Faculty Member Highlighted in Tribune

Child Development Professor Jennifer Asimow is quoted in this Chicago Tribune article, "Parents Can Give Kids a Math Head Start."

The article highlights a grant-funded project that will help child care providers, educators, and parents develop math skills in children early. Professor Asimow will be running the blog for the project, called "Math Access for Teachers and Home Care Providers."

Congratulations, Jennifer - this is great coverage for one of our great faculty members. 

Education as Radical Surgery

Steven Rattner, former "Car Czar" for the Obama administration's bail-outs of GM and Chrysler, offers his ideas on how to solve America's economic problems in a Monday op-ed from the Financial Times (behind a paywall).

After recounting the forces he believes that have led us here, chief among them the "relentless forces of global competition that not only depress job totals but depress incomes," he proposes what he calls "radical surgery:"

". . .  Major education and retraining initiatives, better incentives for starting businesses in industries where American can compete."

When I think about what we do, I use words such as pathways, opportunities, transformation. I have not thought about education as 'radical surgery.' Yet in an environment in which Pell grants are under attack and the notion that government should play a role in helping its citizen improve themselves through education is viewed as totalitarian intervention, maybe it is time to get radical. 

I have always been somewhat conservative in outlook with a desire to break out and do something against type. It appears that my desire is now being fulfilled in leading an institution of higher learning. With the start of classes on August 22, I am aiding and abetting the new radical subversion of the established economic order. 

Let the revolution begin.

Community

I loved this post from Kamran Swanson, one of our faculty members. One of the guiding principles during our Reinvention research is that students who feel more connected to faculty and the College are more likely to stay and complete.

I joke to people who ask me how may students we have at Harold Washington College that the reports I read tell me have 8,500 students, but I keep seeing the same 100 students over and over again. We have groups of students who do an outstanding job of finding or creating a community at our school. We need to find more opportunities for all members of our community to feel connected to our school and each other. 

I like Kamran's ideas about creating a space where we can come together.  Given the Mayor's guidelines, we won't be spending college money on the coffee, cups, or other textiles, but I commit to figuring out a way to bring us together in community to share.

I'd like to ask Kamran to take the lead on this and come back to me with some ideas based on what people are telling him. My job is then to figure out how to fund it and make it happen.

Tropical Storm Don

I am still getting used to living a more public life after years of relative anonymity toiling in the private sector. Even so, I never expected this kind of coverage:

"DON CONTINUES TO HAVE A SHEARED APPEARANCE 

ON SATELLITE IMAGES WITH THE LOW-LEVEL CENTER 

DISPLACED NEAR THE NORTHERN EDGE OF AN 

ELONGATED AREA OF STRONG CONVECTION."

You may read more here: 

NOAA COVERAGE

A Good Day

I just made the first of many calls offering an outstanding person the opportunity to join the wonderful faculty at Harold Washington College. It is a privilege and joy.

Powers

Several semis and trailers are parked in front of the College this morning. Some investigative sleuthing on the part of your ever-vigilant president uncovered this scoop.

Film crews are in place to shoot scenes for a new FX television series called "Powers" starring Jason Patric of "The Losers" and "In the Valley of Elah." Patric will play a homicide detective who only investigates cases involving people with superpowers, according to EW.com. One of the crew assured me that the show will have lots of "sex and violence." Let's hope it doesn't all take place in front of the school.

Career Education

I experienced a moment of deja vu when reading this article from last Sunday's New York Times discussing the threat to Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. This quote, in particular, prompted the feeling: "Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said that 'at a time when local, state and federal governments are all facing tremendous budget pressure' advocates for vocationally oriented education 'must make a compelling case for continued funding.'” 

During the summer of 2008, when I was working as the oldest intern in CPS history, I had the opportunity to meet with Mr. Duncan and present my strategy for upgrading the quality of CTE programs at Chicago Public Schools. The strongest research has been MDRC's extensive efforts to evaluate career and vocational-oriented programs, or Career Academies. In an extensive evaluation of students in career academies compared to control groups, they found that students in career academies had higher earnings than the control group. Admittedly, most of the benefits accrued to the males (and less so to females), but the results were significant (in an econometric sense). Extensive research into what works in other countries also points to the value of career-oriented programs.

Based on that research,  Mr. Duncan approved the hiring of Aarti Dhupelia to develop an in-depth strategy for what she called "College and Career Academies." Under her phenomenal leadership, she convinced Mr. Duncan to invest sizable funds in upgrading the quality and capabilities of the College and Career Academies at CPS, an initative that continues today under Aarti's able stewardship.

I was nonplussed, then, to read of his recent call for more and better research. If it was good enough for CPS, surely it is good enough for the nation. In addition, President Obama's call for more college graduates to meet the needs of employers who require more skilled workers will require extensive investments in and improvement of career education. 

I was heartened, then, to do a little more research to see that the quote, in my opinion, was taken out of context. When I read the original speech, I saw that Mr. Duncan is calling for a re-imagining of CTE. When you read the speech, you can clearly see the positive view he has on the potential for CTE, in alignment with Aarti's strategy as presented to him a little more than two years ago. And further, it seems like a great opportunity for CCC to use Reinvention as a way to re-imagine what we ought to be doing for students.

Assessment

The Chronicle has a worthwhile read on assessment today. The article, "Learning Assessment at Community Colleges Is Growing but Fragile, Report Says," states that only 35% of community college teachers report using assessments to improve teaching. One of the barriers is lack of time. In our operating plan this year, we have planned for release time for faculty members to engage in and evaluate active learning strategies. We have also planned for increased time with adjuncts to help them evaluate their effectiveness.

Later in the article, the ten learning outcomes from Miami-Dade College are referenced. I list them here because I like their concise, clear explanation of what is expected of students.

1. Communicate effectively using listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
2. Use quantitative analytical skills to evaluate and process numerical data.
3. Solve problems using critical and creative thinking and scientific reasoning.
4. Formulate strategies to locate, evaluate, and apply information.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of diverse cultures, including global and historical perspectives.
6. Create strategies that can be used to fulfill personal, civic, and social responsibilities.
7. Demonstrate knowledge of ethical thinking and its application to issues in society.
8. Use computer and emerging technologies effectively.
9. Demonstrate an appreciation for aesthetics and creative activities.
10. Describe how natural systems function and recognize the impact of humans on the environment.

