Another motion to vacate... No images? Click here May 1, 2024 Leading the news this week: FY 2025 appropriations deadlines for the House and Senate are quickly approaching, we will closely monitor the developments, particularly since Marjorie Taylor Greene has officially announced her intention to bring up a motion to vacate Speaker Johnson by next week. This maneuver was previously employed last fall to remove former Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his position. Now let's dive into the latest news in higher education! Senate Community College Month ResolutionYesterday, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating April as Community College Month, acknowledging the crucial role our institutions play in expanding access to higher education, delivering essential workforce training, and bolstering the overall economic prosperity of our nation. The resolution was initially introduced in a bipartisan manner by Senators Edward Markey (D-MA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), with a House companion resolution introduced by Representatives Joe Courtney, Gus Bilirakis, and Juan Ciscomani. To read the full text, click here. Round 4 Awards for the Strengthening Community College Training Grants (SCCTG)The Department of Labor announced the 16 awardees for the fourth round of SCCTG, 14 of which are ACCT members. SCCTG aims to build the capacity of community colleges to address identified equity gaps and meet the skill development needs of employers in in-demand industries and career pathways, leading to high-quality jobs. This funding will support a total of 41 colleges, including 16 lead institutions and an additional 25 consortia members. The awards ranged from $1.5 million to $5.7 million and spread across 14 states: Arkansas, California, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Utah, and Wisconsin. PSSG Bill EndorsementACCT recently endorsed H.R. 7761, the Postsecondary Student Success Act, a bill jointly introduced by Rep. Melanie Stansbury (NM-1) and Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-5), as well as its Senate companion, S. 3995, introduced by Senator Heinrich. The bills would create evidence-based student success programs designed to increase participation, retention, and completion rates of high-need students. ACCT President & CEO Jee Hang Lee said “We are delighted to see a bipartisan, bicameral effort to authorize the Postsecondary Student Success Grant. ACCT has long advocated for a federal program specifically designed to enhance college completion and student success through evidence-based practices and partnerships. We are glad to see the program authorized to make its need known to both appropriators and authorizers. As open-access yet often under-resourced institutions, community colleges look forward to continuing to leverage this program to bolster students’ abilities to succeed in postsecondary education." The full press release can be found here. *Final Reminder* SAMHSA GLS GrantThe Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently announced a notice of funding opportunity for their GLS Campus Suicide Prevention Grant Program. The program aims to bolster behavioral health services for college students, mitigating risks of suicide, depression, serious mental illness, and substance use disorders, while fostering help-seeking behavior, reducing stigma, and facilitating successful academic completion. The deadline for applications is May 6, 2024. For more information, click here to review the application guide. The pre-application webinar slide deck can be found here.
Outreach EffortsIs your institution meeting or hosting an event with federal elected officials? We created a Congressional Contact Form that will help us track outreach efforts of community college leaders across our membership. By filling out the form, you are better informing ACCT's advocacy efforts and our advocacy team is able to continue those conversations with congressional staff in DC. ACCT NOW is the go-to resource for issues affecting community colleges. Our new website features original reporting and research, as well as of-the-moment legislative updates. ACCT NOW also includes articles, reports, and research from outside sources that benefit the ACCT community. Read the Latest Articles on ACCT NOW: Have a Question?Contact us with any questions or concerns about public policy and ACCT's advocacy on behalf of two-year colleges and two-year college trustees. ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts are sent to interested ACCT members to keep you up to date on important legislative activities that impact community colleges. If you no longer wish to receive ACCT's Latest Action in Washington alerts, reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line. For more information about ACCT's advocacy services, visit acct.org/advocacy Spread the Word.Please encourage your fellow trustees, presidents and colleagues to stay up to date about legislation that affects their community colleges by joining the Latest Action in Washington (LAW) Alert network. To join, simply register here. For more community college news from inside the beltway, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, or like us Facebook. |