Council to Advance Two-Year Colleges (CATYC) Marks Historic Name Change at Annual Conference

Livonia, Michigan, September 30, 2024—In a significant move reflecting the growing diversity of challenges and opportunities within community and junior colleges, the Council on Accreditation of Two-Year Colleges (CATYC) officially voted to change its name to the Council to Advance Two-Year Colleges during its annual meeting, held at Schoolcraft College in Livonia, Michigan, from September 22-24. This change emphasizes the organization's expanding mission to address a wider range of issues facing two-year institutions across the United States.

Barbara Jones, Executive Director of CATYC, remarked on the name change, “The CATYC Executive Committee made the decision to develop a mission statement for the organization, which was approved by the membership at the recent CATYC conference. The CATYC Mission is to promote and support quality educational standards, practices, and policies for two-year colleges. As this mission is reflective of a much broader perspective in two-year colleges, the Executive Committee also recommended an organization name change to reflect the mission. It is a timely change, as the important role of two-year colleges in career preparation, transfer education, and workforce development continues to expand and grow.”

Attendees from ten states participated in the conference, which included engaging presentations and discussions on best practices in student learning and success, innovation in higher education, and accreditation processes. The new name was selected to better represent the Council’s evolving priorities and its commitment to supporting all aspects of two-year college education.
Outgoing CATYC President Paul Watson of Kellogg Community College expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to lead the organization, stating, “Leading this esteemed organization, which has long been a beacon of excellence and integrity in accreditation, has been an honor and a tremendous responsibility. Together, we have continued to uphold the highest standards of quality, ensuring that institutions remain at the forefront of innovation, integrity, and impact.”

The event also featured a presentation by Karen Solomon, Vice President and Chief Transformation Officer at the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), who provided an in-depth update on HLC accreditation criteria, current policy discussions, and trends affecting higher education nationally.

Incoming CATYC President Darci McFail of State Fair Community College shared her excitement for the future of the organization, adding, "Since its founding in the 1930’s, CATYC has been dedicated to supporting two-year colleges in their accreditation journey. That remains unchanged. The new mission statement emphasizes our vision of supporting member institutions’ efforts to cultivate a culture of excellence aligned with rigorous accreditation standards, not merely to navigate the accreditation process. By broadening our reach, we hope to foster more intercollegiate relationships and encourage more colleagues to benefit from and contribute to our valuable professional development and networking opportunities."

Next year's CATYC annual conference will be held in St. Louis, Missouri, from October 5-7, 2025, and promises to build on the momentum of this year's event with an expanded agenda focused on accreditation, student success, and institutional innovation.
For more information about the Council to Advance Two-Year Colleges, please visit www.catyc.com

About CATYC
Originally founded in 1937 as the Council of North Central Two-Year Colleges, the Council to Advance Two-Year Colleges (CATYC) is a national organization dedicated to promoting excellence in community and junior colleges through peer-to-peer collaboration, innovation, and accreditation support. CATYC is committed to promoting and supporting quality educational standards, practices, and policies for two-year colleges.

Media Contact:
Barbara Jones, Executive Director
brjones079@gmail.com
https://catyc.com/index.html

CATYC Conference focuses on shifting gears in higher education

INDIANAPOLIS – The landscape of higher education is changing and institutions are shifting gears. The Council on Accreditation for Two-Year Colleges held a three-day event titled “Shifting Gears in Higher Education” from Sept. 25-27 in Indianapolis, the racing capital of the world.

CATYC, founded in 1937, is a 19-state organization of community college members focused on two-year education and accreditation standards, practices and policies. CATYC is the only organization dedicated to serving the accreditation and quality needs of two-year colleges within the United States. 

Vincennes University President and outgoing CATYC President Dr. Chuck Johnson hosted the conference.

According to Johnson, “We were pleased the CATYC held its annual fall conference in our state’s capital, offering attendees the opportunity to experience Hoosier hospitality. The CATYC Conference brought together dedicated college leaders, faculty, and staff from throughout the nation who engaged in the impactful sharing of knowledge that could make their institutions better and spur new goals.”

Fifty-five participants from 14 of the 19-state region attended interactive sessions focused on various challenges and issues facing colleges in fulfilling their missions and meeting accreditation standards, including assessment of learning, student engagement and success, aligning K-12 and higher education, developing leadership teams, and workforce development. 

According to Dr. Barbara Jones, Executive Director of CATYC, "Community and junior colleges face unique challenges related to their missions as open enrollment institutions and CATYC is a place where leaders from similar institutions can come together, learn, share, and collaborate to address those challenges. As a member-driven organization, CATYC is focused on two-year education and accreditation standards, practices, and policies and serves as a resource and as an advocate for our

institutions.”

Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery was the conference’s keynote speaker. 

“The State of Indiana is honored to have served as the site of the Council on Accreditation for Two-Year Colleges Fall Conference,” Lowery said. “This event is an important annual conference of college and university administrators, faculty, and staff who are passionate about helping all learners realize their dreams through higher education. Community and junior colleges continue to serve a critical role in our communities by providing pathways to accessible and affordable education for all, upward mobility, and offering great value to learners striving to achieve a postsecondary credential.”

Lowery discussed the dramatic decline of the college-going rate in Indiana and efforts to reverse the trend. His speech was very much in alignment with the theme of the CATYC Conference. 

Dr. Brian Inbody, President of Neosho Community College in Kansas, received special recognition for his commitment to the CATYC and higher education. Inbody was presented the Legacy Award by Johnson. 

The 2022 Fall Conference concluded with Dr. Bruce Moses, President of Allen County Community College in Kansas, taking over as CATYC President from Johnson. 

On behalf of the CATYC membership, Moses thanked Johnson for his service as president and presented him with a plaque.

The 2023 CATYC conference will be held October 1-3 in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information about CATYC’s annual conference or to join CATYC, visit www.catyc.com.

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