As the summer kicks in and we begin to prepare for another academic year, I want to share some highlights of my work these last few months, to give you an idea of what goes on behind the scenes to champion our college and all of you.
As you all know, accreditation is vital in higher education. It assures students they can be confident that they will receive a strong education and that their course credits and degrees will be recognized by other colleges and employers. At QCC, our recent reaccreditation by NECHE affirms our institution’s dedication to providing high-quality education and fostering continuous improvement. To stay at the forefront of decision-making as it relates to higher education accreditation, in 2023 I was elected to the NECHE Commission for three years as a commissioner. This group is comprised of at least 27 people elected by NECHE members’ colleges and universities. Most recently, I attended a NECHE meeting retreat where we worked on policies and new standards, looking at how today’s changes in higher education are impacting our industry. Key topics included the value proposition of higher education; the financial implications of losing certain federal funding and associated programs, as well as changes in technology and how they are affecting us. Being at the table as a representative for QCC for these thought-provoking discussions helps give our college a voice in decision-making for our state’s higher education institutions.
I have also recently ended my year as the chair of the Community College Council of Presidents. This has been an enlightening and powerful year of advocacy on behalf of QCC and the entire Massachusetts Community College system. One of the highlights included advocating and assisting with the subsequent implementation of both MassReconnect and MassEducate. These programs have been a gamechanger for people across the state, enabling thousands to attain a college education and facilitating equity in higher education. In our presidents’ meetings, we discussed ways in which we could ensure these students succeeded, while making sure staff and faculty were supported as their workload increased.
This leads me into another important initiative...meeting with local legislators regarding increasing salary parameters for community college faculty and staff. As you may know, the salary parameters are set by the state and not the colleges. As the MACC chair, I collaborated with the other community college presidents, who are all in agreement on this issue, that increasing compensation is one of our top priorities. We are in alignment with the Union on this important issue. To highlight this critical matter, I invited Professor of Psychology and QCC’s Faculty Senate President, Jennifer Arner Welsh to speak to the wage inequality at our legislative breakfast earlier this year. Additionally, during the recent budget cycle I met with the House Ways and Means Chair, the Senate President and the Senate Ways and Means Chair, evangelizing the need to address this topic head-on and reinforced how hard it is to retain and hire faculty when many need to take second jobs to merely get by. I’m pleased to say we were successful in getting money in the Senate budget for a compensation study, the first step in changing salary parameters.
A large part of my role as president is to sustain and strengthen our institution by advocating for QCC and the community college system. With this new monthly message, I hope to bring those efforts to light.
Thank you for taking the time to stay informed and engaged. Your curiosity, feedback, and support are vital to our shared success. I look forward to continuing this journey as we build a stronger, more connected college community.
Until next time, stay inspired and stay involved.
Luis