03/26/2012 Community College Receives Top Honor

MARCH 26, 2012

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VOLUME 22 • NUMBER 12

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Tenure & the Community Colleges

CCSSE Report

Budget Pressures

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® Editorial Board Publisher – José López-Isa Vice President & Chief Operating Officer – Orlando López-Isa

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The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® is a national magazine published 23 times a year. Dedicated to exploring issues related to Hispanics in higher education,The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® is published for the members of the higher education community. Editorial decisions are based on the editors’ judgment of the quality of the writing, the timeliness of the article, and the potential interest to the readers of The Hispanic Outlook Magazine®.

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Esquina E ditorial

“S

how me the money.” That’s an apt mantra for the community college in its newly minted status as defender and promoter of America’s competitive economic edge. Our two year colleges are perennially granted far less money per student than four year public institutions, they enroll large numbers of the less-prepared, and yet are often expected to be all things to all people.

So it was encouraging to read that President Obama is proposing a new $8 billion for career technical education. California’s CC Chancellor Jack Scott said it would be “a real shot in the arm” and that the state’s 112 community colleges “would stand a great chance” of winning some of the money, reports Bloomberg.

Still, considering that $8 billion is only twice the amount the top hedge fund manager in the country made in 2009, perhaps it’s not the largest investment the country could and should make in the workhorse of American higher ed. And then there is the question of whether both houses of Congress will say yes to that or any other proposal of President Obama.

Meanwhile, Education Secretary Arne Duncan is getting some bad press for sharing a conference stage with former DC schools chancellor Michelle Rhee while DC schools are being investigated for a possible cheating scandal during her reign. Often controversial, Rhee raised a lot of eyebrows when she invited a TV camera crew to film her firing a DC teacher.

A study by Harvard researchers claims that students at private for-profits, the fastest-growing higher ed sector, are “more likely to be unemployed and earn less in the six years after graduation than their peers at community colleges,” reports Janet Lorin of Bloomberg News. ¡Adelante!

Suzanne López-Isa Managing Editor

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w w w. h i s p a n i c o u t l o o k . c o m

Po lit i cal Beat

It’s Barack Obama, Stupid

by Carlos D. Conde

The

Republican presidential contenders are out on the hustings killing each other while the incumbent, Barack Obama, is comfortably taking it all in and telling his constituencies, particularly Latinos, that his re-election is practically in the bag.

It sounds a bit braggadocio, but it’s not that farfetched. The Republican contenders for their party’s nomination are doing such a good job tearing each other down in their primaries that there might be little left to argue about an Obama incumbency.

I know. You say the Republicans might be fighting like feral cats, but it makes for beautiful kittens when they come together to take on President Obama in November.

It all depends, of course, from which side you’re looking at this, but those cute little kittens are going to look awfully tattered.

I have witnessed or participated in national campaigns since the Kennedy/Nixon days, but I have never seen political preliminaries with so much pap that has turned the process into internecine scrimmages.

The Republican Party contenders for president are throwing punches from everywhere in every way with the objective to knock each other out, which is the intent in the primaries but sure to pollute the party’s nominee in the general election.

In the process, they are doing most of the preliminary work for Obama and the Democrats waiting to square off against the GOP candidate.

Obama might not be doing as well as we’d like running the nation’s affairs of state, but what’s to worry when Republicans with their inward politics are making him look good at his job.

At this juncture, it looks like Mitt Romney, who keeps bumbling along with political gaffes, is the best of a less than stellar GOP field, which, to paraphrase another bromide, has met the enemy and it is us.

Obama certainly thinks so when he considers Republican politics his path to a second term.

In an interview with the Latino national network, Univision, Obama said he’s looking forward to another four years in which he will take care of the issue that many Latinos supposedly have been yammering for, immigration reform.

“First of all ... my presidency is not over,” when asked why he had not gotten it done during his first term, as he said he would.

“I’ve another five years (sic) coming up. We’re going to get this done,” he said.

I would agree we are headed for another Obama tenure, considering the way things are developing with the current slate of Republican hopefuls – unless a celestial bolt rocks one of them into a possessed contender.

But getting it done with their political slugfest of “did too, did not” or by taking shelter among the various social deities that has characterized the GOP primaries, well, I don’t know.

The immigration issue plays well in this presidential election and suits the Obama politics since everyone knows that the Republicans are supposedly against accommodating the illegal popula-

tion, predominately Latino, a rhetoric that presumably energizes ethnic voters against them.

I have written ad nauseam about addressing the problem in a meaningful, palatable way that many consider unlikely to happen.

I have also said immigration is not the principal issue driving the Latino constituency today as advocacy groups claim – and it does not have Latinos voters waiting to pounce on any perfidious politico or party.

The Democrats and Obama nevertheless are milking it for all its worth, and it may well be pivotal to a second term he is so confident of winning.

Obama said Romney would reject the DREAM Act, which gives a pathway to citizenship to children here illegally if they attend college or join the military. Obama says he would modify it to apply only to the illegal Latino youth who join the military.

Other than the immigration argument, which is beginning to bore some people, Latinos included, there are no exclusive issues that define either party or that the GOP candidates have been able to capitalize and are making do with the generic problems like a wobbling economy, education reform and entitlement programs.

The confrontations in the Republican primary have also seized on the Mormon religion, Catholicism and Newt Gingrich’s infidelities.

The Latino vote is the vote in the 2012 elections, more than in 2008, and the Obama forces seem to know this better and appreciate it more than the Republicans.

Obama won 67 percent of the Latino vote in 2008 and with it the presidency, and he looks to do just as well or better in 2012.

Latino political organizations predict a record turnout of at least 12.2 million Latinos in the 2012 elections. The Latino vote will

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increase 26 percent from 2008 and account for almost 9 percent of the overall vote.

Latinos in the end gravitate toward the Democratic candidate, except for the interludes of Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and the Bushes, which showed they can tilt Republican when the Republicans seriously court them.

Currently, neither party has any Latino politician with rock-star status to provide some wattage at their national convention to promote the brotherhood and curry favor with a national ethnic audience.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has been selected as chairman of the Democratic National Convention in September in Charlotte, N.C. He could be a marquee attraction for some impressionable Latinos, but like Newt Gingrich, he comes with some messy extramarital baggage.

The Republicans have Latino governors Brian Sandoval of Nevada and Susana Martínez of New Mexico.

Martínez has been mentioned as a running mate largely because she is Latina and a woman.

Then there’s first-term GOP Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, attractive because he’s a young handsome Cuban-American from a rich electoral-vote state – but the freshman is still groping his way through Washington’s political corridors.

In the end, it is President Obama who has the bully pulpit and, already into his re-election bid, is using it well.

Carlos D. Conde, award-winning journalist and commentator, former Washington and foreign news correspondent, was an aide in the Nixon White House and worked on the political campaigns of George Bush Sr. To reply to this column, contact Cdconde@aol.com.

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MAGAZINE® MARCH 26, 2012

CONTENTS Community Colleges: Back to the Future?

8 Community Colleges for Hispanics by Mary Ann Cooper

Valencia College, No. 1 Nationwide, All About “Student Experience” by Michelle Adam

13

Tenure and America’s Community Colleges

16

by Frank DiMaria

The Community College Squeeze: High Expectations, 18 Less Funding and Students Pay More by Marilyn Gilroy Page 8

Key Findings of Latest CCSSE Report on Student Engagement a Mixed Bag by Angela Provitera McGlynn

21

Community Colleges Raising the Bar as HispanicServing Institutions by Jeff Simmons

24

Budget Pressures Leading to Students Being Closed 28 Out of Community College Courses by Gary M. Stern El Paso C.C.’s Early College High School an Award- 30 Winning Success by Jamaal Abdul-Alim

Online Articles

Page 21

Obama Pushes Colleges to Confront Growing Recession in Civic Learning by Peggy Sands Orchowski To view this and other select articles online, go to our website: www.HispanicOutlook.com.

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DEPARTMENTS Political Beat

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by Carlos D. Conde

It’s Barack Obama, Stupid

Scholars’ Corner

by Juan G. Berumen

Hi gh S cho o l For um

23 32

Is Community College the Right Choice?

by Mary Ann Cooper

FYI...FYI...FYI...

Hispanics on the Move

Interesting Reads Book Review

by Mary Ann Cooper

34

36 Page 24 37

37

Beyond the Latino World War II Hero – The Social and Political Legacy of a Generation

Targeting Higher Education California Community Colleges

by Gustavo A. Mellander (Online only)

Priming the Pump...

by Miquela Rivera

Back Cover

Contingency Planning an Essential Skill for College-Bound Latino Teens

Page 30

HO is also available in digital format; go to our website: www.HispanicOutlook.com.

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Cover photo courtesy of Valencia College

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RANKINGS

Community Colleges: W

by Mary Ann Cooper

Back to the Future?

hile other institutions of higher education can trace their origin and design to European models, the one uniquely American institution of learning is the community college. It was born in this country as a response to economic downturns not unlike the recession of 2008.

At the close of the 19th century, the Panic of 1894 occurred, tossing the nation into a financial depression that would only be exceeded by the Great Depression of 1929. Then, as now, financing of risky investments (this time speculative railroad expansion) fueled bank closings that caused panic. And that’s when the seeds of community colleges took root.

Baylor University president Rev. J. M. Carroll saw that poor economic times were causing Baptist colleges in Texas to flounder because of low enrollment and insufficient funding. Rather than close the Baptist colleges, he decided to turn them into two-year institutions that would feed students to Baylor University for their junior and senior years. It meant that these schools could remain open with fewer students and lower operating costs.

Before that, however, partially in response to the Panic of 1873, in the 1880s, Massachusetts created what were called Normal Schools as extensions of local high schools to provide a career path for women who wanted to be teachers. Then, as now, when economic times were tough, higher education found a way to train the workers of tomorrow – many of whom came from immigrant families or were immigrants themselves.

Not surprisingly, community college enrollment has jumped during the Recession of 2008 as students postpone entry into an anemic workforce to hone their skills and better their chances to land a good job. But community colleges are also now havens for those students who are not the traditional 18-22 age, but have gone back to school now because they’ve been squeezed out of the workplace by cutbacks and lack of skills. This trend toward more and more students of nontraditional age began in the mid2000s when the economy first showed signs of slowing down.

According to 2011 statistics from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), while students under the age of 21 represent 39 percent of community college populations, the average age of a community college student is now 28. Fifteen percent are over the age of 40, and 45 percent are 22 to 39. And of all community college students, 42 percent are first-generation.

This year’s lists of community colleges with the most Hispanic enrollment, degrees granted and faculty, compiled from data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics and its Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System database, suggest that community colleges are attracting minority and first-generation students on a grand scale to meet the challenges of a fragile economy.

This year, El Paso Community College (EPCC) performed an impressive hat trick, topping all three lists – enrollment, degree completions and Hispanic faculty and staff. While Laredo Community College (Texas) boasts higher percentages of Hispanics in enrollment, 96 percent, degrees granted, 95 percent, and Hispanic faculty and staff, 88 percent – EPCC’s record of 85 percent Hispanic enrollment, 86 percent degrees granted and 72

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percent Hispanic faculty and staff can’t be discounted.

Part of EPCC’s consistent success in attracting Hispanic students is its geography (bordering Mexico), but also significant is its diverse approach to academic preparation and its embrace of cutting-edge information technology and openness to career training.

EPCC offers more than 130 academic programs and more than 350 personal enrichment/continuing education courses. In addition to services that are now expected in community colleges, such as distance education, online courses and dual credit, EPCC offers unique learning opportunities that include Student Technology Services (a student-run technology training program), Early College High Schools (where students earn an associate degree at the same time they are earning a high school diploma) and a new state-of-the-art model for delivering K-Gray education (including a 3D holographic projection laboratory).

Dr. Ernst E. Roberts II, EPCC’s interim president, boasts, “Strong community partnerships, customized employer training and other workforce development initiatives make EPCC the leading provider of training for local area business and industry.”

One of the partnerships EPCC developed early on that contributes to its success is its association with Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count, a multiyear national initiative to help more community college students succeed. The initiative is particularly concerned about student groups that traditionally have faced significant barriers to success, including students of color and low-income students.

Achieving the Dream works on multiple fronts, including efforts at community colleges and in research, public engagement and public policy.

EPCC was in the first cohort of community colleges to participate in this initiative.

Schools like EPCC and others on the lists in this issue have demonstrated a willingness and ability to return to the initial mission of community colleges: to train leaders of tomorrow to not only pursue a four-year degree, but to stand alone and train two-year students for successful careers, and target minorities, the most vulnerable in tough economic times, to join their roster of students.

California leads the way in terms of attracting Hispanic enrollment, with 32 of its schools represented on that list. And the push is on in no less than 11 states, according to our list, to compete for the most Hispanic faculty and staff. And the schools on these lists are finding more and more ways and programs to ensure that Hispanics complete their studies and achieve an associate degree. Only five schools on that list granted associate degrees to less than 20 percent of their Hispanic students.

Finally, a word about Class 1, four-year schools, which have their own list of most associate degrees granted to their Hispanic students. The top 15 schools are from five states, with nine Florida schools, two Texas and New York schools and one Nevada and Illinois school. Miami Dade had the most Hispanic associate degree recipients by a large margin.

Community Colleges by Hispanic F u l l - Ti m e E n r o l l m e n t

RANK

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

INSTITUTION

STATE

El Paso Community College East Los Angeles College Houston Community College Mt. San Antonio College Lone Star College System Santa Ana College Central New Mexico Community College San Antonio College Valencia Community College Southwestern College San Jacinto Community College Pima Community College Cerritos College Austin Community College District Tarrant County College District Long Beach City College Pasadena City College Fresno City College Bakersfield College Santa Monica College Fullerton College Laredo Community College Chaffey College El Camino Community College District Rio Hondo College Riverside Community College Los Angeles City College Los Angeles Valley College CUNY/Borough of Manhattan Comm College College of the Canyons Palomar College Los Angeles Mission College Imperial Valley College Northwest Vista College Los Angeles Pierce College Northern Virginia Community College Reedley College San Bernardino Valley College San Diego City College College of the Sequoias CUNY/LaGuardia Community College New Mexico State University-Dona Ana Ventura College CUNY/Bronx Community College Citrus College City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright San Diego Mesa College City College of San Francisco San Joaquin Delta College Modesto Junior College

Source: 2010 ED/NCES

TX CA TX CA TX CA NM TX FL CA TX AZ CA TX TX CA CA CA CA CA CA TX CA CA CA CA CA CA NY CA CA CA CA TX CA VA CA CA CA CA NY NM CA NY CA IL CA CA CA CA

TOTAL

ENROLLMENT

HISPANIC ENROLLMENT

TOTAL

MEN

29,909 35,100 60,303 29,064 54,412 31,377 29,948 25,269 41,583 19,476 28,549 36,823 22,142 44,100 49,108 26,517 27,023 23,902 19,569 31,118 22,562 10,029 19,469 24,756 22,457 20,585 20,430 20,667 22,534 23,332 26,231 11,357 8,991 15,921 21,368 48,996 14,919 13,822 18,549 13,470 17,569 9,923 13,711 10,740 12,386 12,660 25,972 32,966 18,610 18,492

25,409 22,668 18,562 14,422 14,395 13,194 12,777 12,332 12,122 11,851 11,614 11,605 11,391 11,090 10,854 10,319 10,242 10,117 10,093 9,833 9,602 9,599 9,312 9,256 9,192 9,075 8,795 8,759 8,592 8,353 8,254 8,043 8,035 7,938 7,754 7,474 7,436 7,373 7,077 6,977 6,752 6,698 6,513 6,486 6,442 6,350 6,325 6,258 6,156 6,148

10,676 9,692 7,756 6,587 5,807 6,922 5,316 5,101 5,019 5,259 4,888 4,997 4,894 4,801 4,485 4,879 4,666 4,737 4,298 4,322 4,479 4,098 3,736 4,333 4,869 3,870 3,842 3,683 3,464 5,195 4,262 2,950 3,506 3,494 3,360 3,334 3,090 3,113 3,168 3,014 2,667 2,823 2,744 2,596 2,850 2,633 2,876 2,892 2,537 2,670

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WOMEN 14,733 12,976 10,806 7,835 8,588 6,272 7,461 7,231 7,103 6,592 6,726 6,608 6,497 6,289 6,369 5,440 5,576 5,380 5,795 5,511 5,123 5,501 5,576 4,923 4,323 5,205 4,953 5,076 5,128 3,158 3,992 5,093 4,529 4,444 4,394 4,140 4,346 4,260 3,909 3,963 4,085 3,875 3,769 3,890 3,592 3,717 3,449 3,366 3,619 3,478

O U T L O O K

%

85% 65% 31% 50% 26% 42% 43% 49% 29% 61% 41% 32% 51% 25% 22% 39% 38% 42% 52% 32% 43% 96% 48% 37% 41% 44% 43% 42% 38% 36% 31% 71% 89% 50% 36% 15% 50% 53% 38% 52% 38% 67% 48% 60% 52% 50% 24% 19% 33% 33%

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Community Colleges by Hispanic Faculty

RANK

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

INSTITUTION

STATE

El Paso Community College Houston Community College Lone Star College System Laredo Community College Central New Mexico Community College San Antonio College Austin Community College District Valencia Community College CUNY Hostos Community College CUNY LaGuardia Community College CUNY Bronx Community College St. Philip's College Southwestern College Tarrant County College District CUNY/Borough of Manhattan Comm College Mt. San Antonio College Palo Alto College Northwest Vista College Santa Ana College East Los Angeles College Hillsborough Community College Rio Hondo College New Mexico State University-Dona Ana Cerritos College Alamo Comm Coll District Central Office Fresno City College Pasadena City College Imperial Valley College Palomar College Long Beach City College Chaffey College CUNY Kingsborough Community College Suffolk County Community College Passaic County Community College Otero Junior College Reedley College Riverside Community College Luna Community College Portland Community College Citrus College Montgomery College City Coll of Chicago-Richard J Daley Coll Essex County College West Hills College Coalinga Triton College El Centro College CUNY/Queensborough Community College College of the Sequoias San Diego City College Elgin Community College Bakersfield College Glendale Community College

Source: 2010 ED/NCES

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TX TX TX TX NM TX TX FL NY NY NY TX CA TX NY CA TX TX CA CA FL CA NM CA TX CA CA CA CA CA CA NY NY NJ CO CA CA NM OR CA MD IL NJ CA IL TX NY CA CA IL CA CA

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TOTAL ENROLLMENT 3,010 6,272 7,032 902 2,141 1,573 3,383 2,834 989 2,104 1,418 998 1,328 3,380 2,429 1,842 694 969 1,308 1,168 2,542 829 809 1,111 429 1,473 1,468 527 1,590 1,508 1,133 2,135 2,849 1,065 406 823 1,015 254 4,273 766 2,750 624 1,102 287 1,296 1,023 1,664 738 1,024 1,096 817 1146

HISPANIC FACULTY TOTAL 2,168 933 886 794 616 607 550 473 457 450 403 400 388 380 373 372 370 363 359 355 338 321 311 287 281 264 258 247 245 234 210 209 198 197 190 188 185 180 177 171 168 166 164 162 160 160 158 157 156 155 151 151

MEN

930 410 346 400 278 250 265 195 209 189 208 186 152 175 169 170 159 169 151 175 142 128 134 116 104 106 125 122 119 97 67 106 76 92 35 75 89 83 69 83 70 70 45 27 80 51 74 63 67 69 51 73

WOMEN 1,238 523 540 394 338 357 285 278 248 261 195 214 236 205 204 202 211 194 208 180 196 193 177 171 177 158 133 125 126 137 143 103 122 105 155 113 96 97 108 88 98 96 119 135 80 109 84 94 89 86 100 78

%

72% 15% 13% 88% 29% 39% 16% 17% 46% 21% 28% 40% 29% 11% 15% 20% 53% 37% 27% 30% 13% 39% 38% 26% 66% 18% 18% 47% 15% 16% 19% 10% 7% 18% 47% 23% 18% 71% 4% 22% 6% 27% 15% 56% 12% 16% 9% 21% 15% 14% 19% 13%

Community Colleges for H i s p a n i c s A w a rd i n g A s s o c i a t e D e g r e e s ( 2 - Ye a r S c h o o l s , C l a s s 2 ) RANK

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

23.

24.

25.

26.

27.

28.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37.

38.

39.

40.

41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

48.

49.

50.

