Category Archives: News

New training opportunity for admissions professionals!

In partnership with Norton | Norris Inc., KACCS is proud to announce Advanced Communication Training for Faculty & Staff and the EnrollMatch Admissions Training Program.

Unconventional Communications (for any student-facing position) This program takes what you know (or thought you knew) about connecting with others to an entirely new level. If you work with customers (internal or external), this workshop provides deep insights into what you are currently doing that is working but more importantly, what can you do to enhance connections to improve performance.

EnrollMatch® Advanced Admissions Training has stood the test of time by providing an updated framework in working with today’s student. Imagine being equipped to advise and empower prospective students to find the best programmatic, educational, and organizational fit. The philosophy is simple. Prospective students exhibit a “Want/Need” and while other training programs stop there, EM delves deeper to help prospective students and admission professionals alike discover what created the “Want/Need,” what will fight against change, and what needs to be managed for change to happen.

Click here for details on how to access the Norton | Norris training opportunities. Receive a 10% discount when you use the code: NnEM2020-KACCS

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Click here for more information on the research and analysis that informs these training programs.

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Register Now for ‘Safer, Stronger: The New Normal’ Week IV > VIII

The 2020 KACCS Webinar Series On-line via Zoom Sponsored by Enrollment Resources

The second half of the Webinar Series, “Safer, Stronger: The New Normal” is now fully programmed and available for registration!

Noted lecturers, authors and legal experts Yolanda Gallegos, Esq., and Dr. Jean Norris of Norton|Norris, in collaboration with Anthony S. Bieda, public policy authority, present a series of webinars on the “Stronger, Safer New Normal” confronting career colleges and schools at a time of teaching, guiding and serving students from a distance. The sessions:

  • Guidance for Mitigating Risk When Down-scaling Operations
  • Managing Contractual Obligations During CV19 Pandemic
  • Institution as Employer: Important Considerations when Faculty and Students Return to Campus
  • Nurturing Your Students to Start – High School Counselors Offer Perspective

Use your Zoom account and the information below to join the webinars of your choice. The sessions are no cost, provided as a courtesy by Enrollment Resources Inc., Norton|Norris Inc, and the presenters Wallace K. Pond, Yolanda Gallegos, and Anthony S. Bieda. Program Details AND Registration information are provided below!

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TICAS, VES sound alarms for enrollment growth at career colleges, post CV19

“Congressional discussions about additional stimulus packages in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are becoming a new battlefield in the running debate over the regulation of for-profits… (Sources: TICAS, VES)

“… I think our schools will be on the front lines of getting America back to work,” said Steve Gunderson, President of CECU.

To read the full article, go to https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/04/17/new-recession-sets-stage-abuses-profits-critics-fear

Or download here.

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Health science professions provide many employment opportunities…

… as the current healthcare circumstance demonstrates, the need for trained, competent and compassionate healthcare professionals is greater than ever. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics calls health care occupations the fastest-growing overall, and that “increased demand for health care services from an aging population and people with chronic conditions will drive much of the expected employment growth.” Below please find the profiles of the 11 high-growth health sciences fields, most of which require programs offered by KACCS Colleges and Schools:

  • Dental Hygienist — Associate degree. Dental hygienists earned $74,820, on average, in 2018.
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonographer, Cardiovascular Technologist or Technician — Associate degree. Sonographers and cardiovascular technologists earned $67,080, on average, in 2018.
  • Home Health Aide or Personal Care Aide — High school diploma with short-term on-the-job training required. Home health and personal care aides earned $24,060, on average, in 2018.
  • Licensed Practical Nurse, Licensed Vocational Nurse — A postsecondary non-degree award. LPNs and LVNs made $44,090, on average, in 2018.
  • Medical Assistant — A postsecondary non-degree award. Medical assistants earned $33,610, on average, in 2018.
  • Medical Records and Health Information Technician — A postsecondary non-degree award. Medical records and health information technicians earned $40,350, on average, in 2018.
  • Phlebotomist — A postsecondary non-degree award. Phlebotomists earned $34,480, on average, in 2018.
  • Registered Nurse — Associate degree. Registered nurses earned $71,730, on average, in 2018.
  • Radiation Therapist — An associate degree. Radiation therapists earned $80,160, on average, in 2018.
  • Surgical Technologist — A postsecondary non-degree award. Surgical technologists earned $47,300, on average, in 2018.
  • Veterinary Technologist, Veterinary Technician — An associate degree. Veterinary technologists and technicians earned $34,420, on average, in 2018.

