Two bills which would benefit community college students were reported today from the Senate Finance Committee. SB 85 (Favola and Hanger) which would increase the expected family contribution allowed for eligibility for the Two-Year Transfer Grant from $8,000 to $12,000 was reported unanimously. This change would mean that approximately 800 more students would be eligible [...]

Legislators are considering more than 2,000 pieces of legislation this Session; here is a summary of a few of them of interest to Virginia’s Community Colleges. A full list of bills we are following can be found on the Legislative Tracking page. Transfer grant bills All transfer grant bills (HB 437,  SB 85 and SB 400) [...]

  Today Chancellor Glenn DuBois paid a visit to J. Sargent Reynolds Community College to speak about what Virginia’s Community Colleges are doing to serve military-related students – and also ways to improve the military friendliness at each institution. His speech highlights a few of the initiatives our schools have already taken to serve our [...]

Americans are finding ways to save in every place they can these days. It’s everywhere you turn from coupon cutting to do it yourself projects. Now people are even saving on education. A recent article in the Washington Post took notice of this trend. The article cites a study issued by Sallie Mae that revealed that [...]

Great Expectations youth, coaches and mentors from across Virginia gathered for the 4th Annual Great Expectations Education Forum at The Westin Richmond Oct. 21, 2011. During the event, a panel discussion between coaches, mentors and youth moderated by former First Lady Anne Holton led the youth to express gratitude and love for their Great Expectation [...]

This month has been a busy one for recognizing Virginia’s Community Colleges and their use of technology. Starting the month off, The Center for Digital Education announced Sept. 1 that Rappahannock Community College was the winner in the Center’s “Best of the Web” competition in the community college category. RCC spent about a year researching [...]

Virginia’s Community Colleges received major news yesterday when the Department of Labor announced the distribution of $500 million in federal funds to community colleges nationwide – with Virginia a major “winner.” With Tidewater Community College as the coordinating college, a consortium of all 23 Virginia Community Colleges received the second-highest grant amount of $24.1 million and [...]

Harrisonburg business blogger Jeff Haden last week listed going to community college as one of the things he would “do over,” if he had the chance.  Here are five different approaches to education, jobs, career, and business that, if I could go back, I would handle differently, he says, and continues with, among other things: Spend the [...]

Virginia’s coastal community colleges are battening down the hatches in the face of Hurricane Irene, after a crazy week that also included an unprecedented 5.8 scale earthquake that has a Germanna campus building unusable for the rest of the semester. Tidewater is closed today through Sunday at least; Thomas Nelson is closed today through Monday. [...]

Governor Robert McDonnell participated with three community colleges this week via video to announce a project that will help students cross the “Finish Line.”  Delegations including local legislators and college officials joined in from Danville Community College, Patrick Henry Community College, Southside Virginia Community College and the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center to pledge to [...]