INSTITUTION

STATE

El Paso Community College Valencia Community College Riverside Community College San Joaquin Delta College Houston Community College Mt. San Antonio College Southwestern College San Jacinto Community College CUNY/Borough of Manhattan Comm College Lone Star College System East Los Angeles College Central New Mexico Community College Santa Ana College Pima Community College Del Mar College Laredo Community College Chaffey College Tarrant County College District San Antonio College Hillsborough Community College CUNY/LaGuardia Community College Palomar College Imperial Valley College Palo Alto College Rio Hondo College Walla Walla Community College CUNY/Bronx Community College Cerritos College Northern Virginia Community College New Mexico State University-Dona Ana Pasadena City College Fresno City College Ventura College Northwest Vista College Bergen Community College El Camino Community College District Skagit Valley College Nassau Community College Central Texas College College of the Sequoias Citrus College Bakersfield College Southwest Texas Junior College Oxnard College Mt. San Jacinto Community College District Santa Monica College CUNY/Hostos Community College Allan Hancock College Suffolk County Community College CUNY/Queensborough Community College Los Angeles Valley College Austin Community College District St. Philip's College

TX FL CA CA TX CA CA TX NY TX CA NM CA AZ TX TX CA TX TX FL NY CA CA TX CA WA NY CA VA NM CA CA CA TX NJ CA WA NY TX CA CA CA TX CA CA CA NY CA NY NY CA TX TX

TOTAL ENROLLMENT 3,117 6,303 2,577 3,418 3,285 1,901 1,129 2,142 2,513 3,036 1,070 1,579 1,316 2,170 1,110 623 1,398 3,284 1,271 2,615 1,717 1,734 570 821 757 571 870 1,014 3,852 752 1,649 1,369 953 972 1,867 1,295 502 2,577 2,472 834 959 962 453 486 1,475 1,409 582 891 2,680 1,388 870 1,369 695

TOTAL 2,666 1,470 1,029 890 790 735 707 690 683 675 668 654 641 636 626 589 576 570 545 522 513 506 491 489 469 469 468 460 455 454 453 437 430 415 413 402 402 385 384 377 375 372 356 351 349 346 331 329 329 324 316 310 310

Source: 2010 NCES IPEDS data for 2 year ( Class 2, as designated by NCES) schools granting associate degrees 0 3 / 2 6 / 2 0 1 2

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HISPANIC MEN

853 587 356 330 222 296 254 236 235 210 218 207 268 235 214 199 177 194 176 185 180 208 155 149 201 197 154 170 203 154 177 174 165 145 173 154 144 149 207 144 153 121 104 129 121 121 74 102 118 141 107 131 133

H I S P A N I C

WOMEN 1,813 883 673 560 568 439 453 454 448 465 450 447 373 401 412 390 399 376 369 337 333 298 336 340 268 272 314 290 252 300 276 263 265 270 240 248 258 236 177 233 222 251 252 222 228 225 257 227 211 183 209 179 177

O U T L O O K

%

86% 23% 40% 26% 24% 39% 63% 32% 27% 22% 62% 41% 49% 29% 56% 95% 41% 17% 43% 20% 30% 29% 86% 60% 62% 82% 54% 45% 12% 60% 27% 32% 45% 43% 22% 31% 80% 15% 16% 45% 39% 39% 79% 72% 24% 25% 57% 37% 12% 23% 36% 23% 45% 11

A

T O P 1 5 F o u r- Ye a r S c h o o l s ( C l a s s 1 ) A w a rd i n g A s s o c i a t e D e g r e e s

discussion of schools awarding the most associate degrees to Hispanics would not be complete without a nod to four-year schools that have continued to award an impressive number of these degrees to Hispanics. They have embraced this legacy, rather than focus their full attention on awarding bachelor’s and graduate degrees.

RANK

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

INSTITUTION

Miami Dade College South Texas College Broward College The University of Texas at Brownsville Keiser University-Ft. Lauderdale Palm Beach State College Monroe College-Main Campus College of Southern Nevada Santa Fe College Seminole State College of Florida Florida National College-Main Campus Edison State College Robert Morris University Illinois Indian River State College CUNY/New York City College of Technology

STATE FL TX FL TX FL FL NY NV FL FL FL FL IL FL NY

Source: 2010 NCES IPEDS data for 4 year (Class 1, as designated by NCES)

TOTAL

ENROLLMENT 9,090 1,828 4,903 1,021 3,162 3,245 955 1,801 2,952 2,004 316 1,876 931 1,886 933

TOTAL 5,893 1,703 1,409 927 723 648 516 339 337 311 283 269 245 225 211

HISPANIC MEN

2,272 563 526 264 200 230 144 124 153 119 85 105 69 81 95

WOMEN 3,621 1,140 883 663 523 418 372 215 184 192 198 164 176 144 116

%

65% 93% 29% 91% 23% 20% 54% 19% 11% 16% 90% 14% 26% 12% 23%

Think

Want

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Easy

Only

HispanicOutlook

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Fast

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COMMUNITY COLLEGES/LEADERSHIP

Valencia College, No. 1 Nationwide, All About “Student Experience”

T

by Michelle Adam

welve years ago, Dr. Sanford Shugart took the helm at Valencia College. This school of 70,000-plus students in Orlando, Fla., might have seemed like any other community college nationwide. But Shugart’s reason for being there, and the change this college was about to undergo, was anything but ordinary.

Shugart became president of Valencia College at a crucial time in its history. Before his arrival, the school had begun a process called “Campus Conversations” whereby individuals gathered at hundreds of meetings campuswide to determine how to renew their college culture and vision.

“When I arrived, I noticed about 150 people were deeply involved in this process of change, but they were at the margins of the institution. My job was to bring them into the center of the college,” explained Shugart.

“They created a fertile ground for change. The goal was to capture that energy for change and funnel it into systems for everything students experienced. It’s the reason I came here.”

That very reason became the push that Valencia needed to achieve top community college status. Last year the school was selected among 120 “top” colleges in the nation by Aspen Institute, an institute dedicated to annually honoring the best community college for its achievements in student performance and graduation, based on data collected by the U.S. Department of Education (This year was the first year for the prize). Valencia College received the Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, and $600,000, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., in the presence of such notables as second lady Jill Biden and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

“A lot of people have admired our work over the years, but we’ve taken everything in stride. Then, when Aspen selected us at first, we thought that was great,” said Shugart. “I didn’t know we were a winner, though, until everyone else knew in Washington, D.C. It was thrilling! We have big TV screens on our campuses and students gathered throughout campus cheering.”

What exactly made Valencia College stand out among all other community colleges this past year? What had Shugart and many others on his six campuses done to achieve such success?

Valencia’s achievements, recognized by Aspen Institute, have been numerous. First of all, more than half of the school’s full-time students graduate or transfer within three years of entering Valencia, a rate substantially higher than the national average (51 percent compared to 39 percent). Also, the college has experienced rising graduation rates among all students, including minorities, despite data showing an increasing number of students nationwide unprepared for college-level work and the U.S. dropping to 12th globally in the percentage of young adults with at least a bachelor’s degree.

These graduation successes have been especially evident among Hispanics and African-Americans, who, among other minorities, make up almost half of Valencia’s population (and many are low-income).

Graduation rates for college-ready Hispanic students have jumped from 38.7 percent to 45.5 percent in the past decade at the school, and from 15.4 percent to 44.3 percent for African-Americans during the same time period. These numbers compare to the national average of under 40 percent at most community colleges (Hispanics make up 41 percent of the school’s Osceola Campus, 27 percent of its East Campus, 23 percent of its West Campus and 19 percent of its Winter Park Campus.)

Beyond graduation rates, Aspen judges also recognized that Valencia graduates “are employed at rates higher than graduates from any of the other 10 Aspen Prize finalists. This is especially impressive given the region’s unusually high unemployment rate and low job growth rate.” (For example, 95 percent of Valencia’s Associate of Science and certificate graduates were placed in jobs, according to the latest data from FETPIP.) All of these accomplishments exist despite the fact that a large percentage of Valencia students arrive on campus in need of remedial work, and a significant number come from low-income households. These students adjust well to campus life. Two-thirds return for their second year of school, greatly increasing the odds of their graduation and postgraduation successes.

In addition to the Aspen Prize, Valencia has achieved other accolades.

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching named its ESL professor James May the 2011 Florida Professor of the Year. He was select-

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ed among 27 state professors to represent the most outstanding under- start a month later. Now even these students get a Right Start experience graduate instructors in the country. [with assessment, advising and orientation before class].”

In 2009, the college won the inaugural Leah Meyer Austin Institutional “We’ve created a lot of structure for incoming students, and we’ve given Student Success Leadership Award for helping minorities succeed. In real clarity about prerequisite courses,” said Shugart. “If a person doesn’t 2007, The New York Times named Valencia one of the nation’s leading place in college-level reading, most colleges will still allow students to take community colleges. In addition, Valencia was chosen in 2001 by Time a social studies course (which requires a lot of reading!). Out of fear of magazine as one of the nation’s best schools at helping first-year students losing enrollment, they don’t require prerequisite courses. But we do.” excel, and it is second in the number of associate degrees awarded to Students who need additional support during the beginning of college Hispanics nationwide (first for all students). also participate in the school’s Bridges to Success program. Through this For all of Valencia’s achievements, whether most recently or in the past program, about 500 disadvantaged high school students annually are 10 years, little has been accomplished without vision or effort. For every offered free tuition if they enroll in Valencia immediately after high school student success, there’s a program, an intention and a commitment that graduation, keep their grades up, and participate in Bridges activities. has made that possible. And much of this happened after Shugart took the Once students have been properly oriented and Valencia knows what courshelm and implemented grand changes. es they need to take, the next step is making sure they do well in their classes.

In 2000, he and his college created a strategy that listed the first of “We came to believe that the most powerful predictor of student graduseven goals as that of “Learning First.” ation was success on first attempt at the “The most important first idea was that first five classes. So we began to look at anyone can learn anything under the right gateway courses that had high failure and conditions. The key is finding with them withdrawal rates,” said Shugart. “We the right conditions for learning. We teach over 700 courses and reforming all needed to think about what conditions of them is a Herculean task. But 20 were right for every learner and create classes make up the front-door classes. those conditions and partner with the And we had at least five math courses learners, because they’re the ones that that were critical and had high failure create the conditions,” said the president. rates. Now we are having success here.”

“If what we did didn’t improve student While Shugart and his team deterlearning, we weren’t interested in it.” mined where gateway courses failed stuAs part of this first goal, Valencia dents, they had to take specific measures decided to ensure that every one of its to turn these courses around. This is 70,000-plus students had a “connection where the third strategic plan, “Learning and a direction” at the onset of their colby Design,” was enacted. “At that time, it lege life. The school had already developed meant we needed to continue to invest in Life Map, a program that touches upon lots and lots of faculty development that everything the students do once they enter is peer-driven,” said the president. “This school, but now could expand it further. meant widespread adoption of high“From their first contact with us until engagement teaching (teaching methods graduation,” said Shugart, “Life Map is a proven to be effective). It meant a lot less part of this. Before, a lot of students came lecture than before, and a lot more probDr. Sanford Shugart, president, Valencia College, and left without connecting with anyone lem-solving, clinical learning, group accepting Aspen Award or knowing why they were there to begin work and experimental work.” with. We needed to lead our students.”

According to Shugart, “A lot of colLaunched in 1998, Life Map was created to help students charter their leges underestimate the value of having a culture in their faculty that is own path through college to achieve career and life goals, through connec- learning centered – where my job teaching isn’t to cover the material, but tions with advisors, faculty, staff and interactive tools. This program to cause learning to occur. The faculty here really lead us on that and tell became a part of the school’s second major goal in its strategic planning: us what we need to do to keep practices going.” to “Start Right.”

Revamping gateway courses was only the beginning of an ongoing “Almost all of the failure begins for students at the front door. So, process of faculty development and improvement. Another important step where we needed to invest our energy was at the front door,” said Shugart. was developing assessment measures and gathering evidence of what stuThat front door begins with the enrollment process, one that Valencia dents had learned in a meaningful way. “We continue to look at evidence changed so it would improve student success in the long run. and see how to close the gaps that we see,” said Shugart.

“Most colleges drive decision-making around enrollment and maximizIn response to this evidence, Valencia has invested in supplemental ing enrollment, and not around student success. So we created a real instruction and rich tutorials. “For minority students, we’ve offered a lot of application deadline and enforced it. This gave time for students to be supplemental instruction (where peers take a course again in order to accessed, advised and oriented before their first class,” said the president. coach other students in how to be successful in it). We pay them a stipend.

“We did away with late registration, and now we don’t add a course once They are a coach to other students to make sure they show up every day, the class numbers have been met. The students who show up last minute help with studying, with taking tests, etc.,” said Shugart. “We have 7,000 to don’t succeed – they fail – so we created new Flex Start Classes, which 8,000 students doing this in gateway courses.”

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Valencia has also created learning in communities. A content area target high populations of Hispanics.” course is paired up with a student success course, and faculty integrate the When it comes to Hispanic recruitment, Morales has discovered it’s a content. This approach includes team teaching in which faculty work more true family affair. “We do find that with the recruitment of Hispanics in genclosely with students. eral, many of their family members are involved in the recruiting process.

When it came to changing classroom teaching, Valencia especially Students definitely rely on their family input, and when they come on camaddressed the needs of Hispanics and other minority students (one of pus they come with their families in larger rates than other ethnicities,” said Valencia’s campuses, Osceola, is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, with 41 Morales. “We have done bilingual presentations and provide parent nights. percent Hispanics on campus).

They need to know that college is an option for their child, because many “We want to be able to show success rates in gateway courses for times these parents don’t see it as an option. Many of them are low-income Hispanics, African-Americans, Asians and other minority groups. That students, and some of them don’t know financial aid is an option for them” meant when we were choosing criteria to implement change, we needed to and that Valencia College costs 40 percent less than a university tuition. look at these students first,” explained Shugart. “Many of these students These Hispanic, low-income, or first generation students do finally come from high-context cultures (especially Hispanics and African- embark on the Valencia experience, and achieve much more than they Americans), where learning in communities is especially impactful. So we could have imagined. They graduate with university options and often find chose strategies that would be effective for minority students.” work, thanks to the school’s excellent relationship with local industry.

Due to changes targeting minority students, Two Hispanic students, Kristian Ocasio and gaps between majority and minority students Pamela García, both graduated from Valencia have virtually disappeared in five of Valencia’s six and are currently working at local companies. gateway courses. Hispanics are the highest-perOcasio, who graduated with an associate degree forming group in two of these classes. “I am still in electronic engineering technologies in 2010, is not as encouraged as I’d like to be with Black currently working at Gooch and Housego, a commales, but with Hispanics and Black females, the pany that makes medical instruments for measuccess has been enormous,” said Shugart. suring light. García is now a laser technician for While diverse groups of students are graduatNorthrup Grumman after graduating in 2008. ing Valencia with two-year degrees in greater “Valencia gave me exactly what I needed. It numbers than ever before, many more are congave me the education I needed for the worktinuing their education at four-year-institutions. force,” said Ocasio, who joined the military Uniquely, students who graduate from this comafter high school so he could afford his college munity college are guaranteed entrance into the education. “The only reason I got hired was the University of Central Florida (UCF). They benefit fact that I got my education from Valencia and from an agreement called DirectConnect made in because of my military background. It shows I 2005 between Valencia and UCF, a highly selective have the discipline to learn the job.” university with a site on Valencia’s campus.

Ocasio expected Valencia to be like so many “We finally recognized that very few people colleges – a party center. But he was pleasantly wake up in the morning thinking, ‘I’d love to get surprised to find that students there were more an AA from Valencia.’ They really want a bachefocused on their classes. “The focus was on the lor’s degree. So we decided to be the best academic. And the teachers were great there. I bridge in the world and guarantee students get had one teacher who got me into the laser Pamela García, recent Valencia graduate, to the other side instead of trying to be the end field. He helped me step by step get the classes is now a laser technician and UCF student. all,” said Shugart.

I needed,” he said. “The counselors also made “Now Valencia is the largest producer of transfer students in the world, sure that whatever degree I had in mind, they’d help me create a degree and UCF is the largest receiver. We tell our students, ‘you will be admitted if plan. That way I didn’t miss a class or waste time.” you graduate from here.’”

García also graduated with the tools needed to work in the laser techBeyond higher education agreements, Valencia’s outreach and enroll- nology field. She moved to Florida from Puerto Rico during her high ment efforts in its surrounding communities are equally great. “We are high school years and chose to go to the Valencia because it was close to home. in terms of the number of students that enroll at Valencia, compared to Now she’s working and taking classes at UCF, thanks to the transfer agreethose that enroll at other colleges,” said Jessica Morales, director of transi- ment between her community college and the university. tion and enrollment services. “The 2010 Market Share Data show that for García and Ocasio are definite success stories from a school that has the entire service area, we get 31.2 percent of graduates. It’s huge!” graduated an increasing number of Hispanic students. But, as Shugart put Valencia goes into high schools and middle schools and begins by it, “There are no silver bullets in how this works. Many people ask us to “sending out the message that college is a possibility.” tell them three things that they can do that we have done. But that’s like “Our community has a lot of first-generation students and people who taking a palm tree from Florida and trying to replant it in Michigan.” have not received degrees for the workforce. So, our primary objective is The key to achieving these kinds of results requires much more comto increase enrollment to postsecondary education,” explained Morales. prehensive change and work. “We have had to change our culture, and “We work within Orange and Osceola counties, where there is a diverse now we have fostered a culture committed to student success,” said community. We have pockets of African-American populations, and within Shugart. “It’s about genuine learning. The college is about what the stuOsceola we have a higher Hispanic population. Most of the events we do dents experience, and that is all.”

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COMMUNITY COLLEGES/REPORTS

Tenure and America’s

A

merica’s colleges and universities have been moving slowly but steadily away from tenure over the past decade. Community colleges are no exception. The American Federation of Teachers reports that America’s community colleges have seen a 22 percent increase in the number of instructional staff between 1997 and 2007. During that 10-year span, the percentage of community college faculty that were full-time tenured or on a tenure track dropped from 21 percent to 18 percent while the contingent or adjunct faculty grew from 79 percent to 82 percent.

The U.S. Department of Education reported in the fall of 2009 that 16 percent of community college faculty members were employed full time with tenure or were on a tenure track, 16 per-

John Roueche, Ph.D., director and Sid W. Richardson Regents Chair in Community College Leadership, University of Texas-Austin

cent were full-time and not on tenure track, and a full 69 percent were part-time.

“The proportion of faculty off the tenure track has been growing in community colleges, as in other types of institutions, over the last several decades. For example, in 1993, 21 percent were tenured or tenure-track, 15 percent were full-time nontenure-track, and 64 percent were part-time,” says John W. Curtis, director of research and public policy at the American Association of University Professors (AAUP).

John Roueche, Ph.D., director and Sid W. Richardson Regents Chair in Community College Leadership, University of Texas-Austin, says that

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over the next five to 10 years the notion of tenure as a lifetime expectation is going to change dramatically as fewer and fewer schools will offer tenure – “because it locks in faculty for a long time and, given the great uncertainty of enrollment, it locks the organization down. For example, if you have a strong business program with a strong faculty locked in and all of a sudden enrollment drops, and people are moving into, say, allied health, you’re left with faculty that you have to either retool, retrain or you’ll have very low class sizes, which will threaten the financial stability of the institution,” says Roueche. Institutions are satisfied with hiring senior lecturers who are “at will” employees and will have an appointment for as long as there is a need for their services.

Community colleges are no exception.

Whether the move away from offering tenured positions affects the quality of the community college student’s education is up for debate. Curtis makes the same tenure argument that the AAUP has been making for nearly the past century.

Tenure, he says, first and foremost protects academic freedom and allows tenured faculty members to feel secure in the knowledge that they will not lose their jobs simply for raising a controversial issue in one of their classes or for challenging their students to perform at higher levels.

This academic freedom, according to Curtis, can expose students to new ideas and challenge them to do more than they thought might be possible, which is especially important for first-generation and low-income students who might not have benefited from resource-rich learning environments in their prior schooling.

Added job security means that tenure-track faculty are not constantly scrambling to negotiate and sign their next contract and have time to focus on their students. In addition, he argues, tenure allows professors to build stronger relationships with their students. “Because they are more likely to be in their positions longer for a longer period of time, tenured faculty members can develop a mentoring relationship with their students that goes beyond the confines of a single class,” says Curtis. “Since community colleges serve a larger proportion of first-generation and low-income students, it’s particularly important that their faculty members be given the full support they need to bring a first-rate educational experience to those students.”

Roueche, however, disagrees and says that whether or not a professor has tenure has little effect on the quality of a student’s education in America’s community colleges. At the dawn of the 20th century, tenure was necessary to protect free speech and the ability for faculty members to speak the truth as they see it, he says. But job 0 3 / 2 6 / 2 0 1 2

security is beyond question today.

