For the past quarter century I have been one of those policy wonks trying to figure out how to judge whether a college is doing a good job. People who work at colleges, especially the faculty, tend to be annoyed by those of us who ask about effectiveness, because it seems like it should be obvious. The instructors have earned their bona fides in their disciplines. They have succeeded in attracting students. What more do I need to know?
Nowhere are the instructors more annoyed by the question than at community colleges, which tend to enroll the neediest of populations with the fewest resources. And I understand why: It seems almost insulting to ask them for an explanation of purpose, like asking a nun at an orphanage for a mission statement. But it is precisely because the needs are so great, and the resources
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It has a choice. Why does the community college do what it does? Why does it continue to do this year what it did last year? What evidence does it consider in making its …show more content…
What informs the decisions trustees make? What public purposes guide the president, faculty and staff in their daily activities? How would the trustees and the public know that the institution’s resources are strategically arrayed to achieve the goals? Colleges and faculty can too easily be accused of being knee-jerk protectors of the status quo. A robust, shared, operating vision for the college helps to make clear how the public interest, not personal interests, determine the steps that the college
In high school, students have the tendency to think that community college is something that is bad. In “Confessions Of A Girl Who Was ‘Too Smart For Community College’,” Chelsea Fagan talks about how in school, she had a hard time in school with her grades and how her school showed off kids that went to college on a bulletin board. She tried everything to avoid going to a community college. Only for the reason that there was a “stigma” on how community colleges are mostly frowned upon or even laughed at (Fagan). Being rejected from many colleges she then convinced herself that she was too smart to go to a community college. Later on she reluctantly went to community college expecting it to be terrible. She quickly realized that community college was a great place to be. Later on, this gave her opening to go to other places. She closes off with her stating how community college is a great place financially and also a great place to mature. In “Confessions Of A Girl Who Was ‘Too Smart For Community College,’” Chelsea Fagan’s simple structure and casual tone make it easy for a reader to understand her main point, and I agree with her concerns on the reproach of community college, but she never really explained why community college was great other than her thoughts on it being cheaper making her argument a little weak.
Students that choose to go to college are going “for a variety of good reasons, such as low cost, location, emphasis on teaching, and flexible class schedules” (page 330). Most students that attend four year universities are straight out of high school and living off of their mommy and daddy’s money and seem to have no bigger responsibility than barely getting stuff done to get by and to graduate. We, as older students, choose to go to a community college because we know that the teachers are more willing to help and we know that we have a better chance of graduating because of the above listed reasons. The amount of help we can get from our teachers is very crucial in passing classes and graduating.
Community colleges were once looked at as institutions only for those who could not get into the university, Trowbridge used the term “second-class academic institutions” to describe
Benefits of attending a community college as opposed to a traditional university tend to be overlooked by potential students. They are either unaware of its advantages or do not fully understand how this type of education can benefit their cause. Year after year large amounts of students choose to go straight from high school and in to four-year universities. The problem with this particular situations is that universities in general tend to have 50-400 students in one
The office I currently work in is the financial aid office at Central New Mexico Community College (CNM). CNM is a two-year institution. After reviewing the seven inventories, I have discovered that there is so much outside the financial aid office that takes place to insure student success. A common misconception is that all learning outcomes are the responsibility of faculty. All departments can use these principals across the institution. As stated by the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators [NASPA], (n.d.), “They are intended to shape how we think about our responsibilities, communicate our purposes to others, and engage students” (para. 14).
College: What is Was, Is and Should Be, by Andrew Delbanco takes both a historical and analytical approach to the evolution of higher education institutions in the United States. While thought provoking, some of his views balance on the verge of extremity. Many colleges provide students with the skills necessary for what is happening in society at that moment. This is exemplified in how the application process has changed from the earliest colleges to today. Also, when colleges were first introduced into society, students were recommended by members of society to attend a school, which is much different than the process today. Another aspect of what Delbanco discusses in his book is the disparity between a small liberal arts college and
The mission of a community college should have no limits because programs and student services has no limitation on what can and cannot be provided to the
The faculty is entrenched in their ways, and change causes ambiguity and uncertainty. Moreover, the faculty in the organization feel uncertain about the new concepts presented by Dr. Ball to the deans altering their salaries and evaluations (Bolman & Deal, 2013, p. 31). The proposed changes create competition and unrest among the faculty and will shatter the business-as-usual campus conduct and job security. The dean's and faculty are grasping at the symbolic frame, defending their beloved academic lifestyle (Bolman & Deal, 2013, p. 248). The secondary problem in this case is support from the deans of the incentive program that will restore Weston University prestigious reputation as set by the board and developed by the president.
