Community Colleges: Past, Present and Opportunities for Cooperation

06.04.14

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Topics for Discussion

• Basics of the American education system • A look at the American higher education system • What is a community college?

• Elgin Community College: > Overview > Facts > Figures • Questions 2

American Education System

• Public and private schools; homeschooling • Public school funding comes from local, state and federal government.

• State governments have control over public school systems within their state boundaries.

• Education is compulsory; age varies based on state (5-8 years old to 16 -18 years old) 3

American Education System

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American Education System

District 509 Corron Elementary School (Primary) Central Middle School (Junior High) Jacobs High School (Senior High School) 5

American Higher Education System

• Public and private institutions • Non-for-profit and profit • Higher education is not compulsory.

• There are roughly 4500 institutions of higher learning in the U.S.

• Funding comes from various sources: tuition, endowments, public (government) support and outside grants, etc. 6

American Higher Education System

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What is a Community College?

A community college, also known as a two-year or junior college, offers the first two years of a bachelor’s degree. Community colleges also offer career-technical programs, certificate programs, and non-credit community programming.

Many students choose to complete an associate degree at a community college and then “transfer” to a four-year university/college. Approximately 40% of all undergraduates in the U.S. study in community colleges.

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What is a Community College?

2 years = Associate degree 9

Elgin Community College

Mission: To improve people’s lives through learning

• Founded in 1949 in Elgin, Illinois, northwest of Chicago • Governed by the seven-member Board of Trustees of Community College District 509 • Hired David A. Sam, PhD, JD, as the eighth CEO of the college in February 2007 • Fully accredited through 2015-2016 • $34.2 million in unrestricted net assets; $20.3 million in restricted • Passed a $178 million capital referendum in April 2009

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Elgin Community College

• Area: 360 square miles • Residential population: 480,000 • Businesses in district: 10,500 • Serves 33 municipalities in five counties • The U.S. Department of Education designated ECC an Hispanic-Serving Institution.

• ECC was named an Achieving the Dream Leader College in 2012, the first in Illinois.

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Elgin Community College • Degrees: Associate in Arts, Associate in Engineering Science, Associate in Fine Arts, Associate in Liberal Studies, Associate in Science, Associate in Applied Science • Certificates: Basic Vocational Specialist Certificate, Vocational Specialist Certificate • Popular majors: Business, Science, Health Careers, English, Education, Engineering 12

Elgin Community College

E C C i s g r o w i n g !

C r e d i t e n r o l l m e n t s i n c e 1 9 7 7

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Elgin Community College

The Achieving the Dream initiative • Elgin Community College is one of only five community colleges in Illinois selected to participate in the nationally recognized Achieving the Dream initiative.

• Achieving the Dream colleges commit to reducing barriers to success for historically underrepresented groups, increasing access and the percentage of students who:      Successfully complete the courses they take; Advance from remedial to credit courses; Enroll in and successfully complete gateway courses; Enroll from one semester to the next; and Earn degrees and/or certificate. 14

Elgin Community College

Fiscally Responsible • ECC receives clean audits annually.

• ECC has earned an AAA credit rating from Moody’s Investors Service and an +AA rating from Standard & Poor’s.

• ECC has received the Excellence in Financial Reporting Award from Government Finance officers Association (GFOA) 10 years in a row.

• ECC has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the GFOA for the past four years.

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Community Colleges- Opportunities for International Cooperation  Faculty and Student Exchange  Hosting international students  Cooperation in areas of technical, career, and business programs  Conferences and expos  Working on building bridges between European and American education  “Buddy programs” 16

Becoming an American student - why choose community college?

 The academic and social benefits of a major college plus the small class size, personal attention and friendliness usually associated with a private college.

 Degrees that transfer seamlessly to virtually all U.S. colleges or universities.

 Partnerships with a number of colleges and universities to provide greater and more immediate access to upper-level, baccalaureate degrees.

 Affordable tuition that is half the cost of a four-year public university and a fraction of charges at private universities  Diverse student population and friendly campus 17

A Genius Commercial

Genius

Questions?

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E l g i n C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e

Bright Choice. Bright Future.

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