“You’ve got the AAUP, the Civil Rights Commission; you’ve got all kinds of organizations that would intervene in a heartbeat if a faculty member was being dismissed for political reasons or ideological reasons,” says Roueche.

What differentiates community colleges from four-year institutions like Duke, UCLA and the University of Texas – all of which Roueche has taught at – is that these schools take tenure appointments very seriously. “Our college just went through tenure and promotion reviews and a number of our best and brightest young folks coming up for tenure were denied it, and they have to leave, whereas in the community college there is nowhere near the intense scrutiny and evaluation you find in division one major

Jean Goodnow, Ph.D., president of Delta College

research universities,” says Roueche.

Almost every professor hired by a community college that offers tenure eventually gets tenure, he says. In some ways, it is like a rite of passage.

“Tenure was never envisioned to be something that all employees qualify for; it was a way of identifying your best faculty, your best teachers and inviting them to be with you for the long run,” says Roueche.

There are a number of reasons why tenure appointments at community colleges are so rare.

Chief among them is a severe lack of resources.

When the American economy heads south, institutions have to determine how sustainable a system like tenure will be, given the uncertainty of

Community Colleges future resources. Community colleges have been through about seven or eight years of burgeoning enrollment while at the same time their financial resources have dwindled. “Almost all the growth in the last 10 years has been at community colleges as well as in the proprietary schools,” says Roueche. Yet state appropriations and local tax support of America’s community colleges has been woefully inadequate to support them.

“So you have more students and fewer and fewer resources with which to operate the institutions. So they have no choice but to hire more and more adjunct faculty members because they don’t have the resources to staff with full-time faculty,” says Roueche.

Community colleges have what Roueche calls a “mission impossible.” Open enrollment at community colleges means that their populations often comprise a large number of students who need more tutoring, more support, more counseling and more financial aid. Division one schools, on the other hand, have far fewer students with such needs. But they have more financial resources to carry out their mission, says Roueche.

Community colleges have the added mission of training their students to compete in the current workplace. As a result, the curriculum at community colleges is dynamic. Historically the role of America’s community colleges has been to offer job training for the careers that are most in demand, based on the economy. As jobs in manufacturing and textiles – once the backbone of the American economy – are shipped overseas and replaced with jobs in health care and pharmaceuticals, community colleges must modify their curriculum to offer the most current courses in these fields. Roueche says that community colleges must be leaner, more nimble and faster moving than the country’s major universities. And they stay that way by hiring adjuncts who are not on the tenure track.

But as tenure becomes less and less popular at American community colleges, there is one school moving in the opposite direction and bucking the trend. Delta College, a two-year institution in Michigan, has moved to make all of its full-time faculty positions either tenured or tenure-track. That means about 55 instructors at Delta have the option of replacing their one-year renewable contracts with tenure-track status.

Delta is a mid-sized community college that had an enrollment of 11,495 students in the fall of 2011 and 225 full-time faculty, 55 of whom have been off the tenure track. Jean Goodnow, Ph.D., president of Delta College, says that not many community colleges have a system of faculty rank/tenure like Delta’s, a practice that the school adopted as part of its early culture.

“We value our promotion and tenure system.

It is a part of our unique shared governance structure,” she says. To attain tenure, Delta professors must demonstrate evidence of professional growth, teaching effectiveness and collegiality. “I believe that our tenure process contributes to a culture of teaching and learning excellence,” says Goodnow.

Delta’s move to a tenure-track/tenure institution speaks to the core of the institution’s values and those of the academic enterprise, and is a visible demonstration of the administration’s commitment, respect and value of its full-time faculty, says Goodnow.

The word that best describes Delta’s move toward tenure is engagement. Goodnow calls the school’s decision to move to a tenure system a

John W. Curtis, director of research and public policy, American Association of University Professors (AAUP)

commitment to its students and a way to ensure that the school provides the best educational experience it can from an engaged and involved faculty.

Delta’s tenure system will allow its students greater access to professors who will be engaged both in and out of the classroom, she says.

Delta’s tenure-track faculty members participate in a rigorous peer evaluation-based tenure process. They write curriculum, serve on committees, are advisors in clubs and organizations and volunteer and participate in the school’s unique shared governance structure. “These engaged faculty members help to create an environment in which all students can connect with 0 3 / 2 6 / 2 0 1 2

by Frank DiMaria

the culture of our college and have a rewarding educational experience,” says Goodnow.

Aside from Delta’s 225 full-time faculty, the school also employs 324 part-time adjunct professors, without whom, Goodnow says, the school would not be able to serve the number of students it does. Delta has set up an office area dedicated to the support and development of its adjunct faculty. Delta adjuncts have access to office support, workspace, technology and the school’s Faculty Center for Teaching Excellence.

“We support professional development for our adjuncts through adjunct faculty grants, adjunct academy workshops, one-on-one assistance and through the availability of on-campus workshops that focus in the areas of pedagogy and technology.

Outstanding adjuncts are also recognized through a special achievement award at our employee recognition banquet each year. Adjuncts are an integral part of our college,” she says.

Goodnow insists that Delta’s decision to make all full-time faculty positions tenured and/or tenure-track will not affect the important role that the school’s adjunct faculty members play in the education of its students. The recent decision simply means a conversion of already existing full-time faculty positions. Converting full-time faculty positions to tenuretrack/tenured will result in no additional costs to the college, and Goodnow believes that this decision will enhance the school’s opportunity to recruit high-quality professors in the future.

“Our rigorous tenure process establishes the mutual expectations for the continued pursuit of excellence on the part of both the faculty member and the institution. I believe that this decision will positively affect the experience of our students,” she says.

Curtis agrees that offering tenure does enhance the ability of a college to attract and retain the most effective faculty members, especially since it also represents an institutional commitment to provide support for quality instruction and scholarship. He calls Delta’s move to offer tenure a step in the right direction and in line with a recommendation in AAUP’s 2010 report Tenure and Teaching-Intensive Appointments. However, he is still concerned that it does not address the situation of a much larger group – part-time faculty.

“We hope that the faculty and the administration can continue to work on policies that will improve working conditions and secure academic freedom for part-time faculty members, as well,” says Curtis. He says that Delta’s move to offer tenure proves that converting appointments to the tenure line does not have to be expensive, and it strengthens teaching and faculty stability, important goals that faculty and administrators share.

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The Community College Squeeze: and Students Pay More COMMUNITY COLLEGES

C

has not yielded the financial support needed to carry out the sector’s expanding roles. In reality, community colleges are doing more with less and are being forced to cut programs, cap enrollments and enact hiring freezes.

In addition, students and their families are paying a larger share of costs as tuition rises significantly in response to decreased state and local funding and increased headcounts. Higher education policymakers say tuition hikes could affect access and completion rates for students, especially Hispanics, who now enroll at record numbers in community colleges. Nationally, 50 percent of Hispanics start at a community college, and many come from low-income families.

ommunity colleges are touted as the gateway for the educational aspirations of millions as well as the key to the country’s economic future and college completion agenda. Indeed, they are the place in which the majority of lowincome and first-generation students enroll, and they have become the centers for retooling older workers and the unemployed.

Two-year schools also have retained their original mission of providing career programs and transfer opportunities for those who want to begin their education at a community college before continuing on for a bachelor’s degree. As a result of these multiple functions, community colleges have emerged as a primary piece of the education marketplace. In fall 2011, community colleges enrolled more than eight million students, a 21.8 percent increase since fall 2007, according to the latest report from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).

But ironically, praise from politicians and the media extolling the value of community colleges

Enrollments Rise, Budgets Shrink Despite all of their successes, public twoyear colleges, now the single biggest higher education sector nationwide, have had their funding slashed by state and local governments. This has put huge strains on campuses across the country

Budget Cuts, 2009-2011 percentage of community college presidents

100

reporting budget cuts, winter 2009-2011

2009

90

2010

2011

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Metropolitan ALL INSTITUTIONS LOCATION

Rural

under 1K

1-5K

Source: Kenneth C. Green, The Campus Computing Project, 2011

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HEADCOUNT ENROLLMENT

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and forced tuition prices to rise much faster than family incomes. According to the College Board, tuition and fees at public two-year colleges this year averaged $2,963, which is 8.7 percent higher than in 2010-11. And financial aid programs, such as Pell Grants, have not kept pace with these growing costs.

While students are forced to absorb increases in the cost of higher education, community college leaders are finding that doing more with less has become the norm.

A study conducted by the Campus Computing Project for AACC, the 2011 Community Colleges and the Economy Survey, revealed that more than two-thirds of campus presidents experienced increases in headcounts coupled with operating budgets that were cut 5 percent or more. Many presidents reported double-digit cuts that have led to significant reductions in budgets for operational and instructional resources.

“These data document the continuing challenges that confront the nation’s community colleges,” says Walter G. Bumphus, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges. “During the current economic downturn, the nation’s community colleges have been called upon to serve many more students and to do so with significantly less resources.”

And there is no end in sight. Almost all states continue to reduce appropriations for higher education. The California community college system, with its 112 campuses and more than 2.6 million students, is among the hardest hit. It was forced to turn away 140,000 students in 2009-10 due to capacity problems. This year, the system had its $5.9 billion budget cut by $502 million. Officials say more cuts could come with Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed budget for fiscal 2012-13. The cost of attending community college in the state has increased 77 percent in the last decade, even as programs and services decline.

“Where students are really going to feel the impact of the continuous reductions in state

High Expectations, Less Funding

by Marilyn Gilroy funding is in the area of student support services,” said system Chancellor Jack Scott. “Most of our campuses have fewer part-time faculty, counselors, advisors, tutors, financial aid officers and others that are critical to helping our students accomplish their educational goals.”

Without adequate support and guidance, it will be much more difficult for many students to graduate, transfer, earn a degree or get job training in a timely manner, said Scott.

Additional impacts that will be felt by students include course section reductions ranging from 5 percent to 15 percent, longer wait lists, average class sizes increasing from 29 to 31 students, transfer and career centers that are open only during parts of the academic year, and reduced access and response time on accommodations requests for students with disabilities.

Other community college leaders also are feeling the pinch and seeing similar effects as demand outstrips resources.

Stephen Scott, president of Wake Technical Community College in North Carolina, recently discussed the impact of state funding trends on campus.

“Our funding per student has been cut 25 percent in the last three years,” he said in a New York Times interview.

Scott said the reductions have led to an increase in class size and a waiting list of 6,000 students because the college does not have the resources to offer more courses.

The effect of the economic downturn on community colleges was documented in a report released last year by the Delta Project on Postsecondary Education Costs, Productivity and Accountability.

The report – Trends in College Spending 1999-2009: Where Does the Money Come From? Where Does It Go? What Does It Buy? – examines national college spending and revenue trends in the years leading up to and including the beginning of the current recession. The authors analyzed the relation between tuition and state funding, showing that tuition increases

The Competitive Environment percentage of presidents who agree/strongly agree

100

2009

2010

2011

90

• Continuing pressures from forprofits, plus state pressure to consolidate and collaborate

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Increased Under Pressure Under Pressure Developing New Programs to Competition from from State to from State to For-Profit Generate New Consolidate Develop Colleges Revenues Programs Collaborative Programs

• Presidents searching for new sources of revenue

Source: Kenneth C. Green, The Campus Computing Project, 2011

were entirely fueled by revenue shifts, rather than increases in spending. The report says budgets have eroded and community colleges saw absolute declines in spending, down by nearly 2.5 percent per student in 2009.

“Community colleges bore the brunt of the downturn in higher education spending in 2009,” states the report, adding that the sector suffered across-the-board cuts in nearly all categories.

The reductions have continued for the past two years as public revenues lag and federal stimulus funds that were allocated have been spent. Meanwhile, community colleges have shouldered most of the increase in higher education enrollments over this same period.

But when current dollars are adjusted for inflation, they now have no more money to spend toward educating each student than they did 10 years ago.

Consequently, students are paying a greater

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share of the costs. Most community colleges have had no choice but to shift the bill for payment of higher education to students. This means tuition is becoming the largest source of revenue in many community college budgets. St. Charles Community College in Missouri is typical: tuition now accounts for 43 percent of revenue compare to 36 percent two years ago.

Tuition Increases Could Affect Access The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education recently issued a policy alert raising concerns about college affordability, particularly as it impacts minorities who often start in community colleges and then transfer to complete a bachelor’s degree. Many areas of the country have large concentrations of minority populations and first-generation students, so it is critical to keep the community college pathway open and affordable. States such as Arizona, in which more than two-thirds of Hispanic students

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are enrolled in community colleges, and Illinois, in which 65 percent of Hispanic students attend community colleges, are clearly the entry point for transfer and degree completion.

As the center’s 2011 policy brief states: “Raising the rates of educational attainment of students from these racial and ethnic groups is central to the larger objective of maintaining a well-educated population and workforce.

Because these students begin higher education at a community college, ensuring an affordable and efficient path for those who aspire to a baccalaureate degree or higher must be a key goal for state higher education policy.”

Many fear that rising college costs and stagnant incomes will put college out of reach for Hispanics who on average spend a greater share of median household income on higher education than non-Hispanic White families. The advocacy group League of United Latin American Citizens contends that rising college tuition and cuts in student aid will force thousand of Hispanic students to forego higher education or drop out because they can no longer afford it.

Students have been fighting the cuts and tuition increases at rallies in various states. Last year, students from Connecticut’s community colleges demonstrated at the state’s capitol when the Legislature proposed cutting $36 million over a two-year period from community college budgets. The cuts would have meant double-digit tuition increases, reduction in faculty and loss of about 716 classes. Many of the demonstrators were younger students who feared their upperlevel courses required for graduation would not be available. But there were also older students such as Ramón Birones, 44, who went back to school to pursue a nursing degree.

“This is a gateway for second chance older

students,” Birones told the Norwich Bulletin of Connecticut. “Without community college, I wouldn’t have been able to afford to go back.”

In a political compromise, the cuts were ultimately reduced to $13.2 million for the next two years. That still left college administrators facing budget deficits and considering a possible end to the open admissions policies because they can no longer accommodate the growing enrollment. Connecticut community colleges have experienced a 50 percent enrollment increase since 1998.

Similar rallies occurred last year in state capitols of Washington, Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as on individual community college campuses. Despite the protests, many colleges were still handed reduced funding, forcing administrators and governing boards to raise revenues through tuition increases, often double-digit ones, as was the case in California.

A 2011 survey of state directors of community colleges by the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama concludes that “tuition increases remain the predominant method by which public access institutions make up for shortfalls in state appropriations for budgets.”

The report Access and Funding in Public Higher Education – the 2011 National Survey also documented the squeeze on students and their families, especially first-generation students, who now need more loans to cover the cost of education.

Coping with the Squeeze Presidents, chancellors and state directors of community colleges interviewed for both the University of Alabama report and the AACC survey were asked about strategies for dealing with the current economic setbacks and rising enrollment. While there were regional differences,

some of the more common responses included: Capping enrollment – states with the fastestgrowing enrollment, including Louisiana, Virginia, North Carolina, Washington and California, are more likely to have current capacity problems and already have capped enrollment or might have to do so in the coming years.

Continuing to add online courses – fourfifths (82 percent) of the presidents in the AACC survey reported rising enrollments in online courses at their institutions. Similarly, 46 percent of presidents report rising enrollments in online degree programs and 39 percent cite enrollment gains in online certificate programs over the past year.

Developing programs – CEOs report pressure from states to develop collaborative programs or consolidate existing programs. But a vast majority (93 percent) in the AACC survey also report that their institutions are developing new programs that will generate additional revenues.

Charging differential tuition – many institutions already tack on high fees for programs that are more costly to run, such has health care, engineering and information technology.

These programs often have low student-teacher ratios and need expensive facilities and equipment for training. Now colleges are charging a 10 percent to 30 percent tuition premium for these programs. Aims Community College in Colorado charges $67 per credit general tuition but $118 for fire science and $128 for radiologic tech and aviation.

Delaying capital expenditures, renovations and new construction – Presidents in both surveys identified facilities funding, often one of the first items to be eliminated during budget cuts, as a significant challenge and major contributor to the capacity problem.

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COMMUNITY COLLEGES/REPORTS

Key Findings of Latest Report on Student Engagement a Mixed Bag

“N

by Angela Provitera McGlynn ow is the time to build a firmer, stronger foundation for growth that will not only withstand future economic storms, but one that helps us thrive and compete in a global economy. It is time to reform our community colleges so that they provide Americans of all ages a chance to learn the skills and knowledge necessary to compete for the jobs of the future.” Those were President Obama’s words at The White House Summit on Community Colleges held in 2010. They build on his American Graduation Initiative presented in July 2009.

Community colleges must meet new challenges to fulfill their missions. There are increased expectations for quality, performance and accountability demanded not only by the general public but also by governing boards, state and federal government agencies, and accrediting organizations.

The Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) was developed in 2001 to help community colleges meet their challenges.

CCSSE was a project of the Community College Leadership Program at the University of Texas-Austin and partners with NSSE, a survey instrument established in 1998 that focuses on four-year colleges and universities.

NSSE, directed by Alexander McCormick and housed at Indiana University, originated in response to concerns about the quality of higher education in America, especially in terms of student learning.

Student engagement, that is, the amount of time and energy students invest in meaningful educational practices, has been found by researchers to be the essential ingredient for college success. Assessing student engagement involves delving into students’ relationships with college faculty and staff, with other students, and with subject matter.

The latest student essays representing students from across the nation in an essay competition administered by Community College Week and NISOD 2010 show the importance of faculty dedication in promoting student success. The common thread through students’ essays is that they attribute their academic success to instructors who made them believe in themselves, instilling confidence. The winning essays are compelling narratives; “Hear Their Voices” can be found in the Dec. 12, 2011, issue of Community College Week.

Student engagement seems to be closely aligned with “sense of belonging.” Research shows higher retention and graduation rates for students who experience a sense of community at their institution. The higher the levels of student engagement, the more likely students are to learn and to be successful in college as measured by graduation rates.

A decade of survey material provides information about best practices in community colleges. More and more community colleges rely on CCSSE data to promote improvements in student learning and student persistence at their institutions. The goal of CCSSE is to inform decision making at

community colleges so as to improve learning and retention; the survey attempts to assess student engagement as a measure of institutional quality.

The director of the Center for Community College Student Engagement, Kay McClenney, in a November 2010 news release, said: “While summits are clearly important, policy papers are critical, and changes in institutional culture are fundamental, graduation rates simply will not increase unless we attend with equal urgency to what goes on between teachers and their students.”

The CCSSE survey asks students questions that assess institutional practices and their own student behaviors that are highly correlated with student learning and retention. A versatile research instrument, CCSSE has multiple purposes. It is used as a benchmarking instrument, a tool that establishes national norms on educational practice and performance by community and technical colleges. It is also used as a diagnostic tool, identifying areas in a college that can enhance students’ engagement and educational experiences. Thirdly, CCSSE can be used as a monitoring device, documenting and enhancing institutional effectiveness over time.

The latest report, known as 2011 CCSSE Cohort, is based on a threeyear cohort running from 2009 through 2011, using data from 699 institutions in 48 states and the District of Columbia, five Canadian provinces, Bermuda and the Mariana Islands. The institutions range from small community colleges serving fewer than 4,500 students through extralarge institutions that serve upwards of 15,000. Participating community colleges also represent urban, suburban and rural settings. The 2011 results are based on close to half a million surveys – 443,818 usable surveys, to be precise.

The established CCSSE benchmarks emphasize institutional practices and student behaviors that promote student engagement – practices and behaviors that are positively correlated with student learning and persistence. The five benchmarks include: Active and Collaborative Learning, Student Effort, Academic Challenge, Student-Faculty Interaction, and Support for Learners.

Key findings from CCSSE 2011 respondents reflect some good news and some bad news. On the positive side, the majority of students report that they often, or very often contribute to class discussions (65 percent).

Seventy-one percent say they have made a class presentation. Almost half (48 percent) say they have worked with other students during class often or very often, and another 40 percent say they have done so at least sometimes. Half of the respondents say they have discussed ideas from class or their reading assignments outside of class often or very often, and 38 percent say they have done so at least sometimes.

The not-so-good news is that much smaller numbers of students report working with other students outside of class or in their communities. Less

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than a quarter of community college students (23 percent) say they have worked with classmates outside of class often or very often to prepare for class assignments. Nearly three-quarters of community college respondents (73 percent) say they have never tutored or taught other students, a finding that is disheartening given the research showing that teaching someone else what you know is an effective learning and retention strategy.

More not-so-good news: More than three-quarters of respondents (77 percent) say they have never participated in a community-based project as part of a regular course.