 Elsewhere on their site you can find each outcome defined in terms of proficiency.

I look forward to learning about what we are doing at Harold Washington College to measure student success from our Assessment Committee this fall and figuring out what resources we need to support those efforts.

Noms de Plume

Since my default operational mode is collaborative/conciliatory, it sometimes causes angst when I confront someone, even in an ironic or humorous way. Such thoughts have been rattling around my brain since my 90 Days post where I made some sidebar comments regarding cartoon posters. 

Imagine my delight then in reading on Huffington Post about the legitimate uses of pseudonyms.

Items on the full list border on NSFW, but the first three justifications for pseudonymous posting will give you a flavor:

• You are a convicted felon
• You have Mommy issues
• You have multiple personalities

Please read the rather informative explanations beneath the captions before responding. 

Completion Matters - 3

From Sunday's NYTimes, Dave Leonhardt writes about the value of college degrees. His analysis indicates that a college degree has economic value even in those occupations where it is not apparent possessing a degree matters. For example, a waiter or waitress with a degree makes 34% more than one without; a hairdresser 69% more; and a dishwasher 83% more. 

The main argument contends such attitudes arguing against the value of a college degree are elitist. Worth a read.

Completion Matters - 2

The discussion of completion has been fruitful. I agree that we should use multiple measures. We are an accredited institution, and several faculty members have justifiably highlighted our last review, where the Higher Learning Commission recommended our next review in ten years, or 2018-2019. 

I decided to consult the review for guidance on what we may face in seven years time regarding measures of student success. The write-up was illuminating. As always, I welcome your thoughtful comments.

From the "Report of a Comprehensive Evaluation Visit to Harold Washington College" for the Higher Learning Commission, dated March 2 - 4, 2009.

Topic Four:  Improving Graduation Rates

Harold Washington College staff identified the relatively low graduation rate as an area upon which to focus consultative advice in the Advancement Section of the team report. Indeed the 4% graduation yearly rates is among the lowest in the country for community colleges. HWC appropriately identified numerous other student success measures that contribute to student outcomes, as all community colleges contend (rightly so) that graduation rates are not a significant indicator of success, as a large percentage of of students do not enter community colleges with the intent to graduate. Yet increasingly, federal and state reporting requirements and accreditation bodies require documentation of graduation rates, as well as course and program retention rates, semester to semester and yearly persistence rates, and transfer success rates. Consequently, HWC must become more focused on collecting data that describes student success, with an emphasis on improving graduation rates. [emphasis mine]

In order to adequately address the multi-faceted issue of improving the number of students to graduate, there must be a comprehensive effort across the college to improve this measure of student success. A plan for graduation improvement should be crafted that examines impediments to student graduation and a call to action to increase student graduation rates. Once completed, the president could call a 'graduation summit day' where the entire college convenes to focus on the effort to improve graduation rates. Programs, both career/technical and the liberal arts, should be challenged and held accountable to increase the graduation rate by an identified percentage over a 3 to 5 year period. Programs that meet or exceed the goals should be rewarded; programs that don't should be required to develop additional strategies for improvement.

A marketing campaign about the value of graduating from HWC should be launched that informs students about the benefit of holding a HWC diploma or degree. It would be very valuable to forge partnerships with baccalaureate institutions to garner support for the mechanisms to foster graduation at the associate degree prior to transfer. Some universities will work with community colleges to retroactively award an associates degree students that transfer a certain number of credits short of the earned degree. Once the student pleads the credits, the university registrar will transfer the credits back to the community college, and the student is awarded the associates degree. While the attainment of an associates degree is not necessarily important to the student at the time, it is valuable to demonstrate that through a combination of the community college and the baccalaureate degree institution, the student did obtain the associates degree credential, also providing the student documentation of degree obtainment in the event that a baccalaureate degree is not completed.

It is important for Harold Washington College to collect and analyze student data that will better assist student persistence to graduation. For example, the accuracy of career and technical declared major data is critical to track students through coursework to graduation. Use of online degree audit systems provides accurate data to student services personnel, program faculty, and students. . . . The process for improving graduation rates is multi-faceted, and will take time and concentrated effort to measure progress.

First 90 Days

When I was in eighth grade, I brought home a report card with all A's except for a B in Physical Science. My mother was not amused. "How do you explain the B?" she asked accusingly. No mention of the seven A's from Mrs. Laackman. I was so completely humbled and ashamed that throughout high school, I earned straight As. 

I carry that baggage with me today. As a result, I was particularly stung by a recent post on the Harold Lounge in response to my own post on completion. When I started blogging, I made a promise to myself that I would not respond to anonymous or pseudonymous posters, or cartoon posters as I think of them, owing to their frequent use of cartoon characters as avatars. In responding to Realist, I am breaking that vow. Some may call me flexible; others, spineless. No matter. The Realist cartoon character hit a nerve with his assessment of my performance to date: "I give him four out of five gold, err, orange stars for all he’s done so far." As I read it, a roaring white noise filled my ears, my eyes filled with blood, and as much as I tried to concentrate on the rest of the post, all I could think was, "Four out of five stars? FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS? What do I have to do to earn that fifth star?"

After I calmed down, I saw this back-handed cartoon compliment as an opportunity for me to assess my performance. The timing seems right - I am almost through my first 90 days here at the College. It is fair, even for an anonymous cartoon, to ask, "What, exactly, have you done for us?"

I focused on two major tasks in my first 90 days at the college. As promised during my interview for the job, I talked to as many faculty, staff and students as I could. For those who have spent the hour with me, they know that I ask the same seven questions of everyone. I ask these questions to help me understand who and what we are. What do people want to change? What do they want to preserve? What do they hope I do? How do we better support student success?