The ideal purpose of a college education was not to become the greatest financial outlay for a parent or guardian. It’s basic mission was to challenge the minds of younger individuals but instead many are burdened with staggering loans from something that was meant essentially to benefit. It has become a common burden for a family to be in debt six figures behind college tuition and colleges are losing their primary purpose of challenging the mind of young individuals. The essay “Are Colleges Worth the Price of Admission?”, helps the reader to understand how colleges have lost their soul purpose of educating by listing colleges who reinforce the idea that colleges have lost track of their basic mission. These exceptions show the reader how other colleges could possibly be able to gain their purpose again through reformation. The writer cites colleges who have not lost their priority to help reform those who have.
Since there are four guided questions to help address the main research question. There will also be some subtopics to help us better understand the reasoning toward the altered mission of community colleges. First, I will discuss about the first community college founded in American history of higher education and its mission, the influences on community college mission during the Depression era, and the intention of community college mission after the World War II era. Second, I will report what I have found about the impact on community college to alter their institution from a 2 years institution to a 4 years institution. Third, I will discuss what the organizational culture was like today compared to the twentieth century. Lastly, I will examine some of the societal factors that impact the altered mission of community colleges.
There isn't anything more important to community colleges than the certainty that they can and should provide all qualified people who are looking to be accepted with admittance (Vaughan). The people of the community college represent forty-four percent of all undergraduates and forty-nine percent of students attending college for the first time (David). These students include a lot of minority students, students with a low social standing and the non-standard (age twenty-five and older) student who commonly enters college less academically equipped (David). Most community colleges have made immense advancement in reducing a lot of geographical and economic blockades that have in the past limited college admittance (David). Community
First, because executive compensation is so high in higher education, it leads the public to question whether pay is really based on performance. One-third of public university presidents now make more than $500,000 according to the Chronicle of Higher Education (Cheng 582). This leads to the common accusation that university presidents are paid like bureaucrats. Presidents of public university’s salaries may not be performance based because even though governing boards hire and fire or determine compensation, most presidents are held to certain objectives distinct to their university such as the wishes of faculty, community, students and alumni. Therefore presidents don’t usually have one clear objective. This makes it hard to evaluate performance because it must be based on each institution’s needs and data availability. There is no set of principles commonly agreed on and consistently used to evaluate performance. But rather, compensation in an earlier period is the strongest indicator for payment in a later period. (Cheng
Every community college plans for success by creating a vision and mission. The vision is the long-term goals of the college, and the mission is the work put in to attain that vision. The faculty completes the work that is put in everyday and is the most important piece in the college. To meet the vision of post-secondary educational success, the college will need professionals of the highest quality. For this reason, numerous studies have been done on the staff that fills the community colleges and how they are the core group that makes the college what it is. The faculty
They make sure that students are using their time wisely to pursue the degree they are seeking. They tried to increase the number of scholarship and research by putting money in faculty and infrastructure. Also, NC State attempts to address the major concern that is causing problems in the world by using people on campus with diverse perspectives. Throughout the campus, the resources keep improving each year to create a better environment. NC State has numerous partnerships throughout the world and the community such as the French business school SKEMA and providing community services to their students. For the resources, we have excellence professors and advisors that help their students to be successful in the future. There are other resources such as DH Hill library, Hunt library, tutoring center, and study aboard programs. I believe that our actions as a University speak differently than our words because there is such a diverse group of people that everyone is different and unique in their own ways. Not to mention, some of us do not know what NC State stands for or what resources we have on campus. I would like to know the percentage of the strategic plan that has been successful so far. Also, I would like to see a data that provides the information of the strategic plan each month if possible. I believe that the faculties had made a
In addition, we recommend that the CCC continue to monitor the new accrediting agency and make sure that collegiality and support exists between the agency and community colleges. We believe that programs can be evaluated in a number of ways, definitely through statistical data as far as completion rates (graduation, degrees etc.). I would not use these statistical findings as a punitive measure but as an informative way to build upon, evaluate and improve. Continuing the standard of excellence or what has been working if the data shows successful findings. You can also survey the students in the program as well as its faculty and staff. The ultimate goal being a positive outcome for the college and its