CCRC in the News
Merger Yields a New College and Student Supports
Inside Higher Ed reports on a new private two-year college that will focus on underserved students. CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins said the model could provide access to bachelor's degrees and valuable workforce credentials, but such colleges need to plan carefully to ensure their students can move forward in their education and careers.
Pandemic Enrollment Drops Leave 1 Million Potential Students Behind
With another drop in community college enrollment in fall 2021, CCRC Director Tom Brock told Diverse: Issues in Higher Education that enrollment was already falling before the pandemic but that concerns about the virus are suppressing the numbers even further. Hands-on programs are especially hurting.
‘Something to Be Proud Of’: Dual-Credit Students in Mississippi Go to College at Nation’s Highest Rate
John Fink spoke with Mississippi Today about the advantages of dual enrollment and how to make it more equitable.
An ‘Unbelievable Comeback’
While community colleges across the country continue to struggle with pandemic-related enrollment declines, Spartanburg Community College bucked the trend and saw its student headcount increase. CCRC Senior Research Associate John Fink told Inside Higher Ed that Spartanburg is "an exciting outlier."
Stakeholders Assess the State of the Free Community College Movement
The free community college provision was struck from the Build Back Better Bill, which CCRC Director Thomas Brock told Diverse: Issues in Higher Education may have been a blessing in disguise. This story takes stock of where the sector goes from here, especially considering variation in price, funding structure, and college quality in states across the country.
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.