In parallel with these discussions, I dove into the budget process. As one may expect from my background, I believe money is the lifeblood of any organization. This year, we asked departments to articulate their goals and aspirations through the operating plans. We allowed them free rein to envision what they wanted and needed to support student success. 

A common thread wove through the discussions and the budget process. Particularly in discussions with faculty, I was told that the best way to ensure student success was to hire more full-time faculty. I did my own research and engaged the Reinvention teams in discussions to understand if more full timers would make a difference. I convinced myself, for a number of reasons, that more full time faculty would help us drive greater student success. Through the budget process, the academic departments asked for budget to hire twenty new and replacement faculty. I listened to the faculty, and they in turn backed up their desire to drive greater student success by asking for budget to hire more faculty.

In the budget process, I was steadfast in my desire to hire these faculty. I made the case. I argued in several meetings for adding these faculty. I was spurred, I admit, by that plaque in our digital multimedia center that honors President DeSombre for hiring 43 full time faculty during her entire tenure. By all accounts, she was a phenomenal president. Here I am, in my first 90 days, proposing to hire 20. Audacity of Hope, indeed. I had no idea if District would support it, but I felt the case had to be made. 

Realist said in his post, ". . . the chancellor has made it quite clear that she will have final say in all matters. It’s all going to boil down to dollars and the external forces of accountability, not the direct input of faculty; much less the affected students. That’s wrong. That hurts."

So what did our Chancellor, who according to the Realist values dollars and external forces of accountability over students, say when I made the final case for twenty new and replacement faculty at a not insignificant increase in our budget in these difficult economic times? When I argued that my faculty had told me that full time faculty matter, and that they believed, and I believe, that more full time faculty will help our students?  Our Chancellor said, "Don, my number one priority is student success. If you are telling me that more full time faculty will drive student success, I fully support your request." There being no free lunches, she followed with the expectation that I would be accountable for student success at the college. And no, I did not sign up for increasing the graduation rate. I signed up for course success and retention as my measures of accountability. 

I don't know where Realist is getting his take on the Chancellor, but in my meetings with her, she has been consistent, passionate and unwavering in her support for students. In the case of Harold Washington College, she is now backing that up with support for more faculty. Now it is up to us.*

So I ask Realist, and the rest of my readers, what do I have to do to earn that fifth star? In the spirit of continuous improvement, I welcome suggestions on what I, and folks in my administration, can do to make the college better.

The over 100 one-on-ones with faculty, staff and students provide a starting point. This summer, I am compiling this feedback and will report back in the fall, in conjunction with our operating plan, our initiatives for FY2012.

For the record, in my first 90 days, I have listened to concerns, accepted criticism, solved problems, and tried to respond to suggestions from the discussions. I have, with the help of our faculty and my executive council, in particular John and Andy, assembled a budget that supports twenty new and replacement faculty. I have tried to be present with faculty, visible to students, engaged with issues, and a stalwart steward for this great institution. I view the new faculty hires as my down payment to our students, to our current faculty, and to our future successes.

A four-star president is not good enough for Harold Washington College. So many people told me in our one-on-ones that they want to preserve our reputation for excellence, our commitment to students. You should not have to settle for a four-star president at a five-star college. I welcome your suggestions.

And please, please, please, don't tell my mother about the four stars. 
______________________
*As I write this, our budget is not yet approved. In the coming days, the budget needs to go out for public comment, and the Board will vote in July.

Building 2

Yesterday, I stood in the lobby from 7:45 - 10:45 AM, and again from 5:15 - 6:00 PM, to welcome faculty and students to the first day of summer term. I wore my best suit, my brightest Harold Washington orange tie, and what I hoped was a welcoming smile. The day, even at 8 AM, was brutally hot and humid, and you could see the relief of students as they entered our cool lobby. For those without headphones, or with music turned down enough to hear the outside world, they met my greetings with a smile, a nod, a return "Good Morning" or "Good Afternoon," and very often, with questions. 

As one would expect, the second most frequent question was where their class was and how do they get there. Many asked where they could get their ID, their ID sticker, or a UPass. A small number had questions about where they could find the business office, financial aid, or admissions. I especially enjoyed the student who came in and said, "I have a class, but I don't have my schedule, and I am not sure which class it is, but it is something in math." The officers at the front desk and I, along with the help of our summer schedule, managed to get her to the right room. 

The most surprising question, though, and the one asked most frequently, was, "Is this Building 2?"

When first confronted with the question, I was baffled. There, prominently printed on every student schedule to the left of their classroom number, is a notation, "Building 2." I could not dispute the fact. In an effort to be helpful, I returned the question with a question of my own, "Are you taking a class at Harold Washington College?" When answered affirmatively, I assured them they were in the right place. After the fifth or sixth inquiry, however, I had to solve the mystery of Building 2. 

Speculation among the staff on the first floor was rife. Perhaps Building 2 was the recognition that our current location was our second location. Others speculated we were designated as the second building east of State Street, the traditional Point 0 in the Chicago grid. An officer with gravitas then declared that each building in the district is assigned a number. District is Building 1, and we are Building 2. Someone has captured this fact in PeopleSoft, and we helpfully print it on each and every student schedule. 

Thus equipped, I re-took my central position in the lobby and confidently informed all comers that "Yes, this is Building 2." Faces beamed upon confirmation that they were in the right place, especially when they arrived in the lobby 30 seconds before class time. 

I question the utility of this information. Perhaps other Colleges in the system with multiple buildings or satellites need this. For us, it just engenders confusion. One idea is to plaster "Building 2" on our facade and have signs in the lobby proclaiming our secondary status. Another is to hold orientations for incoming students educating them on the geography of City Colleges. Maybe we could even make it a credit-bearing class. A third is to print explanations on the student schedules. I suppose we could also just remove it from the schedules, but I am loathe to toy with the revered traditions that students have come to expect and embrace. In the interest of fairness, however, I am open to suggestions. Post away.

Green Wall Appeal

A couple of Harold Washington College architecture students - Lauren and Anisa - asked me to get the word out regarding their efforts to build a green wall on the side of our College facing into the Com Ed substation next to the building. You can find out more here: hwcgreenwall.blogspot.com.

