Triton College seeks to make a positive difference in the lives of students and the broader community. Through active engagement with public and government officials representing communities served by the college, we are able to communicate the importance of higher education for Illinois citizens in our community college district. We seek to be informed and to inform the college community regarding legislative matters. We disseminate information, monitor proposed legislation, coordinate advocacy regarding education-related issues & budget allocations impacting the college, and participate in state-wide efforts to build support for community college education.
Volunteers for College Advocacy was established in 2011 as an informal network of college staff volunteers interested in assisting with lobby efforts in support of the college.
The materials below may be of interest to faculty, staff, students and the community at large and are provided for informational purposes only. Please contact the Office of the President (708-456-0300, ext. 3291) if you have questions.
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AFFORDABLE CARE ACT
Community Colleges in Illinois attended a workshop on the Affordable Care Act and the implications for our institutions in March. The Chief Financial Officers have begun discussing and planning for implemention in relation to how the Affordable Care Act may directly impact our employees. More specific information will be shared in the coming months. |
AACC ADVOCACY UPDATE
See the latest update from the American Association of Community Colleges here. The update discusses funding issues and the displaced worker program.
ACCT LAW E-ALERT
See the latest action in Washington DC as reported by the ACCT, Association of Community College Trustees, here.
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- ICCTA ACTION ALERT: As the Illinois General Assembly starts its Spring 2013 schedule, legislators are taking on many unresolved issues from 2012. The ICCTA has prepared a listing of legislation affecting community colleges, available here.
- GOVERNOR'S BUDGET ADDRESS: Governor Pat Quinn delivered his budget address, "We Must Stop the Bleeding," to the Illinois General Assembly on March 6, 2013. Click here for the Illinois Community College Board's analysis of the Governor's budget.
- ICCTA LEGISLATIVE GOALS: The Illinois Community College Trustees Association has adopted their goals in advocating for community colleges. Click to read the 2013 ICCTA Legislative Goals.
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- IMPACT OF SEQUESTRATION ON COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRIORITY PROGRAMS
Virtually all federal programs are subject to across-the-board cuts to federal programs, known as Sequestration, which became effective March 1, 2013. Although the Pell Grant program is exempt for fiscal year 2013, student aid and grant programs such as SEOG, TRIO, Title III-A, and others are not. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has prepared a brief update, available here, of how Sequestration might impact our campus.
- TOP FEDERAL PRIORITIES FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES
A substantial body of evidence demonstrates that higher education is the key to a robust economy and other social benefits, yet the economic downturn has led most states to reduce their investments in community colleges. The top legislative priorities supported by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) for the 113th Congress include the following.
- Appropriations - including robust Pell Grant funding and an increase in funding for vital instiutional programs such as the Strengthening Institutions (Title III-A) program and TRIO.
- Budget Policy - to support policies that enhance our country's future through investments in programs that benefit community colleges and their students
- STEM Competitiveness - including community colleges in efforts to bolster America's competitiveness in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Continue reading here.
- Please visit http://www.house.gov/ and http://www.senate.gov/ or http://www.nationalskillscoalition.org/ for more information on federal legislation.
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