Another benchmark involves student behavior – time on task – how much effort do students put into their own academic success? This can be assessed by analyzing responses regarding completing reading assignments, working on papers and doing multiple drafts before submitting them, utilizing peer or other tutoring services, using skill laboratories, using computer labs, and doing additional pleasure reading. Lastly, how many hours do students spend preparing for class by studying, reading, writing, rehearsing, or doing other relevant activities related to their programs of study?

The key findings are once again a mixed bag. On the positive side, 62 percent of respondents say they often or very often work on a paper or project that requires integrating ideas or information from various sources, and half say they often or very often prepare two or more drafts of a paper before submitting it. The flip side of that coin is that 20 percent never do more than one draft of a paper.

It is promising to note that nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of respondents say they use a computer lab sometimes or often.

But when it comes to measurements of student effort, many of the key findings are discouraging: • Only 34 percent of student respondents never come to class without completing readings or assignments while 13 percent do so often or very often • Nearly half (46 percent) rarely or never use peer or other tutoring resources • Only 40 percent sometimes or often use a skills lab • And 29 percent say they haven’t read any books for personal enjoyment or academic enrichment In the recently released book Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses (2011), authors Richard Arum and Josipa Poksa claim that a majority of four-year college-educated students are not making strides in learning or in the development of critical-thinking skills. They fault the lack of rigor of many college courses or student avoidance of the courses that are rigorous. Additionally, their research shows that on average, four-year college students study between 12 and 14 hours per week.

For many undergraduates, the authors write, “drifting through college without a clear sense of purpose is readily apparent.”

The great majority of community college students, who most often have more on their plates in terms of jobs and family responsibilities than fouryear college students, spend at least some time preparing for class, according to CCSSE 2011, but the hours they do put in leave much to be desired: 40 percent of community college respondents spend between one and five hours studying outside of class, 30 percent spend six to 10 hours studying, and only 29 percent of respondents prepare eleven or more hours per week.

To address the benchmark, academic challenge, the survey taps into the nature and amount of assigned academic work, the complexity of cog-

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nitive tasks required of students, and the standards faculty use to assess student performance.

The key findings related to academic challenge show that most respondents report using complex critical-thinking skills in their coursework, that is, analyzing, synthesizing, organizing material in creative ways, and making judgments about the value or soundness of information, arguments or methods.

Similarly, the majority (58 percent) say their courses emphasize applying theories or concepts to practical problems or in new situations. Sixtythree percent say their courses emphasize information they have read or heard to perform a new skill.

Forty-one percent say their courses require between one and four assigned books, and another 31 percent say their courses require between five and 10 books. Also positive is the finding that nearly three-quarters (74 percent) say their college puts quite a bit or very much emphasis on spending significant amounts of time studying. Sixty-eight percent say that their exams challenge them to do their best work.

The downside of this benchmark is that 9 percent of student responders report never having to write papers for their courses, and nearly onequarter of students responded neutrally about whether their exams challenge them to do their best work.

Faculty-student interaction, certainly one of the key benchmarks in terms of academic success, is not as encouraging as one would hope. At the community college level, students often come to campus just for classes and leave for work or family obligations, and this might account for some of the findings.

The majority of students have communicated with instructors through e-mail and received prompt feedback from their teachers on their academic performance.

Most students, however, report that they have not had meaningful communications with their instructors outside the classroom. Seventy percent of respondents say they have never worked with instructors on activities other than coursework.

And while more than half (54 percent) of respondents say they have discussed an idea from their readings or classes with an instructor outside of class, 46 percent say they have never done so. About a quarter (24 percent) say they have talked about their career plans with an instructor or advisor often or very often, but 29 percent say they have never done so.

The message of these results is that in addition to what is now called intrusive advisement, instructors must find more ways to interact with students outside of class.

Key findings for the fifth benchmark, support for learners, show another mixed bag of results. The majority of respondents (73 percent) believe that their colleges provide the support they need to help them succeed, and yet smaller numbers of students actually use those support services.

On the positive side, the results show: • 50 percent of respondents say that their college puts quite a bit or very much emphasis on encouraging contact among students from various economic, social, and racial/ethnic backgrounds • 51 percent say their college puts quite a bit or very much emphasis on providing the financial support they need to afford their education • 58 percent use academic advising services sometimes or often On the negative side, the results show: • 40 percent say their college puts very little emphasis on helping them

cope with nonacademic responsibilities • 27 percent say that their college puts very little emphasis on offering support for them to thrive socially • 23 percent of respondents say their college puts very little emphasis on providing financial support • 34 percent say they rarely or never use academic advising services Interpreting CCSSE results from 2011 is a matter of seeing the glass as half empty or half full. There is no doubt that the CCSSE survey over the last decade has made a difference in directing community colleges on the factors related to student success. Last July, in J. Jacob’s article in

Community College Spotlight titled “An Impossible Dream?” Kay McClenney said: “We are beginning to see examples of community colleges that, through focused effort sustained over time, are ‘moving the needle’ on student progress and success indicators.”

Angela Provitera McGlynn, professor emeritus of psychology, is a national consultant/presenter on teaching and learning and the author of several related books.

Scholars’ Corner As an undergraduate at Berkeley, I would seek comfort sitting at the steps of the Campinelle late at night, with the campus dormant and, on certain nights, the illuminated outline of the Golden Gate Bridge in clear view. I remember the night before graduation: I visited these steps, sat there alone and realized for the first time the feat I had just accomplished. I could finally exhale. However, I could not fully rejoice as I started thinking about the countless others who were equally as talented and deserving, and yet for numerous reasons, could not continue and further their education.

Unfortunately, not much has changed.

It is no secret to any of us, the persistent education crisis in our community and its detrimental consequences. Yes, we have success stories. Currently, we have more doctors, lawyers, CEOs and, of course, graduate students and faculty than at any time in United States history. We hold some of the most powerful posts in this country and the world, exemplified by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. These accomplishments act as daily affirmations of our vast potential.

Yet, we also continue to have one of the worst academic records. How much potential have we lost as a result of systemic inequities, and shall we continue to endure? The current neo-conservative assault on our communities is a reminder that we cannot rest and find comfort in past achievements. Now more than ever, as recent policies terrorize and tear our communities apart, the words of César Chávez have become ever so prominent, “we cannot seek achievement for ourselves and forget about progress and prosperity for our community. ... our ambitions must be broad enough to include the aspirations and needs of others, for their sakes and for our own.”

With these words as inspiration and others like them, I pursue a doctoral degree in education policy, realizing the urgency of finding innovative best practices, pedagogies and policies for our students in the P-16 pipeline. Research can take a strategic lead in averting the condemnation of the Latino community to the lowest echelons of an intensely stratified U.S. economy. I believe in this potential as I study the Latino educational experience and help gain a better understanding of the problems our youth face.

With organizations like the American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE) that have proved to be a vital component in a larger movement of uplifting our communities, I know that I am not alone in heeding Chávez’s call for communal responsibility and collective action. AAHHE has an exemplary track record of successfully bringing together both aspiring and established scholars and cultivating the next generation of Latino faculty; it has already played a vital role in helping me achieve my goals. As a graduate fellow last year, I became part of a community comprised of advocates and change agents for our community. Knowing this has helped nourish my commitment and honor those who have done so in the past – vital, considering our community is depending on us, for their sakes and our own.

By Juan G. Berumen Doctoral Candidate, Education Policy Studies, Indiana University

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Community Colleges Raising the Bar COMMUNITY COLLEGES

P

by Jeff Simmons

resident Barack Obama’s State of the Union speech in January offered welcome news for community colleges across the nation.

Confronted with a stubbornly high national unemployment rate and legions of Americans falling below the poverty line, the president vowed to train two million Americans with skills that will pave their way into the workforce.

“Now you need to give more community colleges the resources they need to become community career centers – places that teach people skills that local businesses are looking for right now, from data management to high-tech manufacturing,” the president said.

The president outlined ideas to “restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot,” aiming to narrow a skills gap that separates the long-term unemployed from businesses that have jobs waiting to be filled. And, he urged colleges and universities to ensure tuition costs stay

Antonio R. Flores, HACU president and CEO

low so that financial obstacles do not deter those with higher education aspirations.

Community college leaders and higher education experts said the president’s words spoke to his recognition that two-year public colleges are a worthy investment in the future of the country’s economic prosperity.

“Definitely community colleges have gotten a lot

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more attention in the last three years than they had previously,” said Deborah Santiago, vice president for policy and research at Excelencia in Education, a Washington, D.C.-based organization endeavoring to help Hispanic students by focusing on improving policies and practices. “This is much more positive than the limited attention they got in the past.”

“To me, this is the right way to go,” added Terry Kinzel, director of Title V Grants at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake, Wash.

“You have to reflect your community, and you have to look at what your community needs are, the pathways that work in our communities so we can engage the people where they are and then move them forward.”

The speech also represented an acknowledgement that community colleges are educating greater numbers of Hispanic students, leading many of those institutions to edge beyond the threshold to become Hispanic-Serving Institutions, or HSIs. During the 2009-10 academic year, there were 293 Hispanic-Serving Institutions across the nation, and 137 of them – or 47 percent – were community colleges, Santiago said. The percentage of HSIs that are community colleges has remained consistently level, but their overall numbers continue to grow each year.

“When I look at emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions, institutions that are at 24 percent and don’t hit the enrollment threshold to be eligible yet, there are 83 institutions that fit that band,” she said. That 83 percent represents 41 percent of emerging HSIs overall.

With changing student demographics on community college campuses often come shifting priorities, recasting a college’s agenda to concentrate on retention and beef up student support services.

Additionally, colleges that reach this level become eligible to apply for federal dollars to buttress their programs and offerings. The U.S. Department of Education’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program provides grants to help HSIs with expanding educational opportunities for Hispanic students and enable the colleges to expand and enhance academic offerings, programs and institutional stability.

The department’s Title V Program doesn’t precertify institutions as HSIs. Instead, they must meet eligibility requirements, primarily that Hispanics must represent more than a quarter of their

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undergraduate full-time equivalent enrollment.

The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, or HACU, in 1992 led the successful effort to convince Congress to formally recognize campuses with high Hispanic enrollment as federally designated HSIs and begin targeting federal appropriations to those schools.

HACU, which has seen its membership grow from 18 in 1986 to more than 400 today, and its allies subsequently urged Congress to appropriate money specifically for HSIs. In 1995, $12 million in federal resources were granted. That number has grown. Last year, $104.3 million were appropriated for the HSI undergraduate program under Title V of the Higher Education Act. “The main benefit is the opportunity for additional funding targeted for Hispanic-Serving Institutions by the federal government,” said Antonio R. Flores, HACU president and CEO. “One of the persistent challenges for

René Willekens, dean of planning, research and effectiveness, Estrella Mountain C.C.

Hispanic-Serving Institutions in general, not just for community colleges, is their underfunding relative to other universities and colleges. They only get about 66 cents for every dollar that the rest of higher education receives annually per student from all federal sources.”

With this smaller pool of money, many of these two-year institutions are educating the neediest

as Hispanic-Serving Institutions students in the country. So federal support, such as Title V, allows them to “undertake and improve and expand their capacity to assist these students.”

In addition to exceeding the 25 percent threshold, not less than 50 percent of all of a college’s students must be eligible for needbased Title IV aid for the college to become eligible for Title V. Further funding is available under the Title III, Part A, program, which authorizes the Strengthening Institutions, American Indian Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Programs.

Institutions that receive grants then can apply their funding in myriad ways. For instance, they can furnish scientific or laboratory equipment for teaching; construct or renovate instructional facilities, bolster faculty development, academic tutoring and counseling programs; or, improve distance-learning academic instruction.

for Hispanic students.

An additional $10.4 million from the Promoting Post-baccalaureate Opportunities for Hispanic Americans Program went to support 21 institutions that offer a post-baccalaureate certificate or degree to help Hispanic Americans enroll and succeed in graduate study, a level of education in which they are underrepresented.

“We advocate continually for them and on their behalf with the U.S. Department of Education for better services and more importantly with Congress for better funding opportunities,” Flores said. “Money is approved by Congress, and so far it has not allocated enough money for every eligible Hispanic-Serving Institution to get funding, so they have to compete amongst themselves for limited resources,” he said. “The majority of them have some sort of grant, but unfortunately, many do not. There is not enough money allocated by Congress on an annual basis.”

HACU reports that, geographically, the states with the highest numbers of Hispanic-serving community colleges are California (70), Texas (28) and New Mexico (15). There are states without any, and others with low numbers include Washington (two), Florida (two), and Kansas and Massachusetts (each with three).

However, Flores notes that Florida’s Miami Dade is the largest HSI in the nation.

Big Bend Community College, tucked in an extremely rural area in Washington, is one example of parlaying Hispanic growth into access to federal support.

Terry Kinzel, director of Big Bend’s Title V Grants, successfully wrote and landed three Hispanic-Serving Institution Title V grants – amounting to $11.1 million – in the past three years: a Cooperative Lead in 2009, Individual Title V in 2010, and an HSI STEM in 2011.

“We cover 4,600 square miles and are very

Dr. Joyce C. Romano, VP of student affairs, Valencia Community College

Deborah Santiago, vice president for policy and research at Excelencia in Education

Terry Kinzel, director, Title V Grants, Big Bend Community College

The government’s investment continues. In September 2010, 99 new five-year grant grants amounting to $60.1 million were awarded to enhance colleges that enroll a high percentage of Hispanic students. With grants from the $49.7 million Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program, 78 institutions have since been able to expand educational opportunities

HACU reports somewhat higher numbers of HSI community colleges, indicating that 164 of the 311 institutions certified by the U.S. Department of Education as HSIs are two-year colleges. Additionally, HACU reports that there are 242 emerging HSIs, 98 of which are community colleges. Whatever the exact numbers are, they speak to the same growth.

rural and remote. We sit in the middle of three counties we serve, and it’s 70 miles to the north and 70 miles to the south,” she said, “and the communities that are predominately Latino are located further from the campus than two larger non-Latino communities.”

That posed a challenge: how to capture and educate those Hispanic students who lived fur-

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Big Bend

Community

College, tucked in an extremely rural

area in Washington, is one example of

parlaying Hispanic

growth into access to federal support.

ther away and sought to attend college, but found distance – and funding – too daunting to overcome. So Big Bend explored ways to strengthen its distance-learning program.

Big Bend’s involvement, actually, began when Heritage University, a four-year private school, invited the community college to partner in a cooperative five-year grant in 2005. At the time, Big Bend’s student population was less than a quarter Hispanic – 19 percent – although its service area was 47 percent Hispanic.

As a result, Big Bend was able to look introspectively at its strengths and weaknesses, and better define a vision to broaden diversity at the institution. “The grant helped us to think more clearly about how we might reach out to the greater needs in our area,” Kinzel said.

It was during the Heritage collaboration that Big Bend crossed the 25 percent threshold and began to examine how it, too, could seek federal funding. The school subsequently received the Cooperative Partnership Grant in 2009, when enrollment was 29 percent Hispanic.

In this instance, Big Bend became the lead institution and partnered with Heritage, which is about 40 miles away. The collaboration has forged a strong pipeline for students to continue their higher education studies.

“We have the ability to have a wider range of access because all of the community colleges in the state share costs of distance-learning innovations,” Kinzel said. “Where Heritage was weak was in technology, Big Bend was able to ‘mentor’ that, so to speak. On our end, we lacked a cultural inclusion, and they were very good at that.

It was a great match-up for us.”

Funding allowed the school to do a much better job connecting with students in the far

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reaches of its region. “Most of our Latino students were a long way from campus, and trapped in jobs that were low wage, and they didn’t have access to – or didn’t feel comfortable borrowing – money to go school,” she said.

Big Bend, for example, revamped its Child Studies Program, improving its academic offerings so that students could progress to a fouryear college program and earn a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, thanks to one of the federal grants, Big Bend was able to create a better pathway for students pursuing technological studies.

“Our data suggested that Latino students did not transfer well, and we had a higher failure rate than that of our Anglo students,” Kinzel said.

“We emphasized transfer, and were able to build a student success center that provided more transparent information for new students.”

In fall 2010, Big Bend enrolled 2,132 students, of whom 663 were Hispanic. The campus enrollment included about 80 percent first-generation college attendees, and among Hispanic students, the percentage of first-generation attendees was at 94 percent.

However, the school encountered many students – 91 percent – who were underprepared for college in at least one area, in math or English. Of the Hispanic students, 95 percent were underprepared.

“So it was the Latino students who needed extra support when they came in the door because they were often the first in their family to enter college as well,” she said. “That meant they usually didn’t have anyone at home who could guide them through the expectations and support available at the community college.”

Federal support for the community college allowed it to experiment, and “pilot without penalty,” Kinzel said.

“We’re always

working to help students expand their view of what is possible for themselves.”

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“The grants allow you to pilot new practices and, if they don’t work you can fix that and do it again,” she said. “The grants are critical. There is a huge ability to stimulate change.”

Valencia Community College in Orlando, Fla., sees community colleges as incredibly important to the country’s future. Valencia, founded in 1967, runs six campuses and centers in Central Florida’s Orange and Osceola counties, offering credit and continuing education programs. Its East and Osceola campuses are federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institutions with more than 27 percent of enrollment being Hispanic.

Of the college’s 59,018 credit students in the academic year 2010-11, 29.2 percent were Hispanic, the largest minority group in the system.

Valencia’s graduation rate for Hispanics is twice that of similar, large urban community colleges as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. College-ready Hispanic student gains in graduation rates at Valencia over the last decade have outpaced all students, increasing from 33.7 percent to 45.5 percent in the last decade.

Additionally, Valencia ranks first among the nation’s two-year institutions for the total number of associate degrees awarded and second in the number of degrees awarded to Hispanics.

Dr. Joyce C. Romano, Valencia’s vice president of student affairs, said Valencia’s Hispanic student population began to consistently exceed 25 percent about a dozen years ago, a testament to the region’s steadily increasing Hispanic population.

“Our growth has been because we’ve been able to keep pace with the diversification of our area high schools,” Romano said. “We have a population base that’s very rich in the Hispanic culture, particularly with many Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Caribbean Islanders in our area.”

Valencia has helped pave the way by connecting with Hispanic students and their parents to bridge the gap to higher education. “Family in particular holds a very high value in the Hispanic culture, and in some ways that makes community colleges more attractive,” she said, indicating that for many students local campuses allow them to remain close to home. “They want the best of both worlds; they continue to be part of the family network and also go to college.”

The college’s mission and priorities evolved over the years, and in the face of troubling low completion and progression rates among Hispanics, it started to pursue grant offerings to build initiatives to reverse those trends.

“One of the ways the Hispanic-serving designation was useful for us was that we became eligible for different pots of dollars, such as Title V,” Romano said. “We were able to get resources to do some of the innovative work to improve student results.”

As a result of its Title V funding, Valencia focused on entry points and courses that students take early on in their higher education schooling. Valencia designed better faculty development initiatives and strategies as well as improved academic support systems.

“The intention was to design something that you will be able to sustain,” she said.

Valencia’s efforts have included Supplemental Learning, which bolsters traditional courses with small-group study sessions, led by a student who already successfully took the class. Since 2006, almost 32,000 students have taken Supplemental Learning courses – one of the largest scale learning experiments to ever take place in a community college in the nation.

Additionally, the Bridges to Success program offers disadvantaged high school students free tuition if they enroll in Valencia right after high school graduation, keep their grades up and participate in Bridges activities. And, DirectConnect to UCF, the University of Central Florida, has streamlined the admissions, financial aid, advising and transfer processes for Valencia students continuing their education at UCF. “We found that the idea of ‘learning communities’ was really important to students who were not traditionally successful in higher education,” Romano said. “Feeling that there is a social connection is important to putting in the effort one needs to be able to learn.”

Community colleges, she said, help students clarify a purpose and pathway. “We are always working to do that better,” she said. “We’re always working to help students expand their view of what is possible for themselves.”

Valencia now has much to boast about. The campus has experienced steady increases in its graduation rates for Hispanic students.

In December, Valencia won the inaugural Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

Aspen officials pointed out that over half of the college’s full-time students graduated or transferred within three years of entering the school, a much higher rate than the national average.

“It was very humbling. We were thrilled,” Romano said. “We feel especially proud because it was really an award based on what our students had achieved.”

Student achievement is a key focus at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, Ariz. Since opening in 1992, Estrella has worked to create a “sense of place” that expresses the historical and cultural values of the surrounding communities.

Located in the fastest-growing region of the county, Estrella Mountain enrolls approximately 13,000 for-credit students annually, a far cry from the 2,376 annual students that were served in the

1992-93 academic year. Overall, including its SouthWest Skill center, enrollment swells to 15,000.

More than half of its student population is minority.

“I was glad to see a focus on community colleges, particularly in a way to get people back to work as quickly as possible,” René Willekens, dean of planning, research and effectiveness, said of President Obama’s remarks. “Community colleges are able to adapt quickly to the changing needs in the environment.”

