2011

JAV "~~~~- Ja~)~\ - WEEK OF .t!_ \0 v ECCC ChosenTop 120 Community College in Nation; Competing for $1 million Aspen Prize DECATUR- East Central Commumty College has been named to a list ofnatJonal two– year colleges under consideration for the S I m1lhonAspen Prize for CommunityCollege Excellence The prize-winning college v.ill be chosen in December. Ollicials ~t ECCC \\ere notified ofthe college's s~lectiOnJUSt days before the oflicial announcement onApnl25 in Washington. D.C., saidECCC Pre-.tdent Dr. Phil A Sutphm ''Ea.'t Central is honored b)' this recognition." he said. "To b~ selected as one of 120 community colleges out ofalmost 1.200 to compete for the CommunityCollege FxcellenceA\\ ard based on publici:. available performance measures is tremendous The nOtification acknm\ledges the quaJit} ofthe mstructors and students that we have at the College." Each ofthe 120 colleges ranked has demonstrated h1gh standards for learning, college completion'' ithout delay. and community colleges as trainmg grounds forJobs that pay competi– tt\ ewages, makmg themeligible for the prize, accordmg to a press release from theAspen lm;tJtute. The 120 community colleges announced \\ere selected from a national pool ofnearl) 1.200 us ng publtcl} available data on student outcomes. The data ''as analyzed b)' an expert advisory commtttee. The data focuses on completion. considered from three perspectives, each wetghed equal!:,;: Performance (retention, graduation rates includmg transfers, and degrees and certificates per I 00 "full time equivalent" students) lmpro\.cment (Improvement ofcompletion performance over time) Eqmt} (institutional record lor completion outcomes for disadvantaged student:.) The 120commuruty colleges named are eligible to submitapplications containing detailed data on degn."C certificate completton (mcludmg progress and transfer ratcs).labor market outcomes (employment and eammgs) and ~tudent learrung outcomes. They must demonstrate that they delt\. er exceptional student results, use data to dnve dec1s1ons, and continually tmprove O\. er ttme. TheAspen In-.tltute's miss1on is to foster \

APPEARED IN:

NESHOBADEMOCRAT---– SCOTT COUNTY TIMES--~­ WINSTON COUNTY JOURNAL -– CLARION-LEDGER-----

CARTHAGINIAN-----– NEWTON COUNTY APPEAL--- SPIRIT OF MORTON y/ 'J... y MERIDIANSTAR------