For more than two decades, I’ve seen firsthand how community colleges change lives. I began my career as an adjunct sociology instructor at a large urban-suburban community college. Today, I serve as vice president for academic affairs and workforce development at a community college that serves residents in a city and six large counties. Over […]
Opinion
Commentary: Standing up against proposed higher ed cuts
For the past few months, America’s most prestigious universities have been under attack by a president intent on chastening “woke elites” and flexing his political muscle to show that not even the world’s most esteemed institutions of higher learning are beyond his control. While public attention has been focused on Ivy-leaguers like Harvard, Columbia and […]
A new AI model: The Human Guided Learning Ecosystem
As artificial intelligence (AI) continues its rapid evolution, a wave of apprehension has swept through higher education. Many fear AI will supplant educators or render our institutions obsolete. But what if this focus is misplaced? What if the future of higher education doesn’t just survive AI, but thrives because of it? Imagine a system where […]
Getting to the top while being true to yourself
When I started thinking about becoming a president, I attended a leadership seminar where the keynote speaker provided words of wisdom and caution for those of us eager to advance into the role. “It is lonely at the top.” At the time, I did not realize the value of this sage advice. But today, now in […]
Viewpoint: Embracing workforce development
We may not agree on much, but everyone agrees on the critical importance of equipping hardworking Americans with the education, technical training, and much-needed skills to succeed in the workplace and help our economy do the same. Don’t believe me? The United States Senate passed a resolution recognizing September as National Workforce Development Month for […]
Reducing the racial divide in Minneapolis
The death of George Floyd made it painfully clear to us all how some law enforcement officers seem all too eager to use force unnecessarily on our neighbors, friends and family members of color. This tragedy shines a spotlight on a mere sliver of the racial disparities that are experienced across our community. Now under […]
Community colleges: Improving lives and your community’s economic vitality
The community’s college. It’s a phrase I think about often and share when I speak to our students and employees as well as in the community. To me, it means improving lives and the economic vitality of our community through education generation after generation and being responsive to current needs and proactive in preparing for […]
Technology must match strategic plan for colleges
To thrive in today’s higher education environment and meet diverse student needs — particularly during the pandemic — community colleges must leverage a technology adoption strategy designed to accommodate varied student populations. This ranges from traditional students attending full time to part-time students balancing work, family and other responsibilities while pursuing a degree (most likely […]
Endorsing OER
Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) faculty have been working with the college’s library to transition course materials from expensive, tightly-licensed, traditional textbooks into open educational resources (OER), which are freely accessible documents and media. The effort at BMCC is the largest and most consistent OER program throughout the City University of New York (CUNY) […]
Opinion: Keeping the trust in PR
I’m not sure about you, but I have received a lot of questions about the practice of public relations lately. Specifically, I have been asked how I would handle having to lie to the media. Of course, I answered quickly and heartily that I would not lie to the media or to the public and I […]