2009-2014

California community colleges have faced a recent cash crunch that has resulted in thousands of students ending up on waitlists rather than in classes. A new study reveals that many of those students could find classroom space if the two-year colleges in the state were willing to coordinate at least a portion of their administrative staff. The savings would not be insignificant, according to the recent analysis – in fact, tens of millions could be allocated for classroom resources by making consolidation decisions in college districts across California.

Analysis Offers Insight into Spending PatternsCalifornia Watch website

The analysis was conducted by California Watch, a nonpartisan, investigative reporting center that performs a wide range of investigative reporting for the state. The group specializes in fields like public health, environment, and education. According to the California Watch website, the award-winning team is supported by grants from a number of organizations, including the James Irvine Foundation and The California Endowment.

To complete this analysis, members of California Watch dug deep into the bureaucracy of the California Community College System, the largest of its kind in the United States. An additional article on the group’s website explains that a frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/t_noxACqRRA?rel=0">

Millions Spent on Duplicate Jobs

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that those 16 districts had duplication in 21 of their executive or management positions. That number did not include chancellors or presidents, which were appointed in each individual district as well. The total number

Community college have received plenty of attention in recent years, due to a combination of an economic slowdown and renewed interest by the current administration in these institutions. Changes to community colleges in recent years have also contributed to the increased demand for two-year degrees. Check out these 10 reasons why your local community college might be a good choice in higher education today.

Easier Admission

With many four-year colleges becoming increasingly competitive in their admission requirements, community colleges still offer opportunities for postsecondary education even if a student’s high school grades weren’t exactly stellar. Education.com explains these schools typically offer placement examinations prior to enrollment to help students ascertain which introductory courses will be better suited to their needs. Students that require additional instruction prior to the rigors of a college curriculum will find most schools offer remedial education to help them bone up on challenging subjects.

Flexibility

Community colleges usually offer more flexible scheduling options than traditional four-year schools, with both night and weekend classes available. In addition, the website for Brookhaven College explains that students have the option of taking classes full or part-time, depending on what their current schedule allows. This makes it much easier for adult students with family or professional responsibilities to work their education pursuit around the rest of their obligations.

Degree Options

Community colleges offer more degree options than ever before, with a wealth of choices available for in-demand industries like

In the midst of serious issues facing California community colleges today, there is possible reform on the horizon. A new bill has passed California state legislators and is currently waiting on the desk of Governor Jerry Brown. The proposed legislation would bring some consistency to the California community college system and require schools in the state to focus on success and completion rates as much as they focus on enrollment and budgets. While the governor hasn’t dropped any clues on which way he will go on this new law, those who drafted the legislation are hopeful that if passed, it could bring much-needed improvements to the California system.

Student Success Task Force

The legislation, dubbed Bill 1456 or the Student Success Act of 2012, was drafted by Sen. Alan Lowenthal, D-Long Beach. The senator used information compiled by the California Community College Student Success Task Force to create his new bill. According to iJournal, the 20-member task force included faculty, staff and students, as well as external stakeholders in the community college system.

The task force spent seven months examining how to improve success in community colleges, while boosting achievement for underserved students. At the end of the year, the task force presented their findings to stakeholders, in order to get additional input on the best ways to utilize this information effectively to improve the community college system in California. After the hearings were completed, the Board of Governors adopted a set of select recommendations

The Aspen Institute recently released its top 10 finalists for the 2013 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. The award, which enjoyed its inaugural year last year, has quickly become the gold standard for community colleges across the country. The 10 schools on this list have demonstrated outstanding achievement in the areas of completion rates, learning outcomes, workforce preparedness, and success of at-risk students. These 10 colleges were selected from more than 1,000 institutions that have received consistently high marks in these four areas throughout the past academic year.

The Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence

The Aspen Institute initiated its award program last year, in response to calls by the White House to raise the bar on higher education. Community colleges serve as a practical place for many students, from those graduating from high school unable to afford a four-year university to professionals looking for additional career training. With so much focus placed on the role of community colleges over the past four years, the Aspen Institute established a plan to recognize and reward those schools that set the example and the standard for the rest of the community colleges nationwide.

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,

In the remnants of the 9/11 terrorists attacks, few thought about one lone building from a local community college that was destroyed when the World Trade Center collapsed - except those who had come to call Borough of Manhattan Community College home. Over the next decade, the expanding college was forced to make other arrangements for holding classes – in the student cafeteria and temporary trailers set up in the vicinity of the original building. It was far from an ideal situation, with students reporting that the trailers didn’t always have working heat and served as a constant reminder of the terrible day when so many American lives were lost, including those of eight BMCC students and alumni.

But the school persevered.

This month, Borough of Manhattan Community College opened the doors of Fiterman Hall for the first time in more than 10 years. The beautiful new building is a reflection of light with windowed walls and a breathtaking lighted spiral staircase. It is a far cry from the smoke and debris that littered the area for so long. Now, students are preparing to take classes at Fiterman once again, in a brand new building designed just for them.

The Funding of Fiterman Hall

The day of the attacks, Fiterman Hall was damaged beyond repair. The building was finally razed in 2009, the year that reconstruction began, according to the community college’s website. Prior to razing, funding had to come in to pay for the project. The