President's Blog

Presidential Fitness - It Takes a College

2012-02-08T08:09:00.004-08:00

O.K. Enough of the serious stuff for the moment. With apology to Hilary Clinton for the play on words of the title of this entry, I'd like to seek your support by challenging me to lose a few pounds by walking the campus on a regular basis to come and visit you. I've begun a series of scheduled and impromptu meetings around campus to continue to learn the fullness of all that we do collectively (O.K., and to enjoy the approaching spring weather).

Inertia being the objective natural force that it is, it cares little whether it contributes to forces remaining at rest or in motion. In my case, like for many of you, inertia can keep my in my office in meeting after meeting. But that is not the commitment that I've made to you or to myself as your colleague and president. I need your help to establish and maintain some 'in motion' inertia.

We have received a draft report from Rickes Associates regarding best strategies for long range planning. After discussion with Cabinet and receipt of the final report I will set up some meetings with various groups to discuss the recommendations of the report. In addition to this type of interaction I'd like to continue to come by and visit you where you work to learn more about your joys and challenges and about our collective hopes for the future.

So, feel free to send me an invite to come by to visit and to join in your work here in whatever way seems fitting. Regardless, I plan to begin to schedule time out of my office as we move through the spring semester. I'll hope to see you out and about.

Learning for Life

2012-02-08T07:53:00.000-08:00

As we continue to think about and plan for our future here at SCC I wanted to share the article below from this week's Chronicle of Higher Education.

http://chronicle.com/article/Tools-for-Living/130615/

The article describes the growing importance of hands-on learning in higher education, taking examples chiefly from four-year environments (e.g., the so called 'work colleges,' such as Warren Wilson, College of the Ozarks, and several colleges and universities in Vermont with which I am very familiar).

This op ed piece appropriately points out that there is nothing new under the sun with regard to the importance of applied learning, dating as it does to the seminal work of John Dewey (another Vermonter) more than half a century ago.

As we move forward in our own long term planning I would ask us to keep in mind the value of applied, hands-on learning - something arguably done best in the community college setting and of which we have many examples of here. There is no hidden message here of a massive revamp of what and how we teach at SCC; rather, food for thought about how to further strengthen an existing strength of the college.

Telling Stories: making the Case for Public Higher Education

2012-01-29T06:31:00.000-08:00

In this season of political debates and state budget discussions it is useful to remind ourselves and others of the unique and vital role of affordable and accessible public higher education, particularly in the life-transformative community college setting. I want to take a few moments here to do just that.

The context for this reminder is one of dwindling state support for public higher education here and elsewhere in the country. We've seen that decline over the past two years here in Missouri and again this year in a proposed cut that would bring state funding reductions to nearly 25% over three years. We are not alone. A recent article (http://www.acenet.edu/links/presidency/issues/2012_winter_feat_1.html) published by the American Council on Education (ACE) entitled "State Funding: A Race to the Bottom" (ACE, The Presidency, Winter 2012) tells the story of dwindling state support for higher education throughout the country. In the article, Missouri is identified as one of several states in which public funding for higher education is projected to 'zero out' by the year 2050, in our case by 2036.

It would be easy to attribute this decline in funding to out of touch or uncaring state legislators, but of course our state leaders here as elsewhere are faced with their own financial shortfalls and resulting difficult funding choices. The job is ours, in that context, to continue to make the case for the transformative power of public higher education in the lives of individuals and state and local economies. Nowhere is that better done than in the countless stories that we can tell of these transformations in our own lives and the lives of our students.

I've shared my own story; it mimics the hundreds that we could tell. As a first generation college attendee I struggled to find the resources and confidence to go to college. But for Mr. Jim Sweeney, a high school counselor who insisted that I try, I would not have. All of my education has since been in public settings and has brought me to where I am today. Two of my three siblings followed my example and earned associates degrees in nursing and radiology, thereby breaking a generational cycle of relative poverty. My wife attended community college in St. Louis before going on to earn bachelors and masters degrees in education.

These stories are not unique. We have faculty members here at SCC who started their post-secondary educational journeys right here at SCC. We can point to countless students and families whose lives have been transformed by their experiences here. We can point to hundreds of businesses whose success has been strengthened by our ability to provide a trained workforce. We can point to thousands of people who have been able to learn a new skill, enjoy a new passtime, take a new risk by simply attending a class at SCC. We can point to hundreds of non-native speaking citizens who have been able to learn to English as a second language as they assimilate into productive lives here in their new country and region of choice. And on and on.

