CCRC in the News
2 More Community Colleges Targeted by Ransomware
Butler County Community College in Pennsylvania and Lewis and Clark Community College in Illinois are the latest higher education institutions to become targets of cyberattacks. The costly incidents come at a moment when community colleges are already struggling to make ends meet in the wake of pandemic-related enrollment slides, CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins to Inside Higher Ed.
Lagging Behind
Completion rates are disproportionately low at California Community Colleges, and campus leaders are taking steps to boost retention. CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins told Inside Higher Ed that the system "needs to turn around" and develop programs that lead students to a good job or transfer in a field they're interested in.
Community Colleges Face Steep Losses in Black Freshmen Enrollment
Community college enrollment rates declined less than last year but remained far below pre-pandemic levels. CCRC Director Tom Brock told Bloomberg News that many of the students who opted out of two-year programs have not simply pivoted away from community college but from higher education altogether.
"How Do We Rebuild?" Community Colleges Try to Claw Their Way Back
Community colleges across the country are attempting to rebuild in the wake of pandemic-related challenges and enrollment slides. CCRC Director Thomas Brock told The Chronicle of Higher Education that an extraordinary number of people who hoped to go to a two-year institution changed their plans as a result of COVID-19.
Community Colleges in Texas Find Creative Ways Around Decreased Funding in Response to Low Enrollment
The Texas state legislature decreased funding for community colleges that saw enrollment declines in fall 2020—a common plight for institutions in the COVID-19 era. CCRC Director Thomas Brock told Diverse: Issues in Higher Education that these reductions could lead to a downward spiral, as colleges may struggle to meet the needs of students with less funds and cause enrollment to decline further.
Lesson Study Could Transform Community College Math Instruction
Campus Technology provides an overview of CCRC's new report on Lesson Study, which describes a mixed-method study of the adapted model’s implementation among community college faculty as well as limited findings on student learning and progression in developmental mathematics.
The Effects of COVID on Community Colleges and Students
Community colleges have adapted significantly throughout the course of the pandemic, shifting to online programming, attempting to counteract enrollment slides, and more. CCRC Director Tom Brock described these changes in Affordable Colleges Online, explaining how the two-year sector has changed in the last 18 months and what he thinks may be ahead for community colleges.
‘Demographics Are Not Destiny’
A new Brookings report found that community college students enrolled in programs with more underrepresented students earn less and struggle to pay back their student loans. In light of these findings, CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins told Inside Higher Ed that many colleges have programs that lead to well-paying jobs—it's just a matter of steering students toward them.
More Community Colleges Are Mandating Coronavirus Vaccination
Community colleges in Maryland are increasingly imposing vaccine requirements on faculty, staff, and students, but their counterparts in Virginia have instead opted to encourage rather than require the COVID-19 shots. CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins told The Washington Post that community colleges tend to avoid appearing partisan, noting that the open-access institutions are still recovering from pandemic-related enrollment declines and therefore may not want to impose additional barriers like vaccine requirements on prospective students.
Student Enrollment at Arizona's Community Colleges Continues to Fall
Arizona community colleges are still seeing enrollment number drop more than 18 months into the pandemic. CCRC Director Tom Brock told AZ Central that one explanation for the declines is that the virus has disproportionately affected populations that community colleges serve.