As you will note when you visit the site, they are raising money through Kickstarter. They were, as of this morning, 20% of the way toward their goal. I just made my pledge.

Active Learning

This post is a refresh of an earlier discussion regarding active vs. passive learning strategies. Thanks to John Hader for contributing a dissenting viewpoint. 

The Economist published an article this week highlighting research in favor of active learning strategies. What I found interesting is that the students who were given some initial structure and then left to pursue learning identified more uses for the toys in shorter amount of time than other strategies. The summary and link follow: 

 _________________________________________________

Now you know

When should you teach children, and when should you let them explore?

IT IS one of the oldest debates in education. Should teachers tell pupils the way things are or encourage them to find out for themselves? Telling children “truths” about the world helps them learn those facts more quickly. Yet the efficient learning of specific facts may lead to the assumption that when the adult has finished teaching, there is nothing further to learn—because if there were, the adult would have said so. A study just published in Cognition by Elizabeth Bonawitz of the University of California, Berkeley, and Patrick Shafto of the University of Louisville, in Kentucky, suggests that is true.

See full article

Purpose and Mastery

My economics training has drilled into me the notion that rational individuals seek to maximize personal gain. It seems, then, that monetary incentives ought to result in better performance and outcomes. I have wrestled with these concepts as I seek to lead an organization where my ability to reward individuals monetarily is limited. 

This video transformed my understanding of the role of incentives in spurring performance and innovation. It is worth a watch in case you haven't seen it. I look forward to working with faculty and staff to understand how they define their purpose and what support they need to develop mastery in fulfilling that purpose.

Scheinbuks' Big Bucks

Dr. Julian Scheinbuks left the largest gift ever to an public Illinois university with his one million dollar gift to Chicago State. The Sun-Times article does a nice job giving us a sense of the man. 

Teachers who spend their lives working with students are amazingly special people. When one of them turns around and then gives all of his material possessions saved through those years of work back again to the students - that is just overwhelming.

Dr. Scheinbuks' life served as an inspiration. With his passing, he humbles us all. May he rest in peace.

Mentor-palooza

Over 260 Harold Washington students and recent graduates signed up and attended an event at McCormick Place sponsored by Accenture, my former employer. 

The day started with a networking opportunity. Accenture employees and City College students and recent graduates paired up so that our students could ask for career advice. I was proud that our HWC students were sharply dressed and, as more than one Accenture employee told me, asked great questions with poise. 

The networking was followed by inspirational speeches by Chancellor Hyman and Bill Green, the Chairman of Accenture's board. They both shared their stories about how a community college had changed their lives. A few Accenture employees stood up during the Q&A and talked about their own experiences at community college. One woman in their Finance department who has been with Accenture for over 20 years identified herself as a graduate of Daley College (which prompted enthusiastic applause from President Aybar).

Also during the Q&A (with over 3,000 people in the room) one of our Harold Washington students (and a Year Up participant) stood up to ask Bill Green what characteristics he believes make his best employees. Bill broke his response into capabilities and characteristics. The capabilities for good employees were analytical thinking, common sense, good judgment, and getting along with others. He expanded upon analytical thinking, explaining that he views the ability to look at problems critically, break them down, and then logically decide how to begin to solve it, as critical to success. I was pleased to hear that one of the core values of what our faculty hope to provide our students was front and center. 

The characteristics Bill outlined were competence, confidence, and caring. He talked about the need to develop deep knowledge in an area. That mastery gives you the confidence to share it with others. You then need to care enough to share it and try to make a difference. 

The large plenary was followed by breakouts, where Accenture employees talked about the need to protect your online reputation. The recommended that students join LinkedIn, and that they also guard what they post on their Facebook walls. They learned that companies now routinely search online social media sites in their background checks of individuals. They also said that every Tweet in Twitter is being saved in perpetuity at the Library of Congress. Many students I talked to appreciated the straight talk about how to protect themselves. 

All in all, a great day for our students. I thank Accenture for their willingness to engage with our students, and I thank the students who took advantage of the opportunity. 

Does Completion Matter?

As I sat on the stage during Graduation last Wednesday night, peering into the bright lights at the UIC Pavilion, I asked myself if completion matters.

It mattered to the families who crowded into the auditorium to see their sons, daughters, grandkids, sisters, brothers, parents, and extended family and friends mark the completion of their studies. It mattered to the faculty and administrators who showed up to cheer on their students.

Most of all, it mattered to the students who had worked so hard to achieve this milestone, and then apply for the degree, show up, wait in the heat of the garage, march in, wait in another line, and then march across stage, shake hands, leave the stage, sometimes cheering, waving their diploma above their heads, arms often raised in triumph. 

In my one-on-ones, people have argued many sides of the debate. Yes, completion matters, and we can do a better job of helping students graduate. Yes, completion matters, but you cannot hold individuals accountable. Too many factors outside of an individual staff or faculty's control determine whether a student graduates. No, what matters is that the student gets the skills they need and then moves on to success in a school that will accept all of their credits. No, what matters is that we serve students well and meet them where they are and let them chart their own unique path. Yes, it matters for some students, but not others. 

As I weighed the arguments, name after name after name was called. Students ascended the stairs, shook the hands, exited the stage. Completion mattered to these students.

There is a national context to the question of whether completion matters. I heard fellow educators at the Higher Learning Commission meeting this past spring argue passionately that completion matters. I heard leadership of the HLC say that not only does completion matter, but we (the assembled Presidents) better get on board, because accountability for completion is coming whether we like it or not. 

I respond better to incentives than to threats, but I respond best to intrinsic rewards. With all the noise about accountability, I come back to the question, Does Completion Matter to Students? Do we serve them well by supporting them through completion and graduation?

As I watched the faces, I was caught up in the pomp and circumstance and decided that yes, completion matters. 

