ECCC Gets Top National Ranking

East Central Community College in Decatur is once again nationally recognized for its success in providing a quality education.

ECCC is ranked the 23rd best community college in the nation, according to the Sept. 2013 edition of Washington Monthly, which included ECCC in its 2013 College Guide’s annual ranking of “America’s Top 50 Community Colleges.”

According to the publication, “…rankings are based entirely on measures of best educational practices and actual student success. Of the eight measures that determine each college’s rank, five are from the respected Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE)….colleges that connect with their students and challenge them to do a good work get particularly high marks. It’s also crucial to keep students on track to finish their degrees. That’s why this year’s rankings include three measures that are used by the Aspen Institute’s annual Prize for Community College Excellence: the percentage of new students who return for a second year; the percentage who graduate or transfer elsewhere within three years; the percentage of new students who return for a second year; and the overall ratio of credentials granted for every 100 students enrolled.”

ECCC President Dr. Billy Stewart expressed his appreciation to faculty and staff on receiving the national recognition in a campus-wide e-mail.

“I want to be the first to congratulate the entire East Central Community College family for this honor,” wrote Dr. Stewart. “While we will face many challenges in the years ahead as we strive to fulfill the commitments of 2020 Vision the EC Way – Excellence with Class, we are on our way to achieving our vision of being nationally recognized!”

Dr. Stewart also challenged the faculty and staff to reach even greater heights in providing a quality education for East Central students.

“Our faculty and staff will be encouraged by this great recognition, but they will also be motivated to continue to provide excellent learning opportunities for the students and communities we are called and blessed to serve,” said Dr. Stewart. “At East Central, we are all in the business of student success. Therefore, we will always strive to provide high quality educational and training programs and services that provide the greatest impact on the teaching and learning process.”

The Washington Monthly is a bimonthly, nonprofit magazine of United States politics and government based in Washington, D.C. Its annual college and university rankings began as a research report in 2005 and according to the publication, “We give high marks to institutions that enroll low-income students, help them graduate, and don’t charge them an arm and a leg to attend….Our rankings aim to identify institutions that are acting on behalf of the true public trust.”