Competition is an Illusion: How Higher Ed Partnerships Can Increase Access to Online Learning – Sooner than Later

Competition is an Illusion: How Higher Ed Partnerships Can Increase Access to Online Learning – Sooner than Later

by | Apr 29, 2026 | Innovation, Outcomes and Accountability, Partner, Uncategorized

By Kate Smith, president of Rio Salado College, and Trevor Kubatzke, president of Lake Michigan College

The demand for online learning has surged in the last 5 years; however, many colleges are struggling to keep pace. According to a 2025 Changing Landscape of Online Education (CHLOE 10) Report and forbes.com analysis, nearly 9 in 10 colleges plan to expand online offerings but many do not have the technology, funding, faculty readiness, and other critical structures in place to make the transition fast enough to meet learner demands. 

Lake Michigan College (LMC) and Rio Salado College presidents came up with a solution that’s been working since 2022 – a partnership agreement that gives LMC students the option to complete some courses online with Rio Salado. 

The partnership, which is the first of its kind in the country, resulted from a conversation between LMC’s President Trevor A. Kubatzke and Rio Salado’s President Kate Smith during an Alliance for Innovation and Transformation conference a few years ago. 

The outcome — LMC was able to enhance its offerings and provide online learning options to its 3,300 students without the logistical barriers or expense of expanding instructional development, staffing courses, or integrating an online platform. 

LMC students enrolled in 174 Rio Salado class seats last academic year, which were previously unavailable to them in an online modality. 

“This is a model of mutual support, not competition,” said President Smith. “When students win – we all win.” 

LMC serves as the home institution, providing academic advising, enrollment support, and degree credit for courses completed through Rio Salado. LMC students pay in-district tuition rates, not out-of-state tuition. 

“At Lake Michigan College, our commitment is to remove every barrier that stands between our students and their goals,” said President Kubatzke. “This partnership with Rio Salado College does exactly that. By allowing our students to access specialized courses at our domestic tuition rate, we’re expanding what a Lake Michigan College education can look like without asking students to sacrifice affordability. This is what it means to put students first.” 

Current offerings include American Sign Language, French, Arabic, Chinese, and Insurance courses, as well as courses to complete an Advanced Certificate in Cybersecurity.

Students can access the expanded catalog through LMC’s advising process and seamlessly enroll in Rio Salado courses as part of their academic plan, supported by advisors at their home campus who help them navigate which courses transfer and apply toward graduation requirements. 

A streamlined payment processing structure supports a smooth transition for students, as does LMC’s robust Student Information System, which enables efficient data exchange and supports timely administrative processes. Equally important, is the consistent engagement of faculty and administration from both colleges, who are committed to working in a spirit of collaboration. 

The investment has paid off for both colleges, increasing enrollments and opportunities for new course offerings to meet other student interests. 

“Innovation at Rio Salado College has always been rooted in increasing access to higher learning and student success, especially by way of partnerships,” said President Smith. “Our growing partnership with Lake Michigan College demonstrates what’s possible when institutions lean into collaboration with a common goal. By sharing our online expertise and specialized courses, we’re not just expanding catalogs — we’re expanding opportunity. Together, we’re building a model where resources are maximized, and students are empowered to reach their goals in ways that fit their lives.”

 

Accreditation, Innovation and Modernization (AIM) Week One Negotiation Update

Accreditation, Innovation and Modernization (AIM) Week One Negotiation Update

by | Apr 27, 2026 | Policy, Uncategorized

The Department of Education’s proposed accreditation reforms represent a fundamental shift in federal oversight, moving from a compliance-driven model toward one focused on student outcomes, institutional value, and market competition.

At a high level, the administration asserts that the proposal would reduce regulatory burden, expand accreditor competition, and strengthen federal guardrails for legal compliance and consumer protection, while emphasizing program-level outcomes and return on investment.

Week One Negotiation Update

The first week of negotiated rulemaking underscored both the scope and complexity of the proposed changes.

Discussions were anchored in a 151 page draft regulatory text released by the Department earlier this month. By the end of the week, negotiators had worked through approximately two-thirds of the draft (97 pages), leaving substantial ground still to cover in the second week of negotiations scheduled for May 18 – 22

While the Department introduced some revisions in response to committee feedback, those changes were described as primarily structural rather than substantive, suggesting that little progress has been made on consensus. Key areas, including outcomes-based accountability, legal compliance expectations, and accreditor flexibility, continue to generate significant discussion and, in some cases, concern among negotiators.

