03/23/15 Community College Issue

Page 1

MARCH 23, 2015

www.HispanicOutlook.com

VOLUME 25 • NUMBER 12

MFA Program for Innovators Latino Graduation Rates Propelled COMMUNITY COLLEGE ISSUE


BECAUSE YOU WANT TO KNOW Subscribe for FREE to our Digital Magazine!

Visit our website, click on the digital magazine to view our current issue, including all archived issues. Download it to your PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, tablet, smartphone or Android to have Hispanic Outlook how you want it when you want it.

Phone: (201) 587-8800

www.hispanicoutlook.com

Email: info@hispanicoutlook.com


LATINO KALEIDOSCOPE President Cruz or President Rubio: When Pigs Can Fly! By Carlos D. Conde

here's strong speculation amid signs that Latino Senators Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida are taking the nation's pulse and mobilizing backers and supporters in preparation to run for president in 2016 but from the perspective of some, their chances of getting past the primaries are about as good as when pigs can fly. It's about time, some would say, except that the political cosmos of these two Cuban-American prospects seem not to be that well aligned with today's realities of what it takes to be elected and to be president although both they and their supporters would naturally say they have the right stuff. They ask, if there can be a Barack Obama, why not a Latino, although it be would be politically foolish to limit their prospects by conspicuously wrapping themselves in a minority banner and Cruz and Rubio didn't get to where they are because of their political myopia. Only two Latinos – both Mexican-Americans that I know of have dared to run for president, one in 1980 and one in 2008. One was Republican and the other a Democrat. The Democrat, Bill Richardson, was a former New Mexico governor and Clinton administration cabinet secretary with a high national profile as a Latino leader. He once claimed, erroneously, he was the first Latino presidential candidate. Actually, that first Latino was the late Ben Fernández, a Mexican-American millionaire financier from California and a colleague of mine in the Nixon administration, who ran in the Republican Party primaries in 1980. Whatever, both Richardson and Fernández barely made a ripple. Cruz and Rubio are more than just weighing their presidential prospects. Rubio has begun engaging in activities that indicate he will run. Cruz seems to be waiting for his supporters, mostly the Tea Party constituency from where Rubio also draws some of his backers, to mobilize a serious draft on his candidacy. Not that I and most of the nation's ethnic Latino community wouldn't want one of our fellow Latinos to reach the U.S. presidency but given the current events of national politics and the prospective candidates, it most likely isn't going to happen this go-around. Both Cruz and Rubio have their particular political talents and abilities but whatever they have is mainly among narrow national constituencies and it's not the Latinos. They have yet to capture the nation's national conscious – save for niche issues – to a degree

T

that would propel them to the presidency. The Latino vote alone, is not enough to carry theirs or any other candidacy in a national election but Latinos can be the difference in a close race, and have been, particularly in the states that can deliver decisive electoral votes. Latinos made up 10 percent of the national voters in the 2012 presidential election and incumbent Barack Obama, although he didn't need it in the final outcome, received 71 percent of the Hispanic vote, the highest since Bill Clinton won 72 percent in 1996. Should Rubio and Cruz get into the race they would need a lot more than just their Latino identity and a political strategy and a campaign that cuts across all sectors of the American electorate. Cruz better fits that image as his political success in Texas showed Cruz to many is a moss-back conservative – the Tea Party affiliation is the more modern term in the political lexicon – and as some detractors say, too easily likes shooting from the hip – probably because he can't help it with his “off the charts brilliance” as renowned Harvard University professor, Alan Dershowitz, once described him. He'd like to do away with or seriously reform some of the government entitlement programs, such as Obamacare, and also reform immigration in “the name of humanity” by, for starters, sending them all back. Marco Rubio, a Cuban Floridian, has the looks of a cherubic altar boy and he did have some creditable years in the Florida legislation. Like Barack Obama, he was able to upgrade it into a U.S. Senate seat although he has yet to make his mark with any breakthrough legislative achievements or seminal alliances save being a member of the “gang of 8” immigration reform committee that went nowhere. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called Rubio and Cruz and another fellow senator and presidential aspirant, Rand Paul, “wacko birds” over some contentious legislation. Rubio also didn't do too well with a climate control snafu and, all in all, his senatorial performance would probably be rated by some as “present.” Still both have the ambition and confidence – perhaps also the backers – that if a Barack Obama can be elected president, why not a Rubio or Cruz? Carlos D. Conde, award-winning journalist, former Washington and foreign news correspondent, was a press aide in the Nixon White House. Write to him at CDConde@aol.com

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 3


MARCH 23, 2015

Contents 6

6

Game-Changing Proposal Could Alter Makeup of Community Colleges by Mary Ann Cooper

9

9

Mobile App to Help Latino Families Make College and Career Decisions by Sylvia Mendoza

12

12

Lone Star Connects Students to College and Jobs by Gary M. Stern

15

18

Enrollment Down but Success Rates Higher at Community Colleges by Angela Provitera McGlynn

18

Cover: Wilson Aguilar

4 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

UCC and Kean Collaborate to Help Hispanic STEM Students by Frank DiMaria

|

MARCH 23, 2015


Published by “The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Publishing Company, Inc.”

Departments 3

Latino Kaleidoscope President Cruz or President Rubio: When Pigs Can Fly! by Carlos D. Conde

Publisher José López-Isa Executive Editor Marilyn Gilroy Senior Editor Mary Ann Cooper Washington DC Bureau Chief Peggy Sands Orchowski Contributing Editors Carlos D. Conde, Michelle Adam Contributing Writers Gustavo A. Mellander Chief of Human Resources & Administration Tomás Castellanos Núñez Chief of Advertising, Marketing & Production Meredith Cooper Research & Development Director Marilyn Roca Enríquez Art & Production Director Wilson Aguilar Digital & Social Media Coordinator Jenna Mulvey Web Development Director Ricardo Castillo Director of Accounting & Finance Javier Salazar Carrión Sales Director Magaly LaMadrid

21

Scholars’ Corner by Danielle Quintero

Article Contributors Frank DiMaria, Angela Provitera McGlynn, Sylvia Mendoza, Danielle Quintero, Miquela Rivera, Gary M. Stern

22

Book Review:

Editorial Office 220 Kinderkamack Rd, Ste. E, Westwood, N.J. 07675 TEL (201) 587-8800 or (800) 549-8280

Bird of Paradise: How I Became Latina Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper

Interesting Reads

Back Priming the Pump cover Learning to Negotiate: An Essential

Editorial Policy The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® is a national magazine. 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®. From time to time, The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® will publish articles dealing with controversial issues. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and/or those interviewed and might not reflect the official policy of the magazine. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine® neither agrees nor disagrees with those ideas expressed, and no endorsement of those views should be inferred unless specifically identified as officially endorsed by The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine®.

Skill for Latino Students by Miquela Rivera

Advertising Sales TEL (201) 587-8800 FAX (201) 587-9105 email: info@hispanicoutlook.com Letters to the Editor The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine ® email: info@hispanicoutlook.com

You can download the HO app FREE

“‘The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education’ and ’Hispanic Outlook are registered trademarks.’”

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 5


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/RANKINGS

Game-Changing Proposal Could Alter Makeup of Community Colleges By Mary Ann Cooper

nce a year Hispanic Outlook presents its top 25 schools for Hispanic students in terms of enrollment and degrees granted by community colleges. While the lists do vary from year to year, a major game-changing proposal from President Obama, if adopted regionally or nationally, could change the playing field and cause major shifts in future lists. There is no doubt about it. Community colleges are the entry point to higher education for many students, but over the past few years they’ve also become a mechanism for career training and advancement for many students – young and old alike. Rising tuition at four-year institutions and a slowly rebounding economy have made community colleges an attractive lower cost option for cashstrapped students and their families. And if President Obama gets his way, this low-cost option could become a no-cost item for those looking to obtain a higher education degree. The White House began the new year by coming up with a proposal that would create a major

change in the way community colleges are financed. The president's new proposal would let students earn the first half of a bachelor's degree, or get the skills they'll need when they enter the workforce after school. When and if it's fully implemented, the move could benefit about 9 million students per year. And a full-time community college student could save, on average, $3,800 in tuition each year. The administration is quick to point out that there is state precedent for this proposal. Tennessee and Chicago have already started similar tuitionfree community college programs, and the demand has already exceeded projections: 57,000 students, representing almost 90 percent of Tennessee's high school graduating class, applied to Tennessee's program in just its first year. In a growing global economy, it’s increasingly important for Americans to have more knowledge and more skills to compete – by 2020, an estimated 35 percent of job openings will require at least a bachelor's degree, and 30 percent will require some college or an associate's degree.

