Michael Horowitz’s Post

Yesterday's groundbreaking event for our new Chicago campus was truly inspiring as it marked the beginning of a new chapter for our System. The energy and excitement in the air were palpable as we marked the start of what promises to be a transformative journey for The Community Solution, The Chicago School, and the city of Chicago. This endeavor is reminiscent of our project in Wichita with Kansas Health Science University, which revitalized a quiet part of the downtown. With this new educational hub in the West Loop, we aim to bring economic growth and enhance Chicago's reputation as a center of innovation. Thank you to the state, local, and community leaders who joined us in celebrating this exciting moment. Together we are making an impact on the health of our communities!

Leanne was an invaluable member of our community. Among her many accomplishments was working with our colleges and universities to advance new degree programs and achieve accreditation milestones. She led academic assemblies that brought together faculty from across The Community Solution – a shining example of our core value of radical cooperation. Leanne’s enthusiasm and warm demeanor brought a sense of joy to the important work she did to enhance the academic experience of our students. We will miss her deeply, forever grateful for the incredible impact she had on our communities. In the coming weeks, a scholarship will be created in honor of her many contributions to higher education and commitment to academic innovation and student success. Donations can be made here: https://lnkd.in/gRhmZnBF

Today we hosted our Community Solution Quarterly Town Hall! Our leaders provided valuable insights and updates, including a State of the System presentation, a discussion on Kansas Health Science University by Tiffany Masson, Psy.D., and an overview of our new HR Zendesk Resources & Tools platform. What a great opportunity to come together as a community!

The Community Solution Education System is #hiring a Senior #Legal Counsel. Here is the link to apply (Note that the position is remote though we look for the attorney hired to be licensed in CA or IL writhing six months):

This is the right course for #StudentLoanForgiveness: incentivize #Completion (#HigherEd’s biggest problem & #PublicService via long-term cost reduction. “35,000 That’s how many people will have their federal student loans forgiven under the #PublicServiceLoanForgivenessProgram, or #PSLF”, the #USDepartmentofEducation said on Thursday.

This is an excellent short piece by Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) colleague Sharon B. DeVivo, Ed.D Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Board Member President and Chief Executive Officer Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology It is posted in the latest edition of Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) Accreditation Central newsletter and emphasizes the critical role of the #DEI standard in accreditation and the unique and powerful role our smaller #HigherEd institutions play. Great memories of Congresswoman #ShirleyChisholm from my NYC youth: EDUCATION IS THE ONLY REAL PASSPORT OUT OF POVERTY In mid-July, I visited the Shirley Chisholm exhibit at the Museum of the City of New York. She was a tireless advocate and used her voice to challenge the status quo. Chisholm was the first Black woman to serve in the New York State Assembly in the mid-60s, the first Black woman elected to Congress in the late 60s, and the first woman to run for President of the United States in 1972. During her time in Congress, she served on the Education and Labor Committee and certainly had issues of higher education come before her. She famously said, “Unless we start to fight and defeat the enemies of poverty and racism in our own country and make our talk of equality and opportunity ring true, we are exposed as hypocrites in the eyes of the world when we talk about making other people free.” To make progress, Chisholm believed that “…education is the only real passport out of poverty.” My hope is that Chisholm would see the progress in the required focus by accreditors, including CHEA, that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) be reflected in our institution’s decision-making. This commitment, even in the face of pushback from states, is a testament to our values. Accreditation is holding fast to the principle that we must be intentional in reflecting DEI in the development of our curricula, services and the allocation of resources. One of the reasons I belong to CHEA is its commitment to this requirement. As the accreditor of the accreditors, CHEA seeks to maintain high-quality education for every student while assuring the public of the value of standardized peer review. Small institutions like mine need the advocacy, independence, and representation that CHEA provides so that we can continue to serve the nation’s students well.

Excited to share that I’ve been appointed to the Board of Directors for the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)! Joining the CHEA Board is both an honor, and I’m looking forward to contributing to their mission of enhancing higher education accreditation and institutional advancement alongside fellow board members. Together, we’ll strive to uphold the values of quality and independence in higher education.

Thank you to my colleague Michael Alexander, president emeritus of Lasell University, for highlighting the success of our System in supporting small colleges and universities. In a time when small institutions across the country are having to close their doors, our model provides integrated, centralized services and opportunities for collaboration across our six institutions, ensuring their long-term success and sustainability.

Excited to share my contribution to the latest Forbes Nonprofit Council article on strategies for keeping overhead costs low! In the piece, I highlight the benefits of remote work, a practice we’ve embraced at The Community Solution Education System. By transitioning to remote and hybrid work models, we’ve significantly reduced expenses related to rent, utilities, and office maintenance. The benefits don’t stop there! Remote work has also allowed us to attract top talent from across the country, improving both employee satisfaction and overall well-being. Read the full article to discover more ways nonprofits can optimize their budgets without compromising on their mission. https://lnkd.in/g43RBqJV

At The Community Solution, we know firsthand the transformative power of a rebrand. Navigating our own rebranding journey last year, we understand the importance of involving key internal constituents in the process. By effectively communicating our vision and how our updated brand aligns with our identity and personality to internal stakeholders, we were able to effectively roll out our rebrand System-wide. Read the full article to discover more about guiding your nonprofit through a successful rebrand.  https://lnkd.in/g59cDC6p