2017 AASCU Annual Report

AASCU in 2017 Thursday, February 22, 2018

Serving Our Members in Turbulent Times

To refer to 2017 as a challenging time for public higher education does not do justice to the myriad of complex issues AASCU addressed on behalf of its members. This report reflects AASCU’s leadership and advocacy; support of institutional commitments through work on student success, access and opportunity; commitment to building institutional leadership; and advancement of the distinctive mission of state colleges and universities.

The value of the best associations—and AASCU in particular—is found in the capacity to identify significant trends and issues that will affect membership, vision and values. Our tagline, Delivering America’s Promise, reflects our members’ mission and speaks to individuals, public higher education and American values. Nothing is more American than the promise of opportunity. The belief that the American Promise should be real for all Americans shapes the work of AASCU for and with its members.

2016 AASCU Annual Report

AASCU in 2016 Monday, April 3, 2017

2016—Opportunities for All

In 2016, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) forged ahead with efforts to meet our fundamental objective to ensure state colleges and universities (SCUs) around the country and their leaders get the adequate tools, information and support—financial and otherwise—to continue and to promote their provision of accessible quality higher education. Not the least of those efforts is the new national branding initiative Opportunities for All.

This AASCU-led initiative unifies SCUs nationwide in a concerted effort to grow public, lawmaker and business support and knowledge of the significant positive impacts—academic and socioeconomic— of state colleges and universities. As part of Opportunities for All, SCUs join forces to present cohesive and targeted messaging to their respective stakeholders—using strength in numbers to create more potent and effective communications. The resulting budgetary, legislative and emotional buy-in should advance key values of SCUs, including providing high-quality and attainable education to an increasingly diverse student body, and contributing to regional and state economic development.

The work we began this year within the Opportunities for All communications framework is ongoing, and we will continue to make the case to leadership at AASCU’s member schools to get involved, and pledge their support for this important higher education movement.

2015 AASCU Annual Report

AASCU in 2015 Wednesday, February 3, 2016

Leading in Extraordinary Times

There is no doubt that these are extraordinary times for public higher education. They require uncommon leadership. The value of the best associations—and AASCU in particular—is found in the capacity to identify significant trends and issues that will affect their membership, which is then followed by the foresight to develop programs and strategies to confront the corresponding challenges.

Student success, college affordability, improving access and opportunity, valuing state colleges and universities, building institutional leadership—these are among the issues AASCU addressed in 2015. This review of the Association’s accomplishments reflects AASCU’s leadership and advocacy on behalf of its members, its support of institutional commitments through its work on student success, access and opportunity, and its advancement of public higher education—especially the distinctive mission of state colleges and universities.

2014 AASCU Annual Report: Delivering America’s Promise

AASCU in 2014 Monday, February 2, 2015

Delivering America’s Promise

This review of the association’s accomplishments during 2014 reflects AASCU’s leadership and advocacy on behalf of its members, its support of these commitments through its work on access and opportunity, and its advancement of the public purpose of public higher education.

2013 AASCU Annual Report: Influencing American Public Higher Education

AASCU in 2013 Wednesday, January 1, 2014

The Public View of State Colleges and Universities

During 2013, AASCU undertook a number of important initiatives in support of its strategic plan and enhanced its work on several ongoing programs. Your association remains focused on its vision of being a transformative influence in American public higher education through advocacy, leadership and service.

2012 AASCU Annual Report: Delivering in Challenging Times

AASCU in 2012 Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Advocating for Our Members and Their Students

These are extraordinary times for public higher education. Our colleges and universities face great challenges. Working with our members, AASCU does an excellent job of capitalizing on these challenges through effective policy and program initiatives. We addressed significant issues during 2012, and a number of the highlights in this report reflect fulfillment of AASCU’s strategic plan goals.

2011 AASCU Annual Report: 50 Years of Advocacy, Leadership and Service

AASCU in 2011 Sunday, January 1, 2012

Leadership for Access and Success

One of the most substantive issues of the Congressional debate this year was the need to shore up the funding gap in the Pell Grant Program. Some savings were achieved when Congress completed the fiscal year 2011 funding process in April, but unfortunately, the funds were realized through the elimination of the year-round Pell Grant Program despite AASCU and its members’ efforts to protect the ability of students to receive a second Pell Grant during the academic year.

2010 AASCU Annual Report: Advocacy, Leadership and Service

AASCU in 2010 Monday, January 3, 2011

Advocating for Members and the Students They Serve

Passage of the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act (SAFRA) set the stage for significant changes to the current higher education financial aid process. The legislation required that any federal loan made on or after July 1, 2010 be issued through the federal government’s Direct Loan Program, ending the use of private lenders in the student loan origination process. AASCU provided assistance to member institutions during this transition. AASCU was also very involved through staff efforts, as well as significant member engagement, in securing additional funding for the Pell Grant Program in SAFRA. The legislation included a $36 billion investment in the Pell Grant Program over the next 10 years. This investment will provide for a maximum Pell Grant award of $5,550 until 2012; after 2012, the maximum award is projected to grow to $5,975, dependent on Congressional action.

2009 AASCU Annual Report: Delivering on Leadership and Service

AASCU in 2009 Friday, January 1, 2010

Advocacy Leadership for Members and Students

A new presidential administration’s efforts to resuscitate a faltering economy combined with a number of bold higher education proposals, resulted in an exceptionally busy 2009 related to federal actions that affected AASCU members.
Recently reauthorized and newly proposed programs signify a growing federal government role in facilitating college access, affordability and accountability. AASCU worked diligently to fully leverage public colleges and universities’ ability to contribute to President Obama’s goal of America’s once again having the highest proportion of citizens with a college degree by 2020.

2008 AASCU Annual Report: Delivering America’s Promise

AASCU in 2008 Thursday, January 1, 2009

The Leadership Association

There are many definitions of leadership. One particularly relevant to AASCU and its membership is “influencing to accomplish objectives.” And here, accomplishment is the key word.

Other association’s monitor and advocate on Capitol Hill. Other associations conduct studies and publish reports. Other associations meet with international groups and conduct national conferences. So does AASCU. But no other association has actually designed and lead programs over a significant period of time like AASCU’s programs in China. No other association has created a content program like the 1-2-1 program, now the largest Sino-US exchange program. No other presidential association has designed and developed a national civic engagement project or a technology program that brings presidents and their teams together—effective programs that are accomplishing association objectives. In other words, AASCU not only represents its members, it works with them and for them. The leadership association that works.