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Governance Excellence for New Trustees - Register Today!

ACCT asks you to join them at the 2025 New Trustees Governance Leadership Institute (August 6-8, 2025), which will be hosted by Community College of Allegheny County (Pittsburgh, PA). This GLA is an immersive and engaging experience which includes interactive workshops and facilitated discussion by experts in the field of community college governance. This institute will focus on the fundamentals of effective board governance. Click here for more information. 

Northwest Iowa Community Colleges (Sheldon, Iowa) Job Opening

Northwest Iowa Community College in Sheldon is hiring a full-time Powerline Instructor for a nine-month position (with summer supplement) offering $90,000 including a $10,000 signing bonus. The role includes teaching classroom and lab-based electrical utility courses, equipment maintenance, and curriculum development, with required qualifications including a relevant associate degree or journeyman program, five years of utility experience, a CDL (or ability to obtain), and computer proficiency. Duties involve student instruction and evaluation, course development, equipment demonstration (including pole climbing), committee participation, and working in various physical and environmental conditions; applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: Human Resources Office, Northwest Iowa Community College, 603 West Park Street, Sheldon, Iowa 51201; 712-324-5061, ext. 113, or 1-800-352-4907.

Iowa Central Launches New IT Support Specialist Program to Meet Growing Tech Demand

Iowa Central Community College has introduced a new six-week IT Support Specialist program aimed at preparing students for entry-level roles in the tech industry. The curriculum covers essential topics such as PC hardware, networking, mobile devices, and cybersecurity, with practical labs and troubleshooting exercises across Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms. Aligned with CompTIA A+ Core 1 and Core 2 certification exams, the program includes exam costs in its tuition. Eligible students may receive full tuition coverage through GAP Tuition Assistance, which also offers additional support services. Classes are scheduled from May 12 to June 17, 2025, on Mondays and Tuesdays from 8am to 12pm at the Fort Dodge campus, supplemented by online modules. 

Iowa's Community Colleges See a Slight Increase in Enrollment

In 2024, Iowa's 15 community colleges experienced a 1.8% increase in enrollment, totaling 119,310 students, marking a modest rebound from pandemic-related declines. Despite this uptick, enrollment remains below the pre-pandemic peak of over 128,000 students in 2019. Credit hours saw a 2.7% rise, indicating a positive trend in student engagement. Joint enrollment programs, where high school students take college courses, now comprise nearly 46% of total enrollment and account for about 31% of credit hours. The student body remains consistently composed of 56.5% female and 43.5% male students, a ratio stable over the past two decades. 

Federal Updates

ACCT is urging you to take action! On Tuesday, the House Education and Workforce Committee advanced its reconciliation bill titled Student Success and Taxpayer Savings Plan, along party lines. The committee was charged with saving $330 billion over ten years, and the Congressional Budget Office put the savings at $351 billion. The bill's significant changes to the Pell Grant program were not revealed until 24 hours before the committee markup - they had not been part of policy discussions. The committee justified the Pell cuts in part to stabilize the program's finances, which have gone deeply into the red with the enactment of the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2020. In its advocacy on the reconciliation bill, AACC had urged the committee to provide additional funding for the Pell Grant program. Under the bill's risk-sharing provisions, a complex formula is applied to each program offered by a Title IV-eligible institution to determine whether funds need to be repaid to the government. The bill also contains PROMISE Grants, designed to reward institutions that graduate high percentages of students who receive Pell Grants. After sustained lobbying, a slightly altered version of last Congress's Bipartisan Workforce Pell Act was included in the bill. Because budget reconciliation has special rules, some of the reporting provisions, ED approval process, and accreditation procedures have been stripped from the bill, which is welcome. Most importantly, however, and most worrisome, is the addition of non-Title IV providers to the program, meaning basically any provider that meets the bill's other provisions can offer workforce Pell programs. The committee's bill eliminates the subsidized Direct Loan program. The bill also significantly overhauls student loan repayment policy. Community college officials should not waste any time in assessing the potential impact of the Pell Grant program changes and communicating that to their legislators. No one wants to hamper the ability of low-income community college students to finance their education. As a next step in the budget reconciliation process, the bills approved by the Congressional committees will be stitched together and brought to the House floor for an up or down vote. The next key step in the budget reconciliation process is pending action by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. AACC will sponsor a webinar next Thursday, May 8 at 12EDT on these issues, and how you can advocate for your students and college. 

