Outstanding Educators Awarded Prizes
Our Time Has Come
By Eduardo J. Marti, Ph.D., President,
Queensborough Community College
Across the nation, 6.5 million student—about 46% of all undergraduates—are enrolled in programs toward an Associate degree. While most everyone can enter community colleges, few are able to graduate. The three-year graduation rate for students pursuing the Associate degree in New York’s two-year institutions (public and private) is 25%—below the national average of 29%—and ranked 33rd in the nation. Given the magnitude of these enrollments and the size of the investment in community colleges and financial aid, it is essential that we find ways to raise success rates among these students. We must ensure that every graduate attains the necessary critical thinking skills, the computational ability, the scientific background, the historical perspective, and the civic responsibility to make the U.S. truly competitive in a global market.
The solution is support. We must ensure that opportunities become realities by creating integrated teaching/learning experiences that equally challenge and support students and invite them to be partners in intellectual inquiry. We must adopt a holistic approach by providing a curriculum that incorporates general education, interconnected and multi-layered learning experiences.
Students accepted at a selective admissions college have an extended orientation. Students at most community colleges receive a three hour orientation. We should be spending significant time with each student to provide them with a true understanding of the college experience.
A strong remedial program at a community college is as necessary as a strong undergraduate experience is to a rigorous graduate program. We must put our best faculty members and our best thinkers into the remedial experience.
At Queensborough Community College, as of the fall of 2009, we will admit all first time, full time students through six Learning Academies: Business, Education, Liberal Arts, Health Related Sciences, Visual & Performing Arts, and Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics. In these Academies: all first-time, full-time students will have an extended orientation (2 days); all first-time, full-time students will take at least two block courses or one learning community, including the Introduction to College Life course: each student will have an administrative “home” staffed by an administrative assistant and student manager; Learning Academy-specific counseling and discipline clustered tutoring will be provided. Student manager(s) will monitor the success of the students and will be responsible for ensuring that the students attend classes, get the help they need and feel welcomed. Each Learning Academy will have a faculty coordinator who will ensure clear communication between the Student Managers and the faculty.
The Academies at Queensborough Community College will provide the integrated teaching/learning experiences and student support that are key to student success. #America’s promise.#
