More on the Community College System

Some years ago several Alabama legislators questioned whether or not the state school board possessed the competence to govern the two-year system. True the college system seems to present a considerable challenge to the already burdened K-12 system suggesting some need for a separate regulatory body.

I remain unconvinced. I am sure, however, that the Alabama College System needs to decide if we are to be the last two years of high school or the first two years of college. We have for too many years tried to be both.

If the college system is to be all things to all people. If the original mission of the two-year college system is "To provide the first two years of college education to underserved rural populations" and later merged with " To retrain and re-create careers for our citizens and lifelong educational opportunities", then a number of conditions must be met.

First, We must have realistic assessment of the need for skilled technical workers. This requires only one simple common sense question: " What sorts of employment will be available in the future for this specific training?" Field of dreams thinking on this matter has some merit but it is somewhat unfair to put thousands of students through the considerable time and expense of a technical program knowing that one in ten will have employment in that field. It is unfair to the taxpayer as well, since this investment of state money will be forced to find a place in another state.

Second, We must align more closely with senior institutions. The Alabama State Board of Education, or whoever is actually in charge of the college system, could make the simple switch from "duty days" to "contact hours". This change would allow colleges to set calendars to closely resemble those schools chosen by our transfer students. Much progress has been made in coordinating our academic offerings with the senior institutions. Much remains to be done.

Third, We must improve our relationship with the high schools. We should have more than loose talk about articulation. With the students as well as the instructors. If the college system is to remain part of K-14 then remediation should take place in cooperation with the high schools. If we are to be one and two in the six year college system we need separate regulation and a complete overhaul of the academic catalog. Although there is some debate over the certifiable time needed to complete a "two year" technical program that has non-transfer exit points other states seem to have little trouble making the adjustment.

In short we need to provide for the seamless transfer of our students to the upper level institutions and/or seamless transfer to the world of work in order to become a truly effective institution.

The Community College System

Most candidates for office this year focus on "Jobs". So far no one has mentioned "Careers". In my view a career is a job that will feed the family. A career is a job one can retire from. A career requires an education to raise the employee above the average stock.

I believe that the Community Colleges need to live up to the purpose and obligations set by the State when the system was proposed in 1963. The obligation to create Careers.

In the beginning the Junior Colleges offered two years of collegiate education at modest prices to young men and women who might not be able, for whatever reason, to attend one of the larger taxpayer funded colleges or universities. Later the college system inherited the mission of providing advanced technical training for positions that do not require a four year degree. Every future policy coming out of our legislature, our Governors office, and our State Board of Education regarding the Alabama College System must reflect this history of service to the student.

The needs of the student must come first. Everyone is in agreement on this. Why then, are administrative suites bulging with men and women who have no contact with students. Why then, are classes increasingly taught by part time instructors who have few campus obligations and little personal commitment. To assess my perceived decline in commitment to the student some scientific comparisons should be made between the enrollment and outcomes of the full time and part time faculty. Comparisons should be made between present and past performance of the institution. If time has shown a difference then adjustments should be made.

Our teachers need to perform as if they taught at any college in the state. From English to electricity. Tenure needs a comprehensive review requiring more than the perfunctory three years of just showing up. In 2008 legislator Trip Pittman authored a bill which seemed to address these issues. The bill included five years to attain tenure rather than three. It offered tenure to administrators only with regard their teaching duties, and required continued professional growth of all faculty from the technical specialty to the doctoral.

I believe that all administrators should hold faculty appointments as happens in the four year institutions in this state. We need administrators who know first hand what is happening in the classroom. We need administrators who teach and interact through significant student contact (No, dealing with dissatisfied students doesn't count)

Our students needs can be kept on the forefront only if the decision makers are in touch with the reason the two year system is here. (The student).

Our Community Colleges fill an important need in in Alabama. Most of our Nurses, Emergency Medical Personnel, and Technical Service Providers come through the doors of the Alabama College System.

As the original mission provided two years of academic, technical and occupational training, so should present policies reflect a continuation of that vision and foster genuine reform. As we enter the next decade of the twenty-first century we should be ever mindful of the role Community Colleges play in creating those careers for our communities.