A Classic Reposting From The Past

Hey!

Coach Richardson

Sometimes it is not what you say or how you say it,
It’s when you say it.
By Mike Anthony

He is considered by many to be a great coach, having coached for 17 years at a major University and leading it to a National Championship, but the most significant number is the graduation rate of his African American players. (ZERO). I also wonder how many of his former players have been able to obtain meaningful employment? This is an astonishing finding, one of the few African American Head Coaches in Division I College Sports has a graduation rate so low that you could not find it if your life depended on it.

How did he allow this to happen and when did he start to think that it was okay to do this. What is this? This is the recruiting of basketball players who without academic guidance, structure and expectations did not have much of a chance to graduate within the four to five years of their collegiate eligibility. We have to face it, there is little motivation for some coaches to go out and find the basketball player who has plans on earning a degree. It is easier to recruit the NBA dreamers who may stay in your program two or three years before attempting to move on to the NBA. Let us face it, if they leave school earlier everyone can say you see, it is not our fault he did not earn his degree. He decided to try the next level and failed to have a back up plan. It would be too much like keeping a promise, you know the one, each prize recruit gets. “If you come to State U, you will get your degree,” I wonder if coach Richardson ever made such a promise to any of his players and if he did and they remained in school, did they get it? I have no idea. That is something for the big boys in the media world to investigate. I am simply saying where did he go wrong or did he?

I have never met Coach Richardson. I hope he is a nice man, but how does he sleep at night. Let us examine the facts from afar. Coach Richardson cried foul when the media began questioning if he should be there, had he worn out is welcome? I have no idea, but what I do know is coach Richardson has some issues that have affected his perception. Take his response while hosting a weekly talk show, after his now famous blow-up. “So what can you take away from me?" Richardson said. "I've won everything there is to win. Name me coaches that can say that. ... I tell my players, 'Don't fret for me baby.' If I get to leave the University of Arkansas, I graduated -- and I did it my way." How befitting the players are worrying about him, but does he seem to have any worry for his players, especially when he says I graduated, I wonder has or will any of his players ever be able to shout out those two words?

I am not bashing coach Richardson, but how dare you get on a soap box, when it gets a little hard, yeah people have been giving you grief for 17 years, welcome back to the party, your 17 year absence has been noticed. Coach was reactive not proactive, he had over a decade and 2/3 of another one to scream about injustice. How about the number of African American teachers on campus, this could be an issue, maybe it would have helped some of his basketball players to earn their degree, we will never know. How about screaming injustice when Prop 48 was introduced, did he boycott a game as did John Thompson (albeit, he did it against another black coach, who also boycotted, they only affected one game, but had they done it against another school not coached by an African American, they could have affected two games, but I digress). I will save that for another day). He was upset that all the reporters at his press conference were white. I am willing to bet his farm the press pool for his post games interviews have always looked that way.

The facts are simple, coach Richardson was happy living in Arkansas a member of the area country club surrounded by injustice everyday and never speaking out about what he knew or what was happening in the community, as a matter of fact, given his rate of player graduation he himself has been a party of some major injustices. Did coach Richardson speak out when the Gov. Mike Huckabee removed the only black member of the university board of trustees with a white former aide? If he says he was unaware of any such injustices or lack of diversity on campus he is really out of touch and that is more frightening that his fame style of coaching.

Coach Richardson appeared to be a coach who believed that his job was on the line and in an attempt to save it he pulled the race card from the bottom of the deck. The only sad part about it is that his complaints have a strong ring of truth, but he losses credibility when he cries foul to save his own skin, did he hear the cries of foul from his players and many others in Arkansas?

NOTE: Next week: How can they really study and play the game? I have a comment on the state of college basketball and the student athlete.

