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Introducing the College Excellence in Student Engagement Award!

The new College Excellence in Student Engagement Award celebrates community and technical college teams that use CCCSE survey findings to improve the student experience. Whether your initiative is new, growing, or well established, we want to hear how your college turned student insights into action.

Colleges that have participated in an eligible CCSSE, SENSE, DESSE, or CCFSSE administration are invited to apply. Award recipients will be recognized at the 2027 CCCSE/NISOD Annual Conference, May 26–29 in Austin, Texas.

Showcase your college's impact! Apply by February 1, 2027.

Your Ideas Could Inspire What's Next!

What's working at your college? What new approaches are you exploring? Share your experiences, insights, and ideas at the 2027 CCCSE/NISOD Conference, Advancing the Student Experience: The Next Frontiers, May 26–29 in Austin, Texas!

We're looking for engaging, interactive presentations that connect student perspectives with practical approaches to improving teaching, student support, and success. Whether you're trying something new, building on a successful initiative, or learning from a work in progress, your experience could inspire meaningful change at another college.

With six conference tracks covering everything from teaching and dual enrollment to career pathways and student voice, there's a place for your ideas!

Don't miss your opportunity to present! Submit your proposal by January 20, 2027.

Your Next Leadership Chapter Starts Here

Advance your impact in higher education with UT Austin’s Executive Ed.D. in Higher Education Leadership Program. Designed for experienced professionals, the program helps you strengthen strategic leadership skills, connect research with practice, and drive institutional change while maintaining your full-time career.

Explore joining the cohort beginning June 2027 or nominate a colleague with strong leadership potential and a commitment to student success. Connect with our program team to learn more, discuss your goals, and plan your next steps toward a doctorate that prepares you to lead meaningful change.

Two hemispheres, two Indigenous peoples, one lesson: culture isn’t something that happened—it’s something that’s happening. In From the Arctic to Aotearoa: Bringing Sámi and Māori Indigenous Perspectives into the Community College Classroom, Eddie Supratman, Associate Professor of History & Religion at Arkansas State University-Beebe, shares how his travels from Sámi reindeer camps in the Arctic to Māori communities in Aotearoa New Zealand inspired a four-week Global Classroom Project that encourages students to learn from Indigenous voices, not just about them.

Where Faculty Experiences Diverge:

AI Training, Policy, and Practice

Faculty play a central role in how AI tools are introduced, explained, and used in courses. However, part-time and full-time faculty often experience different levels of access to training, information, and institutional support. Building on our September infographic comparing student and faculty perspectives, this new infographic uses 2025 CCFSSE data to highlight where faculty experiences diverge—particularly in awareness of AI training, participation in professional development, instructional practices, and clarity around institutional policy.

View other infographics that draw on national findings from CCCSE’s surveys and highlight parenting students, rural students, and ESL students.

To view past issues of NISODirect, click here.

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