What I want to do is to make sure that we as a college are doing everything we can to help students complete. A student should walk through our doors on that first day of registration and sense that everyone in this building is committed to and helping them complete.  For those students for whom completion means graduation, we need to support them better all along their path. We need to make registration work better. We need to ensure that our advisers have the tools and time to set and keep students on a meaningful path. We need to have clearer pathways that help students decide what degrees and courses of study to pursue. We need the academic supports to help students along the way. We need to ensure that our course offerings in credit programs articulate to four-year colleges. We need faculty empowered to understand the needs of students and bring additional resources to bear when needed to help students continue.

I acknowledge that we need to work through accountability, how to measure success, how to figure out if what we are doing is working. For me, I decided last Wednesday that I want to see more smiling faces from Harold Washington College ascend those stairs, shake the hands, and get their degree. I will hold myself, first and foremost, accountable for our success in helping students complete. I need the help of everyone here to figure out what we need to do to help more students complete. In the coming months, based on much of the feedback I received in my one-on-ones, I will start working with faculty, staff and administrators to figure out what we each can do to contribute to that goal. I welcome ongoing feedback. I am confident that if we implement many of the great ideas I have already heard, along with the new ones people come up with, we will help more students complete.

The Art of Persuasion

In Rhetoric, Aristotle outlines the three modes of persuasion one can employ: ethos, pathos and logos. Ethos appeals to an audiences' character. Pathos appeals to emotion. Logos employs logic to win over people. Recent posts on this blog have caused me to revisit Aristotle and question the value of a recent dialogue in this blog.

In my post "Serf Ready" I unintentionally walked into an argument over adjunct pay. I intended to post on student exploitation and my readers quickly moved to a discussion of adjuncts. While not my intent, I was open to persuasion. This community (loosely defined as those who care enough to read this blog) has an opportunity to educate, and yes, persuade me. The adjunct issue presented one such opportunity. 

On my blog, an adjunct named Xavier, and in a separate post on the Harold Lounge by PhiloDave (some day I will come up with some cool pseudonym) engaged in a discussion regarding my post. I found their comments enlightening and yes, persuasive. I found PhiloDave's fact-based discussion of his recent difficulties on finding quality adjuncts particularly persuasive. Perhaps Dave has figured out that logos is a mode that appeals to me. 

In contrast, a poster named "City Colleges of Chicago Reinvention: The Truth" wrote a sarcastic response. I chose not to respond in the comments, but Mr. Truth's (not quite as catchy as PhiloDave, but I hope the abbreviated appellation is interpreted as a sign of respect; further, I assume a gender for Mr. Truth as a convenience. If Mr. Truth reveals himself to be herself, I will readily amend this post to reflect this gender clarification. If Mr. Truth would prefer just The Truth, I can make that correction as well. As they say, the truth will out) sarcasm stuck with me. 

Aristotle, as I read him, would categorize sarcasm as a method appealing to emotion, or pathos. Sarcasm demonstrates the disdain the writer has for the audience. In this case, Mr. Truth's disdain for my apparently naive or dismissive attitude toward adjuncts is apparent. Yet I find the argument less than persuasive. Sarcasm provokes defensiveness. It places the writer (in this case, Mr. Truth) in the role of a judge who has passed sentence without right of appeal. How does one respond to sarcasm without appearing defensive, weak, or worse, responding in kind? Are we locked into a mutually destructive war of words, or does the audience (in this case, me) slink off to lick his metaphorical wounds and question his intelligence?

It comes down to, in my view, intent. If the intent is to truly persuade, illuminate, enlighten, and ultimately to cause me to take some action in alignment with the arguments presented, I find logos and ethos highly persuasive. Pathos has its place, but is much harder to use effectively. I would argue that sarcasm is not an appropriate pathetic device. I would like this blog to be a forum for ideas and argument, as well as a showcase for the wonderful accomplishments of the faculty, staff and students of our school. I welcome dissent and disagreement. I welcome praise even more, although only if earned and honest. Disgust, though, fails to persuade me. You will not find me responding to sarcasm, unless someone persuades me of its rhetorical value. Further, sarcasm can have the opposite effect of the apparent intent, unless the intent is to insult the writer and move on. I won't censor the sarcastic, but I will not engage them, either.

Students Present at Great Books Symposium

"O wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world
That has such people in't!"
- William Shakespeare, The Tempest, 5.1

On April 6, 2011, the Jeremy Marks Memorial Intercollegiate Student Symposium was held at Wright College,  Each year for the past several years, students from Harold Washington College, Wright College, and Oakton College have come together to present their own papers on a specific Great Book.  This year students presented essays on the topic of illusion in Shakespeare’s The Tempest.  

Two Harold Washington students from Literature 211 (Honors Shakespeare) participated as presenters, Collette Hudson with “Illusion in The Tempest:  An Exploration of the Unreal in Theater and in Life,” and Jessica Brandau with “The Tempest as a Fairy Tale.”  Jennifer Thanos served as a discussant, posing a question to all six presenters at the close of the session. 

Thank you to Professor Ruzicka for bringing this to my attention.

 

Student Presents Stem Cell Research

Ryan Patwell participated in the National Center for Science and Civic Engagement Washington Symposium and Capitol Hill Poster Session in March 2011. The three day event brought professionals from multiple fields together for the purpose of sharing new ideas on how to make science education more accessible. The first two days consisted of multiple presentations and panel discussions from various institutions describing their work. The topics presented included sustainability, preservation, alternative energy, and civic engagement. On the last day Ryan met with a congressional representative from Illinois to discuss his project. His final event was a poster session on Capitol Hill, where Ryan presented his project on stem cells to the other attendees.

Ryan credits Dr. Farah for inspiring him to apply and participate. He is now participating in the Undergraduate Research Collaborative at Harold Washington College.

Shining Star

Almost immediately upon my start here at Harold Washington College, I was asked to welcome Secretary of State Jesse White to our college. I asked who had arranged the visit of this illustrious guest and was told Professor Caroline Shoenberger. Shortly after that, I was asked to welcome Marc Schulman, CEO of Eli's Cheesecake, to campus as a guest lecturer. The professor who arranged this? Professor Shoenberger. 