We need to tell these stories every day. They not only remind us of the value of what we do, but of the importance of ensuring that we will continue to do what we do with the same level of accessibility, affordability and excellence regardless of the challenges we face in funding reductions or other external factors of a changing economy. Take a moment this week to recall a story; better yet, take a moment to share a story here in response to this post. These are the stories that give purpose to what we do and feed our collective strength to persist and grow in the face of challenges. Let's not make them our best kept secrets.

On the edge of a New year

2011-12-30T10:09:00.000-08:00

I sit here on this penultimate day of a year full of changes and marvel at the power of leaps of faith at the close of a year that has contained many. I have never been one for resolutions at this time of year. I prefer reflections.

I recall a year ago at Christmas that my wife asked me if I thought I would use a Kindle reader if Santa were to bring one. I responded that I didn't think I would use one much, since I had not been reading for pleasure for some time. Santa brought the Kindle anyway and as I reflect I find that I have read 45 books - yes, for pleasure - in the year since.

One brief favorite passage from my current 'best book ever,' "Life of Pi," by Yann Martel, goes as follows: "I can well imagine an atheist's last words" 'White, white! L-L-Love! My God!' - and the deathbed leap of faith. Whereas the agnostic, if he stays true to his reasonable self, if he stays beholden to dry, yeastless factuality, might try to explain the warm light bathing him by saying, 'Possibly a f-f-failing oxygenation of the b-b-brain,' and, to the very end, lack imagination and miss the better story."

I cite this passage not as a statement on religious belief or non-belief, or as an assault on the rational/scientific. I share it here for what it says about leaps of faith, suspended disbelief, and hope. Poised as we are on the edge of a New Year, a leap year at that, I'd like to think that we are all ready for leaps of faith and the hope that comes with these, whether here at SCC, in our personal lives, or on the national and international stages of politics, economics, and human interaction.

I look for 2012 to be a year of imagination and all that follows from that. I look for a year of hope, good cheer, growth, and anticipation of good things to come. I'm grateful for the good work and the good minds of many here at SCC and look forward to our continued journey in the New Year.

Thoughts on leadership & planning

2011-12-26T07:21:00.000-08:00

It strikes me lately as I watch young Charlie attempt to 'encourage' our Cocker Spaniel Mocha - Mocha Joe Cocker in full - toward a walk that things run a lot more smoothly when everyone is pulling in the same direction. The same holds for leadership in general, of course. When we work together to develop shared goals and a shared vision for our future the need for pulling and tugging, the short leash - or leashes at all - diminishes and disappears.

Shortly after the first of the year I will be announcing a new planning initiative that will seek to engage us all in long term planning for the future of the college. This will not be a replacement of our current planning process, but an addition to that process. As I have said many times in my first weeks with you, we are all beneficiaries of the great success of the first 25 years of leadership and growth here and we are poised at the edge of the next 25 years in the life of St. Charles Community College. It is time for all of us to engage in renewed long term planning of that bright future.

I hope your New year is equally bright and look forward to our work together in 2012.

Holiday Greeting

2011-12-13T11:56:00.000-08:00

At this, my first holiday season at St. Charles Community College and with extended family here in St. Charles and Missouri, I want to share this special holiday greeting from our Office of Marketing and Communications with you and wish you a special holiday season filled with family, friends, and fun.

May we all embrace the meaning of this season and take special care to remember those less fortunate and those who are separated from their family and friends in service to our country.

Blessings to you and to those near to you and best wishes for a glorious New Year.

Ron

The Case for Caring and Communication

2011-12-09T07:16:00.000-08:00

Once again in recent national events on college campuses we see the tragic outcome of the failure of human connection and the renewed argument for taking care of one another in the wake of such events. The fatal shootings at Virginia Tech yesterday are a reminder of the fragile nature of our safety and security in an uncertain world and a reminder to thank those who work on this campus to identify and respond to threats to safety. We can never do enough in this regard; I appreciate all of the good work of the group charged with this responsibility and the DPS staff for their thoughtful approach to their work with students, faculty, and staff.

Events on other campuses – from the unfolding Penn State scandal to the recent use of pepper spray at UC Davis to disband a peaceful student protest – raise the critical question of the moral judgment of our campus leaders, as identified in this week’s cover story in The Chronicle of Higher Education, entitled “Anger Darkens Mood on Campuses.” Once again, we are reminded of the importance of looking out for one another and of speaking out for safety, trust, and caring as the basis of human relationships. Please take a moment today to thank someone for a kindness or act of caring that might otherwise go unnoticed or unacknowledged. And thank you all for the many kindnesses that I see here every day.

