CCRC in the News

A new survey from Inside Higher Ed offers a snapshot of administrators' attitudes toward and perceptions of the transfer process. CCRC Senior Research Associate John Fink said the opinion gaps between personnel at two- and four-year campuses underscores the need for officials to take "collective responsibility for transfer students from community college start to university finish."

In this Helix Education podcast, CCRC Postdoctoral Research Associate Vivian Yuen Ting Liu describes the revenue implications for four-year colleges when their students take some of their courses at two-year institutions. 

Enrollment dropped by 15% at Connecticut's 12 community college, outpacing the average 8% dip colleges nationwide have seen this semester. CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins told the Connecticut Mirror that because many students rely on service jobs to pay tuition, cuts to the industry may be partially to blame for campuses' enrollment woes.

Several outlets—including Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, Education Week, and EducationDive—covered CCRC's new dual enrollment report. The publication, which is a collaboration between CCRC and the Aspen Institute, describes how K-12 districts and community colleges have successfully partnered to narrow equity gaps in acceleration programs.

CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins spoke to DBusiness about the strides Michigan community colleges are making in implementing guided pathways. The colleges are making "impressive progress in redesigning their programs and support services," Jenkins said.

CCRC's latest report describes five strategies for community college and K-12 leaders who want to advance equity in dual enrollment programs. This Inside Higher Ed story summarizes the report's findings. 

CCRC Senior Research Associate John Fink told Education Next that, as dual enrollment continues to expand, it is necessary to focus on the causes of persistent equity gaps that undermine the programs' goals, lest they be exacerbated.

CCRC Senior Research Scholar Judith Scott-Clayton testified before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee on the need to simplify the FAFSA form as a matter of equity and college access. Several outlets—including Community College Daily and local CBS, Fox, NBC, and Scripps affiliates—covered the hearing. 

A new report from the Center for Community College Student Engagement found that, though there is still room for improvement, guided pathways has improved the student experience on many campuses. CCRC Senior Research Scholar Davis Jenkins told Inside Higher Ed that in order to keep making progress, colleges must focus on moving past program mapping as an end goal and implement engagement strategies such as experiential learning opportunities.

• Jenkins also spoke to Diverse Issues in Higher Education and University Business about the report.

CCRC Senior Research Scholar Judith Scott-Clayton spoke to the Oklahoma State Legislature about why colleges should cease asking prospective students about their criminal histories, Tulsa World reports. Campuses, Scott-Clayton explained, tend to be very safe places, and asking students for this information could discourage some from pursuing higher education.