19 February Community college faculty renew plea for funding, salary increases February 19, 2018 By Thomas, Donna S. General 0 JACKSON – Mississippi has one of the lowest workforce participation rates in the United States, yet the 15 community colleges, which are ideally positioned to offer the programs that impact the state’s job growth, continue to be chronically underfunded. Mississippi has more than 40,000 job openings but the majority of those jobs require some education and training beyond high school, but not a bachelor's degree. Community college career and technical programs are demand-driven educational programs tailored in each community to meet local needs. The Mississippi Faculty Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MFACJC) wants to make sure legislators and communities understand how beneficial the community college system is to our state, said MFACJC President Mary Warren, who teaches at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. However, to make good on the promises of those benefits of a quality education, educational resources need to improve. That includes salary increases for faculty who have not had a state-funded raise since 2008, she said. “I can truly appreciate all the work our legislators do to make Mississippi a better place to live, but I think it’s time we fund our educational system in order to ensure our state stays a quality place in which to live, ” Warren said. The colleges’ faculty members are at the heart of the college system, she said. “Community colleges who replenish the workforce.” In that vein, legislators should view community college students as future workers and future earners, Warren said. “If we want the future of our state planted in more fertile economic soil than it has been in for a very long time, we will have to do a few things differently than we have in the past,” she said. Community college faculty are educating a high percentage of the state’s college students: More than 60 percent of first-time college students are enrolled at Mississippi community colleges, where they can enter the job market faster and with less student debt. 69 percent of 2015-16 bachelor’s degree graduates from Mississippi’s public universities had previously enrolled at a community college. “In order to make Mississippi competitive, we need to educate our people so that they can get not just a job, but also a career,” said Dr. Ashley Lancaster, president of the Itawamba Community College Fulton Campus Faculty Association. “With so many working-age people leaving Mississippi, we need to focus on bringing more industry to the state, and the best way to attract industry is to promote education. Companies want to invest in educated people. “Many students attend community colleges for financial reasons; however, with limited resources and limited financial support, community colleges are forced to raise tuition costs, which only hurts Mississippi students who may already be struggling financially,” Lancaster said. “Community colleges want to do what’s best for our students. If we do what’s best for our students, then we are doing what’s best for our state. Educating students at all levels should be our number one priority in Mississippi.” The Mississippi Faculty Association of Community and Junior Colleges, along with the 15 college presidents, have three funding priorities: “Fair and equitable funding” of $62 million, which includes $37 million for restoration of funding because of budget cuts and $25 million for salary increases. Current average estimated faculty salaries are $51,213. The increase would get salaries closer to the mid-point between K-12 and university salaries, which would be 58,380. Secondly, the colleges are requesting nearly $16 million for two workforce and development strands, $5.25 million for career-technical programs and $10.68 million for MIBEST Career Pathways. MIBEST is aimed at adults without high school diplomas who need to earn a high school credential and receive career training at the same time. The third priority is a two-year bond bill for $150 million that includes capital improvements over two years and one year of technology upgrades. Related Articles Itawamba Community College receives $100,000 and joins 41 other schools across the US as All Within My Hands' Metallica Scholars Initiative expands in year five Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands, continues its multimillion-dollar investment in critical workforce programs at community colleges nationwide. Among the schools, Itawamba Community College was selected from a competitive pool of applicants to receive $100,000 to transform the futures of students in the community. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the recipients of the prestigious All Within My Hands grant, which will significantly impact our career education programs, providing funding for students to pursue a pathway and their best start,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College and reinforcement of the mission that students and their success are our top priority.” The Metallica Scholars Initiative (MSI) was launched in 2019 by Metallica’s foundation, All Within My Hands (AWMH), in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). The workforce initiative marks its fifth year with an ambitious expansion into new curricula. MSI now directly supports 42 community colleges across 33 states, and by the end of this year, it will have helped ... Aspen Institute names ICC as a Top 150 U.S. Community College Aspen Institute Names Itawamba Community College as a Top 150 U.S. Community College Eligible for 2021 Aspen Prize $1 Million Prize Recognizes Excellence in Equitable Outcomes for Students in and After College The Aspen Institute College Excellence Program today named Itawamba Community College as one of 150 community colleges eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America's community colleges. Based on strong and improving in student outcomes—including in learning, completion rates, employment rates and earnings and equity—15 percent of community colleges nationwide have been invited to apply for the Aspen Prize. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation and the opportunity to compete for the significant Aspen Prize,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College, its status as a premier community college and a testament to our exceptional faculty and staff.” The 150 community colleges named today as eligible to compete for the ... ICC named one of nation's top 150 community colleges Today, the Aspen Institute named Itawamba Community College one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America’s community colleges. Those selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high and improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds. The 150 eligible colleges have been invited to submit data and narratives as the next steps in an intensive data and practice review process, culminating in the announcement of the Prize winner in spring 2023. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation and to be afforded the opportunity to compete for the significant Aspen Prize,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College, its continuing status as a premier community college and a testament to our exceptional faculty ... Aspen Institute names ICC as one of nation's top 150 and eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence Today, the Aspen Institute named Itawamba Community College as one of the 150 institutions eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation’s signature recognition of high achievement and performance among two-year colleges. The institutions selected for this honor stand out among more than 1,000 community colleges nationwide as having high improving levels of student success as well as equitable outcomes for Black and Hispanic students and those from lower-income backgrounds. “It is a tremendous honor for Itawamba Community College to be selected as one of the top 150 community colleges in the nation and to afforded the opportunity to compete for the significant Aspen Prize,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “It is another indication of the success of the College, its continuing status as a premier community college and a testament to our exceptional faculty and staff, without whom it would not be possible.” ICC was selected as a top community college in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021 and as a semifinalist in 2023. The Aspen Prize spotlights exemplary community ... Itawamba Community College joins national initiative on College Cost Transparency Itawamba Community College has joined the College Cost Transparency Initiative, a coalition of more than 360 higher education institutions that have voluntarily committed to follow a set of principles and standards that ensure transparency, clarity and understanding around student financial aid offers, which was announced this week. Together, these institutions serve more than 3.5 million college students in the United States. “Choosing to attend college is one of the most significant financial aid decisions a student or family can make,” said ICC President Dr. Jay Allen. “Knowing how much it will cost up front is crucial, and ICC is committed to providing students clear and accurate financial information. We are proud to be a partner in this work.” The monumental commitment comes as lawmakers, think tanks and government entities continue to scrutinize the financial aid offers that colleges and universities present to students. The principles and standards recommended by the CCT – a task force composed of the leaders of 10 higher education associations representing college presidents, financial aid offices and admissions and school counselors which originated ... ICC's Dr. Melissa Haab completes Community College Policy Fellows Program Itawamba Community College Dean of Enrollment Services Dr. Melissa Haab of Louisville was among 14 Alabama and 13 Mississippi community college administrators who recently completed the Community College Policy Fellows Program. The 10-month professional development program sponsored by the Alabama Community College System and the Mississippi Community College Board culminated in a trip to Washington, D.C. to advocate on behalf of college students in both states. “It was an honor to be selected and to participate in the program and to represent Itawamba Community College,” Haab said. “This experience allowed me to learn more about the community college systems in Mississippi and Alabama and gave me the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues across both states. I was able to broaden my professional skillset and will hopefully will be able to use those skills to benefit ICC and our students.” Directed by Tyson Elbert of Advocacy Build, LLC, the curriculum focused on four national program pillars: policy, leadership, networking and advocacy. It also highlighted comparative elements of both state systems. ... Comments are closed.