ACCT would like to thank everyone who participated in Community College Month. In April 2025, the Trump administration revoked the immigration status of over 4,700 international students, citing minor infractions or vague national security concerns, often without prior notice. This abrupt action led to widespread fear and legal challenges from affected students and advocacy groups. Facing mounting legal pressure, the Department of Justice announced plans to restore the immigration status of these students and to develop clearer policies for future cases. Despite the reversal, many students had already left the U.S., and uncertainties remain, particularly for those involved in national security-related cases. Critics argue that the administration's actions have created a chilling effect on international students, potentially deterring future enrollment and impacting U.S. higher education institutions. Universities are now working to support affected students, but concerns persist about the long-term implications of such immigration policies. Last Week, ACCT found that an estimated 60 international community college students and recent alumni had their student visas revoked as a result of policy changes in the State Department. On May 8 at 2pm ET, ACCT will be hosting an immigration and international students webinar. 

Join ACCT for a LAW Live Webinar today at 1pmET as they unpack updates in the Federal government, including the latest on the reconciliation process and President Donald Trump's executive orders on college accreditation and registered apprenticeships. 

Call for Proposals: Cybersecurity, Privacy, Accessibility, and Risk

On Monday, June 2, 2025, at Stockton University - Atlantic City Campus (8:30am-4pm), there will be a compliance in education symposium. As regulations evolve and technology advances, education institutions face increasing pressure to ensure compliance across cybersecurity, privacy, accessibility, and risk management. Technologies such as AI, data analytics models, and more are reshaping compliance. Share your compliance expertise at the symposium!

Iowa Awards $3.4 Million to Support Registered Apprenticeship Programs

On Monday, Iowa announced new grant awards for Registered Apprenticeship (RA) sponsors whose programs are building the workforce pipeline across the state. Grant funds awarded to RA sponsors will be managed through the Iowa Office of Apprenticeship (IOA). The grant awards involve two different funding streams, which together will support the success of thousands of apprentices participating in the sponsors' programs: 

Des Moines Area Community College Presidential Search Update

DMACC is pleased to announce that the search for the next President is officially underway! The Board of Directors has engaged Dr. Larry Ebbers, University Emeritus at Iowa State University, as their search consultant. They're excited to partner with Dr. Ebbers to build a dynamic Presidential Search Profile - and your voice is a vital part of that process. Here's a look at the timeline ahead: 

  • July 15, 2025 - The position will be posted nationally. 

  • September 1, 2025 - Application period closes. 

  • A screening committee - composed of three respected Iowa leaders in higher education - will then review applicants and select 6-10 top candidates: 

    • Dr. Steve Schultz, President Emeritus of NIACC and former Provost at DMACC

    • Dr. Kristie Fisher, President of Kirkwood Community College

    • Dr. Liang Chee Wee, Interim Chancellor of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and President Emeritus of Northeast Iowa Community College

These semifinalists will be interview in early fall by a DMACC Search Committee, chaired by Kevin Halterman, Vice Chair of the Board of Directors. You will have an opportunity to meet the finalists and share your feedback with the Board. To support the recruitment process, they'll also be launching a dedicated search website to spotlight their college, their programs, and their incredible communities - another way they're showcasing what makes DMACC special. 

