Thoughts on the Presidential Election

Every election involves some uncertainty. New legislative leadership can bring the potential for broad and nuanced changes. Guessing about future outcomes can be exciting or can yield great anxiety.

In the last few days, our community members have asked many questions about what's to come. These inquiries cover complex topics, such as the connections between enrollment and citizenship status, institutional funding, accreditation, student loans, academic freedom, censorship, and more.

Howard Community College works to establish programs, services, and outreach that meet students where they dream and earn the support of a diverse community, state, and world. We have emerged as a national model among two-year and technical colleges for our approaches to creating opportunities for students.

We are a home for all students: high schoolers looking to accelerate their education, older adults seeking new knowledge and interests, those with young children, those who have served our nation in the military, and those with richly diverse stories in citizenship, identity, gender, faith, and community. Our employees and our programs reflect this diversity and serve our students well. We expand our view of diversity by creating wraparound services for students who experience vulnerabilities with housing and food and supportive systems for those exposed to the criminal justice system, to name a few examples.

We emphasize that a traditional liberal arts education is not the only pathway to a well-paying career and fulfilling life. Our commitment to workforce development, skilled trades, and continuing education is growing as an anti-poverty and anti-racism mechanism, attracting bipartisan legislative support and philanthropic support from our neighbors and friends across industries. 

In every sense, we have an institutional profile that everyone can be proud of, regardless of where they are from or what political values they may hold. We are all just beginning to plan for what policy changes may lie ahead. Still, we know that uninterrupted student learning and engagement will yield great economic outcomes for our county and country. We believe education is the most cost-effective and comprehensive tool for domestic growth. We believe in a safe campus where students and faculty can speak and teach freely and respectfully. We know that teaching and learning without intimidation, threats, or legislative-enacted censorship is the foundation of a just and peaceful society. 

We will always make our students' and employees' stories, institutional successes, and vision for the future clear to our elected officials at every level of government. We intend to participate in any rulemaking and public comment on education policy changes that can impact the lives of our community members. We will be data-driven and civility-minded in speaking truth to power about policies that could harm our students' livelihoods or lives.

However, we also believe that HCC's mission and vision align with the ideals of a diverse elected official body. We look forward to sharing any updates with you as information on discussed, proposed, or enacted policies in higher education may evolve.