Estrella has witnessed steady growth in its Hispanic student population. More than a decade ago, the college had a 30 percent

“There are

sometimes limitations within the grants of not being able to work with our feeder populations.”

René Willekens, dean of planning, research and effectiveness, Estrella Mountain C.C. Hispanic student population. Today, that number stands at 40 percent.

Estrella students “are a reflection of the community, how the local community changes impacts the demographics of our students. We anticipate continued increases in the Hispanic student population because 53 percent of our feeder high school students are Hispanic.”

As a result of its HSI status, Estrella was eligible to apply for federal funding. Estrella applied for Title V funding to strengthen its science, technology, engineering and mathematics – or STEM – offerings, said Jonathan Robles, Title V director.

“That was a real effort to increase the number of Hispanic students going into STEM careers,” he said. As a result, Estrella established a NASA tutoring center, which provides free tutoring, computers and study space for students in science and math courses.

Then, in 2008, Estrella was awarded a second Title V grant, as well as receiving further monies from National Science Foundation grants to fund STEM initiatives.

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The funding has allowed Estrella, like other community colleges, to forge better alliances with schools in their surrounding areas serving kindergarten through 12th-grade students, and identify areas where they can partner with their faculty on academic initiatives involving mathematics, for instance.

Estrella has visited schools in its surrounding western areas within Maricopa County and hosted math summits. And is looking at replicating this effort with English and reading.

“These efforts aren’t based on playing a blame-game, but working to align the curriculum between the feeder schools and college and partnering with high schools to offer faculty development,” he said.

Estrella has faced similar challenges, with many students arriving needing developmental, or remedial, assistance or remediation. Roughly 80 percent of its full-time students who arrive require some sort of developmental course.

“This is pretty substantial,” Willekens said.

“If you’re in a developmental course, you’ve added one or two semesters to graduation.”

Willekens would like to spend more of the federal support on strengthening connections with feeder schools. “There are sometimes limitations within the grants of not being able to work with our feeder populations,” he said.

Added Robles: “When you get one grant, it enables you to leverage that and go forth and get other grants. Getting that first federal grant helps build a foundation and gives you credibility so you can keep going forward.”

HACU expects to see greater things on the horizon, as the Hispanic population builds both off-campus and on.

“We hope for the future that we continue to see consistent growth in Hispanic-Serving Institutions that emerge because of the population growth across the country, and we see in those states where we don’t have HSIs but will have them, such as Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and other parts of the south,” Flores said.

“We also see a greater awareness on the part of Congress and state legislatures about the importance of these institutions to educate new generations of Latinos for high-skilled jobs that the economy requires to improve the standard of living in this country,” Flores said. “Obviously they tend to be at the cutting edge of training and retraining new workers and keeping up to support the demands for jobs in the economy.

“There will always be challenges, but I think the future is bright. I see a tremendous future for community colleges, and particularly for Hispanic-Serving Institutions.”

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COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Budget Pressures Leading to Students Being Closed Out of Community College Courses

C

by Gary M. Stern utbacks in community college budgets are leading to a reduction Moreover, closing out students doesn’t just affect two-year colleges but has in classes, which is having an adverse effect on students, particu- consequences for the graduation rates and success levels of four-year colleges. larly Latinos.

When community college budgets are reduced, “you cut off many students’ A Harris Interactive online Community College Survey of more than 1,400 ability to transfer. Many students start in community college, have success and U.S. students attending two-year colleges, sponsored by the Pearson then transfer into four year colleges or obtain certification to train them for Foundation in 2011, revealed that 32 percent of students were unable to enroll new jobs,” asserts Bumphus. Cutting off access to community colleges can only in certain classes because courses had been cancelled due to budget cuts. heighten the unemployment rate of minority and other students.

But minority students face an even tougher Eloy Oakley, the president of Long Beach time. In fact, 55 percent of Latino students said City College, has seen the effects of state buddifficulty enrolling in classes was discouraging get cuts on enrollment at his college over the them from attending two-year colleges. Of those last three years. The college has an enrollsurveyed, 15 percent of students said budget ment of 26,568 students, of whom 41 percutbacks at community colleges were making cent are Hispanic; 22 percent, White; 15 them reconsider pursuing higher education. percent, African-American; and 16 percent, Nearly one in three community college stuAsian-American. Its budget has been cut 21 dents is being closed out of classes – a “seripercent overall from 2008 to 2011, and ous threat to access,” says Walter Bumphus, given inflation, that entails about 10 percent president of the American Association of reductions annually.

Community Colleges (AACC). He points out that “Our enrollment has been lowered to enrollment in community colleges from 2008 1999-2000 levels,” Oakley says. The college to 2010 increased by more than a million stuhas a waiting list of more than a thousand dents. Because community colleges are playing students for many core courses. At the same an increasing role as an entry point to higher time, local California high schools are gradeducation, two-year colleges need to expand uating classes with the largest number of course offerings, not reduce them, to meet the students in the last decade. “It’s almost a needs of a growing population and help create perfect storm,” he says. jobs as alternatives to stagnant unemployment.

Minority students are feeling the pain Budget cuts are happening at the worst more than majority students, Oakley sugpossible time for community colleges. “Access gests. Many are required to take pre-collefor students is in our DNA, and now we’re giate or remedial courses, and those courses doing a better job of focusing on student sucare cut the most. In fact, 90 percent of Long cess,” Bumphus adds.

Beach City College’s incoming students take Walter Bumphus, president, Mark Nieker, president of the Pearson at least one remedial course, and Oakley American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Foundation, noted, “Community colleges are notes that most two-year colleges in pivotal in the Obama administration’s plans to increase the number of U.S. California have 70 percent to 90 percent of students enrolled in developmencollege graduates.” tal classes. Because minority students are often the least prepared to navigate Having 55 percent of Latino students closed out of community colleges the complex enrollment procedures, they often enroll late, and by that time classes, which is affecting their ability to stay in college, presents serious courses are closed. At Long Beach, after the first day of fall enrollment, 96 ramifications for the American economy. It affects the ability of Latino stu- percent of classes were filled to capacity. dents “to move into the middle class. And it has serious implications for Hence, Oakley says these cuts result in “disproportionately displacing achieving a qualified workforce,” Bumphus says. It’s ironic that this com- Latino students at a time when the workforce is becoming increasingly munity college budgetary shortfall is happening at the same time that dependent on Hispanic workers.” He says the economy is being delivered American businesses are clamoring that they require a workforce with req- a blow because the U.S. won’t be able to compete in a global environment uisite skills to stay competitive in a global marketplace. unless the members of our fastest-growing population are being educated.

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Not admitting Latino students to courses will result in fewer Latinos hired, The survey also reveals that the first year of community college serves lower tax revenues, and less funding for higher education, creating a as a critical juncture in the lives of most students. “This is the point where vicious downward spiral. most students fall out of the system,” Ray says. Responses by community Since junior colleges in California rely on the state for 85 percent of college students warrant follow-up in several key areas (which the Pearson their funding, there’s little flexibility once state revenue is reduced. But, as Foundation will be doing in a second survey) including college readiness, a maxim says, crisis brings opportunity. Given its reduced budget, Long transition from high school, facing the influence of economic issues when Beach City College has been rethinking its mission and how it educates its students have to pay tuition, and issues of student engagement. students. Oakley says it’s been relying more on data to figure out which Nearly 25 percent of students who were having problems adjusting to programs are most essential and which students it wants to target. community college or fulfilling coursework failed to ask for help. Ray says Previously, community colleges offered open access to all students, regard- that community colleges might consider early warning systems, which clue less of academic levels, but that is slowly changing. Long Beach is trying to them in on which students are having problems. Finding ways to get junior reach students at earlier points to strengthen their academic skills, pre- college students more involved in their own postsecondary education is pare them for college, lessen the need for remediation and determine critical. That might entail assigning counselors, peer-to-peer advising or which students are best and least prepared. tutoring or a mentor. Other students might be more effectively reached digHigh-achieving students interested in Ivy League schools are provided itally, so providing online assistance might appeal to them. with reams of information to prepare them for the application process.

Ray also emphasized that community colleges, unlike many large four“Why can’t we do the same thing for the least-prepared students?” Oakley year public colleges, revolve around local concerns. “Community colleges asks rhetorically. are the most locally specific part of the education system,” he says. Its Partnering with businesses has been a way to generate funds to offset presidents usually work closely with local businesses, help meet their some of the state cutbacks. Long Beach City College offers programs in entre- workforce needs, respond to changing pressures and provide internships. preneurship, small businesses and has a partnership with Goldman Sachs. Having businesses play a larger role in community colleges could be one Called the “10,000 Small Businesses” initiative, way to alleviate some of the pressures on the partnership targets small businesses located them. in the greater Los Angeles area. These busiCommunity colleges are a centerpiece in nesses are given access to course work, includPresident Obama’s plan to increase graduaing an 11-session business entrepreneurship tion rates and keep the country competitive. program, business advising and other services To reach that goal, Obama said the U.S. that can help them grow. needs to make college affordable by increasApplying for grants from Lumina, Gates ing financial aid and student loans and and Carnegie foundations, major higher edu“helping students complete their courses to cation funders, is another way to generate ensure graduating students are prepared to funds. But Oakley emphasizes that grants are turn diplomas into paychecks,” he said. often temporal, lasting two to three years, and Asked what specific actions he would like can’t begin to replace the major state funding. to see, Bumphus noted that more philanThe survey also revealed that 61 percent of thropic gifts to community colleges from community college students have taken at foundations would be one way to offset the least one online course. Two-year colleges are loss of state funding. And more work/study “doing more with online learning. They’re tryprograms would boost interest from potening to be as creative and innovative to reach tial community college students. Many have out to students and offering pathways for them been cut due to budget limitations. to obtain their education,” says Bumphus.

Oakley suggested increasing resources to But Oakley notes that California communicommunity colleges with large Latino poputy colleges have contracts with faculty that diclations that show verifiable results, improved tate how many students can be taught in a outcomes and larger graduation rates. He class, whether online or in a classroom, also said that community colleges need more hence teaching online classes isn’t any more flexibility to direct funds for specific activities Eloy Oakley, president, Long Beach City College cost effective than offering traditional courses. such as access. Difficulty in enrolling in Closing out Latino and minority students classes created frustration, but the survey from community college courses has dire implications for America’s also confirmed what most seasoned educators know – the major reason future. “Regardless of where students come from and how they got here, why students drop out of community colleges stems from family and work they’re our future workforce. And we need to train them. We’re funding obligations and difficulty paying for courses. prisons, but not community colleges,” Oakley says in wonderment.

The majority of students who were on the cusp of dropping out were Why did the Pearson Foundation sponsor this survey? “We try to surface male, worked full time and attended college after or before work. And the voices of students and educational stakeholders,” explains Adam Ray, often had to take remedial English or math courses. who heads communication for the Pearson Foundation and is based in Mill Encouraging students to become more involved in their own education Valley, Calif. Too many surveys focus on educators and administrators, but by reaching out to counselors, tutors and mentors can help them solve eliciting reactions from students directly leads to “issues becoming more issues when community colleges budgets get squeezed, says Pearson’s concrete,” he says.

Adam Ray.

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INNOVATIONS/PROGRAMS

El Paso C.C.’s Early College High School an Award-Winning Success N

by Jamaal Abdul-Alim ineteen-year-old Andrea Magana graduated from college back when she was still in high school, and now she’s about to start working on her Ph.D. Her story sounds like a chronological impossibility, but Magana’s tale is not one of convention.

Magana is a graduate of the Early College High School program at El Paso Community College. Through the program, she earned an Associate of Arts degree with a major in psychology while she was still a junior at Mission Early College High School in El Paso, Texas.

She finished the associate degree program earlier than expected, so high school graduation came after her college graduation.

“A lot of people, when I tell them how young I am, they say, ‘Wow,’” Magana said in an interview with The Hispanic Outlook. “But I’ve been around people that are doing exactly as I’m doing and are just as far ahead as I am.”

And Magana is still on a higher education roll. Last December, she graduated from college again, this time with a Bachelor of Science in psychology/pre-med and a minor in biology from the University of Texas-El Paso.

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“I’ve had a graduation every year for the past two years, so it doesn’t seem any different,” Magana said of graduating with a four-year degree. She plans to start her Ph.D. program next year.

While others are surprised that she’s completed so much college so fast, she and her fellow students in the Early College program were expected to make this kind of postsecondary progress, she says.

That is one of the reasons that the Early College High School program at El Paso was recently recognized by a national organization that advocates for Hispanic higher education issues as an “Example of Excelencia.”

“We recognized the Early College High School at El Paso Community College because this effort has evidence of effectiveness in creating a college-going and college-completing culture for a population that is predominately Hispanic, low-income, and potentially first-generation college-going,” explained Deborah A. Santiago, vice president of policy and research for Excelencia in Education, a Washington, D.C.based organization that works to accelerate

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higher education attainment for Latino students.

The organization recognized the Early College High School at El Paso Community College as one of it 2011 “Examples of Excelencia” at the associate degree level.

“Early college high schools blend high school and college in a rigorous yet supportive program, compressing the time it takes to complete a high school diploma and the first two years of college,” Santiago said. “This can be effective in communities who previously had neither the awareness or programs available that created this college-going opportunity.”

Studies have consistently found that early college schools tend to enroll higher proportions of underrepresented students than would otherwise be the case.

One of the latest to reach such a conclusion is a March 2011 report prepared by Jobs For the Future (JFF), a Massachusetts-based organization that develops and promotes education and workforce strategies to make the United States more globally competitive.

The report is titled Making the Grade: Texas Early College High Schools Prepare

Students for College.

Among other things, the JFF report found that 87 percent of graduates at Mission Early College High School – the first Early College High School at El Paso and the one where Magana was in the first cohort – and 86 percent of Collegiate High School graduates enrolled immediately in college, whereas only 57 percent of high school graduates statewide enrolled in college.

“The achievements of early college schools are even more impressive given that they are being accomplished by students who have traditionally not performed well in school – including Hispanic youth, those who are economically disadvantaged, and first-generation college goers,” the JFF report states. “One of the key challenges of increasing educational attainment in Texas is that some of its fastest-growing groups are underrepresented in college.

“Because early college schools serve these populations, they are crucial to helping Texas increase the competitiveness of its workforce.”

Not only are the students entering college, but they are doing so ready to do college-level work.

“Several community college faculty members reported that they were initially concerned about having high school students in their classes but found that the students were well prepared and organized,” the JFF report states.

The need for programs that achieve such results is well-known. A 2011 College Board report, for instance, found that 19.2 percent of Latinos age 25-34 had attained an associate degree or higher – less than half the national average of 41.1 percent.

For Magana, word of the opportunity to become part of the trend to turn things around came from Armando Aguirre, principal of Mission Early College High School.

“He came to my middle school, which was Walter Clarke here in El Paso, and he just introduced the school,” Magana said of Mission Early College High School. “He said if it doesn’t work out, you’d have to go back to high school.”

Magana said that initially, the only thing that really attracted her to the program was that students who enrolled would be given free laptops.

“I was like, ‘Ooh, free laptop,’” Magana recalled.

Being attracted to a free laptop has led to so much more for Magana and hundreds of other students who’ve gone through the Early College Program at El Paso Community College.

As of October 2011, 1,707 students from six area high schools in El Paso were enrolled in the

Early College program, and 367 of them had already earned their associate degrees, according to data furnished by the Early College High School program.

The annual budget for the program is $405,705 in local money and $119,852 in federal money. The total number of employees involved in the initiative is 188. The college gets to bill the state for “contact hours” with the students but does not charge tuition.

Program officials say the initiative has exceeded their expectations in a number of ways.

“When we first thought about an Early College High School, we thought we would focus on those that want to become teachers, criminal justice, general education or liberal arts,” said Dr. Dennis Brown, vice president of Instruction at El Paso Community College. “But once we started the school,” he said, students expressed interest in a lot of different subjects – “psychology, pre-med, pursuing a law degree.”

Magana is among such students. Her interest in psychology was driven in part by the plight of a relative who suffers from schizophrenia.

Students who enter the Early College High School are given preparation for the experience.

Specifically, as freshmen, they start in a fiveweek summer “boot camp” designed to teach study skills and enable the students to get instruction in areas where they might be lacking.

“Typically, they’ll do a lot of work in reading during the summer before they begin freshman year,” Brown said. “We’re focused pretty heavily on the reading. During freshman year and sometimes into sophomore year, we’re working more heavily in mathematics and writing.”

The preparation only goes so far. Magana recalls a little social awkwardness being a teenager in a classroom with adults.

“You can really point out the 15-year-olds,” Magana said. “Even our voices were like little kids. That was hard.”

Some teachers noted that the teenagers kept to themselves, and rearranged the classroom so that they were scattered throughout the class.

Magana says she ended up between two 25year-old girls, and “all they talked about was sex and drinking and stuff. Then you have me, a 15year-old. ... it was a wake-up call.”

Her father advised her not to wear short skirts.

“Personally, I kept away from the guys,” Magana said. “I was intimidated by being with older guys, not knowing half the things they would talk about or how they would see things. I went to

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class, took notes, did what I had to do and left.”

One benefit that definitely stood out was that college was free. That’s because Early College High School students do not have to pay college tuition during the time that they are in high school.

“My parents didn’t pay anything,” Magana said of her associate degree-level courses.

The free tuition helps to drastically defray the overall cost of higher education because students have a shorter time to a four-year degree or an associate degree in hand by the time they graduate from high school.

Lessening the financial burden of higher education is particularly helpful within the Hispanic community, Brown said, because family obligations often lead students to quit school in order to work.

“This really has opened up doors,” said Brown, to students who may not have been able to go to college.

Magana said the Early College High School initiative has made a dramatic difference in her life.

She and her parents are originally from Mexico.

The family fled Mexico after her father was kidnapped and later freed. The kidnappers continued to threaten the family, so they left for the United States. Her father, who had worked at a pharmaceutical company in Mexico, now works at a recycling firm. Her mother runs a spa. Her younger sister, who recently turned 13, aspires to be a veterinarian and plans to attend Mission Early College High School in the footsteps of Magana, the first in her family to attend college.

Brown said the Early College High School initiative is the most exhilarating project he’s been involved with during his entire career.

“I’ve been in higher education for 36 years; there has never been an initiative that I have been involved in as exciting and as powerful in terms of getting students not only through their high school education, but through their first years of college and to work on a baccalaureate level,” Brown said. “Our goal is, because we’re never going to have enough Early College high schools to serve every student, to take lessons learned and best practices and see how we can integrate those into the more traditional high school.”

Doing so might not lead to all the same outcomes as the Early College High School initiative, Brown said, but it will get regular high schools to have greater participation in higher education, with more students getting certificates, associate degrees and, hopefully, baccalaureate and graduate degrees.

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HIGH SCHOOL FORUM

Is Community College the Right Choice?

As

by Mary Ann Cooper much energy and treasure is invested in getting students to graduate high school, just as much attention needs to be devoted to shaping where these students land after leaving 12th grade. For many, the choice could be community college, but why? Forty or 50 years ago, community college was often the refuge of students who couldn’t quite compete academically in a four-year school. Financial consideration was another factor. Today the picture looks quite different.

Not Your Father’s (or Mother’s) Community College There is no doubt that community colleges still represent the most accessible gateway to higher education for minority, low-income, Hispanic and first-generation postsecondary education students. According to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), since 1985, more than half of all community college students have been women. In addition, the majority of Black and Hispanic undergraduate students in this country study at these colleges, which are more than 1,100 in number (members of AACC), awarding nearly one million degrees and certificates each year.

But community colleges have taken on a greater importance in today’s society. They are now seen as a common and reasonable step in the progression from high school to college as well as from unemployment, underemployment or low-paying dead-end careers to a higher rung on the ladder of economic prosperity. AACC reports that half of the students who receive a baccalaureate degree attend community college in the course of their undergraduate studies.

Community colleges are also a place where ethnic and social enrichment programs abound – from ESL skills to cultural and community enrichment programs.

The leap to community college, therefore, is not just the prerogative of the freshly minted high school graduate; it is also the destination for nontraditional students who are working while they are enrolled in classes. Fully two-

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thirds of community college students attend part time. And community college is increasingly home to high school students taking advance courses to make them college ready upon graduation or to enter a global workforce where the competition for well-trained and educated workers is fierce. AACC reports that “the majority of new jobs ... created by 2014 will require some postsecondary education. In addition, the demographics of the workforce are changing. As a result, employers increasingly rely on the very students who currently are least likely to complete their education.”

Community colleges, arguably, are more nimble and better equipped than four-year institutions to move quickly to satisfy those employers.