NEWS BYTE # 9

1. Forest of The Rain Productions, Inc., the parent company for The Journey Begins, radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator, along with Global Training Systems, Inc., Veronica Sullivan’s Journey, Education: The Natural Bridge, Education4and2Parents, and The Educational Journey announced it will present its first annual “Innovative of the Year Awards” in the spring of 2009. The awards will awarded for individuals in the areas of :

• Community Outreach/Engagement
  
• K-12 Education
  
• Postsecondary Education
  
• Parental Advocacy

For more information, visit http://www.forestoftheraineducation.com/

2. In a report by Community College Times: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has awarded $3.78 million to projects in several cities to boost college graduation rates by better coordinating services provided at colleges, schools and government and community agencies. The grants will be managed by community colleges and local government agencies to help cities in New York , Florida , Arizona , Ohio and California.

3. Lisa M. Krieger, of the mercurynews.com reports that 40% of community college students in California who are seeking a degree are prepared to transfer to a 4-year institution. The report by Krieger, discusses alarming facts and trends regarding community colleges in the state of California . The data is more alarming because of the recent efforts of President Obama to make community colleges the economic hub for the re-tooling of America . In her report, Krieger, stated:

• California 's universities are cutting back slots for incoming freshman and are promoting beginning the college experience at one of the 110 community colleges in the state
  
• However, 6 out 10 students at community colleges in the state give up on the notion of transferring to a four year college and thus never make to a four year college campus
  
• Silicon Valley schools do somewhat better — with success rates that range from 48 percent at San Jose City College to 68 percent at De Anza and Foothill colleges
  
• Parental job loss means students need to work more hours
  
• Once they arrive at universities, data shows that transfers are successful, graduating at a slightly higher rate than students who enter as freshmen
  
• Difficulty getting courses. Swamped with students but underfunded, community colleges are adding extra entry-level classes such as math and English. But some higher-level classes, needed for transfer, have been dropped

To read more on this story visit our blog at educationthenaturalbridge.blogspot.com for a link to the article.

4. Dr. Debbie Pushor, Renowned Canadian Scholar on Parental Engagement has agreed to discuss her thought on What is Effective Parental Engagement? on Educational Gateway, hosted by Michael Robinson. To hear the discussion visit the Journey Begins, radio for the engaged parent and dedicated education, or visit Education4and2Parents.podbean.com to download the entire interview

Additional guest scheduled to appear on the Journey Begins, radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator are:
i. Quwan Spears, Sports Information Officer California Interscholastic Federation, who discussed the Role of Parents in the Academic Success of Their Child, the Student Athlete

ii. Carrie L. Billie, Esq., President & CEO, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, discussed the Important Role of Tribal Colleges

iii. Dr. Patricia Spakes, Chancellor, University of Washington , Tacoma , offered her insight on the Role of Leadership in Decision Making in the Postsecondary Education

5. More than 500 individuals seeking employment attending a job fair held at Howard Community College in Howard County, Maryland. The College is expecting to host its Spring Job Fair on March 19, 2009.

6. The board of trustees of St. Louis Community College voted 4-2 Thursday to close two of its campus-based child care centers despite assurances by its administration that a decision would not happen this month. The surprise vote means the end of a 70-student child care center on the college system’s Meramec Campus and a 100-student child care center at Forest Park Community College . A third center at Florissant Valley Community College will remain open. The centers are set to close July 1. They employ about 22 full- and part-time staff. The majority of parents who use the centers for their kids are students at both campuses. College officials said the number of community college students affected by the closures would amount to 200, but those who’ve spoken in support of the center point to discussions at previous board meetings where officials pegged the number of students was 700.

America’s Workforce

Written by
Michael A. Robinson

Today, America’s workforce is unable to meet the demands and expectations of local or global corporations and in 1985 according to Gallagher (2005) only 25 percent of the population had a college degree, now two decades later that number has only risen to 27 percent. Given these figures there is room for growth and development of educational opportunities for American citizens. A highly trained and educated workforce has been directly linked by economists to a nation’s economic health and stability (Dickens, Sawhill & Tebbs, 2006). Dickens, et al. (2006) further suggested today’s business leaders are embracing the concept of human capital and believe ongoing investment in this area will become more important than investments in their physical capital.

