American Graduation Initiative

When President Obama outlined his plans for the American Graduation Initiative, he emphasized the critical role of community colleges in educating and training students and adults for the jobs needed to keep the United States economically competitive.

“Now is the time to build a firmer, stronger foundation for growth that will not only withstand future economic storms, but one that will help us thrive and compete in the global economy,” he said in July at Macomb Community College in Michigan. “It’s time to reform our community colleges so that they provide Americans of all ages a chance to learn the skills and knowledge necessary to compete for the jobs of the future.”

He went on to set a goal of an additional 5 Million people completing Community College in the next ten years. Needless to say this is an ambitious challenge, one worthy of the community colleges as a whole, of the American people, and of this President.

What we would like to hear your ideas about how to achieve this goal. What needs to change? What new policies, initiatives, approaches need to be implemented? Are there the human capital resources in the Community Colleges necessary to achieve this goal? If not, how can they be acquired or developed? Is there the "will" to make this happen?

Let's hear from you!