And the boom in community colleges has another positive aspect. It brings an economic boost to the town and community where it is based.

Biggest Bang for the Buck Make no mistake, there are hurdles to jump to get into community college, stay there and emerge with a career path intact. Much has been said about the high cost of four-year colleges and universities, but community colleges, though less expensive, still require some careful financial planning. Nearly half (46 percent) of students attending community college receive some form of financial aid, according to AACC’s analysis of The College Board’s Trends in Student Aid: 2010. And those who are not receiving aid are looking at an average annual tuition and fees (2010-11) for public in district community colleges of $2,713 as opposed to the average annual tuition and fees for public in state four-year colleges of $7,605.

This is especially important since many community college students come from the ranks of minorities and the poor. Students who want to be part of the 46 percent who receive financial aid should be counseled and fill out the FAFSA, or the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, the major application for any form of federal aid but also for most forms of state and institutional aid.

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Students can be intimidated and uneasy about the FAFSA paperwork, so it is up to the counselor to be sensitive and supportive about this process. One note of encouragement can be found in pursuing Stafford Loans. They are federal student loans available to college and university students to supplement personal and family resources, scholarships, grants and workstudy. Nearly all students are eligible to receive Stafford Loans, regardless of credit issues.

Stafford Loans might be subsidized (available to U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens enrolled halftime or more in an accredited academic program, who have completed the FAFSA, high school or equivalent (e.g., GED), and not in default or delinquent on any existing federal loan by the U.S. Government or unsubsidized (a federally guaranteed loan not based on financial need). Interest will accrue from the time the loan is disbursed to the school.

Students with these loans are not required to make interest or principal payments until six months after graduation, or six months after they drop below a halftime status, depending on the student’s need. Yes, it is a loan that might alarm some students and their families, but what is notable about these loans are the low interest rates charged and the opportunity to reduce some or eliminate the entire loan obligation through loan forgiveness, loan deferment or loan forbearance.

Federal Stafford Loan Forgiveness, Deferment, Forbearance In specific instances, the federal government will “forgive,” i.e., cancel, all or part of an educational loan. To qualify, you must either perform military service, volunteer work, or teach or practice medicine in designated communities.

Loan deferment refers to a temporary period when a borrower is not required to make payments for an eligible reason. For Subsidized Stafford Loans, the interest that accrues on the loan during the deferment is paid by the federal government. For Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, the interest that accrues during a deferment

must be paid by the borrower during or after the deferment period.

Forbearance allows borrowers to temporarily postpone or reduce payments for a period of time. This typically takes place because the borrower is experiencing financial difficulty, but can also be because of reasons such as partial disability. Forbearance is different from a deferment in that the lender must approve forbearance.

Make a Plan, Follow a Path Even before a student’s finances are in order, there needs to be a plan for what that student wants to achieve in community college. Going back to the original question, community college should be a deliberative choice, not “any port in the storm.” This is definitely not a time to “wing it” and see how it goes. Choose community college because of its path to a trade or career or because it’s a gateway to a four-year degree.

Choose which path and follow it.

If the idea is to attend community college to later transfer to a four-year school and get an undergraduate degree, the planning has to begin before that student sets foot in the school.

Counselors should make every effort to align students in their charge with an adviser at the community college of the student’s choice to help create a game plan and timeline for getting into that four-year school of the student’s choice.

That involves making sure that the community college credits are transferable to that school, for example. Students should be made aware of any “articulation” agreements that the community college of their choice might have with the four-year school of their choice. These agreements outline what courses community college students must take to successfully transfer to that four-year school. In Florida, transferring is even easier. Anyone who earns an associate degree

there is guaranteed admission, as a junior, into a public university degree program in the state.

U.S. News & World Report notes that students who have no desire to attend a four-year college can transition into a promising career with an associate degree. More and more careers require specialized training limited to two years. Registered nurses trained in community college can take the national nursing certification exam with an associate degree. Other fields open to community college graduates include veterinary technology, computer programming, law enforcement, and a variety of technology-related positions in the allied health professions.

What it all boils down to is that community colleges are all-encompassing institutions that serve a diverse and essential set of needs. A successful and vibrant community college system benefits not only the individual, but society as well.

Theory into Practice The high school juniors and seniors in your charge might be confused about what a community college can do for them. The College Board has put together some key points to inform and persuade high school students about the merits of going to a community college.

1. Start with the Basics Make sure your students understand that community colleges are not one-size-fits-all institutions. They’re not just for students seeking a four-year degree eventually. On the other hand, they’re not just career-training schools preparing students for jobs. They are both, and their ability to cater to both types of students gives enrollees who are unsure about their career path an opportunity to grow and learn and switch paths, if necessary. You can explore different subjects before committing to a program. Many community colleges offer intensive counseling that can help you assess your abilities, interests and education options.

2. Address the “F” Word – Financing Don’t let your students become intimidated by a loan and grant process that at times feels like an IRS audit. Reach out to the student’s family and do what you can to make sure that they understand their role in the process. Explain that tuition and costs at community colleges are usually low, and financial aid is available for those who can work their way through a maze of paperwork. The Federal Pell Grant, for example, is open to students attending any accredited postsecondary institution. You can even qualify if you go part time.

3. Give the Best Selling Points of Attending Community College Rather than concentrate on the deficiencies of community colleges when compared to four-year schools, focus on their advantages. Aside from saving money, being able to transfer to a four-year college and fast-tracking them on a career requiring two years or less in training, remind them that most community colleges have an open admission policy. As the College Board notes, “This means that you can go to college even if your high school grades aren’t strong. A community college is also a good option if you’re not sure you’re ready for college. You’ll have a chance to challenge yourself and see if college is right for you.” Stress the flexible nature of community colleges. They can attend full time or part time and fit courses into a work schedule. But remember, open admission is a double-edged sword. Sometimes students hear “Open Admission” and assume that they can relax and phone in the rest of their high school work. They don’t see the value of working hard when everyone gets admitted into community colleges. The College Board offers this argument: “In order to succeed in college, you need a solid foundation in reading, writing and math skills. Unless you build them in high school, you may have to take remedial, or catch-up, courses when you arrive at a community college. They are also called developmental or basic skills courses. These courses don’t count toward your degree, so graduating will take you longer and cost you more if you’re not prepared.”

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The Hispanic Outlook In Higher Education

www.hispanicoutlook.com

ED Invites Higher Education Community to Share What Works in Helping Students Complete Higher Education WASHINGTON, D.C.

Continuing its commitment to helping America once again lead the world in college graduates, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has invited the higher education community to share best practices that have proved to help students successfully complete postsecondary education, and convened some of the leading researchers to develop a toolkit for institutions to reference.

“Our task now is to brainstorm more creative ideas and scale up those practices that are most successful in making sure that all students – regardless of income, race or

Access to Higher Education Matters, Says AACC Policy Brief WASHINGTON, D.C.

Access to higher education matters and is threatened today, says a new policy brief issued last month by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). The policy brief, Why Access Matters: The Community College Student Body, is available on AACC’s website at www.aacc.nche.edu.

Community colleges provide access to higher education for nearly half of all minority undergraduate students and more than 40 percent of undergraduate students living in poverty. The policy brief paints a picture of today’s diverse and expansive

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background – are crossing the finish line,” said Arne Duncan, U.S. education secretary, at an ED college completion symposium in January.

“We know that answers for improving quality and completion will come from professors, deans and leaders in the field who have firsthand knowledge about what works to keep students in school and help them succeed,” said Martha Kanter, U.S. undersecretary of education, who also spoke at the event. “Our goal is to highlight strategies that have had the greatest impact on students’ success without saddling them with unnecessary costs or debt.”

As part of these efforts, the department has published a notice in the Federal Register calling for information about promising practices and activities that have improved rates of postsecondary progress, transfer and graduation. A special focus is

on strategies that emphasize the quality of what students learn and timely or accelerated attainment of degrees or certificates, including industry-recognized credentials that lead to employment outcomes. The department has begun posting submitted material on its website so that schools and practitioners working to boost college completion can benefit from the information in a timely way.

Titled “Evidence-Action-Innovation,” the college completion symposium convened 50 of the nation’s leading researchers, policy experts and practitioners from postsecondary institutions around the country. The discussions focused on best practices that support students’ academic transitions through accelerated programs, learning communities and bridge programs, as well as advising, coaching and mentoring.

community college student body, while expanding on education access for all.

But the open-door philosophy found at community colleges is not being rewarded by policymakers focused on completion rates and success indicators buoyed by enrollment data that do not accurately capture what community colleges do and whom they serve, according to AACC. Eighty-four percent of community college students work while going to school, and more than half (60 percent) of them work more than 20 hours a week. Working while going to college can increase the likelihood that students do not complete their courses of study and earn degrees.

“Community colleges offer higher education access to anyone who wants to learn,

regardless of their income, status in life, age or ethnicity,” said Walter G. Bumphus, president and CEO of AACC. “We fear that success indicators focused on degree completion only will lead to restricting college access to those who are the most likely to succeed, not those who need it the most.”

“America cannot afford an educational system of haves and have-nots that does not meet its employment or educational needs.

Revising success indicators to reflect the population community colleges serve and incentivizing colleges to meet those benchmarks is what is needed,” noted Bumphus.

The policy brief was funded in part by Lumina Foundation.

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APLU Joins 26 Organizations to Call for U.S. Higher Education to Demonstrate Student Learning WASHINGTON, D.C.

U.S. colleges and universities must ensure that college degrees reflect a high level of student achievement and commit to publicly reporting evidence of student learning. These principles are the centerpiece of a new publication, endorsed by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and 26 national higher education organizations, that calls on colleges and universities to ask and answer the question, “Are students learning?” at their institutions.

Committing to Quality: Guidelines for

New Report Outlines Trends in U.S. Global Competitiveness in Science and Technology ARLINGTON, Va.

The United States remains the global leader in supporting science and technology (S&T) research and development, but only by a slim margin that could soon be overtaken by rapidly increasing Asian investments in knowledge-intensive economies.

So suggest trends released in a new report by the National Science Board (NSB), the policymaking body for the National Science Foundation (NSF), on the overall status of the science, engineering and technology workforce, education efforts and economic activity in the United States and abroad.

“This information clearly shows we must

www.hispanicoutlook.com

March 26, 2012

Assessment and Accountability, published by the New Leadership Alliance for Student Learning and Accountability, guides colleges and universities in improving the quality of a college degree. It asks colleges to take responsibility for assessing and improving student learning – to set clear goals for student achievement, regularly gather and use evidence that measures performance against those goals, report evidence of student learning and continuously work to improve results. It was released recently at the Council for Higher Education Accreditation’s (CHEA) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. “The endorsement of these guidelines by national organizations sends a clear message that higher education will speak with one voice and embrace evidence-based improvement of student learning,” said

David Paris, executive director of the Alliance. “We urge all those in college and university communities – presidents and chancellors, faculty members, academic and student affairs administrators – to share and discuss these principles and, ultimately, to put them into practice.”

APLU says that U.S. higher education must focus on both quantity and quality – increasing graduation rates and the learning represented in the degree. Awarding more degrees will only be meaningful if those degrees reflect a high level of student accomplishment. Those granting educational credentials must assure that students have developed the requisite knowledge, skills, values and attitudes that prepare them for work, life and responsible citizenship.

re-examine longheld assumptions about the global dominance of the American science and technology enterprise,” said NSF Director Subra Suresh of the findings in Science and Engineering Indicators 2012. “And we must take seriously new strategies for education, workforce development and innovation in order for the United States to retain its international leadership position,” he said.

Suresh oversees NSF’s $7 billion budget, which is awarded to the federal agency by Congress and funds basic research and education across all fields of science and engineering, including some 15 percent of federally supported basic research conducted at America’s colleges and universities.

According to the new Indicators 2012, the largest global S&T gains occurred in the so-called “Asia-10” – China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines,

Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand – as those countries integrate S&T into economic growth. Between 1999 and 2009, for example, the U.S. share of global research and development (R&D) dropped from 38 percent to 31 percent, whereas it grew from 24 percent to 35 percent in the Asia region during the same time.

In China alone, R&D growth increased a stunning 28 percent in a single year (200809), propelling it past Japan and into second place behind the United States.

“Over the last decade, the world has changed dramatically,” said José-Marie Griffiths, chair of the NSB committee that oversees production of the report. “It’s now a world with very different actors who have made advancement in science and technology a top priority. And many of the troubling trends we’re seeing are now very well established.”

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HI S PAN I C S O N T H E MO VE Cabrera Named Sixth President of George Mason University

Gómez Receives International Honor

Díaz Named One of Central Florida’s Influential Hispanics

The George Mason University (Va.) has selected Dr. Angel Cabrera to be the institution’s next president.

Cabrera is currently president of the Thunderbird School of Global Management, a leading school of international business, a position he’s held since 2004. Prior to joining Thunderbird, Cabrera was professor and dean at IE Business School in Madrid, Spain. IE is often listed by the international media as among the top European business schools. A native of Spain, he has a BS and MS in engineering from Madrid Polytechnical University and an MS and Ph.D. from Georgia Institute of Technology, which he attended as a Fulbright Scholar.

The Organization of the Americas for Educational Excellence (ODAEE), through two universities – the College of Graduate Studies of Mexico City and the Catholic University of Cuenca in Ecuador – has conferred a Doctor Honoris Causa/Honorary Degree upon Jaime Gómez, interim dean of the School of Education and Professional Studies and the Graduate Division at Eastern Connecticut State University. Gómez was presented with the honorary degree “in recognition of his great contribution in the development of the sciences, arts and letters.” He also received a Special Recognition Diploma for his “outstanding research and education in the areas of information communication technology (ICT) in the field of education.”

Leticia M. Díaz, dean of the Barry University Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law (Fla.), was listed as one of 25 influential Hispanics in Central Florida in the current issue of Visión magazine, a publication of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando. Díaz was the first Cuban-American female to hold the position of dean at an ABAaccredited law school when she was appointed to the position in 2007. She has taken a leadership role on Hispanic issues and serves on the advisory committee for the ABA Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities.

Ortega Awarded Mexico’s Highest Honor

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CHLI Announces Gómez as New Executive Director

Photo © Sergio Ochoa

Julio Ortega, professor of Hispanic studies at Brown University (R.I.), has been honored by the government of Mexico with the Order of the Aztec Eagle, the highest decoration awarded by Mexico to foreign citizens.

Arturo Sarukhan, ambassador of Mexico to the United States, bestowed the honor on behalf of President Felipe Calderón in a ceremony at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Washington, D.C., in December. Born in Peru, Ortega studied literature at Universidad Católica in Lima. At Brown, he has served as chair of Hispanic studies, director of the Center for Latin American Studies and currently is the director of the Transatlantic Project, an academic initiative dedicated to the history of cultural exchange between Spain, Latin America and the United States.

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The Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI) recently welcomed Mary Ann Gómez as its new executive director. Gómez joins CHLI with a wealth of experience in the nonprofit and corporate sectors. She previously served as the executive director of the National Association of Hispanic Publications, worked as a marketing manager for Coors Brewing Company and McDonald’s Corporation and represented PhRMA as a National Alliance Development Consultant. She has a BA in communications from the University of the Pacific and an MBA from St. Mary’s College.

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Giménez Smith Wins 2011 American Book Award for Nonfiction Work New Mexico State University (NMSU) assistant professor of English Carmen Giménez Smith received a 2011 American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation for her memoir, Bring Down the Little Birds: On Mothering, Art, Work, and Everything Else. Published in 2010, her book is an exploration of the many faces of motherhood from her own experience as a mother and her memories of her own mother, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor and Alzheimer’s disease. Giménez Smith is the editor-in-chief of NMSU’s literary journal Puerto del Sol and a publisher of Noemi Press.

Interesting Reads Diverse Millennial Students in College Edited by Fred A. Bonner, Aretha F. Marbley and Mary F. Howard Hamilton This book is addressed primarily to college and university administrators and faculty members who seek greater depth and understanding of the issues associated with diverse Millennial college student populations.

2011. 307 pgs. ISBN: 978-1-57922-447-9. $29.95 paper. Stylus Publishing (703) 661-1504. www.Styluspub.com

Oranges & Peanuts for Sale

By Eliot Weinberger This book contains 28 essays from Weinberger ranging in topics from the politics of the Iraq war to tales from classical China. Weinberger is the first literary writer to receive Mexico’s Order of the Aztec Eagle.

2009. 272 pgs. ISBN: 978-0-8112-1834-4. $16.95 paper.

New Directions Publishing, (800) 233-4830. www.ndpublishing.com

Seven Nights

By Jorge Luis Borges Originally published in 1984, this is a collection of seven lectures taped in 1977 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, discussing the Divine Comedy, The Thousand and One Nights, The Kabbalah and Buddhism with wit and humor.

2009. 128 pgs. ISBN: 978-0-8112-1838-2. $12.95 paper.

New Directions Publishing, (800) 233-4830. www.ndpublishing.com

Tiempos Lejanos – Poetic Images from the Past

By Nasario García In the author’s first book of poetry, he revisits Ojo Del Padre, where he spent his childhood in the 1940s and 1950s. This small village of 50 residences in Northern New Mexico has since gone through a transformation and is now called Guadalupe.

2004. 152 pgs. ISBN: 978-0-8263-3301-X. $18.95 paper. The University of New Mexico Press, (505) 277-2346. www.unmpress.com.

Beyond the Latino World War II Hero – The Social and Political Legacy of a Generation

by Maggie Rivas-Rodríquez and Emilio Zamora 2009. 256 pgs. ISBN: 978-0-292-72115-9. $50.00 cloth. University of Texas Press, www.utexas.edu/utpress

At

a time when the United States is winding down wars fought on the other side of the globe, much attention is being paid, justifiably so, to returning veterans. That is what makes this volume so timely and relevant to today’s reader. A lot has been written and said about the Greatest Generation, but until now less has been said about Mexican-Americans who contributed so much in blood and treasure to preserve freedom here and abroad. As the editors charge, even the definitive Ken Burns 2007 documentary on World War II managed to exclude the contributions of Latinas and Latinos. Hence, the seeds of this book were sown. This omission is particularly vexing to the editors because of the legacy of Mexican-American men who participated in World War II. Up to 750,000 Mexican-American men served in World War II, earning more medals of Honor and other decorations in proportion to their numbers than any other ethnic group.

Before this volume, Maggie Rivas-Rodríguez edited Mexican Americans & World War II, which brought forth stories that added to the growing acknowledgment of Mexican-American patriotism as a meaningful force within the Greatest Generation. In this latest anthology, Rivas-Rodríguez and historian Emilio Zamora team up with scholars from various disciplines to add new insights to the increasing body of evidence that makes their case.

Beyond the Latino World War II Hero focuses on home-front issues and government relations, delving into new areas of research and blending in oral histories to add faces and personalities to the history being revealed.

The human stories told are timeless. The tales of post-traumatic stress disorder and its effects on veterans’ families could be ripped from today’s headlines. Special attention is paid to Mexican-American women of this era. They have their own Rosie the Riveter fighting spirit. And like strong women who had to take the place of men who went off to war, these strong women became an inspiration for their daughters, many of whom became Chicana activists of the 1960s and 1970s. Other topics include the power of radio as a medium during the war and postwar periods, the participation of Mexican nationals in World War II, and intergovernmental negotiations involving Mexico and Puerto Rico.

Rivas-Rodríguez is associate professor of journalism at the University of Texas-Austin and in 1999 founded the U.S. Latino & Latina World War II Oral History Project. The project has interviewed more than 650 men and women of the WWII generation and has multiple components, including a photographic exhibit, a play, three books, and educational materials.

Zamora is associate professor of history at the University of Texas-Austin and author of The World of the Mexican Worker in Texas.

Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper

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s!M ONG THE TOP PRODUCERS OF ASSOCI ATE DEGREES F OR (I SPANI C STUDENTS NATI ONW I DE THAN

s- ORE SUBJ ECT AREAS L EAD TO ASSOCI ATE DEGREES

CERTI F I CATES s6ETERAN F RI ENDL Y

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs School of Pharmacy

The School of Pharmacy, University of Kansas, located in Lawrence, KS, invites applications for the position of Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. This position will oversee curricular changes in the professional program, chair the Curriculum Assessment and Student Outcomes Committee and the Catalog and Scheduling Committee. Applicants should possess a degree in Pharmacy, along with teaching and administrative experience. Both tenured and clinical professionals are encouraged to apply. We are particularly interested in candidates who will contribute to the University's innovative, collaborative, and multidisciplinary initiatives to educate leaders, build healthy communities, and make discoveries that will change the world.

See http://provost.ku.edu/planning/.

