Patch Poll: Should High Schools Focus More on Vocational Education?

Students who don't have the potential for success in college—or who don't want to pursue or can't afford a degree—might be better served by a vocational education program at the high school level.

College has always been part of the American dream. Laborers didn't want their children to have to do manual labor. Parents with college degrees expected the same of their children. And college loans opened the doors for some students whose families couldn't have afforded the bill. But is college the right choice for everyone? Data collected by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development for its report "Education at a Glance 2010" showed that, among 18 countries tracked, the United States finished last (46 percent) for the percentage of students who completed college once they started it, according to a report in Reuters. That puts the United States behind Japan at 89 percent, and former Soviet-bloc states such as Slovakia, …

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CCAC Celebrates Black History Month with Events, Displays

The Allegheny Campus in Pittsburgh will celebrate the historical contributions of African-Americans.

The Community College of Allegheny County is offering a number of Black History Month programs at its Allegheny Campus to celebrate the historical legacy and contributions of African Americans. CCAC's Offices of Student Life, and the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion have organized a number of activities throughout the month across the CCAC campuses. To see the full schedule of Black History Month offerings, click here. Follow Dormont-Brookline Patch on Facebook and Twitter. For more news, sign up for our email Newsletter.

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State Sen. Wayne D. Fontana

Got a Graduate? How Will You Pay for College?

State Sen. Wayne Fontana, with PHEAA, will host a Financial Aid Education Day this Saturday, Jan. 26.

As Vice-Chair of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) Board of Directors, I am pleased to be hosting, in conjunction with PHEAA, a PHEAA Financial Aid Education Day. This free seminar will be held this Saturday, Jan. 26, and run from 10 a.m. until noon at the Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC)—Allegheny Campus, in the Auditorium, Room S-260, in the Student Service Center Building.   Representatives from PHEAA will explain to students and their families what financial aid opportunities are available and which resources can assist in obtaining them. Attendees can enter the building from the entrance on Ridge Avenue and parking is available in the Mon Hill parking lot and Student Lot #2.   PHEAA is a national …

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Allegheny County Offering Free Voter ID

Allegheny County is offering free Photo ID cards for any residents who need one to vote.

Allegheny County is offering two new ways for voters without proper Photo ID to get identification cards. The Community College of Allegheny County and the county’s four Kane Hospital centers will be the hubs to issue specialized photo identification to any residents if they need one to vote. Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald on Thursday morning announced the effort to get as many residents proper identification. “I firmly believe that anyone who wants to participate in our democracy through elections should have every opportunity to do so. That is what we are doing today,” Fitzgerald said in a press release. “Through our Kane Regional Centers and CCAC, we are going to provide the ability for people to get the photo identification…

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CCAC–Downtown Center to Close After Fall Term

Courses, scheduling formats, jobs to be preserved.

The Community College of Allegheny County Board of Trustees voted Thursday to close CCAC–Downtown Center at 625 Stanwix Street as of Dec. 31, consolidating the center’s courses at CCAC–Allegheny Campus on the North Shore. “CCAC–Downtown Center has played a valuable role at the college for two decades, but our current funding situation forces us to make this change to preserve affordable, quality education for all of our students,” said William Russell Robinson, board chairman. “Consolidating our facilities will enable the college to realize significant financial savings while still maintaining options for students.”  The total cost of rent and maintenance for CCAC–Downtown Center has been $487,489 annually under a lease that expired Sept. …

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CCAC to Host 'Odyssey Day' for Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Program is designed to spur awareness of alternative fuel.

The Community College of Allegheny County will partner with the Pittsburgh Region Clean Cities to raise awareness and foster a greater understanding of alternative fuels. The program will also spur awareness of alternative fuel vehicles and advanced technology vehicles as part of the DOE Clean Cities Program’s Odyssey Day on Oct. 7 at CCAC’s West Hills Center. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The goals of Odyssey Day are to enhance understanding and enthusiasm regarding alternative fuel vehicles to advance the nation’s economic, environmental and energy security. Local decisions and new practices can contribute to the reduction of petroleum consumption and dependency on foreign oil. Clean …

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CCAC to Hosts Job Fairs Next Month

Mark your calendars for these upcoming fall job fairs, which will be held throughout the county in October.

The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) will host job fairs throughout the month of October at its four campuses in Allegheny County. Representatives from many of the region’s employers will be on hand to discuss different job opportunities, answer questions and give out information. All of the job fairs are open to CCAC students, alumni and the general public. All applicants are encouraged to dress professionally and bring copies of their resumes. Here's the schedule:

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CCAC Raises Tuition in Response to State, Local Funding Cuts

Beginning with Spring 2012 semester, tuition will be raised by $8.25 a credit.

The Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) Board of Trustees on Thursday responded to reductions in the college’s state and local funding with an $8.25 per credit tuition increase beginning with the spring 2012 term, in addition to significant cuts already made to the college’s budget. The tuition changes follow cuts Allegheny County faced from the state that led to a reduction in CCAC’s allocation from the county by $2.5 million. Immediately after that announcement, the college expanded an administrative hiring freeze to include faculty and staff positions and eliminated administrative salary increases for the year. The college is exploring additional cost-saving measures that could be implemented in the coming months, according to …

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There's Still Time to Register for Fall Term at CCAC

CCAC classes start Aug. 22 and Sept. 6.

Anyone interested in attending the Community College of Allegheny County still can register for the fall term. Registration will remain open through Aug. 20 for 15-week courses beginning Aug. 22. Students must enroll by Sept. 3 for the 13-week “late start” semester with classes beginning Sept. 6. Nationally, almost 40 percent of the college student population is made up of adults going back to school, compared to 6 percent in 1980. Another 3.4 million older students are enrolled part-time, many training for new careers or upgrading job skills in the current challenging economic climate, according to a CCAC press release. School officials said CCAC has options for everyone. “People can go to school to pursue their lifelong dreams, change …

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CCAC Ranks First Nationally for Nursing Graduates

College maintains second-place ranking in health professions.

Community College of Allegheny County graduates the largest number of registered nurses among the nation’s two-year institutions and awards the second-largest number of associate degrees in health careers, according to a report issued by Community College Week. Nursing and allied health programs are offered at CCAC Boyce Campus in Monroeville and other CCAC campuses. In the annual rankings, CCAC is first among two-year institutions awarding associate degrees in the category of registered nursing, nursing administration, nursing research and clinical nursing. CCAC presented degrees to 412 nursing graduates in the 2009–2010 academic year, the period included in the current study. “CCAC is proud to lead the nation’s community colleges in …

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