October 2024 Wrap-Up

Last Chance to Reserve Your Spot for All In

Last Chance to Reserve Your Spot for All InWe are just two and a half weeks away from All In: The 2024 Complete College America Annual Convening! You still have time to register for the event with the few remaining spots. Join our coalition of impatient reformers as we go All in for student success and college completion.

All In will feature higher education thought leaders from organizations and institutions nationwide as we jump into conversations about the greatest opportunities and the most pressing challenges in closing institutional equity gaps and increasing college completion.

Degrees of Democracy: Rebuilding Confidence in the Value of a College Degree (Monday, November 18, 2 pm – Grand Ballroom 5/6)

This session will explore the vital connections between college completion and a thriving democracy. Dr. Yolanda Watson Spiva, CCA President, will kick off the session with updates on the college completion movement. A distinguished panel will then discuss strategies for rebuilding public confidence in the value of a college degree.

Panelists:

• Yolanda Watson Spiva, Ph.D., BCC , President, Complete College America
• Chris Lowery , Commissioner, Indiana Commission for Higher Education
• Nicola Blake, Ph.D. , Senior Fellow for Strategic Initiatives and Student Success, The City University of New York
• Darryl Cooper , Member of the Class of 2025, Howard University iversity
• Dr. Carol Geary Schneider, Senior Advisor, Civic Learning and Democracy Engagement Coalition

Leading from the Center – Indiana as a Leader in Higher Education (Tuesday, November 19, 2 pm – Grand Ballroom 5/6)

Jamie Merisotis, president and CEO of Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation, will address the most pressing priorities in higher education as part of a featured plenary keynote for All In.

Following his remarks, a panel of Indiana campus leaders will discuss innovations addressing today’s higher education challenges and how they are positioning their campuses to be All In on student success.

Speaker:

• Jamie Merisotis , President and CEO, Lumina Foundation

Panelists:

• Lorenzo L. Esters (Moderator), President, The Indianapolis Foundation
• Sue Ellspermann , President, Ivy Tech Community College
• Dr. Tanuja Singh President, University of Indianapolis
• Dr. Sean L. Huddleston , President, Martin University
• Debbie Ford , Chancellor, Indiana University Southeast

The Future of College Completion from the Movement-Makers (Wednesday, November 20, 9:15 am – Grand Ballroom 5/6)

What does the future of the college completion movement hold, and what will be the biggest priorities and challenges facing us in the next five, ten, or fifteen years? Join movement makers from leading national organizations and systems who are helping to set the national agenda for higher education. As we consider the increasing cost of higher education, political shifts away from college-for-all models, and a constantly changing workforce, what do we need to know to bring ourselves into the future?

Panelists:

• Michael A. Baston, J.D., Ed.D. (Moderator), President, Cuyahoga Community College
• Sarita Brown , Co-Founder & President, Excelencia in Education ucation
• Dannel Malloy, Chancellor, University of Maine System (UMS) ; former Governor of Connecticut?
• Janet Godwin , CEO, ACT

View the full schedule for All In and register for the Annual Convening today.

CCA has released our latest report, Creating Nimble Teams: How Institutions Enable Transformational Change. Based on CCA’s work with numerous institutions across Arkansas, Montana, and Oklahoma through the PEP initiative, funded by Ascendium Education Group, the publication offers valuable insights into overcoming barriers to institutional transformation in higher education.

Key report highlights:

• Identifies five common behavioral archetypes that limit institutions’ capacity for change
• Introduces the concept of “Nimble Teams” as a solution to overcome these archetypes
• Provides practical strategies for creating and supporting Nimble Teams
• Offers real-world examples from PEP institutions that successfully implemented change

Read the full Creating Nimble Teams report.

Join the Team; Further the Movement

CCA is hiring! We are accepting applications for two positions. Are you an impatient reformer who understands the life-changing empowerment of college completion? CCA offers fully remote work and competitive benefits. Join the CCA Team!

• Alliance Engagement Director - West The West Region includes the following:? Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Northern Mariana, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
• Vice President for Development & Strategic Partnerships

CCA on the Air Listen to the latest episode of?CCA on the Air, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

• Student Engagement from Day One: Hanover College's Holistic Approach to Student Success - October 15, 2024

Higher Ed Equity Network Launches New Resource Hub

The Higher Ed Equity Network , a collective impact network with more than 25 members in higher education, including Complete College America, has launched the Higher Ed DEI Navigator. The site is a digital resource hub designed to support institutional leaders, faculty, and staff in gaining a better understanding of the current landscape and its impact on DEI efforts on campuses.

The Higher Ed DEI Navigator aggregates information and tools from reputable organizations and news sources such as PEN America, the American Council on Education, and the Chronicle of Higher Education with the goal of helping higher education practitioners:

• Know the legal landscape
• Understand anti-DEI impacts
• Share the benefits of DEI
• Learn from inspiring responses
• Connect with fellow educators

Visit HEEN's Higher Ed DEI Navigator.

The resources accessible through the site are for informational purposes only, not legal advice or guidance.

Leveraging “Third Spaces” For Belonging at Pasadena City College

Pasadena City College has engaged in a conscious effort to leverage the powerful purpose of identity-centered spaces as a setting for students to engage in personal reflection, receive culturally and situationally relevant services, and enhance feelings of belonging within the larger college community.

