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:

• For academic year 20-21, a collaborative virtual meeting series with the Western Academic Leadership Forum (Forum)
• 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
• An annual face-to-face meeting (planned for 2022), a primary Western U.S. convening ground for senior academic leaders in this niche
• Regular dialogue and problem-solving on innovations and best practices through Listservs and other means