ECTC: The Second Half Century Higher Education Begins Here

 ECTC will be the provider of choice for transfer, technical, workforce and lifelong education among those we serve and will be recognized as one of the best community and technical colleges in the nation.

August 10, 2015 George R. Boggs

 Accountability  Accreditation  Adjuncts  AA & the Equity Gap  Athletics  Civility & Tolerance  Completion & Success  Degrees  Enrollment  Free Tuition  Funding  Global Education  Immigration Reform  Leadership Support  Public-Private Partnerships  Safety & Security  Technology  Tenure  CTE vs. Liberal Arts

 Increased costs ◦ State disinvestment has resulted in increased tuition costs ◦ Feds now annually invest $169 billion in financial aid  Student indebtedness now $1.2 trillion  14% student loan default rate  Low & uneven college completion rates

 Federal ◦ Regulations ◦ Pressure on accreditors ◦ Encouraging stronger state oversight  State ◦ Scorecards ◦ Performance-based funding  College ◦ VFA ◦ Post-College Outcomes Framework

 Peer-controlled quality assurance is unique ◦ Other countries rely on government oversight  Federal government reliance on accreditation  Criticisms ◦ Protects the status-quo ◦ Hostile to innovation ◦ Self regulation doesn’t work ◦ Too slow to close underperforming institutions

 Greater attention given to accreditors  Greater transparency  Greater uniformity in standards and terminology  Decoupling of Title IV eligibility unlikely

Recommendations  Learn from strategies employed by ATD & other initiatives  Strengthen IR capacities to evaluate strategies  Take advantage of 4-year institution interest in attracting minority students

 Increased attention must be given to safety of student athletes.  Institutions need to assure academic integrity.

 Renewed racial tension & interest in civil rights will spill over onto college campuses.  Academic freedom & civility are not incompatible.  Everyone should have input in defining the climate for work & learning at the college.

 Civility vs. Academic Freedom ◦ Recommendations for leaders ◦ Engage college community to define the college climate for work & learning ◦ Plan in advance how to deal with civil rights demonstrations

 In the News ◦ Natural Disasters ◦ Accidents ◦ Sexual Assaults ◦ Student Protests ◦ Guns on Campus  Recommendations ◦ Update Emergency Preparedness Plans ◦ Provide Training for Students & Employees ◦ Deal with Allegations Appropriately ◦ Involve Law Enforcement when needed

 Bring emergency preparedness plans up to date. ◦ Include adequate professional development ◦ Include simulations  Provide protection information to students & staff.  Deal with allegations of violence seriously & in a manner that protects the alleged victim while ensuring due process for the accused.  Rely appropriately on law enforcement agencies.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau and National Alliance of Business Education Required

 Concerns from Business & Industry about Skills Gap  President Obama’s 2009 Challenge ◦ Increase completion by 50% by 2020  Six National Associations 2010 Call To Action  AACC’s 2012 Reclaiming the American Dream  Support from Major Foundations  Phi Theta Kappa ◦ National Community College Completion Corps

 Many students attend several institutions  More that ¼ of community college students take at least one distance education class  About 1/10 of community college students take classes exclusively online  Online enrollments are growing even as overall college enrollments have stabilized

 Accepting responsibility for their learning.  Learning in a more cooperative and collaborative environment.  Making use of college support services.  Making use of available technology.  Making connections with other learners.  Extending learning into the community.

Traditional Thinking n Lectures n Reading assignments n Writing assignments n Problem sets n Laboratory work n Field work New Theories n Constructivism n Making connections n Learning styles n Involvement n Learning in groups n Learning to learn

 College Success Skills or Freshman Experience Courses improve student success.  More ATD colleges are initiating these courses; some are requiring them for matriculated students.

 Referring students to tutoring increased retention and success rates (Alamo CCD)  Faculty development programs are increasing at ATD colleges ◦ Cooperative learning ◦ Assessing learning outcomes ◦ Developing a culture of learning

n Learning Communities improve student success and persistence (also see AMATYC Beyond Crossroads) n Class attendance is a significant predictor of grade achievement across all racial groups (Valencia CC) n Use of Math Lab substantially increased pass rates (Jefferson CC OH)

 Strengthen Classroom Engagement  Integrate Student Support into Learning Experiences  Expand Professional Development Focused on Engaging Students  Create Policy Conditions to Promote Learning & Completion

 Computers in the classroom  Virtual guest lecturers  Online & blended learning can increase student engagement ◦ Synchronous online sessions ◦ Online resources ◦ Discussion boards ◦ Electronic communication ◦ Electronic grading & feedback

 Must be highly structured with built-in tools ◦ to require time on task ◦ to encourage engagement ◦ to provide timely feedback

 More community colleges are offering baccalaureates  Better articulation agreements with universities are needed  More university centers on CC campuses will help  More distance learning opportunities will help

 Increased attention on workforce mission was caused by: ◦ the economic downturn ◦ Concerns from business leaders about skills  Liberal Arts will remain an important part of American higher education.  Divides that sometimes occur on campuses should be bridged.

 Colleges should continue to integrate international & cultural perspectives into the curriculum.  Colleges should provide opportunities for students to: ◦ Study abroad. ◦ Interact with international students on campus.

Jones & Wellman, Change Magazine May-June 2010

 Community Colleges Serve 54% of Public HE Students  Community Colleges Receive 28% of H.E. Federal, State, and Local Revenues  CC Students Are Less Likely to Receive the Financial Aid they Deserve

 Federal Tuition Program Unlikely ◦ Federal vs. State Responsibility ◦ Cost  About 3.5% of what is currently being spent on financial aid  Resistance from other Sectors  Federal Incentives to States More Likely  Recommendation ◦ Take advantage of spotlight on community colleges ◦ Encourage policy makes to study Tennessee Promise

 Leadership Makes a Difference  Stability in Leadership Affects Outcomes  Recommendations ◦ Accept Responsibility for Mentoring Promising Candidates ◦ Encourage & Support Doctoral Work ◦ Establish a “Grow Your Own” Program

Contact information George R. Boggs, Ph.D