Lead: Leaders of community colleges formally asked the Carnegie Classification project to withdraw a new Student Access and Earnings Classification after advocates said the system misrepresents two‑year institutions and could harm funding and reputation. What happened: Community college advocates delivered a petition and public statements urging Carnegie to halt the classification; Carnegie responded by defending its methodology while inviting dialogue. The dispute centers on how the new taxonomy measures access and labor‑market outcomes. Who’s involved: The Carnegie Classification team, community college systems, and national advocates for two‑year institutions. Sara Weissman’s reporting notes that community college leaders argue the measure could skew public perceptions and policy decisions that affect funding and program design. Why it matters: Classification systems inform research, rankings and policymaker decisions. If stakeholders reject the new taxonomy, institutions that serve a plurality of undergraduates risk misaligned accountability metrics and flawed comparisons that could influence state and federal support.