O

REQUI R RE REQ REQU EQUI QUI UIIREM IIREMENTS IR IRE REM EME MEN MENT ENTS NTS TS S OF OF THE TH T HE E WH WHITE H TE HI HIT E HOUSE HOU HOUS HO HOUSE USE SE E PROPOS PRO PR P ROP ROPO OPOS POS OS SAL SA SAL L

THE THE E WHITE WH W HITE TE HOUSE HOUSE HO HOU USE E WASHINGT A HING ASHI NGTON O

• Must M st attend at atteend community co comm ommu munity nityy colleg colle col olleg ege at least lleaast ha half-time alflf-tim time time • Maintain Maintain M Maintai t in a 2.5 2.55 GP GA • Mak M e steady stead st teady adyy progr ogg esss tooward compl completi completing pleting ingg thheir eir progr oggram m

6 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

• Off Of er acade a demic acad academic micc pr p ogr oggrams am ms fully ffullly trtrannsferable abl ble to t local l cal public p blicc 4 year 4-y e colleg collllegges andd universities sities or • Occupational OOccupatio Occupat pational onall training ainiingg progr oggrams am ms withh high hiigh gh graduation aduati ad uation ionn rat ates tes leading lleadi leading ngg to t in iin-de ddema demand mand and degr ddegrees ees andd certif ccertific ertifificates icat cates es

MARCH 23, 2015

• FFed eder deral funding ffunddingg will w cover e thr three-quarter ee-q ee e quarter quarter t s of the thhe aver e agge cost c t off community ommu om ommunity munity nityy colleg college olleg ege • Partici artiticipati articipating patin tingg st stat states tattes tes willl be be expected xpect xpe pected edd tto contribute ntribute bute te thhe remaining the em emai maining ningg tui tuition uition tiion funds ffundss for o eligible eligibl eligib el giblee stud st students tudents ents ts


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/RANKINGS The president’s argument for his proposal is that students should be able to get the knowledge and the skills they need without taking on decades' worth of student debt. The administration must have congressional approval for the proposal and it could have a $1 billion price tag over 10 years attached to it. And some critics have pointed out that it does not address costs other than tuition, such as books, which sometimes represent a hefty investment as well. However, under President Obama's new proposal, students would be able to earn the first half of a bachelor's degree, or earn the technical skills needed in the workforce – all at no cost to them. As it stands now, states would have to opt into the program. If all 50 states choose to implement the president's new community college proposal, however, it could: • Save a full-time community college student $3,800 in tuition per year on average • Benefit roughly 9 million students each year

Here are the requirements of the White House proposal: • What students have to do: Students must attend community college at least half-time, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and make steady progress toward completing their program. • What community colleges have to do: Community colleges will be expected to offer programs that are either 1) academic programs that fully transfer credits to local public four-year colleges and universities, or 2) occupational training programs with high graduation rates and that lead to in-demand degrees and certificates. Community colleges must also adopt promising and evidence-based institutional reforms to improve student outcomes. • What the federal government has to do: Federal funding will cover three-quarters of the average cost of community college. Participating states will be expected to contribute the remaining funds necessary to eliminate the tuition for eligible students.

Four-Year Schools Doing Their Part When it comes to issuing AA degrees in this new economy, it’s all hands on deck in higher education. This year we salute these 10 four-year institutions that have made their AA degree programs an important part of mission, awarding more AA degrees to Hispanic students than any of their four year counterparts. Total Associate's Degrees Awarded by Four-Year Colleges 2013

State Total

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

FL TX FL FL FL FL TX NY NV FL

Miami Dade College South Texas College Valencia College Broward College Palm Beach State College Keiser University-Ft Lauderdale The University of Texas at Brownsville Monroe College College of Southern Nevada Seminole State College of Florida

10,425 2,231 7,117 6,084 4,598 3,842 810 1,293 2,495 2,788

Hispanic Latino 7,074 2,052 2,017 1,935 1,044 953 757 598 551 521

2,894 718 741 776 437 294 268 235 206 209

Latina % Hispanics 4,180 1,334 1,276 1,159 607 659 489 363 345 312

68% 92% 28% 32% 23% 25% 93% 46% 22% 19%

SOURCE: This and the following two community college charts are from IPEDS NCES

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 7


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/RANKINGS 2013 Total Enrollment Community Colleges

State Total

Hispanic Latino

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.

TX CA TX TX CA CA TX CA NM TX TX CA CA CA TX AZ CA CA CA CA CA CA CA NY CA

25,917 10,995 14,922 22,886 10,297 12,589 21,625 8,716 12,909 18,362 7,714 10,648 16,713 7,686 9,027 13,997 6,249 7,748 13,829 5,527 8,302 13,630 7,315 6,315 13,371 5,663 7,708 13,194 5,284 7,910 13,191 5,621 7,570 12,613 6,136 6,477 12,512 5,512 7,000 12,243 5,658 6,585 12,131 5,217 6,914 12,074 5,394 6,680 11,785 5,320 6,465 11,434 5,448 5,986 11,276 4,614 6,662 11,196 5,240 5,956 10,987 4,624 6,363 10,688 4,892 5,796 10,324 4,818 5,506 10,299 4,436 5,863 10,014 4,265 5,749

El Paso Community College East Los Angeles College Lone Star College System Houston Community College Mt San Antonio College Cerritos College Tarrant County College District Santa Ana College Central New Mexico Community College San Antonio College San Jacinto Community College Rio Hondo College Long Beach City College Fullerton College Austin Community College District Pima Community College Pasadena City College El Camino Community College District Chaffey College Santa Monica College Bakersfield College Fresno City College Southwestern College CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College Riverside City College

30,468 36,606 64,072 57,978 28,481 21,404 50,771 28,598 28,891 23,004 28,385 16,548 24,020 24,301 41,627 30,082 25,268 23,996 19,211 29,999 17,770 21,344 19,591 24,186 18,165

Total Associate's Degrees Granted 2013

State Total

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.

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

El Paso Community College Central New Mexico Community College Houston Community College Lone Star College System East Los Angeles College San Antonio College San Jacinto Community College Mt San Antonio College Santa Ana College CUNY Borough of Manhattan Community College San Joaquin Delta College Tarrant County College District Pima Community College Northern Virginia Community College CUNY Bronx Community College Hillsborough Community College CUNY LaGuardia Community College El Camino Community College District Chaffey College Laredo Community College New Mexico State University-Dona Ana Citrus College Imperial Valley College Rio Hondo College Fullerton College

3,404 3,368 4,410 4,373 1,615 2,034 2,696 1,962 1,683 2,928 2,441 4,059 2,630 5,636 1,390 3,727 2,217 2,012 1,602 778 1,070 1,380 734 868 1,387

Hispanic Latino 2,876 1,445 1,228 1,157 1,141 1,051 1,042 1,002 989 972 908 879 878 850 830 829 790 775 765 746 720 690 639 636 632

1,127 475 447 403 371 348 382 377 408 358 270 321 343 354 323 342 314 326 255 300 237 277 240 269 271

Latina % Hispanics 85% 63% 34% 32% 59% 65% 27% 48% 46% 57% 46% 76% 52% 50% 29% 40% 47% 48% 59% 37% 62% 50% 53% 43% 55%

Latina % Hispanics 1,749 970 781 754 770 703 660 625 581 614 638 558 535 496 507 487 476 449 510 446 483 413 399 367 361

84% 43% 28% 26% 71% 52% 39% 51% 59% 33% 37% 22% 33% 15% 60% 22% 36% 39% 48% 96% 67% 50% 87% 73% 46%

