Published
May 06, 2013
In the midst of major turnover from the top down,
Pima Community College is now on probation. The
Arizona school has been notified by its accreditor, the Higher Learning Commission, that it has two years to turn things around or lose its
accreditation status. With an executive team in limbo and reports of poor – and even unethical – management in recent years, it looks like Pima has its work cut out for the next two probationary years.
Problems from the Top Down
Tucson News Now reports that the problems at Pima that resulted in probation may have initiated from top administration officials. The publication specifically cites allegations of sexual harassment against Ray Flores, the former chancellor of the school, which were left unaddressed by school administrators for a number of years. The commission investigating the school also found a “hostile working environment” was reported by many staff members of the community college.
Other issues reported by the
Arizona Daily Star include corrupt contracting practices. Executives of the school have been accused of approving expensive contracts without going through the appropriate bidding process. Throughout the accusations of mismanagement, there is a common thread of a culture cultivated of “fear and retribution” and an ineffective governing body that failed to address concerns or manage situations that made it challenging to work at the college.
Report Specifics that Led to Probation
Inside Higher Ed reports that the four-member accreditation team from the Higher Learning Commission found complex issues with the...
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Published
September 18, 2012
The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence
The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence recognizes one winner each year, as well as four finalists. Those chosen by the Aspen Institute will split a prize package of $1 million. Last year’s winner, and the first recipient of the Aspen Prize, was
Valencia Community College in Orlando, Florida. This year, two more...
Published
September 08, 2012
Community colleges in California are struggling, and at this point, it’s anybody’s guess how the problems with higher education in the state will eventually shake out. While much of the focus on California community colleges of late has centered on
San Francisco City College's accreditation threats, this isn’t the only school getting low marks by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. Many of the two-year schools around the state appear to be in trouble, although some are currently in hotter water than others. Can these schools, which are so vital to the student population and the employment outlook of the state, pull themselves out of the holes they are slowly sinking into?
Accreditation Sanctions Running Rampant
According to a report at the
Sacramento Bee, numerous California community colleges across the state are in trouble with the accreditation commission. Three of these schools, including
San Francisco City College, are facing the most severe “show cause” sanctions. In addition, 10 campuses have been placed on “probation” status and another 14 have received “warning” status. All of the schools have been given specific guidelines they must follow if they want to improve their status by the next accreditation evaluation; however, the three schools in the most dire circumstances also have the most work to do.
“The problems colleges have run into with accreditation are abnormally acute at this point in time in California,” David Baime, senior vice president with the American Association of Community Colleges, told the Sacramento Bee....
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Published
December 23, 2011
After a full year of carefully assessing community colleges around the country, the Aspen Institute has recognized the top five performing schools with acclaim and hefty financial prizes. The awards were announced at the National Press Club in Washington D.C., where educators, business leaders and lawmakers were all in attendance. These five schools represent a broad base of institutions of higher education, in terms of demographics, location and areas of specialization.
About the Aspen Institute Award
The Aspen Institute began their quest for the
top community college with a short list of 1,000 community colleges across the country. According to the
Aspen Institute website, colleges were assessed on the following criteria:
· Student Learning
· Degree Completion and Transfer Rates
· Equity in Education
· Employment and Earning Potential after College
Improvement was also an area of careful scrutiny, particularly in regards to completion rates. With these factors in mind, the Aspen Institute was able to narrow the initial list of 1,000 schools to 120 by this past spring. From there, the organization chose
10 finalists to award prizes; one top school was awarded $600,000, four runners-up each received $100,000, and five additional schools each received a glass trophy for their efforts.
The Focus on Community Colleges
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Published
October 01, 2011
Ten community colleges are enjoying the distinction as one of the finalists for the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The schools featured on this elite list have all shown tremendous strides in important aspects of the college experience, such as
student retention,
employability after college and
academic success while in school. Presidents from the schools on the list were also invited to join President Obama in a roundtable discussion regarding innovations at community colleges and how those ideas can be implemented on other campuses as well. The Aspen Prize has helped to elevate high-achieving community colleges to a visible level where other schools can capitalize on the success and innovation of the finalists to bring their own schools up to par.
What is the Aspen Prize?
The Aspen Prize was announced at last year’s
community college summit at the White House. The purpose of the prize is to spotlight colleges that have dramatically increased student outcomes, according to a report at the
Community College Times. When the ideas and methodology of these outstanding schools are showcased, other schools across the country can implement innovative techniques to improve outcomes on their campuses as well. The 10 finalists were selected from a short list of 120 schools. The winner of the Aspen Prize, as well as three runner-up schools, will be announced in December of this year, when they will all share a portion of the $1 million prize.
“The finalists impressed us with their efforts to help...
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Published
May 14, 2013
Community colleges do not traditionally boast high completion rates, but there are many ideas in the works at schools across the country to bring those rates up. We look at a few that are making headlines today.
New York College Gets Big Donation, New Name
We report on a large donation given to New Community College in New York – possibly one of the biggest donations to ever be given to a two-year school. Now, the school is changing its name and using the money to improve completion rates and provide grants to eligible students.
Pima Community College Placed on Probation
We explore the reasons behind the recent probation of Pima Community College, and what the Arizona school plans to do to bring their credentials back up to par once again.
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