Our neighbors in Tennessee invented “free” community college. In 2014, Republican Gov. Bill Haslam launched the Tennessee Promise – two years of tuition-free community college for Tennessee high school graduates. Tennessee uses lottery money to create a “last-dollar” scholarship that pays a student’s tuition after federal and other aid have been tapped.1 More than 33,000… READ MORE
UNCG/GTCC/ACC: Building expectations for a 4-year degree
GREENSBORO – There are fancy names for the partnerships UNC Greensboro announced last week to make it easier for students from Guilford Technical Community College and Alamance Community College to transfer to UNCG and earn bachelor’s and in some cases master’s degrees.1 But for UNCG Provost Dana Dunn, it’s about building expectations – especially among… READ MORE
Another jolt to the system
RALEIGH (Aug. 2, 2017) – The sudden departure of NC Community College System President Jimmie Williamson1 is yet another jolt to North Carolina higher education systems that have seen their share of leadership changes in recent years. As we said in a recent post,2 community colleges are the Swiss Army knives of higher ed: They… READ MORE
“That’s fine with us.”
FAYETTEVILLE – Fayetteville State University Chancellor James Anderson dismisses any suggestion that there’s something wrong with starting out at a community college. “One of the misperceptions about the relationship between a community college and a four-year institution is that they’re competing,” Anderson says in the accompanying video. “In actuality, that’s not the case. “They’re a… READ MORE
Community colleges: Crucial in multiple ways
RALEIGH – They’re the Swiss Army knife of higher ed: Whether it’s preparing students to attend a four-year institution, training for a trade or training customized for a local employer, community colleges prepare students for many, many different tasks. In an era of rising university tuition and shifting skill demands from employers, they have become so… READ MORE
The good and bad of the 2017-19 state budget
RALEIGH (June 28, 2017) – Today the NC General Assembly overrode Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto of the 2017-19 state budget that legislators approved last week. To be sure, there are things to like in the budget. There are raises for public school teachers of almost 10% over two years. There’s partial restoration of the NC… READ MORE
NC budget: Positive short-term, threatening long-term
RALEIGH (June 22, 2017) – At first glance, the budget compromise unveiled this week by legislative leaders seems encouraging. It would grant K-12 public school teachers an average raise of 3.3% this year and 9.6% over two years. It would give significant raises to K-12 principals, a priority of the group BEST NC. It would… READ MORE
A long-term slide in NC education spending
RALEIGH – Since the mid-2000s, North Carolina has seen a general decline in expenditures per student in our K-12 public schools, community colleges and public universities. Likewise – despite a modest bump the past few years – the state’s rank in average K-12 teacher salaries has declined since 2000. Figures on average teacher salaries released… READ MORE
WCU/Community Colleges: Nursing degrees under $20K
CULLOWHEE – North Carolina faces a nursing shortage, but the need is particularly pronounced in Western North Carolina. So Western Carolina University’s School of Nursing came up with what Chancellor David Belcher describes in the accompanying video as an “ingenious” effort to educate nurses quickly – and affordably. Under RIBN, which stands for Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate… READ MORE
McColl: Community colleges touch more people
CHARLOTTE – The man who built Bank of America says North Carolina’s community colleges have been vital to the state’s business community – and to his own career. Community colleges serve as “a tremendous adjunct” to the university system, because they allow “working people to get an education that they otherwise might not get,” Hugh… READ MORE