SOURCE: NCES/IPEDS DATABASE-2 Year Colleges Granting Most Degress and Enrolling Most Hispanics in 2013

8 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015


PO C RM O GMRUANMI TSY C O L L E G E S / T E C H N O L O G Y

Mobile App to Help Latino Families Make College and Career Decisions By Sylvia Mendoza

innovative bilingual mobile application might be the first to provide Latino students from underserved communities in California with opportunities not only for more targeted higher education goals, but to land higher paying jobs. The app, tentatively scheduled for a 2016 prototype unveiling in California’s economically distressed Inland Empire, will make available right from iOS or Android devices, comparisons of community colleges, degrees and certification programs, careers and salaries. A variety of linked resources on the app will also help students analyze their skills gap in order to make the best possible short-term educational choices for long-term financially sound career decisions. “Videos and apps are the language of the young,” explains Van Ton-Quinlivan, vice chancellor of workforce and economic development of California’s Community Colleges (CCC). “In the past, resource content has been rich, but the carry through with technology or electronic devices has been wonky. We want to take the content and present it in an intuitive way that speaks the language that young Latinos use. The app can whet their appetite. It can be a usable tool to help them make effective higher ed choices, offer early career exploration, and link them to better paying jobs.” The idea of the app is a result of a partnership among the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office, the nonprofit Foundation for California Community Colleges, sister state agencies and the activist nonprofit, Young Invincibles. Armed with a $375,000 grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a nonprofit guided by the belief that “all children should

An

Van Ton-Quinlivan

have an equal opportunity to thrive,” the joint project shows the importance of increasing a variety of platforms, devices and formats for educational outreach, retention and future economic growth. The partners identified regions in California with the highest need of such intervention. The communities in the Inland Empire, which include Riverside HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 9


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/TECHONOLOGY and San Bernardino, were selected for the app pilot program because they are set to experience economic growth across emerging industry sectors, but there are not enough trained people in these fields to fill the job openings, explains Nancy Pryor, external affairs manager for the Foundation for California Community Colleges. They want students to be aware of the areas where economic growth is most likely so they can choose their studies more wisely. These growing career paths include advanced manufacturing, global trade and logistics, and health. In addition, there is advanced transportation and renewables and information, communication, technology (ICT) /digital media. “The California Community Colleges are poised to provide these educational and training opportunities,” explains Emily Robinson, technology and special projects director at the Foundation for California Community Colleges. The Chancellor’s Office already works on developing a framework that will better match education with skills, she says. “We take incentive funds and work to close the skills gap,” says Ton-Quinlivan, who was named a “White House Champion of Change” for her work

We want to take the content and present it in an intuitive way that speaks the language that young Latinos use. It can be a usable tool to help them make effective higher ed choices, offer early career exploration, and link them to better paying jobs.” Van Ton-Quinlivan, vice chancellor of workforce and economic development of California’s Community Colleges.

as vice chancellor. Nearly $6 million in resource funds goes straight to the colleges, she explains, but approximately $200 million are discretionary funds available for the 112 colleges in California to use for innovative resources. The app will start as a multigenerational pilot program in the Inland Empire and its success will determine how and when to roll it out to the whole state, says Robinson. “The app can engage the whole family unit,” says Robinson. “Parents might not be aware of what’s out there beyond postsecondary education, but they can benefit when they learn about job information and salaries. “They might think this is in reach for my child but maybe it’s in reach for me, too. They can be the secondary beneficiary.”

Nancy Pryor

10 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015


PO C RM O GMRUANMI TSY C O L L E G E S / T E C H N O L O G Y Latino Millennials To Benefit Reaching young Latinos is still a primary focus. That’s where the partnership with the Young Invincibles is instrumental. The Young Invincibles (YI) is a think tank and advocacy group addressing the needs of millennials, which is the 18-34 age group, explains Gustavo Herrera, YI western regional director. “Our YI advisors are the consulting arm of strategizing new ways to reach this generation, give them a voice, set them up for a better financial future and advance economic opportunities in the core issues of health care, higher education and workforce development,” says Herrera. There is much work to be done. The Young Invincibles website (http://younginvincibles.org/) provides reports such as Closing the Race Gap in California, which breaks down how different millennial age and racial groups are affected and affect local economies. They state how there are “nearly 700,000 more Hispanic millennials in the state labor force than white millennials” and when compared to other ethnic groups in California, despite higher education and degrees, there is still a significant wage gap. That is why, with resources like the bilingual mobile app, the gap can start to shrink. The YI mission is well aligned with the CCC. “We try to integrate technology for everything we’re doing. Google can get confusing,” said Herrera. “For this exploratory process, in just a few swoops on their phones, we can point folks in the right direction appropriate to the times, and offer what is relevant for today and to them in particular. They can have access to lots of information.” So much is already in place with California Community Colleges, there is no need to reinvent the wheel, he says. Initial effort is to determine the validity of the content with focus groups can provide a bigger picture landscape analysis. The developmental phase of the app began in October. The Young Invincibles will be working with guidance counselors, students and parents as focus groups to tell them what they like, need, want and what doesn’t work or interest them in relation to what they think about college and exploring career options. Taking all the feedback into consideration, they can tweak it to make the app most effective. Other resources already available through CCC, such as “Salary Surfer” (http://salarysurfer.cccco.edu/SalarySurfer.aspx) and “Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy” (http://doingwhatmatters.cccco.edu/), will be linked to the app, as well. These can have great data that help guide their career decisions. Under the health field tab on the Salary Surfer home page, for example,

Emily Robinson

it shows what type of degree is needed to be a paramedic versus a dental hygienist – and what they can each earn out over a five year period. Students might never be aware of the potential income for their education and training without this type of information. “Some don’t realize that a health technician can make $40,000 a year and $19,000 to $20,000 on a similar job without certification,” says Ton-Quinlivan. The app will also include links to video vignettes that feature people in different fields, talking about their jobs and salaries, as well as their educational training. “We’ll take this research and turn it into an application that they’ll not only have, but use,” says Herrera. “Why we’re particularly excited about this project is because we are all hungry for tools that work. This will have everything in one place. Having more at their fingertips means they can navigate more resources. They can take control of their own education and career path, and make better choices that benefit them. It’s empowering.” Ton-Quinlivan agrees. The digital divide is not really there, she says, especially with the potential of an app like this. “Students will see a better return on investment for their education.” HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 11


I NONMOM C VU AN T II O T YN SC O &L P LE RG O EG SR /AIM NS NOVATIONS /PROGRAMS

Lone Star Connects

Success to College and Jobs By Gary M. Stern

one Star College, a community college located in Houston, Texas, with six campuses, introduced a dual credit workforce program that attracts vocational students in high school. The program operates at three of the campuses in Montgomery, Harris and CyFair and will be expanding to several of the remaining sites. Its philosophy is clear: attract vocational students in high school by offering college credit that encourages them to earn certificates and move on to earn associate degrees. Melissa González, vice chancellor, workforce and economic development, at Lone Star College, who oversees the program, said it currently entails specialties in EMT (emergency medical technician), welding, heating, ventilation and airconditioning (HVAC), automotive, drafting and machining. Lone Star has been targeting these vocational students as high school freshmen and sophomores because they are often ignored by colleges since they are not on an academic track. The EMT program launched about a decade ago, but the other programs started in 2014. To market and promote dual credit programs, Lone Star College developed a multi-pronged approach including attending middle and high school fairs to

reach students early, classroom and GED visits, and attending town hall meetings, community and church events and the Houston Hispanic Forum. Courses are offered during the afternoon, evenings and weekends to accommodate student’s work schedules. “In fact, we offer welding classes during the week from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.,” said González.

