Day 93 - The biggest challenge facing colleges

A new report states that "connecting" is the key challenge facing today's colleges, especially community colleges, where as many faculty members teach on a part-time basis as the students who attend.

The "part timeness" of students and faculty members is a very real problem all colleges are facing in trying to create strong campus connections, according to this year's Community College Survey of Student Engagement.

Students who enroll part-time are less engaged than their full-time peers, and they are much more likely to drop out of college. The likelihood is highest at the community colleges, where close to two-thirds of students attend part time.

I started my own back-to-school adventure as a part-timer, and an over-the-hill one at that. So, I know first-hand how difficult it is to feel connected when you're juggling a job and classes. Add family responsibilities to the mix and it's no wonder less than half of those who go back to school actually finish their degrees. Going to school part-time is more feasible, however. It is the option that may make attaining a degree possible. The real key is learning how to act "full time" when you're only on campus part of the time.

To master the trick, start by planning your course schedule all the way to graduation at the beginning. Don't think, "Oh, I'll just take a class and see how it goes." That is not making a commitment, and committing is necessary to success.

Several articles in recent academic publications offer encouragement and specific strategies colleges and universities can use to improve student engagement. That's great. We need all the help we can get. In the end, however, it is up to the student to make the effort. All too often, I watched non-traditional classmates sit at the back of a classroom, aiming to be as unobtrusive as possible. The second the class ends, they race to their cars. Many never participate in class discussions or outside study groups. I get that. The first time I raised my hand to make a simple comment in a classroom after nearly 30 years away, well yes, it was weird. And then I got over it. I did this by actively engaging with other students (after class and during breaks), by fully "owning" my student status.

The more I got to know my classmates and staff and faculty across the campus, the more I realized that I was no different from any of them. We are all here for the same reasons - to learn and to teach. Student peers have offered me the best advice through my recent college career. Actively participating in campus events did the rest by allowing me to feel like part of the community. It mattered. It may be the intangible ingredient that helped keep me on track by focusing on the real goal - not a single class but rather the entire experience of being a student - again.

If you also have a desire to pursue your education further, take Nike's advice and "Just Do It." Part time or full, you'll learn things you never knew about yourself.
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Day 81 - Support our troops in education, too

After 19 years in the U.S. Army, Steven W. Todd finally arrived at Western Michigan University last year - with needs the average freshman could hardly imagine.

The 41-year-old veteran has trouble concentrating in class due to a brain injury he suffered when he was struck by a stray bullet during his service in Operation Desert Storm. Additionally, Todd was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

He might not have survived the transition from being a soldier to becoming a student if not for the enormous support he received on his college campus. Many universities are starting to realize the need to provide special services to support specific types of non-traditional students. (I hope my university jumps on this bandwagon soon.)

The University of Nevada at Reno, for example, hosts special events like tailgate parties every week during football season - just for veterans - a decidedly non-traditional breed of students. The question most commonly asked of them is not “Did you study for the history test?" It's “Have you ever killed anybody?” Can you imagine fielding a question like that every day? Experts on this transition from combat to campus say that being surrounded by people who won't make snap judgments is the most important thing to vets.

Every campus community should become sensitive to the needs of returning soldiers. After more than 8 years in the current wars, the US is sure to have more soldiers who'll want to return to school in the future. There are over 600,000 Afghanistan and Iraq-war veterans already in the US today. Chances are, more of them will become college students as well. You may have an opportunity to attend classes with some of them. Show these brave men and women your gratitude. Offer support if you get the chance or the privilege.