A Message From Our President

Happy Fall, PCACAC Community!

I hope that you are all hanging in there through what is always a very busy time of year. It’s hard to believe that we are already approaching the end of October!

Federal Government Shutdown
As the federal government shutdown continues, we recognize that many members of our association have been directly affected. Families who were already navigating financial challenges are now facing the additional hardship of lost income during this period. Federal funding sources that previously survived budget cuts are once again at risk, adding to the uncertainty. Although the FAFSA opened on schedule, the shutdown will undoubtedly have lasting impacts on processing and timelines throughout this cycle. Please know that we are closely monitoring developments in Washington D.C. and across our region, and we remain committed to supporting our members, students, and families until the shutdown concludes.

Special Interest Groups
A special note of appreciation goes out to our Special Interest Groups (SIGs) for all of the work they have done this fall. They have been on fire with their meetings, initiatives, and programming! We’re also excited to announce the launch of two new SIGs: the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander SIG and the Disabilities and Neurodiversity SIG. We encourage you to engage with all of our SIGS and take advantage of their upcoming opportunities.
Read More about all of our SIGs and their programming.

College Fair
On October 15, our College Fair Committee once again hosted a successful fall fair at Howard Community College. Families and students had the opportunity to connect with colleges and universities from across the country. A huge thank-you to fair chair Jodi Saunders, the leaders of the College Fair Committee, Chris Gothard (chair) and Hannah Wolff (vice chair), and all of the volunteers who made this event such a success.

PCACAC Procedure Manual
Over the summer, our Leadership Team dedicated significant time to revising the PCACAC Procedure Manual. The goal of this effort was to clarify policies, procedures, and timelines for organizational business, while also expanding documentation across key areas of our association. The updated manual was approved by the Executive Board at its October 1 meeting and is now available on the Bylaws and Governance page of the PCACAC website.

PCACAC Committee Fair: November 18
Please save the date of Tuesday, November 18 at 12:00 pm for our next PCACAC Committee Fair. Join us to learn more about joining a committee or serving in a leadership role.

Membership Renewal
Don’t forget to renew your PCACAC membership so you are eligible to join a committee! The time is now to renew! If help is needed, please send a message to [email protected].

Thank you for your continued commitment to supporting students during this busy season. We’re almost to the November 1 finish line—hang in there and keep up the great work!

Warm regards,

Rachel Cleaver
PCACAC President

Learn more about our committees and our leadership and check out the recently updated Board bios at the bottom of this page.

Upcoming Events:

• PCACAC is accepting Requests for Proposals for Summer Institute 2026, 2027 and 2028 from potential host colleges/universities.
• Latino College Enrollment Trends: October 23
• Disabilities and Neurodiversity SIG Coffee Break: October 24 - REGISTRATION REQUIRED
• Community College & Transfer Student SIG Kickoff Meeting: October 24
• Join us for the first meetup of the inaugural Asian American, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander SIG: October 27
• Independent Educational Consultant SIG Meeting: November 12, 2025, 11:00 am
• PCACAC Committee Fair: November 18, 2025 - 12:00 pm-1:00 pm