What does this mean for postsecondary education? It may require colleges and universities, particularly community college to re-examine how they engage the nation of learners. Public institutions of higher education must be willing to become fully engaged participants in the ongoing shaping of this new postsecondary world (Hanna, 2003).

Hanna (2003) supposed if postsecondary education is to be successful in addressing the rapidly materializing challenges and demands of the 21st Century learner, there must be a willingness to modify institutional missions, goals, programs, operations and as outcome create a flexible and responsive institution. Failure to do so could have dire consequences for the less elite public institutions (Dickens et al 2006). Drucker (1997) said it best when he declared, "Universities won't survive. The future is outside the traditional campus, outside the traditional classroom. Distance learning is coming on fast” (p.45).

Analysis of ACCT Community College Environmental Scanning Initiative And ABG’s 10 Public Policy Issues

Written by

Mike Robinson

The environment around higher education is changing and as a result so has the needs of students. The demand for college is increasing, while the ability to finance education is shrinking. Without affordable and assessable pathways to higher education the economic well being of America and its citizens cannot be assured. These changes, demands, and expectations are impacting the virtual landscape of higher education in American. They represent several of the primary assertions included in both the 2004 ACCT Environmental Scanning Initiative and the ABG’s 10 Public Policy Issues report.


Changing Demographics

Emerging demographics will continue to place imposing demands on the state and public and private colleges and universities (ABG, 2005). A reality that both the ACCT Environmental Scanning Initiative and the ABG report have identified as a top trend that has major policy implications. ACCT’s (2004) scanning report based on its survey of 212 members indicated that the changing demographics of learners will require an ability of institutions of higher learning to be flexible and capable of responding quickly to their needs. In addition the Scanning report implies that due of the changes in demographics are taking place faster and more often the need to create and understand the diverse learning styles will be essential to an institution’s capability to impact learning.

This sentiment is echoed by the 2005 ABG report, but the ABG report goes slightly further into this area by discussing the need to ensure access is widening for the changing population. According to the ABG’s (2005) report 80 percent of the new students expected to enter higher education starting from 1995 to 2013 will be minorities. While enrollment projections all indicate massive increases in students attending college, the reality of less financial assistance to pay for school is a real threat to access. Lack or limited access to higher education due to shortfalls in state and federal aid is clearly viewed as a major issue impacting the compass of higher education in the view of ABG, which has it a major portion of its top ten trends, and the ACCT Environmental Scanning Initiative.


Governmental Capacity to Assist

Dwindling federal and state support for higher education has been the trend for the past decade and a half. Yet for many the ongoing reduction of fiscal support continues to make the capability of colleges and universities to educate the masses a complex proposition. In the 2004 ACCT Scanning report over 65 percent of the survey respondents indicated governments at all levels struggle to address increasing demands with limited resources, and thereby makes higher education an option for funding not a priority. This issue represented the number one trend to impact higher education, according to ACCT’s 2004 Environment Initiative. Again, the trend while phrase slightly different in the 2005 ABG report ranked high among its major public policy issues.

The ABG report examined the issue of a state’s capacity to establish policy that impact higher education. According to the ABG (2005) report, fiscal uncertainty combined with the lack of clear expectations from state policy makers have impacted the leadership and direction of higher education on a state level. The primary question presented by the ABG report regarding the issue of governmental support is a simple one, “does the public believe that higher education is a public good worth supporting with fiscal mean or do they see it as private good that provides no economic benefit to the state as a whole.”

Extensive and heated debates have occurred in state legislative session regarding this issue, but as indicated in both the 2004 ACCT Scanning and the 2005 ABG reports, higher education expectations from government officials, leaders of business and industry and citizens change often and inasmuch higher education is sometimes left to adjust on its own without guidance or support.

