Study Finds Massachusetts Community Colleges Reliance on Adjunct Faculty Problematic

As community colleges strive to bring their training in line with 21st-century workforce needs, more technology is coming to schools across the country. For example, Diverse Issues in Higher Education reports that Prince George’s Community College has added innovative technology to the school’s state-of-the-art nursing program. The school invested $43 million into a new Center for Health Studies in an effort to accommodate a growing population of STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) students at the school.

Simulated mannequins are now used inside the center to teach nursing students the finer points of diagnosis and patient care. The nursing lab also boasts transparent mirrors where professors can observe students during diagnosis trials. Updated equipment, including sonography and surgical tools, are similar to those used at nearby hospital facilities in the Prince George area.

This video describes the STEM program at Holyoke Community College.

“Since nursing and health fields, in general, are among the fastest-growing jobs, we really wanted this building to help make room for more health science students,” Angela Anderson, dean of the division of Health Sciences at Prince George’s Community College, told Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

More Classes

Other community colleges across the country are adding to their class selection, thanks to more money in the budget for this academic year. The Press Democrat reports that the course catalog at Santa Rosa Junior College is getting

Before the dust even settles on problems faced by City College of San Francisco, other California community colleges may be facing similar challenges. The largest community college in the state was recently notified it would lose its accreditation by next summer. Now, other schools in the state are dealing with warnings, sanctions, and possible loss of accreditation as well. What does the future hold for community colleges in the Golden State?

Accreditation Reviews Hit the State

The Accrediting Commission for Junior and Community Colleges (ACJCC) has been busy in recent months, reviewing California schools and making recommendations for follow-up action as needed. The comprehensive process resulted in the termination of accreditation for City College of San Francisco, the largest community college in the state with a student population of 85,000. In addition, other schools have been issued warnings and one was placed on probation after the review was completed.

The news is not all bad in California, however. Some community colleges in the state also had warnings upgraded to lighter sanctions or had the warnings removed altogether. While the list of schools recently reviewed is a long one, we’ll take a look at a few of the highlights of the report that shed light on the state of the California Community College System overall.

Community Colleges Working Through Sanctions

Two community colleges in the state will begin the process of working through their list of recommendations to get their sanctions removed by next summer. The

Few people may be pulling out the Christmas lights or playing the carols just yet, but at community colleges across the country, the season of giving has already begun. Whether schools are helping those in need in their communities, or receiving assistance from generous donors, ‘tis the season for many of these schools. Check out how some community colleges are celebrating the giving – and receiving – season a little early this year.

Kauai Community College Reaches Out to Vets

This Hawaiian community college is making a point to provide opportunities to veterans on the Islands – particularly vets interested in pursuing higher education. The Garden Island reports faculty from the school recently met with area vets to brainstorm ways the school could reach out more effectively to this population. According to the article, the school had 41 vets enrolled during the past spring semester and would like to see that number increase.

“Kauai Community College is committed to serving the veterans by assisting them in enrolling in higher education, career counseling, succeeding in college, and finding a job,” Earl Nishiguchi, vice chancellor for student affairs, told The Garden Island.

The meeting consisted of college employees listening to concerns raised by veterans and other military personnel in attendance. The hope is that this meeting will spark a partnership between the college and military community that will lead to increased educational and career success for vets who call the Islands home.

St. Louis Community College

Student loan debt statistics continue to shock. Just two years ago, America's average student loan debt was estimated at about $27,000. A recent study from Fidelity Investments reveals that 70 percent of students who graduated college in 2013 borrowed money from various federal, state, and private sources to help pay for their education. They left school with an average debt of $35,200, a 35 percent increase.

The Fidelity study also found that 50 percent of those 2013 graduates who had taken out student loans expressed surprise by how much debt they had accumulated. That's another shocking statistic demonstrating how difficult it is for many college-age students to visualize their lives when the borrowing phase of their student loans is over and the dreaded repayment phase begins. And that's not a good place to be.

The bottom line is that student loans are not optional arrangements between you and your lenders. They have to be repaid. They cannot be ignored or put off, and federal law stipulates that they cannot even be discharged via bankruptcy. If you default on your student loans, you can have your tax refunds intercepted, a portion of your wages garnished, judgments or lawsuits issued against you, or collection fees added to your loan balances – not to mention harassing calls and tactics from aggressive creditors.

That's why it's critical that if you are a student loan borrower, you learn how to manage your loans and create a budget to make