011 Candidates for the aCCt Board of direCtors regionaL direCtor (1) Three-Year Term in Each Region. (1) Two-Year Partial Term in Central Region. (1) One-Year Partial Term in both Northeast Region and Southern Region. The following is the slate of nominees as of July 1, 2011: Central Region Vernon Jung* Moraine Park Technical College, WI Central Region Two-Year Partial Term James N. Doyle Clark State Community College, OH James Polk Illinois Central College, IL Robin M. Smith Lansing Community College, MI Northeast Region Bakari Lee* Hudson County College, NJ Northeast Region One-Year Partial Term Donna Horgan Cecil College, MD

Pacific Region Mary Figueroa* Riverside Community College District, CA Southern Region George Regan* Robeson Community College, NC Southern Region One-Year Partial Term No candidate has been declared yet Western Region Roberto Zárate* Alamo Colleges, TX

direCtor-at-Large (3) Three-year terms. The following is the slate of nominees: Jim Harper* Portland Community College, OR Clare Ollayos* Elgin Community College, IL Clemon Prevost* College of the Mainland, TX

2011 Candidates for the aCCt diversity Committee (1) Two-Year Term in Each Region. The following is the slate of nominees received as of July 1, 2011: Central Region Ann Wilson Milwaukee Area Technical College District, WI Joseph C. Wozniak College of DuPage, IL Northeast Region — Hector Ortiz* Harrisburg Area Community College, PA

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Pacific Region — Shauna Weatherby* Clover Park Technical College, WA Southern Region Helen Rosemond-Saunders Tri-County Technical College, SC Western Region — John Mondragon* Central New Mexico College, NM *Candidates received the support of their respective Regional Nominating Committees. Note: Nominations will be accepted from the floor on all elections.

ELECTION OF REGIONAL NOMINATING COMMITTEE MEMBERS Regional Nominating Committee elections will take place during the 2011 ACCT Leadership Congress at the Regional Caucuses and Meetings on Thursday, October 13. Based on the ACCT Regional Nominating Committee structure, each committee consists of five members elected for two-year staggered terms. No more than one member shall be from the same state. The following seats need to be filled for the 2012-2013 term: Central Region Three (3) seats will be available to members from the following states and provinces: Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Ontario, and Wisconsin. Northeast Region Four (4) seats will be available to members from the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Pacific Region Three (3) seats will be available to members from the following states, provinces, or territories: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Utah, Washington, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, British Columbia, and the Marshall Islands. Southern Region Three (3) seats will be available to members from the following states and territories: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Bermuda, and Virgin Islands. Western Region Three (3) seats will be available to members from the following states: Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Oklahoma.

ACCT VOTING DELEGATES FOR ELECTIONS ACCT’s President and Chief Executive Officer will send detailed information to the board chairs of each ACCT voting member district outlining how many voting delegates the college district governing boards are entitled to under ACCT’s Bylaws. The number of delegates will be based on the fall headcount enrollment of those students taking courses for credit. Each member board should decide who will serve as the voting delegate(s) to represent your college at the ACCT Congress. Voting Members may designate for each voting delegate an alternate who may serve as the voting delegate in the absence of any voting delegate from the same Voting Member. ACCT does not need to be notified of your voting delegate choice(s). Upon arrival at the Congress, the voting delegate(s) will need to sign in at the voting delegate desk to receive voting credentials.

ACCT PublICATIonS To order any ACCT publication, please fill out the form below and give it to any ACCT staff member or (preferred) fax, e-mail, or mail your order to ACCT Publications (contact information below). Please include both a billing and shipping address and a purchase order, if necessary. As a membership benefit, book orders from ACCT members are fulfilled immediately in good faith of payment. An invoice will be sent within 2-3 weeks of your order. ACCT requires pre-payment from non-member colleges. TiTle Essentials of Good board/CEo Relations (2009) NEW

Price $16 $20

QuanTiTy

ToTal

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The Trustee’s Role in Effective Advocacy: Engaging in Citizen Action to Advance Educational opportunities in Your Community — What Trustees need to Know About Exercising Their Voices and Influence on behalf of Community Colleges (2009) NEW

$24 $28

The Trustee’s Role in Fundraising: From Arm’s length to Knee Deep — What Trustees need to Know About Institutional Advancement (2008)

$16 $20

The board Chair: A Guide for leading Community College boards

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Trusteeship in Community Colleges: A Guide to Effective Governance

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Community College Trustees: leading on behalf of Their Communities

$30 $40

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Please include $3 postage and handling fee for each publication (maximum $15)

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accT MeMBerS use any of these methods to order: E-mail: acctinfo@acct.org Call: 202.775.4454 Fax: 202.775.4455 or mail order form to the address below. (note: ACCT members are not required to send payment at the time of order.) accT non-MeMBerS Send order form and check or money order to: Attn: Publications, Association of Community College Trustees, Dept. 6061, Washington, DC 20042-6061

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2012

Q u e s t io n s : 8 6 6 - 8 9 5 - 2 2 2 8

community college

national legislative summit

febRuaRy 13-16 | MaRRiott waRdMan PaRk Hotel | wasHington, d.c.

MajoR gaRRett congressional correspondent and columnist for the National Journal

stuaRt RotHenbeRg editor and Publisher of the Rothenberg Political Report and columnist for RollÂ Call