For-Profit Higher Education

Presented by

Michael Robinson at the 2007 The Maryland Association for Adult, Community and Continuing Education in Ocean City, Maryland

According to Ziess (1996) in order for community colleges to compete in the changing higher education environment, filled with competitors who are capable of responding to the needs of learners, community colleges must become better marketers of their product, community colleges must become more like for- profit organizations and create an ability to start a degree program in just four to six months.

For-profit Colleges and Universities operate as business :

• They usually charge high tuitions combined with government funding to realize a profit
  
• They tend to align programming with business
  
• They do not offer extras, such as housing or sport teams
  
• They are generally located in urban areas
  
• They offer lower salaries to their faculty
  
• They do not offer tenure

Trends in Higher Education Performance

Joseph C. Burke, Director Higher Education Program, Rockefeller Institute of Government, in his article Trends in Higher Education Performance discusses reasons why performance measures/reporting fails and offers suggestions to both state and campus leaders on how to fix the problems.

The fundamental question facing parents today is will they be able to afford to send their children to college? While this may be an age old question, the recent decline in state funds, shifting of revenue to state security in wake of 911 and changing state government priorities have made higher education less affordable to many.

The support for public universities and colleges by policymakers has been declining for years (Knott & Payne, 2004), while the expected demand for higher education has been rising steadily. In the state of Maryland for example, the demand for higher education has shown a solid increase of 1 percent per year and is believe to continue this trend until 2011. The expected increase in the demand for higher education is repeating itself all over the United States and soon nearly every public institution will be force to turn students away due to capacity issues, unless there is adequate revenue provided to postsecondary public education. This is critically important to community colleges where their mission has been since its existence to offer open access to all, while providing quality and affordable education. As reality gets closer, state government officials across America are examining the priorities for their educational system and accessing how the need of the system currently aligns with state priorities.

Because of an economic downturn, a slower than expected economic recovery, combined with record deficits states have experienced sharp declines in revenue. Given the financial difficultly some states are facing there is little support for throwing good money after bad. It is this theory that prompted 44 states to require performance reports from their institutions of higher education (Burke, 2003). Performance reports are generated from the results of a set of performance measurements that are based on objectives and goals to be changed. These goals or objectives are more effective directing projects, programs and organizations, if they are linked with the organization’s strategic plan.

There are five aspects regarding performance measurements and ultimately the performance report that makes them flawed: (1) because they fail often to align performance indicators, (2) fixing accountability for results, (3) failing to reach academic departments, (4) missing a common core of indicators and (5) failing to use results (Burke, 2003).

Who pays for Remedial Education?

Written by
Mike Robinson

In 1994-1995 taxpayers paid 51% of the cost of educating a full time student in a public institution (IHE, 2003) and 76% of cost of educating a community college student (Palmer,1996). Many taxpayers are extremely upset about their tax dollars going to pay for students to take remedial courses in community colleges, in order to improve their basic skills, which should have mastered during K-12. While taxpayers are double paying, students and their families are paying a hefty price for remedial education as well. As many institutions are experiencing an increase in expenditures and a decrease in revenues, when this occurs the cost is passed on to the student in tuition and fees, (IHE, 1999). Tuition for public universities average $3,321 per year, while public colleges averaged $2,778 and public two-year colleges tuition averaged $1,735 (The College Board, 2002).

Questions Confronting Community Colleges

Written by
Mike Robinson

The landscape in higher education has transformed and from its conversion a highly competitive and innovative environment is forging. In this new environment, public community colleges are facing a myriad of social and economic factors that for many impeded their ongoing mission to provide comprehensive educational opportunities to their community. The need, expectation, and capability of postsecondary education to provide a product of quality, accessibility and affordability is anticipated to grow dramatically over the next decade.

The demands for higher education are greater than ever before among the citizenry and as a result the pursuit of postsecondary education is no longer institutionally driven, but is now both economically and market driven, primarily as a result of increase global competition impacting the economies of all nations (Pusser, Breneman, Gansneder, Kohl, Levin, Milam, & Turner, 2007). The question confronting community college leaders today is can they compete effectively in the heavily competitive market of higher education? And if so, what strategies have they implemented to increase and sustain their position as a provider of quality postsecondary education?

