I've been working on a presentation about the History of Community Colleges to give next week. I think it is finally coming together. It's sort of interesting how I got roped into this one. Dr. Burke asked me weeks ago to fill in for him with this presentation. He told me that he already had the slides and would provide me a resource that would give me some background information. I thought it was to be a 10-15 minute presentation. When the agenda for the Leadership Academy presentation was sent out last week, I discovered that I was scheduled for an hour on the History of Blue River. There's a big difference between 15 minutes and an hour.
I talked with Dean C-D, and she emphasized keeping in mind what would have been helpful to me as a participant in the Leadership Academy. She also discouraged "death by powerpoint." As I'm reading Cohen & Brawer's The American Community College, here's what I think:
I think history is most interesting when it provides a context for looking at today. That is, history needs to be presented in a way that is relevant. That said, I want to discuss the history of the community college in relation to the challenges facing the nation and the values that we hold. I'd like to also discuss some of the challenges facing community colleges in general and lead a brainstorming session about the challenges facing MCC.
Next, I'd like to turn my attention to the history of Blue River. I'll discuss our growth and the changes we have faced (especially the last 10 years since I was here for them). I'll also list some of the values the Blue River holds. From those values, I'll address some of the challenges and opportunites before us. I'll then break into groups by campus. I'll ask them also to list out their values (what makes them unique in MCC...all the campuses have their own culture). What are the challenges and opportunites before them?
I'll end with this quote:
Perhaps community colleges should merely be characterized as untraditional. They do not follow the tradition of higher education as it developed from the colonial colleges through the universities. They do not typically provide students with new value structures, as residential liberal arts colleges aspire to do. Nor do they further the frontiers of knowledge through scholarship and research training, as in the finest traditions of the universities. Community colleges do not even follow their own traditions. They change frequently, seeking new programs and new clients. Community colleges are indeed untraditional, but they are truly American because at their best, they represent the United States at its best. Never satisfied with resting on what has been done before, they try new approaches to old problems. They maintain open channels for individuals, enhancing the social mobility that has characterized America, and they accept the idea that society can be better, just as individuals can better their lot within it.
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