Former Louisiana Community and Technical College System President Walter G. Bumphus earned many plaudits for his tireless efforts to keep the college system afloat in the wake of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005. After a stint as chairman of the Department of Educational Administration at the University of Texas at Austin, Bumphus now faces a new set of challenges as president/CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges — the first African-American to hold the position.
Newly ascendant House Republican leaders have pledged to cut $100 billion in federal spending, which is certain to hit education hard. State and local governments across the nation are slashing higher education appropriations in response to unprecedented budget shortfalls. Now, the U.S. Department of Education is preparing to enact new “gainful employment” regulations aimed at cutting federal aid to for-profit colleges whose students default on their federal loans at persistently high levels. It’s a move that many experts predict could have a spillover effect on community colleges.
Diverse caught up with Bumphus in his second week on the job, and, though he was still unpacking, he laid out a series of plans and outlined a number of challenges he plans to tackle in coming months.
DI: What attracted you to this job?
WB: I never thought I would leave the University of Texas. But when I started to think about the opportunity to not only impact leaders but also to work with a talented group of college presidents, chancellors and others in this whole community college movement, it was an opportunity I really couldn’t pass up applying for. It’s such an honor and a privilege to be in this position at this time — the opportunities are immense. I think there are going to be some challenges out there, certainly, but I remain both excited and optimistic about the future of community colleges.
DI: What are your goals for AACC in the coming months?