I was beginning to think she was everywhere. Then I received this notice:

"City Colleges of Chicago proudly announces the recipients of 2011 CCC Star Award, bestowed in recognition of their efforts to enrich the student experience at CCC and make their colleges and communities better places to live and work."

You can probably guess the first Harold Washington College recipient of the CCC Star Award - Professor Shoenberger. 

    
Caroline sets a high bar as our first college recipient. I am in awe of what she does for us and for the community.

She runs the Immigration Project at Chicago Legal Clinic, Inc., which was founded in 1981 by two new lawyers, Executive Director Ed Grossman and Board President, Bishop Thomas John Paprocki. There are seven locations throughout Chicago, including Harold Washington College.

She has taught Business Law, Business Ethics, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, International Business and Introduction to Business courses at Harold Washington College.

Caroline is also involved in many outside activities, including:  

• Co-chair of the Media Committee for the Chicago Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers' Association; 
• Advisory Board Member for the Schiller, DuCanto and Fleck Family Law Center at DePaul University College of Law; 
• Advisory Board Member of the Advocacy Committee of the American Heart Association; 
• Member of the Catholic Committee for Immigration Reform; 
• Member of the French-American Chamber of Commerce;
• Member of the Paris Sister City Committee for the City of Chicago. 

In her spare time, Caroline works with Kids-in-Danger and A Silverlining Foundation on various fund-raising activities. Additionally, she participates as a Lecturer each Christmas in the Inns of Court Program in London with Loyola Law School. Her lectures usually involve a legal/business issue, such as Comparative Data Protection laws and their Impact on Marketing. 

Congratulations to Professor Caroline Shoenberger. She is a role model for all of us and a most deserving recipient of this award. 

Anyone know what this is? Class? Anyone? Anyone?

EducationNext just published an article that highlights the efficacy of lectures over class-based problem-solving time. From the article: 

Contrary to contemporary pedagogical thinking, we find that students score higher on standardized tests in the subject in which their teachers spent more time on lecture-style presentations than in the subject in which the teacher devoted more time to problem-solving activities. For both math and science, a shift of 10 percentage points of time from problem solving to lecture-style presentations (e.g., increasing the share of time spent lecturing from 20 to 30 percent) is associated with an increase in student test scores of 1 percent of a standard deviation. Another way to state the same finding is that students learn less in the classes in which their teachers spend more time on in-class problem solving.

The researchers looked at eighth grade students. According the the paper, the results are statistically robust. 
    

These findings contradict recent discussions I have had on campus - and my own gut feel - about the value of active-learning strategies. I would appreciate colleagues weighing in. Am I missing something or making a false comparison? Do we have other studies? What is our own experience? To borrow from my esteemed colleague, what do we think and know and what can we prove?

Quantum Leap

Spring break is here. The building is quiet. And while my schedule does not seem to have lightened, the mood is different and with so many faculty off to far-flung lands I find my own mind wandering to thoughts of travel. 

Then I saw this post and my mind started racing. I am a sci-fi fan, with time travel and teleportation as my two favorite themes. It seems the day when one can leave the office and have dinner in Beijing is drawing closer. 

Enjoy the rest of spring break. See everyone on April 25, the launch of Spirit Week. 

Happy Birthday, Mayor Washington

I know Mayor Harold Washington's birthday is April 15, but our students have chosen to observe it on the 14th. I write this post in his honor to coincide with our students' observance.

Mayor Washington is one of the reasons I chose to make Chicago my home, and why I am so proud to lead the institution named in his honor. I loved Mayor Washington because he loved Chicago more than I do. Some people want to be Mayor because they want to fix things, or help accomplish things for the voters. Others seek the power for less salutary reasons. In my opinion, the greatest Mayors seek the office because with all of their heart they love the city and its citizens. Mayor Washington was one of those Mayors. 

Mayor Washington was a man of courage. Two decades before President Obama chose to believe that Americans could see past race and elect a man based on the content of his character, Mayor Washington believed that about Chicago. Chicago, arguably one of the segregated cities in the nation, and among the most racially divided at the time of his election, rose above those issues and elected its first black Mayor. In the face of that resistance, he chose, at great risk, to rise above the racial politics and become Mayor of all Chicagoans. He had lived through the insults and the anger of what some believed was his "presumptuous" run for Mayor. He was called names and insulted and threatened in parts of this city. His quote from our lobby, after you know this history, brings home how much he spoke from experience: I dare you to become great. I challenge you to reach the outer limits of your ability to learn, think and achieve. I dare you to suffer against the odds to work, suffer, and sacrifice to make your dream come true. After his election, even with Council Wars and the rancor, he kept loving Chicago and kept believing in our better angels. Mayor Washington fought to make Chicago a greater city, and Chicago is greater for having him as our Mayor.

I was a college student when Mayor Washington was elected, and I was so happy to be a Chicagoan that election night. I called my friends and family in other cities to tell them, in wonder, "Did you see what Chicago did tonight? Did you ever believe this could happen in Chicago?" I decided then that I wanted to be a part of this great city, not just a visitor. I lived for a short while across the park from Mayor Washington's apartment building in Hyde Park. I would walk by with friends and point out to them "where our Mayor lives. He lives in MY neighborhood."

Today, I bring friends and family to tour our campus, eager to show off the students and faculty and staff who work hard every day. Upon occasion, I pause to read the quote on the poster on the right side of the lobby, the one with him reading the Sun-Times. It reminds me of what our faculty and staff do every day for our students: That which we do to help others succeed, aid our own success. On this, the eve of Mayor Washington's birthday, I thank the faculty and staff of Harold Washington College who work hard every day to help our students succeed. I know Mayor Washington would be proud of you. I am.

President's Gallery in the News

Chicago Tribune reporter Lauren Viera has written a thoughtful review of the Shaila Christofferson exhibit in the President's Gallery on the 11th floor. It has been a delight to see these sculptures each day as I come and go to the office.

Check out the show before it closes April 15.

Hail to the Herald

Congratulations to faculty adviser Molly Turner and the entire Herald staff for the recognition and awards they received last week. I am very proud of their accomplishments. Faculty, staff and students should extend their own congratulations for these accomplishments. 

