Community College News

Community colleges are being hailed as the saviors of the future of America's economic and academic stronghold. However, these institutions still fight against a slew of challenges, including drop-out rates of nearly 50% and an overall perception that a community college education is less valuable than a degree from a four-year university. President Obama, along with Dr. Jill Biden, have attempted to at least address some of those challenges in the first-ever community college summit held at the White House this month.

Purpose of the Summit

This community college summit was scheduled to meet a very specific purpose, according to information found at WhiteHouse.gov. President Obama organized the gathering to bring experts together to discuss the role community colleges will play in training a competent workforce for the future. Community colleges are also imperative to help President Obama successfully reach his lofty goal of leading the world with the highest proportion of college graduates by 2020.

This website states that community colleges provide the largest portion of higher education in this country, with an enrollment of more than eight million students during the last academic year. Statistics support the fact that these institutions are in a prime position to raise the bar on workforce training in this country overall.

Dr. Jill Biden, who has taught in community colleges for 17 years, understands this concept better than anyone. That is exactly why President Obama appointed Dr. Biden to oversee the summit to determine

With college graduation rates trailing today, more emphasis is being placed on community colleges to ensure our country’s future economic stability. A recent AP poll suggests that most Americans are realizing the many benefits of a community college education, bolstering the image of these institutions as a viable alternative to four-year universities today. This poll comes when the White House has launched the first-ever summit on community colleges.

What the Numbers Show

According to a report on Google News, the Associated Press and Stanford University conducted a poll to determine Americans' attitudes toward community college. The poll found that the vast majority of Americans (71%) believe it is advantageous for some students to attend a community college rather than a four-year institution. Nearly the same number polled agreed that an education received from a community college is "excellent" or "good."

The poll also asked whether community colleges adequately prepare students for a professional job after graduation. Of the individuals polled, 62% said community colleges adequately prepare students for the workforce, while 68% said that four-year universities succeed in this goal. These numbers indicate that most Americans today are pleased with the education received at a two-year college, improving the image of community colleges in the world of higher education overall.

The only groups that did not find community colleges on par with other institutions were Blacks and Hispanics. According to the poll, 43% of minorities believed it was better to get into

One of the biggest obstacles community colleges face today is the ability to retain students until they graduate or transfer to another institution. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), just one in five public community college students graduate with their certificate or associate’s degree within three years. Students pursuing a two-year degree have a much lower chance of achieving their educational goals than those who begin their academic careers at a four-year university, as the graduation for students at four-year institutions is nearly 60 percent.

However, a college degree is imperative today for individuals who want to gain employment that offers sufficient income to support themselves and their families. Community colleges are a perfect place to get an education because of the convenience and affordability many two-year institutions provide. To help students reach their goals, colleges are getting creative in their methods of student retention.

President Obama has set a high bar for colleges across the country: to have the highest college graduation rates in the world by the year 2020. However, this is a very tall task. According to a report by 24/7 Wall St., from 2000-2011, the college graduation growth rate in the United States was a paltry 1.4 percent – one of the lowest rates of any developed country. While the U.S. has climbed the list of most educated countries – moving up to fifth place from

A number of Florida community colleges notified faculty and students last week about a potential security leak that may leave them vulnerable to identity theft. According to a report on Wakulla.com, as many as 126,000 individuals at six Florida colleges may have found their personal information inadvertently posted on the Internet between May 29 and June 2 of this year.

CCLA website

The colleges have notified affected individuals that the leak occurred, but what steps should they take to protect their personal and financial records?

Who is Responsible?

A report on SC Magazine states that a glitch in the College Center for Library Information's software led to the leak. According to the CCLA website, this organization provides automated library services and electronic resources to many Florida colleges. The organization determined that the leak occurred during a software upgrade, and they were unaware of the problem until a student reported finding personal information during a Google search.

"We pride ourselves on protecting private information and deeply regret this inadvertent exposure," CCLA CEO Richard Madaus said in a statement posted on SC Magazine, as well as other news publications. Madaus added, "I apologize to those involved for any worry or inconvenience this may cause them. We will continue to enhance our technology to safeguard all of the information entrusted to us."

This video explains how to prevent a security breach.

Who was Affected?

Six Florida

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 2009 was designed to create jobs and promote economic recovery after the recession. Many community colleges are cashing in on stimulus funding that allows them to increase their student loads and improve training that will help students find lucrative careers after graduation. Learn how these community colleges use stimulus monies to their fullest advantage.

Medical Technology

Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, and Los Rios Community College District in Sacramento, California, have received money to participate in a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services program. This program is designed to train students on how to convert current medical records to a computerized, paperless system. This program will be a part of the national effort to meet requirements that every U.S. citizen will have an electronic medical record by the year 2014, according to TMCnet.com.

Cuyahoga Community College and 17 other community colleges in the area are slated to receive about $7 million the first year, with a subsequent $7 million the following year. The Los Rios District, along with 14 colleges in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Hawaii, will share $5.4 million in federal funding for the first year and another $5.3 million for the second, according to a report in the Sacramento Bee.

The program will involve cross-training students in the medical and information technology fields. Students will be able to complete their training in six months or less in some locations,