EduMusings

Community colleges are often overlooked or (worse) looked down upon. Which is why community college officials got a bit defensive and voiced their concerns earlier in the year when NBC made plans to unveil Community, a new series set on a community college campus.

As the trailer for the program shows, there are more than a few stereotypes associated with community colleges. Specifically it states that people often view them as being a "college for remedial teens, twenty-something drop outs, middle-aged divorcées and old people."

I could see why community college officials have their reservations about the show. Let's face it, community colleges are the Rodney Dangerfield of higher education: sometimes they get no respect (even though they should).

I have to admit the show looks funny, but at first glance it does not necessarily paint community colleges in the most positive light. However, the show's producers recently told reporters that they do not intend to mock community colleges, nor should they.

As many colleges and universities are faced with budget cuts and shrinking endowments that prevent them to meet demand - and as students and their families struggle to make ends meet - community colleges are taking on much of the burden by taking in more students than ever before while staying true to their missions, which often include:

• Catering to a diverse student population

• Offering a variety of educational options

• Providing access to education

However, while the macro-economic environment has thrust community colleges into the spotlight, an influx of students to these institutions will tax the already limited resources at most community colleges, which is why President Obama's proposal in July came as a welcome relief. Could this be a sign of respect for community colleges?

This week, U.S. News summarized this change in perception and tradition:

Enrollment is booming in community colleges as laid-off, middle-age professionals who are changing careers rub elbows with first-generation students in their late teens. Fully 15 percent of Colorado community college students have bachelor's degrees, and enrollment is up 32 percent, according to Nancy McCallin, president of the 13-college system that serves more than 107,000 students annually.

Meanwhile, private and four-year public schools that used to expend more energy recruiting students than retaining them are struggling to prevent students from dropping out or "dropping down"—moving from more expensive to less expensive institutions.

Stephanie Pazornick, a 20-year-old education major from suburban Baltimore, did just that. She left Towson University, a four-year state school, after one semester, moved back home, and enrolled in her local community college in Howard County, Md. "It was partly that I realized it wasn't a good fit," she says of Towson, "but finances played a big part. I figured I'd have two years of less debt and would get just as good an education."

Obama's proposal comes with one catch for community colleges...a goal of 5 million more community college graduates by 2020 which, according to the New York Times, would require nearly doubling current graduation rates.

As the U.S. News & World Report story points out, some of these keys to success will require more involvement by community colleges outside of the classroom. In addition to providing flexible education options to students, community colleges must improve how they track and engage students. Specifically, the report notes:

Make sure no one falls through the cracks,academically or financially. McDaniel College, a competitive private liberal arts college in Westminster, Md., has a graduation rate of 72 percent, somewhat higher than its peers, and it has managed to effectively eliminate the black-white disparity in graduation rates. A system of mentoring and advising ensures that no student is lost, and parents facing the train wreck of a layoff or foreclosure are urged to come in to talk with school officials. "We tell them not to assume anything," says Florence Hines, admissions dean. "We will talk them through the direst emergency."

Make college more engaging. A greater understanding of the student experience could help schools attract and retain students, experts say. The National Survey of Student Engagement at Indiana University obtains information from hundreds of four-year colleges about the extent of student engagement. The survey finds that students learn more when they are intensely involved in their education—inside and outside the classroom. Alexander McCormick, director of the survey, says many colleges are "going beyond the student-as-sponge model" in designing courses.

By accomplishing these two things 1) engaging students; and 2) tracking students more effectively, while perhaps adding a bit of fun to the mix the way they do at Glendale Community College (the fictitious college setting of the NBC show), community colleges may be able to shake these false perceptions and get the respect they deserve.