TC3 ties for first in digital community-college ranking

CNY Business Journal (1996+), Apr 13, 2007

DRYDEN - Tompkins Cortland Community College (TC3) tied for first place in the small-college category of a national survey identifying the top techsavvy community colleges in the country.

TC3 tied with Patrick Henry Community College of Martinsville, Va. in the category for colleges with fewer than 3,000 students. The Center for Digital Education, in conjunction with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), conducted the digital community-college survey. Nearly 200 community colleges across the country participated in the survey. Colleges were grouped into three categories based on student enrollment. The other two categories were midsized colleges with between 1,500 and 7,000 students, and large colleges with more than 7,000 students.

Community-college officials responded to a set of 24 multiple-choice questions and five narrative questions regarding online services and technology provisions offered to students, faculty, and communities. Colleges provided Web-site addresses and background data for final verification and validation.

"Once again, the community colleges are implementing innovative projects and programs with technology that are setting new standards for post-secondary education," said Marina Leight, vice president for education of the Center for Digital Education.

The survey is sponsored by AlcatelLucent. For a complete list of winners, visit the Center for Digital Education Web site at http://www.centerdigitaled.com. Awards will be presented to the winners at a reception on April 16 during the 87th annual AACC conference in Tampa, Fla.

The Center for Digital Education is a California-based membership organization that provides research and information on K-12 and higher-education technologies.

The AACC says it represents the nation's 1,202 accredited community, junior, and technical colleges. The colleges comprise the largest sector of higher education, serving 45 percent of U.S. undergraduates, an estimated 10 million students each year, according to the AACC.