Council for Christian Colleges and Universities facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Council for Christian Colleges and Universities

The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities headquarters in Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.
Abbreviation	CCCU
Formation	1976; 49 years ago (1976)
Type	Non-governmental organization
Headquarters	Washington, D.C., United States
Region served	21 countries
Membership	185

The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) is an international group of Christian colleges and universities. Its main office is in Washington, D.C., in the United States. This organization helps Christian schools work together and supports their goals.

History of CCCU

The CCCU started in 1976. Leaders from Christian colleges met in Washington, D.C. They wanted to create a new group. This group would speak for Christian colleges to the government and the public.

About 38 colleges joined the first meeting. The new group was first called the Coalition for Christian Colleges. In 1995, its name changed to the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities. Then, in 1999, it became the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. By 2023, the CCCU had 185 member schools in 21 different countries.

Who Leads the CCCU?

Meet the President

Since September 2014, Shirley V. Hoogstra has been the president of the CCCU. She is the first woman to hold this important role. Before joining the CCCU, she worked at Calvin University. There, she was the vice president for student life. She also helped with planning and communication for the university.

The Board of Directors

The CCCU has a board of 17 directors. Most of these directors are presidents of the member colleges. They help guide the organization. The current chair of the board is Dan Boone. He is also the president of Trevecca Nazarene University.

What the CCCU Does

Speaking Up for Christian Schools

The CCCU works to be a strong voice for Christian colleges. They talk to government leaders about things that affect these schools. This includes topics like helping students with money for college. They also discuss rules that affect higher education.

Helping Member Schools

The CCCU offers many programs and services. These are for leaders, teachers, and students at member schools. They hold yearly meetings for college presidents. They also have conferences for people who work in fundraising, marketing, and student enrollment.

Other services include online meetings and chances to get money for research. They also help schools share online courses. Members get a magazine called CCCU ADVANCE. They also get news updates and information about Christian higher education.

Study Programs Around the World

The CCCU runs special study programs for students. These are called CCCU GlobalEd. Students can study off-campus in different parts of the world. The first program, the American Studies Program, started in Washington, D.C. in the 1970s.

Over the years, many programs were added. These included programs in Nashville for music and Los Angeles for film studies. There were also international programs in places like Australia, Latin America, and Oxford, England. More than 14,500 students have joined these programs. They offer a unique learning experience. Some programs have changed or moved to other schools over time.

Joining the CCCU

Christian colleges and universities can become members of the CCCU. These schools are accredited. This means they meet certain quality standards. Their main goal is to offer education based on Christian beliefs. Most also teach a wide range of subjects like arts and sciences.

The CCCU wants to help these schools grow. They aim to connect learning and service with Christian teachings. Member schools are grouped into different types. These types depend on the school's focus and where it is located.

In 2016, the CCCU updated its membership rules. These rules help make sure member schools share similar values.

Governing Member Institutions

Governing members are schools that can vote in the CCCU. They must meet six main requirements:

• They must have a clear Christian mission.
• They need to be accredited and offer a full undergraduate program.
• They must cooperate with the CCCU and pay their dues.
• They need to show strong financial ethics.
• Their full-time teachers and leaders must be professing Christians.
• They must support the CCCU's goals, like caring for others and the environment.

Associate Member Institutions

Associate members meet most of the same rules as governing members. However, they might not offer a full undergraduate program. This means schools like Bible colleges or seminaries can be associate members.

Collaborative Partner Institutions

Collaborative partners meet some of the main rules for governing members. However, their policies on hiring staff or their specific advocacy goals might be different. These schools still want to join the CCCU's programs and partnerships.

International Affiliates

The CCCU also has many member colleges and universities outside the U.S. and Canada. There are over 30 of these international schools.

See also

In Spanish: Consejo de Colegios y Universidades Cristianas para niños