L

12 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

Melissa González


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/INNOVATIONS /PROGRAMS González, a Texas native, said she was struck by how many of Houston’s high school students quickly fell off the college track. At one local Houston public high school about 150 of 600 students advance to college and three quarters of them don’t apply after graduating and often never do. The result is the program attracts “high school students who would otherwise not be interested in college and are now earning academic credit and certificates,” she said. Most of the jobs offer a decent salary that can rise to $60,000 a year, so attracting these students can move them on a solid career path. In general, these vocationally-included students don’t think of themselves as college material. Additionally, many who come from working-class families presume that they can’t afford college. But González said, “They don’t see welders or automotives as college material. When it’s time to apply for college, they don’t.” Moreover, some are undocumented and expect they can’t apply even though they can. Lone Star’s mission is to overcome all of the myths regarding college such as vocational students don’t have to attend, it’s too expensive, and college degrees don’t

The program attracts ‘high school students who would otherwise not be interested in college and are now earning academic credit and certificates.’” Melissa González, vice chancellor, workforce and economic development, at Lone Star College

Lone Star College-North Harris Welding Technology Program

pertain to their careers. Keeping the cost of the program manageable is another lure to attract minority students. Normal welding classes cost $260, but for the dual credit program, the fee is $100. And students need only four classes for initial welding certificates. Most school districts pay these fees along with paying for textbooks, but some require that the students or parents fund the costs, González said. In high school, Lone Star covers the fees and then students can apply for financial aid after they graduate. Students in the welding program, for example, take two classes. Some take the classes in the high school, and some at Lone Star. They receive eight credits for the courses, and then must take two more classes in community college to earn a welding certificate and complete the 16-credit program. Currently 83 students are involved in the programs. Of that number, 68 are male and 15 are female. Demographically, students are 51 percent Latino, 24 percent African-American, 22 percent white and 3 percent “other.” González said Lone Star is stepping up efforts to diversify the student body to attract a higher percentHISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 13


I NONMOM C VU AN T II O T YN SC O &L P LE RG O EG SR /AIM NS NOVATIONS /PROGRAMS age of women. Often it has to overcome the stereotype that women don’t belong in welding or HVAC programs, but she emphasizes that these programs lead to steady paying careers. Another lure of the program is students aren’t required to take any of the TSI (Texas Success Initiative) assessment tests in math, writing and reading. Many students are intimidated by them, which discourages attending community college and taking developmental courses for no credit. Hence, in this program, they can start taking college courses for credit immediately, easing the path to success. The dual credit workforce programs operate at the three campuses that have applied technology centers – North Harris, Montgomery, and CyFair. Earning one certificate is the launching pad. “We encourage them to continue their courses at the college for additional certificates and ultimately an associate degree,” González said. Once students participate in the program, career advisers apprise them of the opportunities available to continue their education, earn additional certificates and move on to an associate’s degree. “If they get a bachelor’s degree, they can become a manager or supervisor,” González said. Often the company pays for advanced classes. Most of the careers students are embarking on pay middle-class salaries and are in demand. Lone Star College’s research says that the median salary for welders is $35,000, HVAC staff earn $42,500, automotive $35,000, web designers $40,000 and machinists $40,000. In fact, Lone Star has developed partnerships with several companies such as Baker Hughes, FMC Technologies and National Oilwell Varco (NOV) that are seeking welders and other technical staff in the Houston area. “They’re hiring consistently in welding and machining and diesel technology,” said González. The odds of securing a job after graduating with these certificates are “very likely because of the huge demand in the oil and gas industry,” she said. Earning these certificates and advancing to obtaining degrees is the goal. “It shows them that they can earn college degrees and get a well-paying career,” González said. “That’s a win/win for students and for Lone Star College.’

14 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

It shows them that they can earn college degrees and get a well-paying career.” Melissa González,

vice chancellor, workforce and

economic development, at

Lone Star College


LE C OA MDMEURNS IHT IYP /C R OO L L E GME O S/ DR EE LS PORTS

Enrollment Down but Success Rates Higher at Community Colleges

By Angela Provitera McGlynn

nrollments are decreasing at two-year colleges but graduation rates are not nearly as dire as formerly believed. National trends in enrollment at community colleges show a steady drop of approximately 3 percent a year since 2011. On the other hand, completion rates measured by more accurate sources are much higher than the usual 21 percent reported by the Department of Education (ED). These are the major takeaway findings of the new report by The American Association of Community Colleges titled, Recent National Community College

E

Enrollment and Award Completion Data. The report compares data from several sources: The U.S. Department of Education (ED), the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC), the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), and the National Student Clearing House Research Center (NSCRC). Different sources yield slightly different results. For example, NCES and NSC reports differ in that NCES is a more comprehensive view of enrollment patterns while NSC data is more current. Two recent reports show a definitive trend of decreasing enrollments in postsecondary institutions,

Table 2. Changes in Fall Enrollment at Public 2-Year Institutions by Gender, Age, and Enrollment Intensity

Percent Change from Prior Year 2-Year Public Institutions Gender

Age

Enrollment Intensity

Men

Women

24 and under

Over 24

Full-time

Part-time

Fall 2011

-2.0%

-1.3%

-0.9%

-2.5%

-5.3%

1.2%

Fall 2012

-2.4%

-3.6%

-1.6%

-5.2%

-5.7%

-1.2%

Fall 2013

-1.9%

-4.0%

-1.2%

-6.0%

-2.9%

-3.3%

Recent National Community College Enrollment and Award Completion Data — January 2014

Source: Juskiewicz, J. (2014, January). Recent National Community College Enrollment and Award Completion Data. Washington, DC: American Association of Community Colleges, P.4.

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 15


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/REPORTS including community colleges. The reports rely on statistics gathered by NCES, ED, and the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. There is consensus that enrollment at community colleges nationwide declined by more than 3 percent between the fall semester of 2011 and fall 2012. NSC data show a similar decline for the fall of 2013. Fall 2010 was the last time that community colleges saw a very small increase in enrollment. Since that time, community colleges have had year-to-year decreases in enrollment. The largest decrease took place between fall 2010 and spring 2011. During the 12- month period between fall 2012 and fall 2013, enrollment decreases at community college have stabilized at around 3 percent. The report states, “The continued decrease in enrollment at community colleges over the past 3 years bucks the trend of a slowing decline of enrollment at institutions overall and recent enrollment increases at 4-year public institutions.” Teasing out the nuances of the declining enrollment data, the report shows that enrollment of students 24 years-old and higher had a bigger decline than that of younger students. For the past three years the de-

The NSC completion rate that tracks all students for six years across institutions shows that 40 percent of community college students completed their program – almost double the official graduation rate (21percent) used by the Department of Education. 16 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

cline in the 24-year-old and higher cohort has dipped faster and deeper than for younger students, more than doubling between 2011 and 2013. The decline reached 6 percent in the fall of 2013. The report explains the declining enrollment of the 24-year-old and higher students as possibly due to a brightening economy, permitting older students who were previously unemployed to rejoin the workforce. NSC analyzed enrollment patterns according to three factors related to student attributes: age (discussed above), gender, and enrollment intensity, that is, part-time vs. full-time attendance. Table 2 depicts these three factors over fall semesters 2011, 2012, and 2013. The table shows that the annual decrease in the enrollment of men has been fairly steady, hovering around 2 percent. In contrast, the annual decrease for women has been steeper from a decline of one percent between fall 2010 and 2011 up to a 4 percent enrollment decline between 2012 and 2013, the most recent data gathered. The statistical changes in enrollment intensity are less definitive. The percent of decrease in enrollment of full-time students between fall 2010 and 2012 was almost twice as large as the decrease between fall 2012 and 2013, 5.3 percent versus 2.9 percent. For part-time students during the same period, the trend is reversed. Between 2010 and 2011, enrollment of part-time students increased 1.2 percent. Then, between 2011 and 2013, part-time student enrollment decreased from 1.2 percent to 3.3 percent. The decrease in full-time student enrollment between 2010 and 2012 was much higher than the decrease in part-time enrollment. However, the change between 2012 and 2013 shows a percent decrease that is similar for both groups: 2.9 percent decrease for full-time students and 3.3 percent decrease for parttimers. Looking at completion data, the AACC report offers some good news: • The NSC completion rate that tracks all students for six years across institutions shows that 40 percent of community college students completed their program – almost double the official graduation rate (21percent) used by ED, which measures for the starting institution the percent of full-time, first-time students starting in the fall who completed their program within three years • The NSC graduation rate for full-time students increases to about 58 percent, or nearly three times


