- Closed, but still serving their communities
- 2024 Seal of Excelencia recipients
- The roles of college art museums in local communities
Closed, but still serving their communities
“A-B Tech will be closed until further notice due to the catastrophic impacts of Hurricane Helene.”
So reads the web banner at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, located in one of the most devastated areas by last week’s storm, which dropped an unprecedented amount of rain on the region.
Western North Carolina remains in disarray after the tropical storm swept away roads and bridges and left thousands who are still without power or cell phone reception. The aftermath has affected local colleges and universities, such as A-B Tech, which is serving as an emergency center for those who need shelter or have medical equipment that requires power.
The college is also using its Instagram account to link to sources for the community, from signing up to volunteer, to locations where bottle water will be distributed.
Students at McDowell Technical Community College in Marion also won’t be returning to class until at least October 7 with a phased return for employees.
“Please note that we are taking every precaution to prioritize the health and safety of our staff and faculty, and we will follow all McDowell County and State Emergency Management recommended guidelines during this transition,” college officials said in a statement.
In the meantime, the college posts information and resources, such as volunteer opportunities and donation locations, daily on its website.
Several South Carolina two- and four-year colleges and universities that closed in the storm’s aftermath plan to open later this week or next week.
2024 Seal of Excelencia recipients
Hartnell College (California) and Pima Community College (Arizona) are among three community colleges awarded the 2024 Seal of Excelencia from Excelentia in Education.
Excelentia on Tuesday announced eight colleges and universities that are first-time recipients of the honor. Excelencia reviews data, best practices and leadership in selecting colleges to recognize colleges that more intentionally serve Latino students. The organization also “recertified” nine higher education institutions, including Miami Dade College (Florida) and Wilbur Wright College (Illinois).
In the 2023-24 academic year, Hartnell College served 12,000 students, with 83% identifying as Latinx. Before it earned the Seal of Excelencia, the college joined Excelencia’s national network of Presidents for Latinx Student Success, which helped Hartnell strengthen its application. The results are seen in its course success rates for Latinx students: 72.8% in 2018-2019, 69.6% during the Covid pandemic in 2020-2021, and 74.1% in 2022-2023.
Pima Community College (PCC) also joined the P4LSS network to leverage the experience of its 200 member institutions.
“This honor reflects our deep commitment to equity, familia and servingness — the three pillars that accelerate Latino student success and are central to our collective mission,” PCC Chancellor Jeffrey Nass said in a release. “It also exemplifies PCC’s connection to Tucson’s vibrant Mexican-American heritage, from its traditions to its strong family ties, which shape our values and help build a future where every student has the opportunity to thrive.”
The roles of college art museums in local communities
Community college art museum and gallery officials will meet next week at an inaugural summit in Connecticut (and streamed online) to discuss the impact of their institutions on students, the arts and local economies.
“Art for All: Connecting Campus and Community” on October 10 at the Housatonic Museum of Art will include panel talks ranging from art collections and exhibitions, to student engagement and more.
“The scope and scale of community college museums is relatively unknown within our field, and we hope to clarify our discipline and build a strong cohort of colleagues this fall,” said Craig Hadley, executive director and chief curator of the Dennos Museum Center at Northwestern Michigan College.