 

Department Goals with the NPRM

  • Affordability and Efficiency:

    Expectations that institutions demonstrate cost-effectiveness and support credit mobility and lower-cost delivery models. Accreditors review the institution’s cost-benefit analysis of support services and facility operations/expansions.

  • Transparency and Consumer Protection:

    Enhanced disclosure requirements and stronger accountability for institutional integrity and Title IV fraud procedures.

  • Focus on Outcomes and Value:

    Increased emphasis on program-level outcomes, signaling a stronger federal focus on return on investment.

  • Less Process, More Flexibility:

    Streamlined accreditation requirements and fewer procedural constraints, with greater institutional flexibility to select or change accreditors.

  • More Competition in Accreditation:

    Expanded pathways for new accreditors and reduced barriers to switching, creating a more competitive and less geographically defined accreditation landscape.

  • Heightened Legal and Compliance Expectations:

    Integration of federal legal and constitutional compliance into accreditation standards, including nondiscrimination and First Amendment considerations.

Next Steps:

  • Second week of Negotations scheduled for May 18 – 22

Resources:

The Workforce Is the Classroom: How Colleges Must Redesign Learning for a Learner-First Economy

The Workforce Is the Classroom: How Colleges Must Redesign Learning for a Learner-First Economy

by | Apr 13, 2026 | Uncategorized, Working Learners

By Dr. Justin H. Lonon, Dallas College Chancellor

The Traditional Model Is No Longer Enough

The traditional classroom model is no longer enough to meet the demands of today’s workforce. 

At Dallas College, gone are the days of the classroom being confined to four walls. Students today need more than lectures and textbooks – they need real-world experience, industry connections, and confidence to lead. That’s why we’ve embedded workforce learning directly into our curriculum, transforming education into a launchpad for career success.

Dallas College sits at the intersection of education and industry, serving as a bridge to economic mobility for students and a workforce pipeline for employers. This guiding principle shapes every initiative we undertake. 

A Learner-First Workforce Model 

A learner-first workforce model means designing education around real-world application – where students don’t prepare for work, they do the work as part of their learning. 

From logistics and automation to entrepreneurship and health care, Dallas College students are solving real business challenges through hands-on projects, apprenticeships, and pitch competitions. By connecting education and industry, we ensure that students don’t just earn credentials; they gain the skills, confidence, and networks to thrive in a competitive job market.

Learning Through Real-World Experience 

At the inaugural Global Mission Summit, our students took center stage in the Global Mission Pitch Cup, presenting innovative solutions to real industry challenges while receiving mentorship from national business leaders. Similarly, our Start-Up Bootcamp equips students with the tools to launch and sustain businesses, fostering entrepreneurial thinking and leadership. 

These experiences are more than resume builders; they’re transformational. Students who engage in workplace learning are 25% more likely to secure full-time employment within six months of graduation. Paid internships boost first-year salaries by over $3,000 and significantly increase student confidence. 

Scaling Workforce-Aligned Learning

Since 2022, Dallas College has engaged 17,333 students in workplace learning, including:

  • 2,754 in clinicals
  • 6,069 in co-ops, internships, and practicums
  • 8,510 in apprenticeships

Through strategic partnerships with Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas and the Dallas Regional Chamber, we’ve launched 10 industry sector partnerships connecting students with employers in high-demand fields.

Our School of Manufacturing and Industrial Technology offers embedded co-op models and fast-track programs like FAME (Federation of Advanced Manufacturing Education) and SACA (Smart Automation Certification Alliance) certification, with 100% job placement. In Health Sciences, more than 4,300 students have participated in experiential learning supported by $5.7 million in federal funding. 

In our School of Education, 400 students have earned wages through paid work-based learning, including our K–12 teacher apprenticeship – the first of its kind in Texas.

These efforts have earned national recognition. Dallas College is the only Texas community college honored by the White House for scaling apprenticeships across 42 employer partnerships and 38 occupations.

Building the 22nd Century College

We’re proud of this progress, but we’re just getting started. Through our Outcomes Assessment Lab, we are tracking long-term job placement, wage growth, and employer satisfaction to ensure our graduates are not only hired but retained and thriving.

As we celebrate our 60th anniversary, we remain focused on building a 22nd Century College where every student earns a degree or credential, a network, and a clear path forward.

If we want a workforce that is ready to lead, we must design learning environments where students are already doing the work. At Dallas College, the workforce is the classroom, and that’s exactly the point.