Levin (2001) suggested community colleges are impacted by the affects of globalization in the domains of economic, cultural and technological areas. He believes the most significant of the three domains as it relates to the landscape of community colleges is the economic domain. In this area community colleges face risk of allocation reductions and increase regulations or policy initiates whenever the economic stability of their state is threaten by global forces. Bailey (2002) identified seven factors challenging the role of community colleges and their ability to provide services to a demanding population of learners need for higher education in the 21 century. Two of those factors identified by Bailey were globalization and the growth and for-profit institutions. Globalization is the involvement of a growing worldwide interdependence of resources, supplies, product markets, and business competition (Schermerhorn, Hunt & Osborn, 2000).

Friedman (2005) in his book, The World is Flat suggested America’s place in the global economy is not secure and if America hopes to be a competitive nation it must aspire to send every citizen to college. A sizable task when no more than 30 percent of the adult population have a bachelor’s degree (Gallagher, 2005). Intellectual prowess will be the new currency throughout the globe, as it is expected over the next twenty years more than 12 million jobs in America will require postsecondary education (Pusser, et. al, 2005). Increase job creation will therefore precipitate a need for postsecondary as a necessity, the expectation that of the 12 million jobs to developed over the next twenty years a much as 60 percent will require some form of postsecondary training or experience (Gallagher, 2005).

In the context of higher education, globalization is a process of opening closed or semi-closed and expanding markets for educational services (Douglass, 2005).The affect of globalization on higher education according to Levin (2001) as cited in Townsend and Twombly has required community colleges respond to globalization by situating themselves closer to the marketplace.

The Plight of Youth and Single Women

Written by

Michael A. Robinson

Recent studies reveal some startling facts regarding the plight of youth and single women as heads of households in America: a) an estimated 5.4 million youths, ages 16-24, are not in school or the workforce, b) in 2002, the national graduation rate was 68 percent, c) about one-third of high school students fail to graduate or to meet the basic requirements for entry-level jobs, d) almost half of the children living in female- headed households live below the poverty line, e) more than one-fourth of families headed by women with less than a high school diploma live in poverty, f) there are 34,380 single-female-headed households in Baltimore with young children, and approximately one-third of them earn less than $10,000, which is below the poverty line.

More recent data has shown that women with a high school diploma, but no college earned $459 per week in 2002, compared with $809 for those with a college degree. Over a life time high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million; associate's degree holders earn about $1.6 million; and bachelor's degree holders earn about $2.1 million. The facts are simple, more education leads to a better standard of living for the women and their children. Below are some additional facts associated to level of education of female, particularly African American females.

Written by

Michael A. Robinson

Motivating the Adult Learner

Knowles (as cited in Lieb, 2002) suggest that before one can begin to engage an adult learner, they must be able to effectively motivate them. Knowles identified six aspects of adult learner motivation he proclaim are crucial to impacting the learning of adult students: (a) Social relationships: make new friends, to meet a need for associations and friendships; (b) External expectations: comply with instructions from someone else and fulfill the expectations or recommendations of someone with formal authority; (c) Social welfare: improve one’s ability to serve mankind, prepare for service to the community, and improve one’s ability to participate in community work; (d) Personal advancement: achieve higher status in a job, secure professional advancement, and stay abreast of competitors; (e) Escape/Stimulation: relieve boredom, take a break from the routine of home or work, and provide a contrast to other exacting details of life; and (f) Cognitive interest: learn for the sake of learning; seek knowledge for its own sake, and satisfy an inquiring mind.