From the news release:

"The Herald college newspaper received six awards at the 36th Annual Illinois Community College Journalism Association’s Spring Conference April 7-­‐8 held this year at Moraine Valley
Community College in Palos Hills. 

The Herald staff won First Place in Editorials and Second Place in the coveted Mike Foster Award for Overall Excellence. Brian Alexander brought home a Third Place in the News category, and G’Jordan Williams brought home a Third Place in Features. Latoya Allen and Yvan Naoussi also won Third Place and Honorable Mention awards, respectively, in Opinions."

UPDATE - Lions and Tigers and Bears . . .

UPDATE to the post:
If possible, it would be great to have our new mascot selected by Spirit Week, which begins April 25. 
_________________________________________
On Thursday in my meeting with the Student Government Association leadership, I asked them to take the lead in selecting a new mascot for Harold Washington College. Some of our students have been using a panther as our mascot, but the panther officially belongs to Olive-Harvey College. I would like us to have our own distinctive mascot. 

Administration retains veto authority on anything we deem inappropriate, but otherwise, I am hoping SGA unleashes the creative energy of our student body.  I am in the process of devising a suitable reward for the winning entry. 

Enjoy! I look forward to seeing the process SGA develops and the entries.

Serf Ready

I participate in a lot of discussions lately about helping our students be "work ready" or "career ready." We talk about training, mentoring, coaching, and in my opinion, the most effective avenue to workplace readiness, internships and jobs. So it was with some concern that I ready an Op-Ed piece in this past Sunday's New York Times regarding the problems with internships. Ross Perlin argues that the collusion between higher ed and employers to push unpaid internships exploits students, violates the law, and provides unfair advantage to those most able to afford the privilege. 

In my recent recruiting experience, college and grad students often have resumes that sparkle and shine with blue-chip names. Stints at investment banks, consulting firms, law firms, high-level govenrmental agencies, prestigious non-profits leave me feeling that my summer in a tool-and-die factory was the result of a misspent youth. Yet it nags at me - how many of these internships are hard-earned, and how many are bought and paid for? What Perlin does not mention is that as the market for these experiences grows, their value diminishes. Employers know the game and are increasingly viewing the solid gold-plated resume with a suspicious eye. 

I remember reading about the college admission season, with colleges sorting through thousands of applications from students with stellar summer experiences. Photojournalism trips to Bolivia, agricultural summers spent in South Africa, and other experiences litter the applications. Yet one admissions officer from Yale stated that they understand the game people are playing, and suggested that he takes more interest in a student who spent their summer pumping gas at the local gas station. At least then, he offered, he knew the student had some real-world experience.

The employment market these days is brutal. I talk to highly qualified young lawyers, fresh out of law school, who cannot find volunteer work, let alone a paying job with a law firm, with which to fill their resumes.  Technologists struggle to find work in the information technology field. Sales people are left without jobs as sales have dropped. The solid gold resumes do not appear to help when there are no jobs. 

There are bright spots. I read yesterday that at my alma mater, job offers to graduating seniors are triple what they were a year ago. The unemployment rate dropped to 8.8% last month. There are glimmers of hope. 

So what do we do we make of all this? Perlin's article points out the need to be vigilant. We have an obligation to help place our students in meaningful internships - most hopefully while getting paid. I still believe being work-ready through experience is the best way to prepare our students for the world of work. While looking for opportunities, though, we should guard against the easy placement into jobs that pad resumes and exploit our students without truly preparing them. Our future employers will value our students when they offer a firm handshake, look in their eyes, and tell their life story convincingly and with passion. When we prepare our students to do this, we prepare them for a lifetime of confidently facing the future.

A Doll's House

As important as it is, sometimes I just need to take a break from Reinventing.

I relaxed this evening with a wonderful performance of Ibsen's A Doll's House, put on by the Loop Players and directed by our own Professor Kathryn Nash.  I last saw the play 30 years ago, and the Loop Players' production brings a contemporary feel to some timeless themes of the role of women (and men) in marriage. It was great to see a packed house, and I met some current staff and faculty as well as some retired professors. What a great way to bring the Harold Washington community together.

There are two more shows - one Friday night April 1, and then on Saturday afternoon, April 2. I highly recommend it.

Opening Doors to Student Success

Hot on the heels of my post on coaching, I saw a PhiloDave recommendation regarding an MDRC study on student success at six community colleges.

His post caught my eye because I am a huge fan of MDRC. I find their research scrupulous and relevant. Their work on Career and Technical Education formed the support for my work at Chicago Public Schools and their efforts to re-vamp CTE in CPS High Schools. (In a nutshell, students who are in well-run CTE programs have significantly higher earnings than the control group. The effects are significant for males at $3,600 per year after ten years, and insignificant for females). 

I recommend the most recent piece highly. To summarize, they found:

• Reforms in higher education practices and policies can help students succeed —even nontraditional students.
• Short-term enhancements can generate short-term effects but are not likely to generate longer-term gains.
• Single-focus, “light-touch” student service interventions can make a difference for students but may not be robust enough to substantially improve outcomes.
• Financial incentives can influence students’ behavior.
• Requirements can increase participation and improve student outcomes.

Read the paper to see which interventions they studied. One of the promising practices was Learning Communities, in this case "a program for incoming freshmen, most requiring developmental English. Linked courses; provided enhanced counseling, tutoring, and a text book voucher."

I am going to share this with the Student Support and Pathways Task Force on Reinvention. We meet every Friday to discuss progress. In the meantime, I welcome thoughts (debate, studies showing different outcomes or interventions, etc.)

Study Finds Academic ‘Coaching’ Boosts Graduation Rates

In October, 2008, as a second-year graduate student at the University of Chicago, I was assigned a first-year student to mentor. I looked forward to mentoring Augustus, who was from Dominica in the Caribbean, and share the extensive knowledge I had gained about the school and the policy world. Would he ask about my experience at Chicago Public Schools? Was he interested in the best classes to take? Would he ask for help on how best to get a summer internship? There was so much I could share with him.