Salary is commensurate with experience. Review of applications continues as long as needed to collect a qualified pool of applicants. For more information and to apply, go to https://jobs.ku.edu and refer to position # 00005462. Contact Information: pharmacy@ku.edu.

EO/AA Employer

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5885 Haven Avenue, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91737

Butte College

Chaffey College has administrative openings for: DEAN, MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE and DEAN, SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES Application Deadline: March 29, 2012 4:00pm For complete job descriptions, qualifications, and the application process, please visit our website at: http://apptrkr.com/237260 or call 909-652-6528.

www.chaffey.edu

Butte College anticipates recruiting for the following faculty positions.

Check our website job announcements for more details as positions open.

EOE

http://www.butte.edu/hr/ job_opportunities/faculty/

BROOKDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE Academic Division Dean of Science and Health Sciences

• LEAD Instructor • Drafting Instructor • Natural Resources Instructor

Revised and Extended Available July 2012

Brookdale Community College seeks applications for an Academic Division Dean responsible for managing the affairs of the Science and Health Sciences Division.

E.O.E. Human Resources 3536 Butte Campus Drive, Oroville, CA 95965 (530) 895-2400 (530) 895-2836 fax

Please visit our Web site for detailed information and instructions to apply online www.brookdalecc.edu Click on HR & Intranet then View Employment Opportunities Online, or call (732) 224-2739.

Position closes on April 20, 2012 (Please note that previous applicants need not reapply credentials still under full consideration) An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution

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VCU

WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE

C o m m o n w e a l t h V i r g i n i a U n i v e r s i t y

TRANSFER ADVISOR Position Number: FA3280 Hire Date: 05/10/2012 Application Deadline: 04/10/2012 The University College of Virginia Commonwealth University invites applicants for an exciting opportunity as a Transfer Advisor. The successful candidate for this position will possess a dedication to customer service while providing transfer credit information, referrals and support to transfer students through the transcript evaluation process, preadmission and transition advising. As a vital addition to a team of qualified professionals within the Transfer Center, it is crucial that this person create and maintain positive working relationships within the department and with other areas within the University.

Master’s degree required in Higher Education Administration, College Student Personnel, or related field. Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU required.

For more information and to apply, go to http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/facjobs/facjob.asp?Item=4503 Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

ADMINISTRATOR & FACULTY POSITIONS Westchester Community College is committed to hiring innovative administrators, staff and faculty members. Women, minorities and those dedicated to diversity and multiculturalism are strongly encouraged to apply. Full-time positions include excellent benefits.

Administrator Director of Program Development 1 (Institutional Advancement) Full-time Faculty position Chemistry Instructor position to start Fall 2012. Requires Masters plus one-year related experience.

Adjunct Faculty (Summer and Fall 2012 openings). Specify day/evening/weekend availability.

Credit adjuncts (Masters and one-year related experience required unless otherwise indicated on website): Anthropology, Art History, Chemistry, Cisco Networking, Computer Information Systems (day only), Economics, English, Fashion (Garment Construction, Patternmaking), Finance (Personal Finance), Geography, Health Education, Mathematics, Painting and Drawing, Photography (Digital), Political Science, Social Work, and Sociology.

Non-Credit adjuncts (Bachelors required): Classes for lifelong learners may include children, adults, and seniors in various locations with day, evening and weekend options. Also interested in those with corporate training backgrounds and those with ESL teaching experience and ideas for new classes especially in health and fitness. Visit website for information and to submit proposals for new classes; do not submit a resume without a class proposal.

For details, visit www.sunywcc.edu/jobs. Applications are accepted until positions are filled. Resumes to Human Resources, Westchester Community College, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10595; fax 914-606-7838; email Word documents to humanresources@sunywcc.edu. Please indicate position of interest on envelope or in email “subject” field. AA/EOE.

Chandler-Gilbert | Estrella Chandler-Gilbert strella Mountain | GateWay GateWay Valley Glendale | Mesa | Paradise V alley | Phoenix Rio Salado | Scottsdale ttsdale | South Mountain

A Gr Great eat Place ace to Work!

Wor k!

The Maricopa Community ity Colleges are fast-growing, g, lifelong learning institutions ionss with great facilities, full eather her. benefits, and glorious weather.

Job opportunities exist in n faculty positions (part-time me ment, t, and full-time), management, technology, support staff, f, facilities, and other areas. s.

Lesley University, a private liberal arts university located in Cambridge, MA, is seeking a dynamic leader to join its academic leadership team. Reporting directly to the Provost, the Associate Provost is a member of the Academic Affairs leadership team and represents the office on a number of university committees. This position is heavily involved in planning efforts related to academic programs, academic resources, student success, faculty evaluation and faculty well-being. The Associate Provost is responsible for ensuring the quality and market feasibility for proposed new programs.

Qualifications: • Earned terminal degree from a regionally accredited university • Substantial experience in the academy as a faculty member or educational administrator at the department, school, or university level • Substantial experience conducting educational research, analyzing complex data sets, and writing quantitative and narrative reports • Demonstrated experience developing and implementing new academic degree/certificate programs • Ability to function effectively in a data-informed management environment • Mastery of technology and software to facilitate administrative, instructional, and research processes

www.maricopa.edu/jobs www .maricopa.edu/jobs copa.edu/jobs

Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Review of applications will begin on April 2, 2012.

Maricopa Community ty Colleges District Office 2411 W. W. 14th Street, t, TTempe, empe, Arizona 85281 480.731.8444 .731.8444

How to apply: To review the complete position description and qualifications and submit your credentials, go to www.lesley.edu/jobs. All applications must be submitted on-line and include a cover letter, resume/CV, and three references including contact information.

All applications and employment nt opportunities are posted online at:

All APPLICA APPLICATIONS ATIONS MUS MUST ST BE SUBMITTED SUBMITTED ONLINE. The Maricopa Community Colleges are EEO/AA A Institutions.

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Lesley University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to increasing the diversity of the university community and the curriculum. Candidates who believe they can contribute to this goal are encouraged to apply.

F

ounded in 1956, the University of South Florida is a public research university of growing national distinction. The USF System is comprised of member institutions; USF Tampa, the doctoral granting institution which includes USF Health; USF St. Petersburg; USF Sarasota-Manatee; USF Polytechnic, located in Lakeland, separately accredited by the Commission Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). USF is one of only four Florida public universities classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching in the top tier of research universities. More than 47,000 students are studying on USF campuses and the University offers 228 degree programs at the undergraduate, graduate, specialty and doctoral levels, including the doctor of medicine. USF is a member of the Big East Athletic Conference. And, USF is listed in the Princeton Review as one of the nation's 50 "Best Value" public colleges and universities.

The university is currently recruiting for the following positions; the number in parentheses represents the number of positions available to that specific title:

Administrative Positions:

Director, Counseling Center (Student Affairs)

Director of Housing Facilities (Student Affairs) Dean of Students (Sarasota/Manatee Campus)

Director of Development (University Advancement) Director of Development (Health Development)

Assitant Vice President Student Services (COM)

Faculty Positions: College of Arts and Sciences

Engineering

Assistant/Associate Professor (1)

Assistant Professor (6)

Assistant Professor (4)

College of Medicine

Business

Assistant/Associate Professor (2)

Assistant/Associate Professor (2)

Assistant Professor (5)

Dean (1)

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor (1)

Associate/Full Professor (1)

Education

Assistant Professor (1)

College of Arts

Divising of Administration

Pharmacy

Sarasota

College of Nursing

Associate Professor (1)

Dean (1)

Assistant/Associate Professor (1)

Assistant/Associate Professor (1)

Assistant Professor (1)

Assistant/Associate Professor (1) Nursing Faculty (2)

Associate to Full (1)

St. Petersburg Campus

Associate/Associate/Full Professor (1)

Associate Professor or Full Professor (1)

Academic Affairs

Director & FacultyAdministrator (1)

For a job description on the above listed positions including department, disciple and deadline dates: (1) visit our Careers@USF Web site at https://employment.usf.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/Welcome_css.jsp; or (2) contact The Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, (813) 974-4373; or (3) call USF job line at 813.974.2879.

USF is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution, committed to excellence through diversity in education and employment. www.usf.edu • 4202 E. Fowler Ave,Tampa, FL 33620 03/26/2012

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3345 Redwood Highway Grants Pass, OR 97527 Josephine and Jackson Counties, Oregon Rogue Community College invites applications for the following full-time (100%) faculty positions. RCC is a three-campus community college serving two counties in beautiful southern Oregon. Offering lower division transfer, adult basic education, and professional/ technical programs with an annual enrollment of 6201.91 FTE. MATH INSTRUCTOR Responsible for organizing and carrying out structured learning processes for students in mathematics and related courses. A Master’s Degree in Mathematics (or any Master’s Degree with equivalent advanced mathematics course work) required. A minimum of two years’ documented, successful teaching experience required.

SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR Responsible for organizing and carrying out structured learning processes for students in chemistry and general science with possible assignments in astronomy, biology or oceanography. A master’s degree in chemistry, biochemistry or related field required. See job posting for experience requirements.

Assistant Dean/Campus Director Orange County, CA Springfield College School of Human Services is a growing, multi-campus program with established campuses in New England, the mid-Atlantic region, California, Florida, Wisconsin, and Texas. Our mission is to provide broadly accessible higher education in the human services field to adult learners, supported by the principles of community partnership and academic excellence to achieve social and economic justice. Courses are offered on weekends to students seeking either BS or MS degrees in Human Services.

The interdisciplinary curriculum focuses on the development of social analysis, critical thinking, communication skills, and leadership skills.

The Orange County campus is scheduled to open on September 1, 2012.

The Springfield College School of Human Services invites applications for the position of Assistant Dean/Campus Director at its new Southern California Campus in the Santa Ana/Tustin area of Orange County. Successful candidates are dynamic, multi-talented, detail-oriented individuals who respond to the mission with passion; enjoy and are skilled in working with and recruiting adult learners; and appreciate the importance

and complexity of working with diverse populations.

Reporting to the Dean of the School of Human Services, this position provides leadership and coordination of all campus activities, including: overseeing marketing, recruitment, and admissions; supervising academic support services; faculty recruiting, supervision and development; create academic schedule and assign faculty; develop and maintain budget; involvement in community relations to establish collaborative academic relationships and form a community advisory board.

Qualifications: a passionate response to the mission of the School; an earned doctorate; a minimum of 5 years of administrative experience in higher education with a minimum of 3 years of college-level teaching, ideally in teaching adults from diverse backgrounds; content expertise in at least one area within the human service or social science field. Preference will be given to the candidate who has a record of active and consistent involvement in human services in Orange County, California. Travel and weekend work are required.

Please forward letters of intent/application, current resume, curriculum vitae, and the names and phone numbers of three professional references to: Dr. Robert Willey, Dean, School of Human Services, Springfield College, 263 Alden Street, Springfield, MA 01109-3797.

Springfield College is committed to enhancing diversity and equality in education and employment.

Please visit our website at:

www.spfldcol.edu

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SOCIAL SCIENCE / HUMAN SERVICES INSTRUCTOR Responsible for organizing and carrying out structured learning processes for students in the Human Services program and related courses such as Psychology. A master’s degree or higher in psychology or human services-related discipline is required, with coursework in two or more of the following areas: psychology, substance abuse, counseling, social work, human services. Teaching experience at the community college level in one or more of the subject areas listed above is required. A minimum of two years’ clinical experience; professional certification, licensure or equivalent, such as LPC, NBCC, CADC I, LCSW, or MAC required.

HUMANITIES (FOREIGN LANGUAGE) INSTRUCTOR Responsible for organizing and carrying out structured learning processes for students in Spanish as the primary instruction, with instruction in a second foreign language possible. A Master’s degree in Spanish, Applied Linguistics, or a subject area related to the duties of the position is required. A minimum of three years’ foreign language teaching experience at the college level required. The ability to teach a second foreign language is a preferred qualification.

COUNSELOR (2 POSITIONS) Provides students and prospective students with information about careers, college programs, and learning resources. A Master’s Degree in Counseling, Social Work, Psychology, or other directly related fields required. Current licensure with National Certified Counselor (NCC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), or Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) preferred; eligibility for and significant progress toward, such certification required. At least two years (within past five) of counseling experience with major assignment in educational advising and career work required. Spanish language skills preferred.

APPLICATION PROCESS: closing date: Monday, April 16, 2012. For job posting, salary information, & RCC’s online application system instructions (only online applications are accepted), visit our website at https://jobs.roguecc.edu/ EOE

Ventura, CA

Chancellor Posting Number: 0601700 Closing Date: 04-16-2012 Serves as Chief Executive Officer responsible for administration of Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD) in accordance with the California Education Code, accreditation standards, and the policies established by the Board of Trustees.

Reports directly to Board of Trustees and is delegated authority for overall operation of the District, including all programs and services involving educational development, student learning, human resources, facilities planning, business services, fiscal affairs, and legislative relations. Provides policy recommendations to the Board of Trustees, engages in strategic planning, provides educational leadership, and supports District policies with state and local constituencies.

Minimum Qualifications Master’s Degree or equivalent from accredited college or university AND senior leadership and/or administrative experience in progressively responsible positions.

For confidential inquiries about the position, please contact Community College Search Services.

John Romo Phone: 805-698-7987 Email: romojb@gmail.com Jim Walker Phone: 805-279-0009 Email: walkerjw@sbcglobal.net

FCC offers a gener FCC generous ous benefits package which includes two two medical medical insurance insurance plans, plans, dental dental andd vision plans plans,, waiver waiver of FC FCCC tuition for emplo employee yee e and eligible dependen dependents, ts, tuition rreimbursement, eimbursemennt, gener ous lea ve benefits retirement plans e! With With record record enrollments, enrollments, a tremendous tremendous generous leave benefits,, retirement plans,, andd mor more! environment, growingly diverse eclectic studentsts and emplo employees, ccampus ampus en vironment, and a gr owingly div ersee and eclec tic mix of studen yees, placee ttoo w work.

FFrederick rederick CCommunity ommunity CCollege ollege is an ideal plac ork. TThe he ccampus ampus is about an hour outside Washington, MD,, in a ccommunity heralded schools,, rich W ashington, DD.C., .C., and BBaltimore, altimore, MD ommunit mmunity her alded for its ttop-notch op-notch schools history, vibrant artsts ccommunity.

You’ll partt of a learning ccommunity thatt hist ory, beautiful parks and vibr ant ar ommunit munity. Yo ou’ll be par ommunity tha studentsts first first.. W Wee look for forward puts studen ward to to hearingg from from yyou. ou.

PPositions ositions ttoo star art August 1, 2012. start

VCCCD is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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Assistant Pr ofessorr, Construction Construction Management/Building Management/Building TTrades rades (#01357) Assistant Professor, AAssistant ssistant Pr ofessor, English glish CComposition omposition (#01356) Professor, Assistant Professor/Program Professor/Program Manager, Managerr, Human Services Services (#01359) Assistant Assistant Professor, Professor or, Reading (#01353) Assistant

Applications accept Applications accepted ed exclusively exclusively ly online at at http://jobs.frederick.edu http://jobs.frederick.edu For For more information information on how how to to apply apply contact contact 301.846.2672.

For more information and to apply, visit http://apptrkr.com/235759

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FFrederick rederick CCommunity ommunity CCollege ollege w was as rrecently ecently named med the 24th fast fastest est growing growing community community college college in the nation nation for its size. size. Whatever Whatever yyour our discipline discipline, ine, and whether yyou ou tteach each in the classr classroom oom or serve students students in other w ays, we we invite invite yyou ou ttoo join our friendly friendly ccampus. ampus. We We ar always looking serve ways, aree always for outstanding, outstanding, ddynamic ynamic and talen talented ted pr professionals ofessionals sionals ttoo join our w workforce. orkforce. Please consider consider the following following full-time openings:

FFrederick rederrick Community Communitty CCollege, ollegee, an equal equal opportunity opportunit nitty emplo employer, oyerr, values values campus campus diversity divversitty in students andd staff and enc encourages courrages memb members ers from frrom historically hist istorriccally under-represented under--rreprresented groups under grroups to to apply. applyy.

LOOKING FOR A DIVERSE GROUP OF APPLICANTS?

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LOOK NO FURTHER...

We are here to help you reach over 125,000 college faculty and administrators !!"

For more information call: 201-587-8800 ext-102 or 106 or visit our Web site at: www.hispanicoutlook.com E-mail your ads to: Outlook@sprintmail.com 03/26/2012

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ADVERTISING INDEX

INSTRUCTIONAL SPECIALIST, MATH SUCCESS CENTER Minimum Qualifications: Master’s in mathematics or applied mathematics OR Bachelor’s in either of • the above and Master’s in statistics, physics, or mathematics education OR hold a valid credential to teach in the discipline OR meet equivalent qualifications established by the District, AND • Evidence of sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT Salary range of $56,267 - $87,452 is commensurate with academic preparation and experience. The District provides medical, dental, and vision insurance for the employee and eligible dependents and life insurance for the employee.

The deadline to apply is 4:00 p.m., Friday, March 30, 2012. Application materials must be electronically submitted on-line at http://hr.lbcc.ed/jobs.cfm. Incomplete applications and applications submitted by mail will not be considered.

CULINARY ARTS CHEF INSTRUCTOR Minimum Qualifications: • Bachelor’s degree and two years of experience in the Culinary Arts; OR, • Associate degree and six years of experience in the Culinary Arts; OR, • Valid credential to teach in the Culinary Arts; OR, • Equivalent qualifications established by the District AND appropriate certificate to practice or licensure or its equivalent, if available • Evidence of a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT Salary range of $47,581.00 - $74,311.00 is commensurate with academic preparation and experience. The District provides medical, dental, and vision insurance for the employee and eligible dependents and life insurance for the employee.

The deadline to apply is 4:00 p.m., Friday, March 30, 2012. Application materials must be electronically submitted on-line at http://hr.lbcc.ed/jobs.cfm. Incomplete applications and applications submitted by mail will not be considered.

SPEECH COMMUNICATION INSTRUCTOR Minimum Qualifications: • Master’s degree in speech, speech broadcasting, telecommunications, rhetoric, communication, communication studies, speech communication, or organizational communication from an accredited institution, OR a Bachelor’s degree in any of the above AND Master’s in drama/theater arts, mass communication, English OR the equivalent OR possession of a valid California Community College Supervisory Credential, AND • Evidence of sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students.

CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT Salary range of $50,555 - $78,574 is commensurate with academic preparation and experience. The District provides medical, dental, and vision insurance for the employee and eligible dependents and life insurance for the employee.

The deadline to apply is 4:00 p.m., Friday, March 30, 2012. Application materials must be electronically submitted on-line at http://hr.lbcc.ed/jobs.cfm. Incomplete applications and applications submitted by mail will not be considered.

APPLICATION PROCESS Submit application on-line at http://hr.lbcc.ed/jobs.cfm.

OR visit our lobby to submit applications on-line at Long Beach Community College District-Human Resources 4901 E. Carson Street, Long Beach, CA 90808

POSITIONS ARIZONA Maricopa Community Colleges CALIFORNIA Butte College Chaffey College Long Beach Community College District Merced College Rio Hondo College Springfield College Ventura County Community College District FLORIDA University of South Florida INDIANA Indiana Wesleyan University KANSAS University of Kansas MARYLAND Frederick Community College MASSACHUSETTS Lesley University MICHIGAN Wayne State University NEW JERSEY Brookdale Community College NEW YORK Westchester Community College OREGON Rogue Community College VIRGINIA Virginia Commonwealth University

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INSTITUTIONAL Borough of Manhattan Community College/CUNY Broward College El Paso Community College Essex County College Lone Star Community College District Rio Hondo College Salisbury University San Antonio College Santa Ana College

NY FL TX NJ TX CA MD TX CA

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VCU V i r g i n i a C o m m o n w e a l t h U n i v e r s i t y

WRITING CENTER COORDINATOR Position Number: FA2120 Hire Date: 05/10/2012 Application Deadline: 04/01/2012 The University College of Virginia Commonwealth University invites applicants for an exciting opportunity as a Writing Center Coordinator. The Writing Center Coordinator supports the Director in implementing studentcentered writing assistance programs. The Coordinator handles day to day operations including scheduling, supervision, training and evaluation of consultants, as well as oversight for Writing Center specialty programs. As a vital addition to a team of qualified professionals within the University College, it is crucial that this person create and maintain positive working relationships within the department and with other areas within the University.

Master’s degree in English, Composition, or related area required.

For more information and to apply, go to http://www.pubinfo.vcu.edu/facjobs/facjob.asp?Item=4504 Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

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P.O. Box 68 Paramus, NJ 07652-0068 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

P ri min g the Pump. ..

