When new dormitory construction stalled for four years, 25 abandoned homes on campus at Jackson State University became host to activity negatively impacting neighbors, including St. Mark's Episcopal Church next door. Leaders began talking to congregants and neighbors and together, with other institutions of Working Together Jackson, are now demanding that in the absence of moving forward with the development, that at minimum the university foundation should pay for the demolition of the abandoned housing and replace it with green space.

Said Rev. Luther Ott of St. Marks, " "Those of us who live and work in inner cities know abandoned houses are not abandoned....It's only a matter of time until we're going to a funeral."

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The photo shows a lineup of COPS leaders at the ground-breaking ceremony for Palo Alto College. Pictured with shovels in hand are (from left) Helen Ayala, president of COPS; first student Elizabeth Aguilar-Villarreal; and Mary Segovia, chair of Southside college committee of COPS.

"At the first convention of Communities Organized for Public Service (COPS) in 1974, Fernando Rodriguez Jr. introduced a resolution to open a community college on the West Side or South Side. Berriozábal remembers the idea of such a college was a hard sell for local officials.

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Responding to David Brooks' assertion that the President's proposal to provide cost-free community college access is not enough, TMO leaders Rev. Kevin Collins, Mr. Franklin Olson and Mr. Bob Fleming offer initial agreement and the good news that the types of programs Brooks calls for already exist in Texas.

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When Alamo (Community) Colleges announced a decision to eliminate major designations from associate degrees last summer, AC students fought back. Simon Sanchez, from the Student Leadership Coalition asserted, "we are not victims." With the support of the Communities Organized for Public Service (COPS) and Metro Alliance, the organization reached out to hundreds of students, leveraging 595 signatures for a petition against the policy.

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As part of a long-term regional economic development strategy, Valley Interfaith Project leader Monica Dorcey testified at a Maricopa Community College District board meeting to support increasing local investment in the community colleges. "These community colleges are the best driver of economic development that we have," said Dorcey, who is also a member of the board of Arizona Career Pathways, a non-profit job-training program that has a partnership with the community colleges.

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