Published
April 30, 2013
The Virginia Tech tragedy in 2007 was a glaring indication that community colleges are not immune from the deadly violence that has impacted school campuses across the country. That single incident defined the risks students undertake when they head to classes every day. While schools of all kinds are taking another look at how to keep students safer, unique challenges face community colleges in this area. At the same time, a recent string of community college attacks has highlighted the need for a higher level of security, despite potential obstacles facing these schools.
Attacks at Wyoming School Precede String of Incidents
The first in a recent string of community college attacks took place at a
Wyoming school last November.
Reuters reports that the son of a professor at
Casper College shot his father in the head with a crossbow and arrow in front of a classroom full of students. Students were able to safely exit the classroom as the father and son engaged in a struggle that left both of them dead. Later, authorities found a third victim, another college professor who had been living with the first victim, slain in her home.
“I can’t even imagine what the students in that room had gone through,” Chris Walsh, chief of police in Casper, told Reuters.
Texas Community College Sees Two Incidents in Three Months
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Published
February 05, 2013
The
California Community College system is the largest of its kind in the world, and as such, it tends to come under intense scrutiny any time changes are suggested or made. Governor Jerry Brown has recently been thrust into the community college focus, as the governor has dealt with a budget crisis facing the system. Now that California voters have agreed to pour more money into the state’s community colleges, Brown is making headlines once again, with his ideas for reforming the entire system.
More Money brings Reform Plan
Thanks to the passage of
Proposition 30 last November, community colleges will be receiving more funding – nearly $200 million more, according to a
Los Angeles Times report. The money is much needed for a system that has been forced to significantly cut class offerings and even students in an effort to balance dwindling budgets. With the money comes Governor Brown’s plan for college reform, designed to
improve completion rates and accessibility throughout the system. While the plan is hailed by some as a bold approach to improving higher education in the state, others fear some of the elements of the plan could have a negative impact on the very students the plan was created to help.
The Los Angeles Times states that reforms issued by Governor Brown could significantly alter the way community colleges in the state operate in the future. As the governor drafted his community college reform plan, he kept certain priorities in mind. First, community...
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Published
January 12, 2013
Students may select the location for their post-secondary education from a variety of factors, including tuition costs, degree programs available and
quality of education received. This is true for prospective community college students, as well as those looking at a possible
four-year degree. One factor that may not be at the top of a searching student’s list is
campus safety. However, staying safe while you are pursuing your degree is an important characteristic that contributes to the overall college experience. Fortunately, StateUniversity.com has you covered, with annual rankings that let prospective students know which college campuses are considered the safest in the country.
Choosing the Safest School
When StateUniversity.com begins its annual process of ranking U.S. colleges for safety, the first step is to take data directly from the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Since private colleges do not have to report their crime figures to the FBI, some of these schools may not appear on the list. However, all schools that participate in
federal student aid programs are required to report crime numbers every year, keeping most of the schools around the country under consideration for the rankings. For the 2011 rankings, about 450 of the largest schools in the United States were evaluated.
Crime reports between January 1 and December 31, 2011 were considered when compiling the most recent rankings. Both crime frequency and severity are considered as participating schools are given a score between zero and 100. The higher the score, the safer the school. Crimes...
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Published
December 09, 2012
The
California community college system has been struggling financially for some time, with state funding cuts totaling more than $8 million since 2008. Schools have been forced to cut back to the bare bones, with some cutting classes and others
raising fees. The passage of Proposition 30 this November promises some relief for those floundering institutions, and community colleges are wasting no time finding ways to spend the extra dollars they are slated to receive in order to provide students with more classes and services they need to succeed.
What is Proposition 30?
Proposition 30, also referred to as the Sales and Income Tax Initiative, was a proposal by California Governor Jerry Brown to raise revenue for various needs throughout the state. The twofold proposal raised state sales tax from 7.25 percent to 7.5 percent, while also increasing income taxes for those making $250,000 or more. The increases were temporary, with the additional sales tax continuing for four years and the income tax increase slated for seven years.
Of the revenues generated by the Sales and Income Tax Initiative, 89 percent would go directly to California public schools. The other 11 percent would be allotted to the state’s community college system. It is estimated that the bill would increase state revenue by $6 billion annually through 2017, and then by smaller amounts through 2019. According to the
Los Angeles Times, that calculates out to around $210 million in additional funding for the community college system – funds that are...
Published
October 04, 2012
Some community colleges struggling with slashed budgets can rejoice, with $500 million in grants issued to these educational institutions. The grants will be provided through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training initiative and the U.S. Department of Labor for the purpose of preparing qualified, skilled workers for a variety of in-demand industries. The initiative is part of a larger goal by the White House to expand the role of community colleges in building a workforce in America that is prepared to handle the needs of a
global economy.
The grants were announced by Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, according to a press release at the
United States Department of Labor website. A total of $500 million in grants will be issued to community college across the country that have demonstrated the ability to gear training programs to the needs of the area workforce. A total of 297 schools will receive grant funding, either individually or through consortiums. Schools will be allowed to use the funding as needed to expand workforce programs through additional staff, resources and learning materials.
Purpose of Job Training Grants
Solis explained in the
Los Angeles Times that this funding will be used to restructure the priorities at community colleges across the country. In order to remain competitive in the new global workforce, American students must receive appropriate
training for in-demand fields that are currently established or still in the development phase. This process requires a partnership between schools and leaders of...
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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