At our first meeting, Augustus said he had only one question. "Will I need a winter coat this winter in Chicago?"

"Winter coat?" I roared, "You need a coat, and a hat, and gloves, a scarf and boots!"

I was reminded of this story when reading the New York Times blog entry about the value of mentoring and coaching to students. The article highlights recent research by Eric Bettinger and  Rachel Baker of Stanford showing that mentoring and coaching help increase retention rates 10 - 15% at colleges and universities. Mentors included faculty, staff and upperclassmen.

I have long believed in the importance of mentoring programs and was heartened to see empirical evidence of their efficacy in an academic setting. Two of the goals of Reinvention are to help students successfully transfer and obtain credentials of economic value. Helping students remain in school is a necessary pre-condition for this to happen. The question we need to answer is how to most effectively do this.

I have seen models that work; I am looking for advice on ways we can make them happen at Harold Washington. I was fortunate to participate in a "Mocktails" speed mentoring event on Thursday evening with a number of Illinois Education Foundation Scholars and was so impressed by the students in attendance (and happy to see many Harold Washington College students at the event). I have been in discussions with Professor Anita Kelley about mentoring programs for our students in her area. In a discussion with Jared Klaeysen this past Friday, I learned of the great work Phi Theta Kappa is doing to serve our students. While on campus on Saturday, I saw a Professor (who I don't yet know) follow an obviously distraught student to make sure she was OK.  I look forward to learning more about what we can do to support students.

The article points out that mentoring and coaching can also be a more cost-effective solution than other approaches to increase retention. That increases the likelihood we will be able to implement mentoring programs at the school. And whatever the cost, I hope it is more effective than buying winter coats, hats, boots and gloves for everyone. On the flip side, Augustus didn't freeze to death - but he did complete the program. Maybe the researchers could next study the types of advice that are most effective. I'll bet winter dress doesn't make the list. 

Introduction

Dear Colleagues:

Please allow me to introduce myself to the Harold Washington College community. While my future communications will be focused on you, our college, and most importantly our students, I learned from early discussions with some of you that I am somewhat of a mystery to many of you. With this letter, I seek to dispel some of that mystery. In addition, since I will be asking many of you about yourselves in the coming weeks, I thought it only fair to share my background with you.

Before I start, I want to thank John Metoyer for his service as our interim President. Serving in a transitional role is not easy, yet John’s grace and steady hands have made my start easier. I thank him for his work and look forward to working with him.

As I told the Search Committee for the President, which included representatives from the faculty, staff and students of Harold Washington College and the City Colleges of Chicago, I aspire to live my life by a set of core values. These values are:

• Integrity

• Respect for the individual

• Passion for lifelong learning

• Stewardship – the obligation to leave an institution
and those I serve better off than when I entered

• Commitment to Chicago - a desire to help ensure Chicago
remains a great global city

• Serving and mentoring others to achieve their fullest potential

• A bias toward action – particularly in correcting things
I perceive as wrong

• Personal responsibility and accountability

I am excited by the opportunity to lead Harold Washington College where the mission of our institution, our core values, and our vision are in alignment with my personal values. Serving in an organization where the institutional values are in alignment with my core values is a life’s goal. I feel fortunate to have this opportunity at Harold Washington College.

I grew up near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1979, I enrolled in the College at the University of Chicago, where I majored in an interdisciplinary major called Politics, Economics, Rhetoric and Law. During this time, I also spent a year working for the National Coalition to Stop Gun Violence in Washington, DC. This public service experience, advocating for an issue that mattered greatly to me, was deeply rewarding. It taught me, however, that there were skills I wanted to develop further in order to be as effective as possible in the public sector. Therefore, upon graduation, I joined the firm now known as Accenture, a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing firm, where I worked as a consultant, partner and managing director. I have deep respect for and gratitude to Accenture for the wonderful people with whom I worked, the clients I served, and the leadership skills I developed.

As rewarding as my Accenture experience was, I always knew I would one day return to public service. In 2007, I enrolled in the Harris School for Public Policy at the University of Chicago to build on my management skills by adding expertise on the tools policy makers are using in the public sector. Over the summer of 2008, I advised the Chicago Public Schools on their strategy for Career and Technical Education. That fall, I started as a Principal with the Civic Consulting Alliance, an organization that builds pro bono teams of business experts, government leaders, and its own staff to develop workable and enduring ways to make our city more livable, affordable, and globally competitive.

My final project at Civic Consulting Alliance was working at City Colleges on Reinvention. I am familiar with the goals of Reinvention – in fact, they are in my job description – and with the processes City Colleges is using to help achieve those goals. I was so impressed by the people I met and their commitment that I applied to become the President of Harold Washington College, so that I could take a more direct role in achieving these goals.

In many ways, the chance to lead Harold Washington College is the fulfillment of a life-long dream. I cannot imagine a better way to contribute to making Chicago an even more competitive, global, livable city than leading an institution that prepares students to be civically engaged and gives them the tools to ultimately get jobs and successfully participate in society. Education transforms lives. I believe we have a sacred trust with every student who walks in our doors to do our best to help them fulfill their dreams. I am passionate about helping develop our next generation of leaders who will take Chicago to even greater heights. Based on the faculty members with whom I have already met, I know many of you share that passion.

As a first step, I am committed to learning as much as possible about what you like about Harold Washington College and what you feel we need to change by spending time meeting with members of our faculty, staff, and students. In his book “On Leadership,” Max DePree said that the role of a leader is in the beginning to define reality, at the end to say thank you, and in the middle to serve. That sums up my view of my role as your new leader. My goal is to be accessible to you, listen more than I talk, provide us with a clear vision, give you the support to achieve our common goals, and support your growth as professionals.

Our mission is central to who we are. All of us bring that mission to life. I am trying to learn how you do that and what you need to do an even better job for our students. I look forward to working with you to support our students and prepare them to realize their dreams. In the meantime, feel free to reach out. My email address is dlaackman@ccc.edu, and my blog is at www.donsdesk.blogspot.com.

Regards,

Don