Around AACC: Week of May 23

Potential Funding Cuts for AACC

Though final preparations are being made for this week’s commencement ceremonies at AACC, there is also a looming issue that is getting a lot of attention from students and staff.

Last week, the college sent a message to its community saying the county council is considering drastically cutting their annual funding request by 21%.

The following message, that was sent on behalf of AACC President Martha Smith and is now on their website, stated: “This is an extremely critical issue for our students and our college. Without this funding, we will be forced to raise tuition, cut programs or take other dramatic action that will negatively impact the college, the community at large and you!”

The website page also offers three sample emails to use when contacting members of the county council which, the message says, needs to be done by today. For more information, click here.

Commencement This Week

AACC’s "by invitation only" commencement ceremony takes place this Thursday, 7 p.m., on the athletic field. Graduation speaker is Nancy Grasmick, state superintendent of the Maryland Department of Education who is retiring June 30. Grasmick was appointed to the position in 1991 and is the longest serving appointed schools chief in the U.S.

The ceremony will be simulcast on cable TV Comcast and Millenium channels 95 and Verizon FIOS Channel 35 in Anne Arundel County. A reception following the ceremony will be held in the Student Union dining hall.

AACC Named to President's Honor Roll

For a fifth consecutive year, Anne Arundel Community College was named to the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The college was commended for its support of volunteering, service-learning and civic engagement.

Only 14 percent of colleges and universities across the country received this honor, and AACC was one of only two Maryland community colleges to receive the award.

Launched in 2006, the Honor Roll is the highest federal recognition a school can achieve for its commitment to service and civic engagement. According to an AACC press release, “honorees are chosen based on a series of selection factors, including percentage of student participation in service activities, scope and innovation of service projects, incentives for service and the extent to which the school offers academic service-learning courses.”

AACC students, faculty and staff devoted 12,282 hours to projects or organizations in the community last year, equivalent to $258,646, if the agencies had had to pay for the services.

“This award acknowledges our continued commitment to making a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and community,” said AACC President Martha A. Smith.