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/REPORTS the official ED graduation rate. The Department of Education’s official graduation rate is a poor measure of student completion since most community college students attend part time, many are not first-time students and some are not seeking a degree or certificate. Additionally, many community college students don’t enroll in the fall term and many transfer to another institution. NSC uses a different measure of college completion; it tracks students for a longer period of time and across institutions when they transfer. Using these measures, nearly 40 percent of students who started at a community college completed their program either at the starting institution or their transfer institution within a six-year period. When looking at the three factors of age, gender, and enrollment intensity, the AACC reports six-year completion rate differences, specifically: • Women had a higher completion rate than men (43.2 percent vs. 37.2 percent) • Adult learners (those 24 years old and higher) had a higher completion rate than either those 20year-olds or younger or students between 20 and 24 years old (30.4percent compared to 26 percent and 20.9 percent respectively)

rates at their starting institutions – 42.9 percent (This is more than double the official NCES graduation data since NCES uses three years to graduation as their measure while NSC uses a six-year time period) • Using transfer data, the NSC graduation rate for full-time students increases to 57.6 percent or nearly three times the official NCES graduation rate • Full-time vs. part-time enrollment show dramatic differences: the completion rate for exclusively part-time students was 19.9 percent, with 17.7 percent completing their program at the institution where they started • The completion rate for mixed enrollment students fell in between full-time and exclusively parttime students: 36.5 percent completion rate for mixed enrollment students with 22 percent completing at their first institution.

Angela Provitera McGlynn, professor emeritus of psychology, is an international consultant/presenter on teaching, learning, and diversity issues and the author of several related books.

• Full-time students had the highest completion

Re ecent N National Co ommunity C College Enro ollment and Aw wa ard Complettion Data Jolanta Juszkiewicz Jan nuary 2014

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 17


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/STEM INITIATIVES

UCC and Kean Collaborate to Help Hispanic STEM Students By Frank DiMaria

nion County College in Cranford, N.J., is a two-year Hispanic-Serving Institution (HIS). Kean University, just a few miles down the road in Union, N.J., is one of the top five most diverse colleges in the country. So it stands to reason that when the United States Department of Education awarded Union County College a fiveyear, $3.25 million STEM and STEM education grant, Union County College chose Kean as its fouryear college partner. Union and Kean have a history of collaborative efforts. Over the years, the two institutions have had multiple articulation and joint admission agreements to facilitate students’ transfer, says Elizabeth Ramos, director, Title V, Improving STEM Education Pipeline, Union County College. Union County College (UCC) and Kean will use the funding from the Title V grant to develop a multifaceted program focusing on increasing retention and graduation rates of Hispanic college students in the STEM and STEM teacher education disciplines. “The two institutions will be working collaboratively to support students as they strive toward academic achievement and ultimate graduation,” says Susan Polirstok, EdD, dean of the College of Education at Kean University. Participants in the grant will be mentored by

U

18 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

Elizabeth Ramos


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/STEM INITIATIVES practicing professionals in STEM disciplines and STEM teaching. UCC and Kean plan to establish a lecture series that will feature motivating seminars and workshops delivered by STEM professionals to promote the attainability of success in STEM disciplines and STEM teaching. The program is in line with federal educational priorities and specifically President Obama’s call for a diverse STEM-trained workforce for the 21st century. The partnership between Kean and UCC will develop a strong model of transfer and articulation to promote the success of Title V students in STEM. Students in the program who earn an associate’s degree at UCC and a bachelor’s degree at Kean will enter the workforce in a STEM-related career or as a teacher of STEM disciplines. Over the years countless UCC students have earned associate’s degrees and transferred to Kean to pursue their four-year degree. But this latest collaboration carries the relationship between the two schools further than it’s been before, taking both institutions into uncharted territory. This is the first time UCC has applied for and received a Title V Developing Hispanic-Serving Institution Cooperative grant. The grant empowers the schools to work

By participating in [the summer academy], UCC students will develop a relationship with Kean’s faculty and students prior to their transfer into the university.” Elizabeth Ramos, director, Title V, Improving STEM Education Pipeline, Union County College

more closely on improving their students’ experiences and promoting their success in STEM and STEM education fields. The Department of Education awards the grant and will provide funds annually. UCC and Kean will develop the activities of the program over the first two years based on a timeline and plan. Both intend on expanding the program in the third, fourth and fifth years of the grant. Student participation began this spring when UCC students attended a variety of academic and social programs on the Kean campus. Likewise STEM students from Kean attended various events on the UCC campus. By the summer Kean students will begin mentoring UCC students. “The summer academy will allow students to participate in a four-week intensive summer program mentored by Kean STEM and STEM education faculty. By participating in these activities, UCC students will develop a relationship with Kean’s faculty and students prior to their transfer into the university,” says Ramos. To allow UCC students to seamlessly transfer to Kean, both institutions created a joint admission agreement which includes curricular mapping and is supplemented with high impact undergraduate activities, such as undergraduate research experience. The agreement includes careful articulation of what UCC courses address and satisfy as well as requirements for courses offered at Kean. The agreement will also foster careful advisement and enable students to graduate within a four-year degree model. “Successful candidates can be steered toward our graduate programs and other advanced degree programs like the doctoral degree in physical therapy, occupational therapy and our MA in Physician’s Assistant program. We expect these programs to be fully functional by the time students graduate from Union County College,” says Polirstok. In many ways education is all about relationships. To ensure students build and nurture meaningful relationships with both their peers and faculty members, Kean is creating what it is calling the Possibility Zone. Modeled after the MakerSpace concept, the Possibility Zone is an environment in which students collaborate and work with likeminded peers, faculty and industry experts. The MakerSpace philosophy is devoted to the exploration and free exchange of ideas and the development of skills and knowledge through creativity and hands-on building and learning. The Possibility Zone at Kean will be a student and faculty engageHISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 19


COMMUNITY COLLEGES/STEM INITIATIVES ment and creativity center that will function as an open lab, a career and student advising resource and a faculty and staff collaborative development center. “We believe that using projects to build relationships can strengthen scientific learning and provide students opportunities to take ownership in their learning. Working closely with faculty on research permits the type of learning that keeps students engaged and motivates them to achieve high levels of success and ultimately graduate,” says Polirstok. The Possibility Zone will include 3D printers and PC computers along with appropriate software for students to work on the assigned projects and work as collaborators with their peers and faculty. This center will promote active learning beyond class time and will allow students to work on class projects outside the boundaries of class time and space. Students can share resources, knowledge, and solve problems as they tackle complex topics in STEM and education fields. Faculty will meet with students to create models and projects to further enrich the classroom learning experience. The Possibility Zone – and other engagement activities such as undergraduate research and summer academy – will provide students with access to research labs and other equipment used for hands-on inquiry. “The Possibility Zone will deliver learning support related to coursework as well as independent pursuits. Students working on activities in the Possibility Zone will be more engaged than their non-participating peers. These activities will increase student engagement and lead to an increase in retention and completion for the students involved,” says Ramos. Although the grant is primarily student centered, there is a component that focuses on faculty. The grant aims to enhance faculty professional development as it expands training opportunities by offering bimonthly training sessions that focus on innovative teaching practices. The sessions will be held on both campuses and enable UCC and Kean faculty to work in tandem to develop practices that will better serve and prepare Hispanic and low-income students in STEM and education fields. The new professional development session topics will focus on the best and most innovative teaching and learning practices. Topics will explore flipped classroom instruction and how to integrate hands-on learning in the classroom. Faculty will also be skilled up on how to prepare and use microlectures as open source learning tools. These microlectures

20 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

will be housed in an online media library where students can access them to review fundamental topics in STEM and STEM education. The $3.25 million will provide updated labs, equipment, software and instrumentation on both the UCC and Kean campuses. These new labs will allow students to receive academic support through hands-on inquiry based discovery in instruction and a content and media management system. Students will also participate in peer-led team learning in these new labs. “This cooperative grant will enable Union and Kean to support all students, in general, and Hispanic and low-income students, in particular, in completing their postsecondary degrees and address the need for a diverse 21st century STEMtrained workforce,” says Ramos.