Engagement Strategies for the Adult Learner

While the field of adult learning remains a relatively new area of study extensive research has been done related to strategies specifically designed to help the adult learner. Most experts in the field refer to the methods as learning strategies; however many see them more as engagement strategies. Whether they are viewed as methods or strategies the primary focus is on engagement. It is essential that adult learners are kept connected and active, which from there the adult learner will learn. There are many factors that impact a student’s ability to learn, so assessing in advance which strategies will be effective in engaging the student to participate in the learning process requires effort on behalf of the instructor. Within the field of Adult Learning theories, practices and models to assist the instructor to impact the success of the Adult Learner are numerous.

One of the more interesting engagement strategies is known as Cooperative Learning. Cooperative Learning is an instructional method in which small groups of learners work together to help each other to achieve a common learning goal. Cooperative Learning’s fundamental premise is to provide an opportunity for communication and the negotiation of ideas to increase the meaning and retention of academic material on the part of the Adult Learner, while allowing for the group to make progress toward their common learning goal (Yi, 2005).

Theorist in the field of adult learning believe that Cooperative Learning is an effective engagement strategy because of its four key components. The first component is that of Positive Interdependence, as the Learners adjust to rely on each other to achieve a common learning goal. The Second component is the Face-to-face Promotive Interaction, when learners help, encourage, and support each other’s effort to learn. A third component is that of Individual Accountability; in this area each learner has a responsibility to contribute to the team’s performance. Finally, the fourth component is Group Processing. This component requires continuously review and methods to improve the group process (Yi, 2005).

While many in the field accept Cooperative Learning it is not without its critics. Researchers Holt, Michael and Godfrey (1997) argued that Cooperative Learning may lead to inefficient allocation of student time and lower learning quality. In addition, others have found that the ineffectiveness of Cooperative Learning may be attributed to a lack of specific rules to accomplish the team’s task (Siciliano, 2001). To overcome this criticism, supporters of Cooperative Learning recommend when incorporating the Cooperative Learning theory to engage the adult learner one should stress the following attributes: (a) Outcomes to be sought; (b) activities involved to enhance the learning and; (c) Evaluation applied, which should include both peer and self-evaluations (Yi, 2005).

Addressing the Needs in a Cross Cultural, Technology Mediated, Distance Education Environment

Written by

Y. M. Davis

Is constructivism or socio-cultural theory the most effective when considering how to implement mediating technology in a cross cultural distance education environment? Distance education providers, mostly from Western nations, have taken advantage of more advanced technologies to reach beyond national and cultural borders. However, the effort of exporting distance education programs and products across cultural borders should not begin and end with the act of the target institution’s purchase.

Computer-based instruction increased significantly with the introduction of fifth generation technologies, such as the microprocessor, in 1971 and the first personal computer in 1975. By the last decade of the 20th century, a growing number of computers had synchronous and/or asynchronous communication capabilities as well as the abilities of color graphics and sound (Bates, 2003; Moore & Kearsley, 2005).

Computer-based instruction also expanded with the development of authoring languages as well as educational software with more people having access to computers (e.g, according to the United States Bureau of the Census (as cited in Moore & Kearsley, 2005) by 1989 half of all children in the United States had access to a personal computer either at home or in school). Finally, computer networking, beginning in the 1960’s, and the arrival of the internet, in the 1990’s, enabled web-based instruction with more universities offering entire degree programs online (Moore & Kearsley, 2005).

As institutions try to expand their market presence by offering distance education programs on a global scale, so too should they accept the responsibility of addressing how and if the instructional design of their mediating technology meets the needs of teacher and learner in cross cultural distance education environments. Serious consideration must be given not only to the educational goals of the instructional materials, but also, how students and teachers will access and interact with the instructional materials, each other and which learning theories should be employed in this effort. Theorists have pondered whether to use constructivist or socio-cultural theory in order to best serve culturally diverse, distance education students.

