A Brief History of ICCET

The Illinois Council on Community Services and Continuing Education (ICCSCE) was formed in 1993 to provide community colleges with an organization that would benefit all areas of community and continuing education. A task force was formed consisting of continuing educators representing the following community colleges: McHenry County College, Elgin Community College, Rock Valley College, Prairie State College and Illinois Valley Community College. The task force reviewed information from the Michigan Council for Continuing Education and Training (MCCET) and modeled ICCSCE after the Michigan organization. Similarly, the task force conceived of the organization as a state affiliate of the national organization, the National Council of Community Services and Continuing Education.

The task force wrote the first by-laws for the organization and marketed ICCSCE to the 48 community colleges to solicit members. In 1997, the National Council on Community Services and Continuing Education voted to change its name to the National Council on Continuing Education and Training (NCCET). ICCSCE adopted the name, Illinois Council for Continuing Education and Training (ICCET) to reflect the name change of the national organization (NCCET).

In 1997, ICCET petitioned and was granted recognition as a commission of the Illinois Council for Community College Administrators (ICCCA). Continued development of identity within the Illinois Community College Board and the President’s Council was pursued. Visibility and recognition, both statewide and through the national organization, has been increasing each year.