CONTINGENCY PLANNING AN ESSENTIAL SKILL FOR COLLEGE-BOUND LATINO TEENS

Miquela Rivera, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist with years of clinical, early childhood and consultative experience. She lives in Albuquerque, N.M.

Unhappiness is something we are never taught about; we are taught to expect happiness, but never a Plan B to use when the happiness doesn’t arrive. – Doug Coupland, Canadian novelist

F

ormal planning does not come easy to many adolescents, including Latinos. For some teens, deciding which movie to view on the weekend seems hard enough sometimes; setting target goals and developing plans to reach them might almost seem impossible. Regardless, Hispanic teens need to take it even a step further and plan for contingencies. Developing Plan B to respond to unforeseen events is crucial for Latino teens preparing for higher education since many factors can derail them from reaching that goal.

Ask a Hispanic teen who is planning for college to imagine that which might happen.

What if financial aid doesn’t come through?

What if my parents need my help?

What if I don’t get the classes I need?

What if I hate my major?

What if I fail?

While we promote optimism among adolescents to help build a positive outlook on the future, it is fair and realistic to teach them that, when life does not go as planned, you switch to Plan B. Or C. Or D. You learn to review and switch approaches when you must.

Contingency planning is not intended to outline detailed responses to every possible event or outcome. It is meant to help people consider those things most likely to cause events to go awry. This is not to promote worry; it is to advance preparedness.

Whether Latino teens are working on a class project, playing football or applying for college, there are key questions to help them raise just in case things don’t go as desired: What unexpected event might happen that I will need to respond to?

Teens need to know that not every issue requires a response, but some absolutely do. If they can learn that early, they will save grief in many areas of life, from love and marriage to work and career.

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What is the worst thing that can possibly happen? A teen can consider a full range of outcomes, only to find that almost none will bring absolute doom. This question can help teens realize that, even if things don’t go well, they can keep going. They can also learn that catastrophic events might be possible, but not highly probable.

What would cause these terrible, disruptive events to occur? Most threatening events that teens worry about never come to pass. Instead, students with insight, introspection and a good sense of honesty might admit that their own procrastination could result in missing deadlines or failing exams. That is preventable; just do what needs to be done well and on time.

The gift that teens ultimately discover in contingency or “what if” planning is that it causes them to be ready for the little bumps and big holes in the road that they might encounter. Planning ahead prepares them to act in alternative ways while keeping their eye on the ball – completing higher education. Instead of fear, they will feel more confident knowing that they have thought of many things that could affect how they achieve their dream, but that those disruptions are part of the process.

Many Latino teens are skilled contingency planners. Those who are self-determined and goal-directed but have faced financial, familial or social barriers impeding their progress have already been forced to figure out Plan B to do what they want. For the less important things, “making do” with what they have might suffice. In other instances, it might be learning to substitute one thing for another. Families sometimes pitch in to cover unforeseen events. And sometimes it means waiting. But waiting – as long as you stay on track – is another opportunity to exercise Plan B to one’s own advantage. Waste no time or opportunity.

Latino teens who have faced adversity alone or with others understand the basic reason for contingency planning: No te dejes. Si se puede. ¡Siga! Figure out another way, but don’t give up.

These articles appeared online only in the 03/26/12 Issue

TARGETING HIGHER EDUCATION

California

Community Colleges

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by Gustavo A. Mellander recently read that twice as many California community college students were unable to enroll in the courses they wanted than the national average. That is not the only crack in the educational armor built over many decades – just the most recent one. Since the vast majority of Hispanics in California begin their higher education journeys at a community college, changes there are of importance to us.

There was a time when California led the nation with its exceptional community college system. Today that system encompasses nearly 120 colleges – all devoted to their local communities.

It all began with an ambitious post-World War II higher education master plan. California was the first state to not only recognize the potential of community colleges but to embrace them.

Three Segments The master plan addressed higher education in three segments. At the pinnacle was the elite University of California network. It would offer highquality education and conduct strategic research. Aside from societal benefits and personal enrichment goals, it was also hoped that these quality institutions would serve as magnets to attract flourishing industries to California.

The desire to shake off the nation’s disdain for higher education institutions not “born and bred” in the Northeast was evident in the many planning discussions hosted throughout the state. Pride, coming of age were important underpinnings in the creation of the master plan.

The second tier, the California State University system, would serve high-quality students but not focus on research.

Finally, it was decided that public higher education should be available to everyone. Thus they should be inexpensive, “within an easy daily commute” and “accessible to all who want to study.”

Those noble goals would be the guiding principles of California’s community college system. For decades, tuition was zero and fees were kept very low. As late as the early 1980s, tuition was only five dollars a credit.

Not to be held back while waiting for bricks and mortar, courses were offered long before the campuses were built. Local high schools frequently hosted evening and weekend programs. Although the emphasis was on college-transfer programs, nonacademic credit offerings exploded. They addressed virtually every local community need or desire. In meeting those wishes, the colleges built close emotional service ties to their particular communities. Thus it became easy to secure local support for new campuses and programs.

College boards of trustees were elected, not appointed, so local interests could be better represented. Many budding politicians cut their teeth by being elected to their local community college board. The present governor, Jerry Brown, who was also governor a few decades ago, got his start in politics by being elected to the Los Angeles Community College Board of Trustees. (The fact that his father had been a popular governor did not hurt his election chances.)

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Fresh Opportunities The community college open admissions policy meant that it was no longer necessary for a student to have been a stellar high school student or even to have graduated from high school to attend college.

“Open admissions” meant just that. Late bloomers, housewives displaced or otherwise, those seeking a second career or those brushing up on their present line of work – and in fact everybody and anybody was welcome to come.

The philosophy, adopted nationwide, was nurtured in part by the fact that many veterans had volunteered to serve before finishing high school.

Other non-high school graduates had been drafted. There was a widespread feeling spearheaded by President Truman that veterans should be afforded an opportunity to seek a college education regardless of their academic record. It was the American way, at least the new American way.

California adopted those egalitarian premises with passion and commitment. It built a community college system second to none and open to all.

Millions began their higher education adventures at their local community college. Far more succeeded than failed. Yet many did fail or drop out.

And that justifies open admissions; it does not mean guaranteed graduation. It’s an opportunity.

Community colleges were the first segment of higher education to develop strategies and programs to meet the needs of “nontraditional students.”

At first, other colleges still mired in their “sink or swim” philosophy sneered at the new modalities. But with time and seeing the myriad successes, they began to adopt community college ideas and practices.

Other states, encouraged by California’s successes, established their own systems. Some were very good; others were not.

A salubrious offshoot has been that millions of Americans previously underserved now believe they have a right to go to college. And, secondly, they know institutions exist that will accept them regardless of their former experiences.

But time marches on, and there have been a number of changes. The

glory years began to fade in the late 1980s. Why? Two reasons come to mind. Many needs had been met. Some who benefited from a second opportunity, from low tuition, etc., were now less inclined to support higher taxes to help other generations.

People began to say that those who benefited the most from college should pay more of the freight. Ergo higher tuition and fees were justified in the public’s mind.

That retrogressive stance might not have gained much support had not many states entered an era of shrinking resources. It helped change the mindset about education. Who should receive it? Who should pay for it?

Potential students, particularly those who needed education the most, were not represented at those discussions.

The tendency to take community colleges for granted and to underfund them is not limited to California. It has become prevalent nationwide.

As the pie shrank in California, new strategies were developed.

Strangely enough, the governor and the legislature supported solutions that moved more students into community colleges. Observers hoped that meant that powerful people were finally recognizing the worth and contributions of community colleges. But that wasn’t the reason at all.

By raising tuition and fees at the universities, more students went to community colleges. But the reason the state supported that policy was that the subsidy the state paid to community colleges per student was much lower than that paid to the universities.

It was economic, not education driven.

Today there are interesting wrinkles. A new survey underscores the faltering economy’s impact on California students. As California’s budgets have been pared, students are finding fewer courses available at their local community colleges. They are competing with greater numbers of their peers for fewer classroom slots.

Almost one out of every three California community college students experienced difficulty enrolling in courses that they needed during the fall 2010 semester. That compares unfavorably to one out of six students in the rest of the nation.

The Pearson Foundation Community College Student Survey, conducted online in the fall of 2010, sought to better understand the keys to success for community college students. Its findings could be an important step to improve education quality and opportunities for all.

The survey found that almost twice as many California students (47 percent) compared to the rest of the U.S. (28 percent) have been unable to enroll in courses because they were full. About four in 10 California students surveyed (41 percent) enrolled in fewer courses than they had originally planned on taking. That compares to about three in 10 students from the rest of the U.S. (28 percent).

Students in California and across the country generally cited their struggles with courses or their difficulty in balancing academic study with family and work obligations, but more California community college students placed an emphasis on course availability as a key to success – 19 percent in California versus 8 percent in the rest of the country.

Similar to community college students from the rest of the U.S., about one in 10 California community college students surveyed had dropped out or had seriously considered dropping out of school.

As the report notes: “This survey gives voice to the student population at the center of this effort and helps us all to better understand their needs, and their frame of mind, as they begin their college careers.”

Online Learning The survey also underscored the growing demand among California

students for online learning: Close to 60 percent of the community college students surveyed had taken at least one course online, and 36 percent said they would like to take all of their courses online.

Yet students in California community colleges are more likely than the rest of the U.S. to take their courses in person (64 percent vs. 54 percent).

Students agree that while online courses can be convenient (81 percent), they can also be more difficult than in-person courses (61 percent).

One has to wonder if the typical community college student, who historically has needed additional services and nurturing to succeed, is a good fit for distance-learning programs. Many, of course, can and will succeed, but since so many on-campus students have dropped out or simply failed, one has to wonder if enough intervention assistance will be available for online students.

Among other key California findings: students are more likely to value having access to academic advisors (65 percent in California, 55 percent of students in the rest of the U.S.). Is this because they need them, or were specific counselors recommended, or is it that a very pro-active system has been established at most colleges? Probably a combination of all three.

Also, students in California also place more value on establishing relationships with other students (41 percent in California, 31 percent in the rest of the country). Why? I’m not sure.

Nationwide The weak job market of the past few years has brought a greater wave of applicants to community colleges in search of job training and lowercost higher education. Some are fresh out of high school, others are workers who have lost their jobs and are trying to prepare for new careers. But as noted, community college students are having trouble gaining access to courses because classes are full.

The Pearson survey also reported on the widespread concern among students about their college readiness. More than half of community college students who are recent high school graduates (52 percent) felt their high school did not properly prepare them for college-level studies. That’s a high percentage. Most students believe their high schools could have done more by placing greater emphasis on basic skills (48 percent). They feel they should have offered more courses (52 percent), and more challenging ones (49 percent). I wonder if they complained when they were high school students.

Interestingly, 71 percent of recent high school graduates note they are working harder in community college than they did in high school. That view was particularly prevalent among those who say their high school did a fair or poor job of preparing them for college-level courses.

Technology Community college students are wired. Many are computer literate. The survey found rapid growth in ownership of tablet devices, which has tripled since 2010. Nearly 10 percent of community college students own a tablet.

Students regularly use technology to support their academics: twothirds of tablet owners (64 percent) use them at least sometimes when studying or doing homework, and two out of five Smartphone owners (42 percent) use their phones for the same purposes.

Bottom line: Something has been lost over the years, but much more has been gained. Hopefully those who succeeded because of their community college years will support the colleges that got them on the right track.

Dr. Mellander was a university dean for 15 years and a college president for 20.

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Obama Pushes Colleges to Confront Growing Recession in Civic Learning

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by Peggy Sands Orchowski ost people know that public confidence in all pubic institutions is decreasing in the United States. Only around 10 percent of Americans approve of the way Congress is handling its job. The U.S. ranks 139th in the world in voter participation in elections; even in popular presidential

“College at any level is more

than workforce training. It also has to be about learning knowledgeable citizenship.”

Carol Schneider, president, AACU

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elections, fewer than 50 percent of eligible voters actually vote.

For years, educators and policymakers have been tracking these downward trends, exacerbated by the deep divides, incivility and hyper-polarization that increasingly characterize political discussion in the media and in the political arena. It all continuously diminishes Americans’ opportunities for civic alliances and thoughtful discourse, they say.

In 1998, a report warned that “In a time that cries out for civic action, we are in danger of becoming a nation of spectators.” In 2000, Robert Putnam warned in his book Bowling Alone that there was an increasing decline in “bridging capital” – the social capital that is defined as the capacity to work across differences. In 2010, the president of the Kettering Foundation, David Matthews, wrote: “Events ‘are moving us toward what cannot be – a citizenless democracy.’”

“Democracy is dependent on an ecosystem not only of legislative bodies and executive agencies, but also of civil alliances, social norms and deliberative practices that empower people to work together,” says Matthews. “Every sector and every person can contribute to this civic enterprise, including all of the education sector, where education for democracy and civic responsibility needs to be a bedrock expectation.”

On Jan. 10, the White House hosted a “National Call to Action” to U.S. institutions of higher education “to invest on a massive scale in its capacity to renew the nation’s social, intellectual and civic capital.” Its report, A Crucible Moment, produced by a national task force of education leaders and stakeholders, calls on all of higher education’s public and private, twoand four-year institutions and its entire community “to embrace civic learning and democratic engagement as an undisputed educational priority.”

“We are facing a civic recession as well as an economic one,” Martha Kanter, under secretary of the U.S. Department of Education, said at the report’s launch at the White House. “We need to deepen civic identification in our educational system.”

“Getting a college degree cannot just be about training for a career,” said Carol Schneider, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), in a personal interview. Schneider was the designated coordinator of the Call to Action report and the meeting at the White House.

“College at any level is more than workforce training. It also has to be about learning knowledgeable citizenship. Postsecondary education must incorporate the three C’s of education: college, careers and citizenship.

They need not be separate or competing; they all should be priorities. It’s not a zero sum game.”

White House officials are in full agreement. Valerie Jarrett, senior advisor and assistant to the president for intergovernmental affairs and public engagement and arguably the president’s closest advisor, encouraged the educators at the White House report launch to focus on students’ civic responsibilities as well as their academic ones. She reminisced about working for years with Michelle Obama, before she was the first lady, in

outreach projects at a Chicago hospital. “We took, then and now, civic responsibility very seriously. We were always organizing the students and staff to do volunteer work,” she told the report launch audience.

Many student volunteer projects are cited in the Crucible Moment report. But it also points out that “community service is not necessarily the same as democratic engagement with others across different areas to collectively solve public problems. While service does not always establish a reciprocal partnership, it often can be the first step toward a more fully developed set of civic commitments,” according to the report. “The challenge of colleges and universities in the next decade is to make such opportunities pervasive rather than random across the institution.”

Framework for Civic Learning A four-part framework for civic learning and democratic engagement is presented in the report. It includes a suggested continuum for knowledge, skills, values and collective action. The framework aspects are comprehensive and global rather than specific and national. For instance, among the elements suggested in the “civic knowledge continuum,” the framework suggests “familiarity with key democratic texts and universal democratic principles ... in the U.S. and other societies; historical and sociological understanding of several democratic movements in both the U.S. and abroad; and knowledge of the diverse cultures, histories, values and contestations that have shaped U.S. and other world societies.”

Collecting multiple sources of evidence informed by multiple perspectives and across differences are elements suggested for coverage in the skills set. Also included: the ability to communicate in multiple languages.

The suggested “values” curriculum includes respect for freedom and human dignity, empathy, open-mindedness, tolerance, equality, ethical integrity, justice and responsibility to a larger good. Collective action skills include moral discernment and behavior, public problem solving with diverse partners, compromise, civility and mutual respect.

These (highlighted) elements of civic learning are somewhat different from those measured in the annual “civic literacy” exams that the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), a nonprofit organization, has been giving to some 30,000 freshman and senior students in the U.S. and reporting on annually for over a decade. The ISI emphasis is on student knowledge of American history, political thought and institutions, as well as fields of learning referred to as “America in the World” and the “Market Economy.” In 2006 and 2007, the ISI found that among 14,000 college seniors, the average score on a civic literacy exam was just over 50 percent – an “F” grade, in its estimation. A recent report found that many college students could not name the vice president of the United States, their senators or their state representatives.

These failings are noted in the Crucible Moment report. “Perhaps most discouraging of all, civil discourse and taking seriously the perspectives of others remain largely unpracticed arts, if political talk shows and town hall meetings are any indication, according to A Crucible Moment. It also cites a growing pressure by some U.S. organizations such as the National Governors Association (NGA) for higher education institutions to focus all their resources on “degrees for jobs.” In its 2011 report, the NGA describes higher education’s function and future funding as dependent singly on promoting “economic goals,” “workforce preparation” and “competitive advantage.”

“This rejects the value of what has differentiated U.S. higher education and has made it an intellectual powerhouse – an economic driver,” Call to

Action supporters point out. “It openly challenges higher education’s historic commitment to provide students with a broad, liberal arts education.”

“To reinforce the collective commitment of liberal education” is the goal of the AAC&U. According to the organization’s mission statement, “A liberal education is more important than ever in providing essential learn-

“We are facing a civic

recession as well as an economic one.”

Martha Kanter, under secretary, U.S. Department of Education ing outcomes to prepare all college students for socially valued work, personal growth and civic leadership in their society. Among their educational goals are supporting civic, ethical, intercultural and global learning.

“In the end, however, the most important goal is to provide a way to solve problems. People are desperate to solve problems, as opposed to attacking,” said Schneider. “This can only come through civil civic engage-

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ment. The old definition of civic learning as about learning solely about American government and U.S. democracy is still essential, but far from efficient for problem solving. Today a full knowledge of civic participation needs to look at all opportunities for problem solving across the board of diversity inside and outside the country.”

But it’s not just more knowledge about democracy and civic engagement that the writers of the report urge colleges to provide. It’s practice.

At the White House report launch, many representatives from higher education institutions throughout the country presented and were recognized for successful projects on civic engagement many had been doing for a decade. Some of the “best practices” involved reaching back into history and renewing an original charge. “Historic agriculture universities were among the first state- and community-supported colleges in America. They used to be called democracy colleges,” said Molly Jon of the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “The land-grant tradition was literally committed to the concept of ‘agrarian democracy.’”

That ideal certainly contained the seed for the development of that unique American educational institution, the community (used to be called “city”) college. Today many minority, immigrant and first-generation college students as well as increasing numbers of foreign students are utilizing the community college system for their higher education needs. “As policymakers increasingly turn to community colleges to be the front line of new career training, retraining and continuing education, it is vital that they also incorporate democracy and civic engagement learning as a priority,” said Schneider.

“Now we are seeing the idea of democracy learning civic engagement spreading throughout the Middle East,” pointed out Azar Nasifi, author of Reading Lolita in Tehran. “America was not admired for its military might, the Iranian exile told a hushed audience at the White House. “It is evolved for its culture of democracy. That is what threatens the tyrants, not military might.”

Four Key Recommendations The Crucible Moment report lays out four recommendations for higher education institutions to implement for successful democracy learning and civic engagement. The first is to foster a civic ethos across all parts of campus.

This includes making sure a full range of civic learning and action activities are incorporated into every student’s experience, according to the report.

The second is to make civic literacy a core expectation for all students.

That includes such activities as intergroup and deliberative dialogue and collective civic problem solving. The third is to practice civic inquiry across all fields of study. Here the concept of civic history and civic ethics are included especially in the sciences.

The fourth key recommendation is to advance civic action through transformative partnerships at home and abroad. “We encourage each college and university to construct its own civic investment plan,” including implementation and recognition aspects. “Education for democratic citizenship should be a shared enterprise for the 21st century,” the section on higher education responsibilities concludes.

Panelists pointed out that participating in civic engagement practices not only cements a student’s habit of “doing” civic democracy. It also was found to enhance college completion. Students engaged in civic community/career enhancing activities were found to be much more likely to complete their degrees, as well as to obtain skills prized by employers and develop habits of social responsibility and civic participation, according to the report.

In many ways, President Obama reflected these themes in his State of the Union speech on Jan. 24. Especially at the end of his talk, Obama turned to the issue of civic behavior. Nothing can happen in Congress, he said, “unless we lower the temperature in this town. We need to end the notion that the two parties must be locked in a perpetual campaign of mutual destruction; that politics is about clinging to rigid ideologies instead of building consensus around common-sense ideas. ... We should all want a smarter, more effective government. And while we may not be able to bridge our biggest philosophical differences this year, we can make real progress. When we act together, there is nothing the United States of America can’t achieve.”

“As long as we’re joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful and our union will be strong,” the president concluded.

“Often the tendency of educators is to do ‘democracy light,’” warned Kettering Foundation President Matthews. “But we have to ask in everything we do, what is the problem of democracy here? We need to envision what role citizens are to play in whatever we do.” That is the hard role of democracy learning and civic engagement.

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