The Adult Learner

Written by

Michael A. Robinson

A major contemporary issue facing community colleges today is how to effectively and successfully engage their increasing population of adult learners. A national analysis regarding adult learners revealed that they compose as much as 33.4 percent of adult education enrollments at community colleges. In some states, such as Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina, Nevada and Wisconsin, 50 percent or more of their adult education students enroll in community colleges (Morest, 2004). Increasing demands for a skilled workforce who is ready and prepared to meet the performance challenges of today’s high growth industries, has resulted in many adult learners finding themselves back in the college classroom for the first time in decades. For others, it may be their first time ever at college. In both situations, college administrators are discovering there are different definitions of learning.

There a need to develop strategies that impact the success of the adult learner and the process has not been an easy one. The definitions of the adult learnervaries and is as myriad as the community colleges which serves their educational goals. However, the most commonly accepted definition of an adult learner is that of Arthur Chickering, as cited in Yi(2005) defines the adult learner as an individual whose major role in life is something other than full-time student.

What is learning for an adult student? Learning is defined as a process of developing new knowledge and skills to achieve the final outcome of improving individual and organizational performance (Yi, 2005). The author’s assessment of what is learning, dovetails what is typically identified as the goals and objects of the adult learner. The process of engaging the adult learner is distinctive and unique when compared to the traditional student. To truly impact adult learner s, it is important to understand how they learn and to incorporate the necessary strategies to fully engage them.

One of the primary criticisms regarding strategies for adult learners is that they simply are not needed. Many who believe the traditional methods of curriculum delivery is sufficient and that there is no real difference between the way children learn and adults learn. This belief is the center of some controversy.

Malcom Knowles, who many credit as the pioneer of the field of adult learning, suggest adults’ and children’s learning is not equivalent, though there is not an absolute boundary between the two (Yi, 2005). Given the complexity surrounding their lives, it becomes imperative institutions see the adult learners as the unique and develop effective strategies and methods to impact their success in the classroom. Knowles identified the characteristics of adult learners as: (a) autonomous and self-directed; they need to be free to direct themselves; (b) having accumulated a foundation of life experiences and knowledge that may include work-related activities, family responsibilities, and previous education, (c) goal-oriented, upon enrolling in a course, they usually know what goals they want to attain; d) relevancy-oriented, they must see a reason for learning something; and (e) shown respect, academic instructors must acknowledge the wealth of experiences that adult participants bring to the classroom (Lieb, 2002).

LACK OF FUNDING ALTERING MISSIONS OF POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTIONS

Written by
Michael A. Robinson

Budget shortfalls have forced many public institutions to develop business behaviors in an effort to keep pace with rising cost of operations and dwindling governmental resources (Dolan, 2005). Behaviors such as hiking student fees to cover additional cost or entering into “questionable” partnerships with those entities who award millions of dollars in federal student aid have become more commonplace in recent years (Dolan, 2005).

Emulating the behaviors of commercially based organizations may or may not be the best direction for community colleges to travel. For some institutions seeking to dwell in the free-market is not an option, but is directly tied to the lost of their governmental funding (Eckel & King, 2004). According to the authors “many believe that the marketplace has overtaken state government as the dominant external force shaping (and reshaping) higher education” (p.19). If this is truly the case, is there any wonder why many community colleges as are other public institutions becoming more entrepreneurial “ in style and substance” (Breneman, 2005, p.3).

Turner Gill To Lead Kansas University Football Program

Written By

Michael A. Robinson

It appears Kansas University has found its man. Today, officials at Kansas University announced they have hired former Nebraska Cornhusker standout Turner Gill as the new Football Coach. Turner Gill has been the Head Football Coach at the University of Buffalo for the past five season. During his five seasons as the coach of UB, Turner Gill had a record of 20-30, with his best season coming in 2008, when UB won the MAC Conference Championship.

The Journey Begins Internet Radio, eFocus - An Exclusive Conversation with Carrie Billy, President of the American Indian Higher Education Consortium

Carrie Billy is an enrolled member of the Navajo nation and an attoney from Arizona, was appointed president of AIHEC in June of 2008. A graduate of Arizona and Georgetown Law Center, Billy has committed her life's work to public service and protecting and promoting the culture, welfare and being of the American Indian.