We believe that using projects to build relationships… can strengthen scientific learning and provide students opportunities to take ownership in their learning. Working closely with faculty on research permits the type of learning that keeps students engaged and motivates them to achieve high levels of success and ultimately graduate.” Polirstok, EdD, dean of the College of Education at Kean University


From the

Scholars’ Corner

By Danielle Quintero – Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Missouri, Columbia, 2014 Graduate Fellow As a Chicana from a bilingual, working-class house-

ering experience that I was fortunate to have at such

hold located in California’s Central Valley, I have over-

an early stage in my academic career. As one of the

and my educational goals. Strong values of integrity, ded-

found myself wondering about the ways we may con-

as the first woman in my extended family to attend a

sist our communities. I also realized that my areas of

come much adversity that has been placed between me

ication, and empathy were the roots of my perseverance university. I have faced many economic, social, and cul-

tural struggles that have helped me evolve into the per-

son I am today.Witnessing first-hand the social injustices

only psychology fellows who entered the cohort, I

tinue bridging the gap across disciplines to further as-

research and interests are only one small piece of a

larger puzzle that aims to advance, protect, and serve

our community. I was inspired through this fellowship

related to violence in my own community propelled me

experience to continue collaborating with scholars

work toward eliminating violence in our society. My pas-

bridge the educational gap that often prevents many

to become a social change agent and dedicate my life’s

from across disciplines and working together to

sion is rooted in the areas of trauma and sexual vio-

Latina/o students from pursuing higher education.

come full circle through my experiences to realize my

more valuable than any program has offered me thus

lence, specifically within the Latina/o community. I have

Through this experience, I gained something much

career goals and aspirations: to become a tenured pro-

far: an academic family and a strong cohort of support-

Although it has been difficult, I have continued to

gram are priceless, and I am forever grateful to have

me to continue fulfilling my dreams as a Latina stu-

fellowship term, I felt rejuvenated and motivated by my

fessor, mentor and licensed psychologist.

seek out opportunities and support that will allow

dent. It is through this desire that I sought out an op-

portunity to become a part of the Graduate Student

ive peers.The relationships I developed within this pro-

met so many wonderful individuals. At the end of my

academic family to continue following my desires of obtaining a PhD. Although my scholarly work is one

Fellows Program offered by the American Association

piece of the puzzle, it is a piece that contributes to a

fellowship program was a life-changing and empow-

that matters.Vale la pena.”

of Hispanics in Higher Education. Being a part of the

whole picture. As Gloria Anzaldúa once said,“Do work

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 21


Interesting Reads

Cozumel Above the Sea

by Paul Von der Heyden, Tatjana Reichgruber Biermas and Tania Nacif Inigo

Cozumel Above The Sea is a visual celebration of the dazzling variety of wildlife, culture, and scenery in the tropical island paradise that is Cozumel, Mexico, with over 500 photographs taken over a threeyear period. This is a side of Cozumel never before seen. It makes a perfect coffee table book for residents and tourists, alike.

2014. 256 pp. ISBN: 978-0989842402. $39.95 cloth. Pavilion Polymedia, LLC., Flagtown, N.J. (908)-359-8945, wwwpavillionpolymedia.com.

Migrant Earth

This is a joint publication of Berkeley and Floricanto Presses. It documents the travels and travails of a family of Mexican migrant workers as they wander the Western United States in the 1940s and ’50s. These tales paint the life and death struggle of a family living on the periphery of a dominant white culture that simultaneously loathed and needed them. by Ramón Mesa Ledesma

2014. 210 pp. ISBN: 978-1888205534. $22.95. Paper. Floricanto Press/ Inter American Development Corp., Moorpark, Calif., (800) 528-3175, www.floricantopress.com

Building a Latino Civil Rights Movement by Sonia Song-Ha Lee

In the first book-length history of Puerto Rican civil rights in New York City, Sonia Lee traces the rise and fall of an uneasy coalition between Puerto Rican and African-American activists from the 1950s through the 1970s. Previous work has tended to see blacks and Latinos as either naturally unified as “people of color” or irreconcilably at odds as two competing minorities. 2014. 352 pp. ISBN: 978-1469614137. $34.95. Cloth. The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, N.C. (800)-848-6224, www.uncpress.unc.edu.

22 |

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

Bird of Paradise: How I Became Latina

by Raquel Cepeda. 2014. 336 pp. ISBN: 978-1451635874. $15.00. paper. : Atria Books (a Division of Simon & Schuster), New York, N.Y., (212) 698–7000. www.simonandschuster.biz/atria

Human beings go on a lifetime quest for self-identity. Tracing family roots can be part of that discovery process. What is possible today in the field of genealogy goes far beyond scrapbooking and photo albums. As technology advances, people now have the ability to take strands of DNA and find ancestral connections never dreamed possible just a few short years ago. This book is about the self-discovery of the author as she avails herself of every technological advantage to define her heritage. The imperative for Raquel Cepeda to start her journey began in 2009, when her estranged father came close to death from heart disease. She saw him as her link to uncovering the truth about her ancestry. All Cepeda had to do was look at herself and she knew she was a complicated blend of races and ethnicities, but she had never gotten a satisfactory answer about what was secret sauce made up her own DNA. With time running out, she decided to embark on a type of archaeological “dig” by using the science of ancestral DNA testing to excavate everything she could about her genetic history. She had no idea that this “dig” would take her all over the world. After being born in Harlem to Dominican parents, she was sent to live with her maternal grandparents in the Paraíso (Paradise) district in Santo Domingo, a place that came to mean family, home, belonging and happiness for her. However, when Cepeda came back to the United States years later, life was anything but ideal for her. Her mother had a new, abusive boyfriend, who relocated the family to San Francisco. When that relationship ended badly, Cepeda went back to New York City with her father and European stepmother where she attended tennis lessons and Catholic schools. She was discouraged from “acting Dominican” and became rebellious and estranged from her father and the new family unit he established in New York. Cepeda channeled her anger and passion into a successful career as a journalist and documentary filmmaker. This career choice became the perfect vehicle to chronicle her journey, which included DNA testing and physically retracing the footsteps of her ancestors. Cepeda begins a conversation about the concepts of race, identity, and ancestral DNA among Latinos by using her own Dominican-American story as one example, and in the process arrives at some sort of peace with her father. Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper


WE YOU HAVE RECEIVE

25

25

YEARS

% OFF

THE HISPANIC OUTLOOK IN HIGHER EDUCATION MAGAZINE (201) 587-8800 info@hispanicoutlook.com www.hispanicoutlook.com

In honor of our 25th anniversary as a top news source in higher education, we are offering HERC members a 25% discount on ads! Discount is not applicable to web packages. Discount is not available to agencies. Offer ends on August 31st, 2015.

The University of South Florida System is a high-impact, global research system dedicated to student success. The USF System includes three institutions: USF; USF St. Petersburg; and USF Sarasota-Manatee. The institutions are separately accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. All institutions have distinct missions and their own detailed strategic plans. Serving more than 47,000 students, the USF System has an annual budget of $1.5 billion and an annual economic impact of $4.4 billion. USF is a member of the American Athletic Conference.

Administrative and Executive Positions: Director (Library) Program Director (Housing & Residential Services) Associate Vice President (Quality, Safety, & Risk) (Health Sciences) Director (Dept. of Surgery) (College of Medicine) Senior Associate General Counsel Faculty Positions: College of Medicine Senior Faculty Biostatistician (Dept. of Pediatrics) Senior Bioinformatics Scientist (Dept. of Pediatrics) Assistant Professor (Neurology) (2) Assistant/ Associate (School of Therapy & Rehab. Sciences) Assistant Professor (UME Program Assessment) College of Arts & Sciences Visiting Instructor (Dept. of English)

College of Public Health Instructor I (Undergraduate Studies)

College of Pharmacy Postdoctoral Scholar Research Assistant/Associate/Professor in Critical Care

College of Behavioral Community Sciences Instructor (Criminology)

College of the Arts Research Associate (Sculpture Fabricator

Innovative Education Project Manager/Art Director

Tampa Library Digital Scholarship & Publishing Librarian Digital Learning Initiatives Coordinator Librarian Research Services Coordinator Librarian Instructional Technologist/Blended Librarian

College of Education Assistant Professor (Reading) (USF St. Petersburg Campus) Adjunct Instructor Positions at USF Sarasota/Manatee Campus Environmental Science Tests & Management Finance Foundation of Research for Educators (GradStatistics uate level) Marketing Criminology Spanish Hospitality Management Psychology Public Speaking

Technical Writing Mathematics ESOL Information Technology

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.

