In the Know with ACCT

Hiring a new CEO or president can have lasting implications for a community college. So how can trustee boards ensure they're hiring the best candidate for the job? Julie Golder, Vice President for Search Services, sits down with two of our ACCT consultants to discuss best practices for an executive search and how the association can assist colleges in the process.   Learn more about all ACCT Search Services has to offer at https://acctsearches.org/ .

The state of California has made huge strides in getting college leadership and state legislators to look at dual enrollment with fresh eyes. In this third installment of our dual enrollment series, consultant, Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield speaks with education advocates in California who are working to increase graduation rates through the expansion of early access opportunities.

Challenging minds, sustainable solutions, global perspective. What happens when two students from the United Kingdom get an opportunity to study abroad at an American community college? ACCT Vice President of Membership and Educational Services, Robin Matross Helms, debriefs with two students who recently took part in the association’s US-UK Community College and Technical Education Exchange program.

CONGRESS RECAP: The following panel discussion was taken from the “Building Momentum for Innovative Dual Enrollment Pathways Policies” seminar, recorded during the 2025 ACCT Leadership Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Dr. Claire Brady, President of Glass Half Full Consulting, answers lingering questions about the role of artificial intelligence in higher education. She explains how trustees can use AI to make their jobs more effective, while keeping students and staff at the forefront of the tech revolution.   *This podcast episode was recorded live during the Regional Awards Luncheon at the 2025 ACCT Leadership Congress in New Orleans, Louisiana on October 24, 2025.

In this second installment of ACCT’s dual enrollment/dual credit series, consultant Amy-Elle-Duke Benfield sits down with higher ed leaders from Texas and California to compare state programs and policies, and strategize ways to make systems more effective for students.

Honoring the past while empowering the future… America’s tribal colleges and universities provide a culturally rooted educational experience that prepares students for jobs in their local communities and beyond! In this episode, you'll hear from three tribal college alumni whose alma maters have laid the foundation for their professional journeys, inspiring impactful careers that are strengthening the local economies of their native lands. For more information about the importance of TCUs, check out the 2025 American Indian Higher Education Consortium Economic Impact Report!

Student success… The term is used all the time in higher ed spaces, but what does it truly mean? Over the last two decades , community colleges have been making a conscious effort to “meet students where they’re at”, addressing basic needs issues like hunger, childcare for student parents, veterans benefits and disability resources. But one of the most prominent issues leading to student stop out is still without a real solution... New America's Senior Policy Manager for Higher Education Policy, Edward Conroy, unveils details of a new study revealing just how big an impact housing insecurity is having on student retention on community college campuses.

AI is the future… and for a lot of people, that can seem a little scary. But it doesn’t have to be! In less than 30 days, community college trustees and administrators from around the country will be swarming the streets of New Orleans, Louisiana for the annual ACCT Leadership Congress. In this episode, one of our Congress sponsors, Element451, is giving our members a sneak preview of their conference session! They’ll tell us how community colleges can streamline processes while taking a load off their academic advisors and student services workers through the use of innovative artificial intelligence software.   Learn more about Element451 by visiting their website: www.element451.com Register for the 2025 ACCT Leadership Congress: https://acct.org/events/acct-leadership-congress

Dually enrolled students are becoming one of the fastest growing populations at community colleges! Earlier this year, ACCT launched a new project exploring innovative state strategies for community college funding and dual enrollment in the states of Texas and California. In this episode, consultant and guest host, Amy Ellen Duke-Benfield, sits down with leaders from two Texas community colleges who were influential in the rollout of House Bill 8, which aims to increase the number of Texans with credentials of value.