Read more about Pasadena City College's "Third Spaces."

Are you looking for your next career step to close institutional equity gaps and help students reach graduation??Search the Student Success job board on DiverseJobs.net

Featured job:?Student Success Program Analyst, University at Albany - State University of New York

Don't forget to check out CCA's open positions!

Are you looking to hire an impatient reformer to help with student success and increase college completion rates? DiverseJobs.net is offering a discount for the Complete College America network to post job listings on their board. Contact [email protected] to get your discount code.

The Complete College America team is always connecting with thought leaders, policymakers, and practitioners across the nation.?Where can you find us over the next month?

• You’ll see the whole CCA team at All In: The 2024 CCA Annual Convening, November 18-20, in Indianapolis, Indiana. There’s still time to register and go All In on college completion.
• Nia Haydel will speak on a panel on federal policy and adult learners at the CAEL annual conference in New Orleans, LA, on November 1.
• Nichole Mann and Hallie Schachinger will be in Harrisburg, PA, for the HACC, Central Pennsylvania's Community College CCA Accelerator Sensemaking session on October 31 and November
• Nichole Mann and Nikolas Huot will be in Cheney, WA, for the Eastern Washington University CCA Accelerator Sensemaking session on November 6 and 7.
• Brandon Protas, Ed.D. and Cassie Walizer will be in Las Vegas, NM, for the New Mexico Highlands University sity CCA Accelerator Sensemaking session on November 6 and 7.

CCA News and Information You Can Use

CCA in the NewsCCA's team and work are being highlighted by major news outlets nationwide. See where we've been covered recently.

• Diverse: Issues in Higher Education: Why We Need a Fairer and More Equitable Approach to K-12 Grading to Boost College Completion. This op-ed is authored by CCA Assistant Vice President for Alliance Engagement Brandon Protas, Ed.D.
• University Business: States are finding ways to raise postsecondary attainment. The article opens with North Dakota’s recent membership in the CCA Alliance.
• State University of New York: You're Accepted! Governor Hochul Launches New Initiative to Help New York Students Enroll at Public Colleges and Universities. CCA President Yolanda Watson Spiva, Ph.D., BCC , is quoted in this news release by The State University of New York .
• State University of New York: Chancellor King Announces SUNY ASAP|ACE Met Ambitious Enrollment Targets and Demonstrates Promising Impact on Student Success. CCA President Yolanda Watson Spiva, Ph.D., BCC , is quoted in this news release by The State University of New York .

College Completion News Roundup

Below is a curated list of news stories to keep you updated on what people are talking about in the college completion world.

Value and Cost of Higher Education

• The Chronicle of Higher Education: What Are the Graduation Outcomes for 4-Year and 2-Year Degree-Seeking Students?
• Inside Higher Ed: State Aid Kept Public Tuition From Outpacing Inflation
• The Chronicle of Higher Education: Americans Have Not Turned Against Higher Ed
• Higher Ed Dive: How college leaders can articulate higher education’s ROI — beyond earnings
• The Chronicle of Higher Education: The Cost of College Tuition Is Shrinking
• Inside Higher Ed: How Colleges Are Bridging FAFSA Filing Gaps

Equity in Postsecondary Education

• The Century Foundation: HBCUs Have the Best Return on Investment
• Institute for Higher Education Policy: College Affordability Remains Out of Reach for Immigrants of Color Throughout Generations
• EdSurge: College ‘Deserts’ Disproportionately Deter Black and Hispanic Students from Higher Ed
• Diverse: Issues in Higher Education: Survey: Food Insecurity and Mental Health Crisis Among Concerns for Latino College Students
• The Hechinger Report: How four universities graduate their low-income students at much higher rates than average
• Inside Higher Ed: Dallas College Creates 3 Career-Focused Programs for Students With Disabilities

Policy Approaches

• Inside Higher Ed: How U.S. Plans to Recognize Colleges for Student Success
• National Conference of State Legislatures: Trends in Higher Education: Understanding Policy and Outcomes
• Inside Higher Ed: State Lawmakers Call for Rethinking Federal Role in Higher Ed
• The Chronicle of Higher Education: A New Chapter in the FAFSA Saga Is Beginning. Here Are 5 Things to Know.
• U.S. Department of Education: Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Announce State-by-State Breakdown of Over $16 Billion in Support for Hispanic-Serving Institutions

Student Success Strategies and Supports

• Inside Higher Ed: Community of Practice Leads to Improved Student Outcomes, Enrollment
• Diverse: Issues in Higher Education: Multiple Measures of Assessment Needed for College Readiness Post-Pandemic
• EdSource: ‘Academic probation’ sends message to students that college isn’t for them, research says
• New America: Career Pathways are Growing, but Challenges Remain
• Diverse: Issues in Higher Education: CSU Creates a National Model for Supporting Student Parents
• University Business: Adult learners: 4 important ways to better support them
• Working Nation: Behind the push to make college campuses more family-friendly
• Inside Higher Ed: Study: Supporting URM Students in Dual Enrollment

Campus Opportunities

Reach out to your CCA strategy director to learn how CCA or other Alliance members could partner with you on grant or other campus opportunities:?

• College Assistance Migrant Program from the U.S. Department of Education (applications due November 13)
• Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Capital Financing Program from the U.S. Department of Education