Thanksgiving Wishes

2011-11-23T07:28:00.000-08:00

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

Just a brief entry to observe my favorite holiday and to wish you well at Thanksgiving. As I mark my family's first Thanksgiving here in the St. Charles area and at SCC I am reminded of a life-guiding quote from little known or remembered philosopher Milton Mayeroff. In his book "On Caring" (Harper & Row, 1971) - something of a second bible for me - Mayeroff observed the following:

"In the sense in which a man can ever said to be at home in the world, he is at home not through dominating, or explaining, or appreciating, but through caring and being cared for."

With apologies for the gender-specific language, this thought captures my own sense of thankfulness for this community of work, play and learning. There is a deep feeling of caring here - for place, people and purpose - of which I am proud to be a part. I wish you the best this Thanksgiving and look forward to our continued work and learning together.

Presidents and Puppies

2011-11-18T06:18:00.000-08:00

My eleven-year old daughter Emma and I drive to Rolla, MO this weekend to pick up Charlie - that's Charlie, an eight-week old Golden Retreiver puppy we have been waiting on for a few weeks now. Charlie represents a promise made after we lost a good old Golden this past summer to age and illness. And while this is not the best time in the life of the family to add to the pet population, it is a promise kept and I am secretly looking forward to Charlie probably more than I know.

Like with Charlie, presidential transitions have an element of measuring promises made and kept; they also have the same elements of expectant chaos, the potential for cleaning up messes, and learning to live together in new relationships. And we hope all the while that the new member doesn't chew on anyone's favorite shoes.

My own transition has been guided largely by instinct and common sense, the commitment to not attempt to be anyone that I am not, the willingness to learn and the sense to say 'I don't know' when I don't. I've also looked to the advice of experts on presidential transitions and have been encouraged by what I see. The general advice goes something like this, in bullet point form:

- Pay Close Attention to Relationships
- Learn to Listen Very, Very Well
- Build a Reservoir of Goodwill
- Seek and Maintain a Personal Balance (oops)
- Establish and Sustain a Connection to the Campus
- Model Honesty and Openness
- Do Not Move Too Quickly

It is good to feel some affirmation from 'the experts' of my own approach to the transition to the presidency of St. Charles Community College. I continue to appreciate the open dialogues we have had throughout November and look forward to the remainder of these sessions. I wish everyone a restful and family-filled Thanksgiving season and thank you again for your warm welcome.

I look forward personally to my family's first Thanksgiving in our new home with Charlie.

The Importance of the Community College

2011-11-06T06:02:00.000-08:00

I was fortunate to hear Governor Jay Nixon speak at the annual Missouri Community College Association convention in Branson last week. Governor Nixon told several stories about community college students and graduates who have gone on to change their own lives and the lives of others. It was refreshing and energizing to hear these stories and to hear about Governor Nixon's strong support for Missouri community colleges.

We should be proud - all of us - to have made the choice to work at or attend St. Charles Community College. SCC is one of the most widely respected colleges of any type in Missouri and is the fourth largest community college in the state. I continue to be thankful for the warm welcome that I have received here at SCC and committed to our continued success as a learning community.

Please welcome the HLC visiting accreditation team this week and plan to attend one of the upcoming open meetings with me during November.

The First Twenty Days

2011-10-28T14:18:00.001-07:00

Hello and welcome to my blog. I will share my thoughts here occasionally about the college, current events, and life in general. This first entry is devoted to my experience of these first several weeks as your president. On that subject the words beauty, excellence, kindness, and discovery leap to mind.

I have been struck by the beauty of our campus and the surrounding area. As a newcomer to the St. Charles area and the college I am constantly impressed by the natural beauty of the area and by the care and appearance of this campus. This is truly a beautiful place to live, work, and call home.

Excellence is everywhere that I look. In the classroom, in the theater, on the athletic fields, on our beautiful grounds and in every office, I see an institution and people who strive to be and do the very best that can be done. I see a college community centered around student success, collegiality, and positive energy.

I see a community ready to extend kindness to newcomers, something I have experienced time and again since my arrival a few short weeks ago, but something I see also in the daily interactions of members of the community with one another.

As I continue my process of learning and discovery here at SCC, I look forward to many more interactions with each of you. This is a special place. I am grateful to have arrived as a new member of the SCC community and am excited about our future together.