Source: Career College Central Feb. 2020 edition Vol. 14, Issue 1

http://www.epageflip.net/i/1211079-career-college-central-february-2020/0?

CV19 Relief Package: Support for Career Colleges, their employees, students, families.

It is estimated that more than $1.7 billion will flow to Kentucky as part of the Covid-19 Relief Package developed by Congress. Key elements for consideration by owners, operators and managers of career colleges and schools in the Commonwealth:

> $30 billion for an Education Stabilization Fund for states, school districts and institutions of higher education for costs related to the coronavirus. $14.25 billion for emergency relief for Institutions of Higher Education to respond to the coronavirus. 90% of funds via a formula base, 75% on its share of Pell FTE and 25% on non-Pell FTE, excluding students who were exclusively enrolled online prior to coronavirus. At least 50% of institutional funds must provide emergency financial aid grants to students that can cover eligible expenses under a student’s cost of attendance, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and child care. Remaining institutional funds may be used to defray expenses for IHEs, such as lost revenue and technology costs associated with a transition to distance education.

> Expands unemployment insurance from three to four months, and provides temporary unemployment compensation of $600 per week, which is in addition to and the same time as regular state and federal UI benefits. Other noteworthy provisions:

  1. $360 million for Department of Labor to invest in programs that provide training and supportive services for dislocated workers, seniors, migrant farmworkers and homeless veterans. Includes funding for implementing new paid leave and unemployment insurance benefits.
  2. Part-time, self-employed and gig economy workers now have access to UI benefits.
  3. Allows employers to receive an advance tax credit from the Treasury instead of having to be reimbursed on the back end.
  4. $10 billion for Small Business Administration (SBA) emergency grants of up to $10,000 to provide immediate relief for operating costs.
  5. $17 billion for the SBA to cover six months of payments for small businesses with existing SBA loans. Rent, mortgage and utility costs now eligible for SBA loan forgiveness.
  6. Establishes a $500 billion lending fund for businesses, cities and states.  Authorizes the secretary of the Treasury to make loans, loan guarantees and other investments in support of eligible businesses, states and municipalities that do not, in the aggregate, exceed $500 billion.  

Source: National Conference of State Legislators, March 25, 2020. https://www.ncsl.org/

Covid-19 Guidance on Distance Learning, SAP and R2T4

KACCS member colleges and schools that participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IV Federal Student Aid programs are working diligently to accommodate the lapses in on-campus, on-ground instructional delivery during the social distancing protocols devised to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

In response to requests for information, the Association has extracted guidance from the ED.Gov regarding regulatory requirements for Distance Learning, Satisfactory Student Progress and Return to Title IV funds. Please download the information below and note the additional resources and links contained in the document.

Until this challenge to community health and student/staff well-being is met and addressed, KACCS will continue to research and share information that is intended to minimize the disruption of education and instruction for career college students.

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KACCS Joins CECU Hill Day 2020

The Kentucky Association of Career Colleges & Schools reached out to members of the Kentucky delegation to the U.S. Congress during the annual Hill Day event staged by Career Education Colleges and Universities (CECU). The meetings included discussions and information exchange with 2nd District Rep. Brett Guthrie (below), a member of the House Committee on Education & The Workforce.

Rep. Brett Guthrie (right) with KACCS Executive Director Anthony S. Bieda

Meetings also reached the offices of 1st District Rep. James Comer, also a member of the Education and Workforce committee, and 3rd District Rep. John Yarmuth, House Budget Committee Chair. On the Senate side, KACCS met with education staff in the offices of Sen. Mitch McConnell and Sen. Rand Paul.

Reinventing college admissions with eye on retail dynamics

“I was asked what I thought higher education would look like in the future. My answer was that what we think of as the “higher education industry,” would be smaller with many fewer institutions and that those that survived would look a lot more like retail businesses …”

“… In short, the structural factors that historically insulated colleges from competition in the past have been breeched and viewing students as retail customers has become central to survival across much of higher ed. The most obvious and common retail practices visible in the academy today include approaches to … (To view full article, click link below)”

https://wallacekpond.com/2020/03/02/higher-education-as-a-retail-business/

Wallace K. Pond, Ph.D.

KACCS @ The Capitol: 2.25.2020

The Association’s strong government relations program hosted several college and school officials for informed, respectful encounters with Kentucky state senators and representatives. The meetings included Senators J. Raque Adams, Ralph Avarado, Julian Carroll, Morgan McGarvey, D. Harper Angel, Phillip Wheeler, Alice Forgy Kerr, Dennis Parrett, John Schickel, Max Wise and Mike Nemes. Representatives participating in meetings were Kevin Bratcher, Jason Nemes, George Brown, Derrick Graham, Mary Lou Marzian, Tom Burch, Kathy Hinkle, Russell Webber and Adam Koenig.