White House Releases Executive Order on Accreditation

On April 23, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at reforming the U.S. higher education accreditation system. The order criticizes existing accreditors for allegedly approving low-quality institutions and mandates the Secretary of Education to reduce barriers that hinder innovative educational practices and to promote intellectual diversity among faculty. It also directs the recognition of new accrediting agencies to foster competition and requires accreditors to focus on student outcomes without considering race, ethnicity, or sex. Furthermore, the order challenges the incorporation of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) standards in accreditation, labeling some DEI practices as unlawfully discriminatory. The executive order instructs the Department of Education to streamline the process for institutions seeking to change accreditors and to expedite approval for alternative career pathways outside traditional accreditation processes. While the administration asserts that these reforms will enhance educational quality and accountability, critics argue that the move politicizes the accreditation process and may undermine efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in higher education. The full impact of the executive order remains uncertain, as changes to accreditation standards are constrained by existing federal laws, notably the Higher Education Act. 

Call for Proposals - Deadline Approaching Fast!

Time is running out! There's less than a month to submit your proposal for the 2025 ACCT Leadership Congress, the premier professional development event for community college trustees and leaders. This year's theme - "Reimagining Community College: Innovation for a Changing World" - sets the stage for bold ideas and transformative practices. Why Present? Your insights can empower fellow trustees and presidents across the country, spark new ideas and inspire real change, and raise your institution's visibility on a national stage. Presentation tracks include innovating for the AI era, collaborative solutions for workforce needs, enrollment strategies, student-centered pathways for success, and effective board governance: how to be a trustee. To meet proposal requirements, trustees must be included as presenters, the proposal must align with one of the official tracks, there must be a board letter of support, and all presenters must be registered for the Congress. The deadline is quickly approaching - don't wait. Submit your proposal today! Early bird registration deadline is Friday, August 15th. 

Federal Courts Temporarily Halt Enforcement of U.S. Department of Education's Title VI Dear Colleague Letter and Certification Requirement

On February 14, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter providing the administration's interpretation of the nondiscrimination obligations of schools and other entities receiving federal financial assistance under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. Harvard University. The Dear Colleague Letter asserted that race-based decision-making is prohibited in all aspects of school operations - including admissions, hiring, discipline, scholarships, and campus life. On April 4, 2025, the Department instructed state education agencies to collect Certifications from local education agencies confirming compliance with Title VI and the SFFA decision by April 24, 2025. In response, several parties and interest groups filed lawsuits in federal court seeking to prevent the Department from enforcing the Dear Colleague Letter and the Certification requirement. Key Takeaways: 

  • The decision in National Education Association et al. v. USDOE et al. pauses enforcement of the Dear Colleague Letter and the Certification requirement for the NEA, its members, and affiliated entities. 

  • The decision in American Federation of Teachers et al. v. USDOE et al. effectively puts a nationwide pause on the enforcement of the Dear Colleague Letter. 

  • The decision in National Association for the Advancement of Colored People v. USDOE et al. pauses only the Certification requirement. 

  • Title VI and the SFFA decision are not affected by these injunctions. 

SCC Commencements Scheduled for May 12, 13, 14, and 15

Ceremonies will take place in-person at the following locations and livestreamed at facebook.com/scciowa. 

Respiratory Care Program Pinning Ceremony (Monday, May 12 at 6pm) at the SCC Health Profession Center (Main Floor) - West Burlington Campus

High School Equivalency Diploma (Tuesday, May 13 at 7pm) at Smith Activity Hall - West Burlington Campus

Keokuk Nurse Pinning Ceremony (Wednesday, May 14 at 3pm) at New Testament Christian Church

Keokuk Graduation (Wednesday, May 14 at 7pm) at SCC Keokuk Campus - Outdoors. In the event of inclement weather, the Keokuk ceremony will be moved to the Grand Theatre. 

West Burlington Nurse Pinning Ceremony (Thursday, May 15 at 3pm) at Loren Walker Arena - West Burlington Campus

West Burlington Graduation (Thursday, May 15 at 7pm) at Burlington Memorial Auditorium

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