— KAYLYN BONDY“The WICHE Alliance is dedicated to the collaboration and advancement of Western community colleges and technical schools. Strong partnerships and resource sharing are foundational aspects of the Alliance that encourage leadership and innovation in rapidly changing environments. The Alliance work, which fosters meaningful, innovative solutions, has not only served my professional growth, but specifically my institution and our students’ success.”
WILLISTON STATE COLLEGE
CHAIR, THE ALLIANCE
Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders
Sharing ideas, best practices, and fresh perspectives
The Western Alliance of Community College Academic Leaders (Alliance) is a membership organization that serves as an incubator for collaborating and problem-solving among chief academic officers (or equivalent) at WICHE-region community colleges and technical schools, related systems, and state coordinating and governing boards.
How should community colleges retool in a fast-evolving economy? What strategies work for increasing student access and completion? How can colleges foster a seamless interrelationship between their programs and workforce opportunities?
These are just a few of countless issues of distinct concern to chief academic leaders, but common to peer two-year institutions across the Western United States. Together, this network’s participants seek solutions to these and other issues beyond the scope of a single institution, system, or state on behalf of Alliance-member institutions.
Alliance activities include:
- an annual meeting, a primary Western U.S. convening ground for senior academic leaders in this sector
- initiatives that address issues affecting higher education in critical niches, such as Interstate Passport
- the Academic Leaders Toolkit, a peer-reviewed repository for programs, initiatives, and best practices
- regular dialogue and problem-solving on innovations and best practices through Listservs and other means