The association was represented by liaisons from MedQuest College, Sullivan University and Beckfield College (below).

(From Left) KACCS Board Members Robin Boughey, Chris Ernst and Tom Cropper (3rd from right) meet with Rep. Kevin Bratcher, center.
Di Tran, KACCS Board member and Anthony Bieda, KACCS Executive Director.

Many Nonprofit College Programs Would Fail Gainful Test

“Data in a new online tool raise questions about how well public and nonprofit colleges and universities are doing in helping students earn enough to repay their debt…

“…We’ve only really applied the accountability metrics once,” said Andrew Gillen, senior policy analyst in the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Center for Innovation in Education. “What would happen if we applied the exact income and debt measures to other institutions? What was shocking [was] how many programs are failing and how many students are attending those programs,” he said.

“ This indicates that a lot of the people asserting that for-profits are uniquely bad actors are wrong — as a group, their performance is quite similar to that of nonprofits.”

“There are problematic programs in all sectors,” Steve Gunderson, president and CEO of Career Education Colleges and Universities, the association representing private for-profit institutions, said. However, he didn’t expect a break in the stalemate. “The partisanship that has divided the country has entered higher education,” Gunderson said.

Excerpts from Inside Higher Education, 1.16.20  |  By Kery Murakami

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2020/01/16/profit-programs-not-only-ones-would-fail-gainful-employment-test

How to disrupt higher ed (in a good way!)

SEI executive Karl McDonnell notes that college students aged 25 to 34 increased enrollment by 35% between 2001 and 2015, and are expected to grow by another 11% by 2026. He recommends operational focus on 1) economic mobility/employability, 2) flexibility/affordability, and 3) engaging educational content as three ways to disrupt and transform higher education delivery, services and outcomes.

SEI supports educational ROI (return on investment) as an important consideration of the value post-secondary education to students. The author further cites “net present value” measured over a span of 40 years as “the most comprehensive benchmark” for judging value.

The report also describes revisions to general studies curricula, a subscription-based tuition model, and documentary-style course content to enhance and engage student learning.

To read more: “It’s Time to Disrupt Higher Ed. Here’s How.“ By Karl McDonnell, Dec. 19, 2019. https://www.washingtonpost.com/brand-studio/wp/2019/12/19/6566/

New study explains gaps in higher ed filled by career colleges and schools

Research published by Laura Beamer and Marshall Steinbaum describes the “drastic inequality along lines of race, gender, class and geography” that in many cases is remedies only by the presence of a proprietary college or school. The authors note the persistence of “education deserts” generates “sparse” political attention, even though the phenomenon has a great deal to with the holy grail of post-secondary education: access.

The study, entitled “Unequal and Uneven: The Geography of Higher Education Access” introduces a new metric, the SCI (school concentration index). Those markets with an SCI of 10,000 or higher are considered “education deserts.” The consequence currently applies to more than 40.8 million people in the U.S.

The research also explains how proprietary colleges and schools frequently step in to serve the education deserts, or markets with no more than one public institution within a 45-minute drive. “In the years after the financial crisis, when ‘retraining’ was the watchword of the day, research has demonstrated the demand-responsiveness of private for-profits.”

To read the full report, go to https://phenomenalworld.org/analysis/geography-of-higher-ed

House version of HEA restricts choice for Veterans

Veterans for Career Education (VCE) provided details today of provisions in the House version of the reauthorized Higher Education Act that would restrict access to proprietary career colleges by veterans and their family members.

“If this bill passes in its current form, Congress is essentially telling veterans that they are incapable of choosing the school that best fits their career goals,” VCE said from Washington, D.C.

For more information go to https://www.vetsforcareered.org/

New Online Course Available! Go to KACCS Online Training Center

While no instructor can possibly identify with every aspect of a veteran’s experience, it is possible to become more aware of some of the challenges facing veterans as they reintegrate into civilian life:

ED142- Military Veterans: Integrating Veterans into Post-Secondary Classes examines the various challenges veterans face when attempting to pursue courses of study following military engagements and service.

Learn more about this course by visiting the KACCS Online Training Center at www.kaccstraining.org. Members, contact KACCS or vip@kaccstraining.org for VIP discount codes for online courses.

This online training opportunity is courtesy MaxKnowledge, Inc. for KACCS member colleges and schools and their faculty, staff and leadership.

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