“America’s 600 publicly controlled rural community and tribal colleges celebrate doors that they alone open. They provide access to general education for transfer; for-credit technical, vocational and occupational programs of 12 months to two years in duration that lead to high-skill, high wage jobs; workforce training; and they provide community services, serving as regional cultural centers for the performing and fine arts.”
— Why Rural Community & Tribal Colleges Matter
The Agriculture Act of 2014 signed into law by President Obama on February 8, 2014 reauthorizes U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs responsible for the development of rural areas of our country. Since the 1930s, USDA’s Rural Development Division only recognized our nation’s great network of land-grant universities. Section 6018 of the bipartisan Agricultural Act of 2014 for the first time formally designates the Secretary of Agriculture to work with the nation’s 600 rural community, technical, and tribal colleges to coordinate effective rural development strategies and foster rural regional innovation.
Section 6018 was submitted by the Rural Community College Alliance to key members of the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees, based upon assistance received from the Education Policy Center. More than 14 different programs within USDA’s Rural Development Division are impacted, with the goal of combining revenue streams to uplift rural economies, which, as the chart below indicates, host community colleges that themselves have been slow to recover from the Great Recession.
Section 6018 was submitted by the Rural Community College Alliance to key members of the U.S. House and Senate Agriculture Committees, based upon assistance received from the Education Policy Center. More than 14 different programs within USDA’s Rural Development Division are impacted, with the goal of combining revenue streams to uplift rural economies, which, as the chart below indicates, host community colleges that themselves have been slow to recover from the Great Recession.
Dr. Stephen Katsinas, director of the Education Policy Center and professor of higher education at The University of Alabama, recently received the George Autry Award from the Rural Community College Alliance for his lifelong commitment to scholarly research, advocacy and service to America’s rural community colleges.
During his 20-year career in higher education, Katsinas’ research and service have focused on the challenges faced by rural community colleges and the ways in which policymakers and practitioners can lift up the lives of rural people and create sustainable rural communities through the improvement of these institutions.
“It is seldom that someone so young receives a ‘lifetime’ achievement award. Dr. Katsinas has brought much deserved recognition on himself, but at the same time has brought recognition to our College and University,” said Dr. Jim McLean, dean of the UA College of Education.
During his 20-year career in higher education, Katsinas’ research and service have focused on the challenges faced by rural community colleges and the ways in which policymakers and practitioners can lift up the lives of rural people and create sustainable rural communities through the improvement of these institutions.
“It is seldom that someone so young receives a ‘lifetime’ achievement award. Dr. Katsinas has brought much deserved recognition on himself, but at the same time has brought recognition to our College and University,” said Dr. Jim McLean, dean of the UA College of Education.
Reports
An Opportunity's Fault Line: The Precarious Nature of Rural Community College Finance |
Leveraging Federal Funding Streams to Build Rural Economics |