Montana’s 2-year colleges in national spotlight

On Oct. 5, Jill Biden will convene the first-ever White House Summit on Community Colleges. This summit will bring together community college administrators, faculty, students, business leaders, federal policymakers and philanthropic leaders to discuss how America’s community colleges will play a major role in reversing America’s declining place on the world stage in college degree attainment.

Janine Pease, Montana higher-education regent and vice president of Fort Peck Community College, and Jane Karas, president of Flathead Valley Community College and board member of the American Association of Community Colleges, were selected by the White House to serve as two of the 125 summit members and as the two representatives for Montana. They will be joined by participants including Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mullen and Melinda Gates.

According to the College Board, in a single generation the United States has fallen from first place to 12th place in college graduation rates for young adults. Data from 2008 show Montana with 35 percent degree attainment (ages 25-34), which lags behind the national average of 39 percent and the average of leading nations, 55 percent. In order to keep pace with leading nations, the U.S. must produce 16 million more degree recipients above its projected output (48 million) by 2025. This is a daunting task.

JOHN E. CECH The Billings Gazette |

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