As President and Chief Executive Officer of AIHEC, which comprise of 36 tribal colleges and universities in the U.S. and one in Canada, Carrie guides the day-to-day operations of AIHEC central organization and Board of Directors to develop and implement AIHEC strategic position and overall organizational action plan.

Carrie served as the first Executive Director of the White House Initiative of Tribal Colleges and Universities, appointed to the position by former President William Clinton in 1998. In the position of Executive Director Billy coordinated a multi-faceted effort to intergrate tribal colleges into federal programs and strenghten partnerships with the private sector. During her tenure as Director, tribal colleges achieved tremendous gains. Highlights include: the largest funding increase ever received by Tribal Colleges in annual federal appropriations; first visit by a U.S. president to a Tribal College; established funding of new education and infrastructure programs in serval federal departments and agencies; and the Tribal College initiative.

An Exclusive Interview with Dr. Debbie Pushor on Parental Engagement

Dr. Debbie Pushor discusses the importance of parental engagement in the success of students during an interview with Michael Robinson host of Educational Gateway, which is heard on The Journey Begins, radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator.

Debbie’s career began with Edmonton Public Schools in Alberta, Canada where she worked as a teacher, a consultant, a principal and a central services administrator.

Her experiences as a parent of school-aged children caused her to attend to the positioning of parents in relation to schools and prompted the focus of her doctoral work, A Storied Photo Album of Parents’ Positioning and the Landscape of Schools.

Debbie graduated from the University of Alberta in 2001 with a PhD in elementary education. She assumed an academic position at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada from 2001 to 2004, teaching in the BEd program and the MEd program in educational leadership. Debbie joined the University of Saskatchewan in 2004.

She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Curriculum Studies in the College of Education, where she continues to teach both undergraduate and graduate courses. Debbie completed a major research project funded by the Dr. Stirling McDowell Foundation for Research into Teaching, which explored, with a team of co-researchers at Princess Alexandra Community School in Saskatoon, how schools can move from practices of parent involvement to practices of parent engagement and leadership.

Debbie was also engaged in research funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, in which she explored what parent knowledge is and how it is held and used. She is currently writing a book arising from this research. Debbie is a qualitative researcher who uses narrative inquiry as her research methodology.

Debbie is the mother of three sons. Cohen is 19 years old and attending his first year of university. Teague and Quinn are 15 years old (yes, twins!) and they are in grade 10.

Please feel invited to visit Debbie’s website to learn more about her research or to read her publications.

An Exclusive Interview with Stu Silberman, Superintendent of Fayette County Public Schools

Stu Silberman discusses the value of public-private partneships in the development of a high performing school system designed to create systemic and long-term academic success in students during an interview Michael Robinson host of Educational Gateway, which is heard on The Journey Begins, radio for the engaged parent and dedicated educator.

Stu Silberman has led two school districts to prominence in the state of Kentucky and has three times been named the state Superintendent of the Year. Most recently, he was among the four finalists for the National Superintendent of the Year Award.

Well-known for his mantra “It’s About Kids,” Silberman was hired in 2004 to be the fifth superintendent in three years for the Fayette County Public Schools. Since then, he has been credited with engaging the public, drawing more than 1,300 people to a summit on how to ensure that every student receives a world-class education. He has rebuilt faith with the community, instituting a 24-hour response time rule for phone calls and e-mails and launching dozens of communications initiatives to ensure transparency and openness.

Student achievement has skyrocketed, with nearly 40 percent of local schools besting state proficiency standards six years early and a clear focus on closing achievement gaps and holding all students to high expectations. School board meetings, which just five years ago often lasted well past midnight, are now civil and productive with a focus on student achievement strategies. In an unprecedented show of public confidence, a school board vote to raise property taxes to address facility needs received no organized opposition and was affirmed without a voter recall effort.

To read more visit Fayette County Public Schools.