Survey: Community college trustees give high marks to national and regional workforce development efforts

(Tampa, Fla. — June 19, 2003) — Technology investment will increase along with a growing desire for private/public partnerships in higher education, according to a survey of community college presidents and trustees released today.

The survey was conducted by the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), based in Washington D.C., at its Southern and Northeast regional conference held this week in Tampa, Fla. The survey was co-sponsored by Collegis, the leading technology-services provider to higher education, based in suburban Orlando, Fla.

With a focus on workforce development trends and issues, the regional community college trustees gave excellent marks to the nation’s community college efforts to train tomorrow’s workforce. Nearly 84 percent of trustees said the national training efforts were “excellent or above average,” while 79 percent gave similar grades to their own institutions.

Nearly 63 percent predicted allied health professions (i.e., certified athletic trainers, respiratory therapists, dental hygienists, etc.) would be the hottest sector in workforce development. Other hot areas include information technology (37 percent), education (21 percent) and travel/tourism (12 percent).

An overwhelming 95 percent of the community college presidents and trustees polled indicate that their institutions will increase or maintain current technology spending during the next year. This technology spending includes the management of administrative systems, such as financial and human resources networks, and academic systems, such as course management systems, portals and Web-based technologies necessary for online learning.

Nearly 82 percent of the trustees cite a likely increase in private/public partnerships among community colleges and local corporations, which could lead to greater corporate involvement and career opportunities for students in the local communities served by those colleges. The partnerships, which may take many forms, such as corporate program sponsorships and/or the delivery of in-kind services, may help defray the costs of technology investment for community colleges and, in some cases, generate revenues and greater efficiencies for the colleges.

A 67 percent majority of college trustees said state funding has the greatest overall impact on the college’s current and future operating budget. Twenty-two percent of those polled said the decisions of the state legislature, more so than the general local and national economy, would determine how community colleges allocate resources for teaching and learning.

This survey of 250 ACCT leaders from the Southern and Northeast region, representing 21 states, provides the first such compilation of the goals and possible trends developing among community college administrators with regard to economic and workforce development. A similar survey will be conducted next week at the ACCT Pacific, Western and Central regional conference to be held June 25-28 in San Francisco, Calif.

About Collegis Inc.

Founded in 1986, Collegis Inc. provides technology-related services to higher education. Collegis helps colleges and universities advance their technology by managing networks, supporting academic and administrative applications and by redesigning curriculum programs for today’s learners. Collegis partners with institutions to stabilize IT costs, increase revenues and better serve students and faculty by offering unparalleled knowledge, expertise and accountability with product-neutral technology services and solutions exclusive to higher education. Visit the Collegis Web site at www.collegis.com

About ACCT

Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT), based in Washington, D.C., exists to develop effective lay governing board leadership to strengthen the capacity of community colleges to achieve their missions on behalf of their communities. ACCT represents more than 600 governing boards and 7,000 trustees throughout the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom. ACCT’s membership and special constituencies represent more than 12 million students currently enrolled in America’s community colleges. Visit the ACCT Website at www.acct.org