Challenges
A community college’s new President faced simultaneous upheaval: a 10% cut in state funding and the rollout of student-success initiatives. Faculty and staff resisted the changes, fueling public controversy and straining relationships with taxpayers, donors and business leaders. In addition, the college served a largely underserved population – 74% first-generation students, 70% part-time, nearly half minority and most working multiple jobs.

Solution
MCMC helped stabilize communications by crafting plain-language messaging for external audiences that emphasized fiscal responsibility and avoiding tuition and tax increases. For internal audiences, we equipped leaders with consistent, compassionate messages that acknowledged hardship, highlighted systemic approaches to poverty and reinforced the shared mission of “Loving Our Students to Success.”

Results
The community supported expense cuts over tax or tuition hikes. Faculty and staff rallied behind the student-centered vision, leading to measurable gains in graduation, retention and employability. The transformation culminated in national recognition when the college received the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence — the nation’s top honor for community colleges.