September 2009

Dear Editor,

A new school year has just begun, and as President of the Illinois Community College Trustees Association it is appropriate for me to comment on behalf of all of us in Illinois who are affiliated with community colleges. We indeed have a lot to be proud of these days.

Forty years after many of our institutions opened, our colleges are getting some well-deserved recognition. National media are touting the benefits of attending a community college. Fall semester enrollments are skyrocketing. Folks in Washington are speaking about the pivotal role of community colleges in the nation's long-term economic recovery.

No question, community colleges have come of age. But even with this newfound visibility, when it comes to funding, our institutions still face considerable challenges.

In Illinois, for example, though community colleges educate more than 60 percent of the state's undergraduates, overall, we receive only 13 percent of the state's higher education dollars. Just as significantly, the dollar amount of that share has been declining -- from $347 million in Fiscal Year 2002 to $297 million in the just-completed Fiscal Year 2009.

Diminished funding is hitting students hard. Not only have many institutions been forced to raise tuition over recent years, state funding for financial aid now has been radically cut, with Monetary Award Program grants eliminated for the Spring Semester 2010.

All of this means that despite diminished resources, community colleges are needed more now than ever. And Illinois residents are showing their confidence in their community colleges by enrolling in record numbers.

Statewide, enrollment is up by double digits. At my own institution, the College of Lake County, for example, enrollment is at a record high of nearly 18,000 students, a 10 percent increase over last year.

Community colleges are providing access to higher education to many of those hardest hit by the economic downturn-workers who've lost their jobs and need retraining as well as bachelor's degree-seeking students desperately in need of an affordable way to begin their studies.

These students receive not just an affordable education but a great one. A community college education works for them by providing a wide range of program choices (bachelor's degree transfer and career preparation); small classes; and flexible course scheduling (days, evenings and weekends).

All of that comes with measurable results. At CLC, for example, one recent study found that graduates on average enjoy an 18 percent increase in earnings over their pre-enrollment wages. Similarly, another study found that graduates give the quality of courses in their academic program a 96 percent customer satisfaction rating.

But numbers aren't the whole story. This year, as the College of Lake County celebrates its 40th anniversary, we're particularly aware of that. Though we relish our statistics -- more than 400,000 students have enrolled at CLC since we opened in 1969 -- the real story is in the impact the college has made on individual lives. Over and over again, we hear things like "CLC opened up my world", "CLC allowed me to realize my dreams" and "CLC gave me the skills I needed to get a job."

Statements like these convey so much about the positive impact of Illinois' community colleges on the economy and our communities. Could anyone have a better reason to be proud?

Barbara D. Oilschlager, President
Illinois Community College Trustees Association

Illinois Community College Trustees Association 401 E. Capitol Ave., Suite 200 Springfield, IL 62701-1711 217-528-2858 (phone) 217-528-8662 (fax) ICCTA@communitycolleges.org (e-mail) http://www.communitycolleges.org