Christopher Mullin named director for policy analysis at national association

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) has named Dr. Christopher M. Mullin as the first-ever policy analyst for the organization. The position is funded by a three-year grant from Lumina Foundation for Education.

Mullin's appointment as program director for policy analysis will significantly expand AACC's capacity to assess and contextualize public policy affecting student access and success. Among other objectives, his work is expected to support and inform the Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count initiative, a multi-year effort now active in 22 states aimed at improving student success through data-driven analysis.

Prior to joining AACC, Mullin's work and academic preparation focused on the ways state legislation and fiscal policy affect postsecondary education systems, with a specific focus on community colleges. He was a postdoctoral fellow at the Illinois Education Research Council, which is charged with providing policy research for the state's P-20 Council, and also worked as assistant research professor at Southern Illinois University. He holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Florida, a master's degree in education from Teachers College, Columbia University and a doctorate in higher education administration from the University of Florida.

AACC CEO George R. Boggs says that Mullin's work will advance the cause of community colleges across the nation. "The policy analyst position will give AACC new advantage to articulate the critical role our colleges are playing as they educate almost half of all U.S. undergraduates. We believe new and solid research will lead to greater understanding of and support for the challenging job the colleges do."

AACC's increased policy emphasis comes at a time when enrollments are surging dramatically at the nation's 1,200 two-year colleges, largely a by-product of a faltering economy. The colleges are receiving unprecedented attention and increased scrutiny for their role in delivering an educated citizenry and a competitive workforce. The Obama Administration has made the colleges a policy focal point through the proposed American Graduation Initiative, a $12 billion program aimed at educating an additional 5 million students over the next 10 years. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has also put community colleges in the spotlight through their multiple grant programs that seek to expand innovative remedial education programs and also double the numbers of individual achieving a postsecondary credential by age 26.

The American Association of Community Colleges represents more than 1,200 community, junior and technical colleges across the nation. Community colleges represent the largest and fastest growing sector of higher education, enrolling close to 12 million students each year.

Lumina Foundation for Education is committed to enrolling and graduating more students from college -- especially low-income students, students of color, first-generation students and adult learners. Our goal is to increase the percentage of Americans who hold high-quality degrees and credentials to 60 percent by 2025. Lumina pursues this goal in three ways: by identifying and supporting effective practice, through public policy advocacy, and by using our communications and convening power to build public will for change.

SOURCE American Association of Community Colleges