Aligning Credit and Non-Credit for Equity Workshop
March 28: Noon - 4 p.m.
Nationally, most Community Colleges offer non-credit workforce programs and credit-based programs that operate separately. While there are reasons for the separation of programs and some distinctions are in fact beneficial, other differences are simply default or arbitrary. And so, the two systems often exist separately, causing potential content duplication, lack of communication, and missed opportunities to collaborate and build pathways. Students enrolled in these programs are particularly impacted. Students in non-credit programs do not often have a direct pathway to continue their education on the credit side toward a degree. They are unlikely to receive credit for the learning that occurred in their non-credit program and unlikely to have access to financial aid or other means of funding for their education. The student experience in non-credit workforce programs is inequitable to that of students in credit programs in terms of their access to services, visibility, and representation across the institution. (From “A More Unified Community College,” ESG, 2020)
Iowa Community Colleges teams are invited to a special Zoom workshop on Friday, March 28th designed to help all Iowa Community Colleges identify a set of action steps or priorities to get started on aligning noncredit and credit programs on their campuses. The workshop, led by Education Strategy Group will include:
- Making the case for how aligning noncredit and credit programs is an equity issue;
- Aligning with current equity initiatives at the colleges and the association, among others; and
- Specific breakouts for those colleges that have begun aligning noncredit and credit and for those that aspire to, but have not yet started.
Register for this special session exclusively for Iowa Community College leaders today. Registration is free. Suggested attendees include presidents, vice presidents, academic deans or department heads, noncredit programs or department heads, registrar, advising, financial aid, institutional research, noncredit faculty, and credit faculty.
Zoom Registration Link
Education Strategy Group (ESG) is a mission-driven, national consulting firm specializing in K-12, higher education and workforce solutions. In 2020, ESG released, A More Unified Community College, a guide that details resources and best practices for community colleges to better align their noncredit and credit programs. ESG has a track record of presenting on this framework at national conferences and upon request to state systems and colleges. Past clients include the Association of Community College Trustees, Achieving the Dream, the National Council on Workforce Education, the Hawaii Community College System and the Texas Community College Association.
Advocacy for Change: Positioning Community Colleges for the Next 75 Years
Zoom Forum
April 6, 2022, 2-3 PM Central
Overview: During this online forum, Dr. Carol Cutler White will discuss the recently published New Directions for Community Colleges Issue 197, Advocacy for Change: Positioning Community Colleges for the Next 75 Years. Dr. White, who is Assistant Professor of Community College Leadership at Mississippi State University, and previously served as Dean of Sponsored Programs and Federal Relations at Wake Technical Community College, in Raleigh, NC will be joined by Advocacy for Change co-authors.
Background: This year – 2022 – marks the 75th anniversary of the Truman Commission report recommending establishment of community colleges and calling attention to the mission and purpose of community colleges within higher education and society. Advocacy for Change discusses how community colleges serve the largest percentage of under-represented, under-prepared, and under-resourced students – yet these colleges are most often underfunded in state budgets. Advocacy for Change demonstrates challenges and opportunities for community college leaders in state and federal political advocacy.
The purpose of this discussion is to equip community college leaders with strategic knowledge for advocacy in local, state, and federal political contexts to expand fiscal resources. The discussion will include recent developments in community college consortium building for targeted federal funding and a recent shift in federal policy allowing Congressionally directed spending (aka “earmarks”) in federal appropriations.
Please contact Tom Downs (TCDowns@downsgovaffairs.com) with the names of those from your institution who may want to attend. There are no registration charges as this is hosted by the Capital Cities Community College Consortium (C5Consortium.com). On or around Monday, April 4, they will provide the Zoom link and more detailed information.
One Sustainable Iowa Student Conference
Saturday, April 9th: 9 am-4 pm
University of Iowa
Registration is open for the One Sustainable Iowa Student Conference! This exciting conference will take place in Iowa City on April 9th from 9am-4pm, and all students, faculty, and staff from any higher ed institution in Iowa are welcome to join.
Registration closes on April 2, so sign up today!
Students: $10 per person
Faculty/Staff: $25 per person
Registration: https://www.onesustainableiowa.com/
Schedule: https://www.onesustainableiowa.com/2022-conference
Iowa Rural Summit
April 12-13, 2022 at Gateway Hotel, Ames
Bringing rural residents and companies together to discuss the challenges and opportunities in their communities. This year's keynote speakers are Benjamin Anderson (former rural hospital CEP and rural health care advocate), who will discuss how to improve interactions between rural residents and their communities more open, inclusive, and diverse; and Brenda Clark Hamilton will discuss the importance of strong leadership and the need to continually work to train new leaders.
Register as a community team or as an individual.
May Trustee Education: What You Need to Know About Open Meetings
As governmental entities, Iowa’s Community Colleges are subject to Chapter 21 of the Iowa Code’s requirements for open meetings. These important provisions can at times be confusing, especially with all of the changes brought on by the pandemic.
Join us for a session on the most important parts of this law for Trustees and get your questions answered. Click on the registration link below to sign up!
Presenter
Mickey Shields is the Director of Membership Services for the Iowa League of Cities. He frequently gives presentations for cities and other governmental entities on Iowa laws related to open meetings and other requirements.
Registration Link
Iowa Community College 2022 Summer Conference
Our summer conference will be here before you know it! Mark your calendars for July 20-22 in Sioux City. More information to come!
2022 ACCT Leadership Congress
October 26-29, 2022
New York City
Registration is open!
Hotel prices increase to $355 per night starting May 20. Early Bird Registration deadline is August 19.
Head here for more information and to register.