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 21


THE HISPANIC OUTLOOK IN HIGHER EDUCATION MAGAZINE FEBRUARY 23, 2015

www.HispanicOutlook.com

VOLUME 25 • NUMBER 10

Senior Vice President, Workforce & Economic Development

Vacancy Announcement The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) seeks an individual to serve as the primary point of contact for workforce and economic development related policies, issues, programs, and activities pertaining to community college credit and non-credit occupational programs. The Senior Vice President works with government agencies, trade associations, research organizations, community colleges, state community college offices, other associations, and internal office staff on issues and activities related to the functions of the workforce program. The individual is also tasked with the management of employees and contracts. The Senior Vice President also serves as the staff liaison for one AACC commission and several workforce and economic development related AACC affiliated councils.

Latinas Lead take the

Women in Higher Education Issue

For 25 years The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education Magazine has been a top information news source and the sole Hispanic education magazine for the higher education community as well as those involved in running our institutions of higher learning.

Qualified candidates should have a professional degree or master’s degree in Education, Business Administration, Public or Higher Education Administration, or a related field (an earned doctorate is preferred) as well as a substantial track record of identifying and engaging key strategic external partners (individual and institutional) for the purposes of building effective collaborative workforce initiatives that meet the present and future needs of the nation’s economic development and business communities. Must possess highly developed analytical skills as well as oral, written, and presentation skills. Must have experience managing professional staff and developing/managing budgets. The individual must have hands-on knowledge of government grants, contracts, audits, and programs related to federal agencies. Qualified candidates must also have knowledge and appreciation of the community college mission as well as the economic/workforce development mission. Among the portfolio of benefits, AACC offers paid health and dental insurance for employees and their dependents, 10% retirement contribution, and 20 days of vacation per year. Send cover letter, resume, and salary requirements by May 1, 2015 to:

Contact Us at Phone: (201) 587-8800 E-mail: info@hispanicoutlook.com WWW.HISPANICOUTLOOK.COM

Workforce SVP Search American Association of Community Colleges One Dupont Circle, NW #410 Washington, DC 20036 cash@aacc.nche.edu (202) 223-9390 fax AACC is an equal opportunity employer.

Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Services West Virginia University is conducting a national search for its next Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management and Services. The Search Committee invites letters of nominations, applications (letter of interest, complete CV, and list of five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting West Virginia University. Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until final candidates for the appointment are identified. It is preferred, however that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to April 30, 2015. Applications received after this date may be considered at the discretion of the Committee and/or hiring authority. For a complete position description, please visit the Current Opportunities page at www.parkersearch.com. Laurie C. Wilder, President Porsha Williams, Vice President pwilliams@parkersearch.com || mbonds@parkersearch.com Phone: 770-804-1996 x109 Fax: 770-804-1917

WVU is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer. Underrepresented class members are encouraged to apply. This includes: minorities, females, individuals with disabilities and veterans.

2 |

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

|

M A R C H

2 3 ,

2 0 1 5


President The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia is conducting a national search for the next President of Georgia Regents University. The Search Committee invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, comprehensive curriculum vitae, and contact information of at least five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University (electronic submissions preferred). Confidential review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to May 22, 2015. For a complete position description, please visit the Current Opportunities page at www.parkersearch.com. Laurie C. Wilder, President Katie M. Bain, Vice President and Managing Director 770-804-1996 ext. 108 lwilder@parkersearch.com || kbain@parkersearch.com Georgia Regents University, a unit of the University System of Georgia, is an equal opportunity educational institution and is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.

Vice President for Alumni Relations and Development The University of Central Florida is conducting a national search for the Vice President of Advancement and Alumni Affairs & CEO of the UCF Foundation, Inc. The Search Committee invites letters of nomination, applications (letter of interest, full resume/CV, and contact information of at least five references), or expressions of interest to be submitted to the search firm assisting the University. Review of materials will begin immediately and continue until the appointment is made. It is preferred, however, that all nominations and applications be submitted prior to April 5, 2015. For a complete position description, please visit the Current Opportunities page at www.parkersearch.com. Laurie C. Wilder, President Porsha L. Williams, Vice President Erin Raines, Associate 770-804-1996 ext: 117 pwilliams@parkersearch.com || eraines@parkersearch.com UCF is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply, including minorities, women, veterans and individuals with disabilities. As a Florida public university, UCF makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 21


PALM BEACH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT

Palm Beach County School District, located in South Florida, seeks an inspirational leader with visionary leadership and strong administrative skills to lead a district of over 183,000 students. The salary will be in the range of $275,000$350,000 plus an excellent comprehensive benefits package. The final salary for the successful candidate will be negotiated and determined based upon proven experience, qualifications and meeting Board criteria. Interested candidates may apply online at www.rayassoc.com Ray and Associates, Inc. Ph: 319/393-3115 E-mail: glr@rayassoc.com Application Deadline: Midnight on April 2, 2015 Please do not contact the Board or District directly.

FACULTY

Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolfe College of Education

• Educational Leadership & Counseling

Anticipated Vacancies Fall 2015 Located in the New York City metropolitan area, New Jersey City University is an urban institution of distinction dedicated to providing its students with a rich academic experience. A culturally diverse institution serving 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students, NJCU offers more than forty undergraduate degree programs, as well as graduate and teacher certification programs. Emphasis is placed on a strong liberal arts foundation supplemented by career and professional preparation for firstgeneration college students. The University is committed to the improvement of the surrounding urban region, state, and the nation. NJCU is devoted to expanding the University’s strengths in the academic community. NJCU seeks innovative and visionary faculty who are committed to engaging in an ethnically diverse urban university and its dynamic environment. NJCU invites applications for faculty positions for the 2015-2016 academic year. NJCU has positions in each of its four colleges— the William J. Maxwell College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Professional Studies, the Deborah Cannon Partridge Wolfe College of Education and the School of Business. All faculty positions are tenure-track, unless otherwise listed. Rank is commensurate with experience and credentials. Appointments for faculty will begin September 1, 2015. All positions are contingent upon availability of funding. The following are anticipated tenure-track faculty openings for fall 2015. Expanded information about each opening is available at http://www.njcu.edu/hr/employment/.

William J. Maxwell College of Arts and Sciences

• Art - Ceramics/3D Media & Design

College of Professional Studies

• Criminal Justice • Nursing - 3 Positions • Fitness, Exercise & Sports • Fire Science • Professional Security Studies - Information Assurance/Cyber Security • Professional Security Studies-National (Civil) Security - Research School of Business

• Accounting • Economics • Finance • Management • Marketing Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applications received by April 1, 2015 are guaranteed full consideration. Applicants should send letter of application, curriculum vitae with current e-mail address, and full contact information for three professional references via our online application. For specific application requirements, please refer to NJCU website at: http://www.njcu.edu/hr/employment/ Electronic submissions via our website are welcome.

• Biology - Microbiology • Chemistry - Biochemistry • Latin American, Caribbean, & Latino Studies Program • Mathematics

New Jersey City University is an equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

2 |

H I S P A N I C

O U T L O O K

|

M A R C H

2 3 ,

2 0 1 5


Hispanic Outlook 03_15_Layout 1 3/12/15 1:46 PM Page 1

SALISBURY As Distinctive As

UNIVERSITY

You

A GREAT VALUE

U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance rank SU among the nation’s best at providing a notably high quality, yet affordable education.

