Community College Professionals across the state are fond of breaking their institutions into components that promote turf, self importance, station, power, control. None of this has a thing to do with students and their development. Everyday somewhere in the academy it can be heard, ”this side of the house vs that side of the house.” Rather, it seemed to the editorial team that students are seeking a college neighborhood composed of professionals, who are solely dedicated to a common task of Student Learning/Student Success/Student Development.

Invitation to Write

In the fall of 2006, student leaders, faculty, staff and administrators were invited to write articles on “Student Development, the common task of all college professionals.”

In order to review the articles submitted and put them in a cogent order, The “PRIMER” editorial team was formed. The editorial team consisted of faculty, staff and administrators. Student leaders were invited to participate. The editorial team believed that too much effort was spent on the establishment of professional silos/turf , which minimized college efforts of collaboration amongst the professional staff.

Seven Areas of Concern

The “PRIMER” editorial team identified 7 areas of concern that impact student success and put a call out for articles. Respondents were asked to keep the length of the articles to two pages or less. The articles were placed in one of the seven areas of concern.

1. Student Development
   Several papers focus on student learning outcomes and the interdependence of knowledge acquisition and interpersonal skills.
2. The College as a Learning Lab
   Often laboratory work is thought to only exist in the chemistry lab, music lab, writing lab and so on. The authors make the case that the whole college is a learning laboratory where students practice everyday interpersonal skills, problem solving, Citizenship, tolerance, and new behaviors.
3. Student Life and Leadership
   Here the focus of the papers is on the uncommon courage of students. Each student story is unique and each student is an exception. With this in mind, it is important to recognize that the professional staff bring different points of view to student learning/ success. Being respectful of student and staff difference is key to the acquisition of knowledge and interpersonal skills.
4. Student Adhesive Gateway Activities
   The writer points out that a comprehensive set of gateway programs/activities make the transition into college work for students. The CalWORKs program is cited as one resource that has assisted students inn their efforts to succeed. Students who connect with CalWORKS, writing lab, music lab, Honors, student government, tutoring, EOPS, Puente, financial aid, counselors have much higher retention/success rates.
5. Promoting Student Development
   This section of the Primer includes a wide range of authors writing about what they are doing to promote Student Development at El Camino College. The 10 contributors include faculty, staff and administrators. The subjects range from the development of student leadership, the use of grants to promote student development, the collaborative efforts of college vice presidents to promote an integrated use of college resources to advance student success, the use of staff development to better equip professional staff in their work with students, the important work classified staff perform that addresses the retention and success of students, and the importance of college research that helps the college to better understand the needs of students as they address their dreams and hopes.
6. Who Is At Risk? You… Me?
   This section addresses the tough subjects that many higher educational professionals have failed to address within themselves. Their own bigotry, their own misrepresentations of students, and their lack of sensitivity toward students and other higher education professionals is an area that must be addressed if we are to change.
7. An Integrated Approach for the Development of Students
   The three articles call into question old practices that now require change in order to assist student learners as they bring to the college their unique perspectives/situations which have been acquired from very different cultural/family/community contexts. Higher education professionals whatever their station at the college must themselves continue to learn their students.

Whether you agree with the articles or not, the focus is important for all members of the educational community. The college community needs to create a safe neighborhood on campus where the student can learn and grow. This is the key feature of the Primer.

The Primer: El Camino College 2007 is available by contacting Ms. Mattie Eskridge at: Meskridg@elcamino.edu. If people want copies, they can email her and she will provide an email copy. If someone wants a hard copy, they are welcome to call Ms. Eskridge at El Camino College: 310-660-3472

 

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About the Reviewer

John T. Baker, Ed.D.
Vice President of Student Services—Retired
El Camino College
Torrance, California

Dr. John Baker is a retired California Community College Administrator serving at five different California Community College District during his 36 years.

JB—as he is known around the State—continues to work with various groups seeking to improve the artwork of higher education professionals, learning new ways and improved ways to celebrate students and their success. JB may be reached at bakerthur@peoplepc.com.