Remarks from the editor

THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY community college can rightfully boast of its rich diversity. Students, faculty, and administration represent both genders, as well as myriad cultures, socio-economies, ethnicities, and even proximities. All of us share a single goal, however: expand the student's knowledge base and thus his or her quality of life. But given the heterogeneity our students bring to campus, how best do we accomplish such a worthy mission? The authors of the Spring 2005 issue address a variety of topics and concerns whose successful resolution can put the community college well ahead on its path.

In the current Two Sides of the Same Coin interview, David Horowitz, President of the Center for the Study of Popular Culture, maintains the view that politics-or any other topic, for that matter-in the classroom needs to meet a standard of relevance to the course at hand and respect for the views of all participants in the inquiry. Karol King, manager of the Cinergy Foundation, the 2004 Leading Women of Cincinnati honoree, and an adjunct theology professor, stresses the need to help students express their views and sees openness about her own views as a method of facilitating the discussion. Both interviews emphasize the fundamental obligation to help students learn to reason, to think, to support what they say with convincing evidence.

William Pearch and Linda Marutz acknowledge the increasing reliance of community colleges on adjunct faculty members and suggest ways institutions can attract and retain the best.

August Hoffman and Julie Wallach present anecdotal evidence of the benefits of a mentoring program for underrepresented community college students as they approach the transition to a four-year university. The study includes participation in a gardening program and regular interaction with university student mentors.

In a Short Take, John Zappala shares eight principles he has found useful in establishing relationships among distance learning participants-including the instructor- and in cultivating strategies that lead to direct application and meaning for students taking online courses.

Elizabeth Dayton presents the results of a study based on thirty in-depth interviews with community college students, instructors, counselors, and administrators at three California colleges. What emerges is a portrait of the challenges and support systems influencing adults returning to school frequently out of necessity rather than unfettered choice.

Lemuel Watson, Frankie Williams, and Dustin Derby consider the differing perceptions among students, faculty, and administrators of the multicultural environment found on today's community college campus. They also suggest the obligation of college professionals to offer cultural sensitivity and understanding along with support through resources.

Dimitrios Frentzos examines the parallels between credit and non-credit course enrollments and economic variables for a test subject, acknowledging the difficulty of obtaining broader numerical data.

In the book review section of the current issue, Erik Bean reviews What the Best College Teachers Do by Ken Bain. In the technology review, Mark Harris follows the general discussion of Open Source course software presented in the Fall 2004 issue with commentary on the strengths of a specific Open Source course management software offering, Angel(TM) from Angel Learning.

The endeavors of educators require continuous improvement, and in that, we continue to look for ways that we can help each other excel. The editorial staff of The Community College Enterprise welcomes your ideas and feedback. Please write to us at cce@schoolcraft.edu.

Louis A. Reibling, Ph.D.

Editor

Louis A. Reibling, Ph.D.

Editor

Copyright Schoolcraft College Spring 2005
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