SETTING FOR SUCCESS

SU offers 43 undergraduate majors and 15 graduate programs. Innovative facilities, including the state-ofthe-art Teacher Education and Technology Center and a new home for the Franklin P. Perdue School of Business, place the University at the forefront of national education.

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Outstanding faculty are mentors for undergraduate research. Students gain real-world knowledge through internships and global experiences.

VISIT SU

SU offers a small-town feel within an easy ride to cities like Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia.

Attention JOB SEEKERS! CNM is recruiting for Nursing, Part-time Faculty, Casual Instructors, & IT Professionals

Attention JOB SEEKERS! Attention JOB SEEKERS!

CNM is recruiting for Nursing, CNM is recruiting for Nursing, Faculty, Casual I knew I made the rightPart-time decision to come Part-time Faculty, Casual to SU when one day I was walking to class and one of my teachers called me by & IT Professionals Instructors, Instructors, & IT Professionals my name and asked how I was doing. At PROFILE: ISADORA

I love the friendly atmosphere

SU you really get to know each of your teachers and they get to know you as well.

To learn more about Salisbury University visit www.salisbury.edu

Join Us! Join Us! April 10,April 201510, 2015 - 7:00pm 2:00pm -2:00pm 7:00pm CNM - Central New Mexico Community College

Brasher Hall Main Campus CNM - Central New MexicoSmith Community College

A Maryland University of

717Main University Blvd. SE • Albuquerque, NM Smith Brasher Hall Campus 717 University Blvd. SE • Albuquerque, NM National Distinction HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

| 21


WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Administrator, Faculty and Staff Positions Westchester Community College is committed to hiring innovative administrators, faculty members, and staff. Women, minorities and those dedicated to diversity and multiculturalism are strongly encouraged to apply. Full-time positions include excellent benefits. Hiring subject to availability of funds. Administrators and Staff Assistant Dean of Student Affairs (Educational Opportunity Center, Yonkers) Assistant to the President Biology and Health Lab Technician/Sr. Technical Assistant (Ossining) Director of Leadership Giving and Development Extension Center Director (Mount Vernon) Program Specialist (Online Education, part-time position) Scholarship Administrator Software Engineer II VP and Dean, Student Affairs Full-time faculty positions. Electrical Technology, Nursing. Instructor level positions start in the Fall 2015. Requires Masters plus one-year related experience, unless otherwise indicated on website. Adjunct Faculty. Summer and Fall 2015 openings. Specify day/evening/weekend availability. Credit adjuncts (Masters and one-year related experience required unless otherwise indicated on website): Accounting (day only), Adjunct Academic Support Center Coordinator (science/math), Anthropology, Biology, Ceramics, Chemistry, Communications, Computer Networking (Cisco certified), Computer Science, Journalism and Media Production, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts and Management, Dance (Broadway Jazz or Hip-Hop), Dietetic Technician/Foods and Nutrition, Digital Illustration, Digital Imaging, Economics, English, Fashion (Fashion Design, Sewing), Geoscience, History (African-American, American, Caribbean), Human Services (Social Work), Librarian, Mathematics (including College Algebra with Trigonometry, Statistics, Geometry, Precalculus), Medical Billing and Coding, Nursing (seeking adjuncts with medical surgery specialization), Philosophy, Physics, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology, Veterinary Technology.

Higher Ed

eep

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 candidates with ESL teaching experience (MA or certificate in TESOL preferred) or with corporate training background, and ideas for new classes. Visit website for information. Submit proposals for new classes at www.sunywcc.edu/CE; do not submit a resume without a class proposal. For ESL only, submit resume to humanresources@sunywcc.edu. For details, visit www.sunywcc.edu/jobs. Applications 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.

The Board of Trustees of the Peralta Community College District invites applications and nominations for the position of

CHANCELLOR

The Chancellor of the Peralta Community College District is responsible for all operations of the District’s four colleges, and assures that the colleges are administered in accordance with federal and California regulations and the policies adopted by the seven member Board of Trustees. The Chancellor provides leadership and advocacy in keeping with the District’s mission of supporting student access and success. Deadline: OPEN UNTIL FILLED Review of materials will begin April 6, 2015.

G O

HISPANIC UPDATED WITH US

OutlooK-12 MAGAZINE COMING SOON

For position profile and information about the search, please visit

http://peraltaccd. peopleadmin.com/ postings/2223

We are an EOE

2 |

H I S P A N I C

For confidential inquiries, contact Community College Search Services (CCSS-us.net): Dr. Frances White, Search Consultant Telephone: (415) 637-4148 Email: franlavone@comcast.net Mr. John Romo, Search Consultant Telephone: (805) 698-7987 E-mail: romojb@gmail.com

O U T L O O K

|

M A R C H

2 3 ,

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT US AT

INFO@HISPANICOUTLOOK.COM (201) 587 8800

2 0 1 5 ©All Rights Reserved to OutlooK-12 Magazine


Priming the Pump… Learning to Negotiate:

An Essential Skill for Latino Students By Miquela Rivera, PhD

Negotiation skills are best learned early.

utocratic parents and adults who think children should be seen and not heard would disagree. In an age of instant gratification, limited resources, and increased competition, how else can a child get along with others and make his way through school? Still not convinced? Witness the number of people ages 9 through 90 who fight, throw a tantrum or give up because they don’t know how to work through challenges. There is the blustery student who becomes profane, critical or threatening when he doesn’t get what he wants; the college student who cries about a grade that is lower than expected and the one who simply walks away from a class, never to return (except perhaps to contest the failing grade they ultimately receive). Latino children who learn to use words to develop relationships and smooth out tough situations are better prepared for success, whether on the playground, at the kitchen table, or in the classroom. And they carry those skills onto campus when they pursue higher education. Before being taught to negotiate children must start with basic, stable and reasonable rules set by parents and teachers. The child who has no boundaries, rules or limits set by adults will try to set them for themselves, either by becoming outrageous and pushy until the adult reaches that limit or they discuss or argue about what they think they want until the parents give up. When the basic rules are set and adhered to across time, the parent and child can then make reasonable exceptions. The normal curfew for a teen might be set, but on a night with a special occasion, the child and parent can figure out an alternate time to be home. The basic rules must be adhered first overall; negotiation for changes comes later. The young Latino taught to follow rules at home enters school knowing that the requirements set by the teacher must be met. The normal testing of limits by Hispanic teenagers begins as expected developmentally but judicious adults know when and how the rules can be bent. Latino children who know the basic questions for negotiating

A

|

HISPANIC OUTLOOK

|

MARCH 23, 2015

have a greater chance of obtaining a desired outcome: Is the decision final? If not, what would be required to reach what is desired, like a higher grade? Being denied a second chance, an opportunity for “extra credit work” to boost the overall grade or a “makeup test” may not be what the student wants to hear, but he may learn the importance of adherence to requirements. If he walks away from the class and fails to return, he is doomed to repeat the frustrating cycle of incomplete classes and aborted attempts. The skilled Latino student negotiator, however, will approach the instructor in anticipation of or soon after the problem occurs and ask what is required to rectify it. Doing so demonstrates the empathy and desire to compromise that is essential in negotiation. If the professor outlines possible steps the student can take toward success, the student with negotiation skills will acknowledge and express appreciation for the instructor’s consideration, then complete the options offered. The Latino who brings negotiation skills to solve an academic situation does not necessarily want to lower the bar or avoid responsibility; he may be seeking options to solve a problem. And the Latino who confidently talks with the professor about the problem knows that options are not always possible and that the final word is final. Young Hispanic children who are given choices and taught to negotiate develop self-confidence and independence in making their way through situations and are more skilled in developing relationships with a variety of people. They also learn that much in life is flexible and, in some situations, can be negotiated to make the work meaningful, acceptable and useful to everyone involved. Those skills, abilities and attitudes can carry a student much further toward success than hard-and-fast rules that are resented and not useful. Most important, the respect that is gained and shared carries into future situations and relationships. Miquela Rivera, PhD, is a licensed psychologist with years of clinical, early childhood and consultative experience. She lives in Albuquerque, N.M.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.