STATE DATA ON COLLEGE COMPLETION

A new report by the National Student Clearinghouse gives graduation rates for four and two-year colleges, public and private, six years after initial enrollment by students in 2006. 

The Clearinghouse is an organization that collects enrollment and degree attainment information about individual students in over 90% of US colleges and Universities.  By analyzing this data, the Clearinghouse can report on graduation and progress toward degree attainment.

 As can be seen from the chart above, nationally, four year private non-profits have the highest completion rates follow by four-year publics and two-year private for-profits.  Two-year publics at 36.3% have the lowest graduation rates.  Individual state rates that can be viewed at the Clearing House report are also revealing.

The Clearinghouse in its report analyzes completion rates for part-time vs. full-time students and students who begin college before age 24 and those over 24.  Not surprisingly the graduation rate is highest for full-time students under 24 although for two-year publics those beginning over 24 have an almost identical rate.

Finally, what this report does not address is the financial burden on students  who have to work while attending college and who often drop out to support themselves and their families.  What is apparent, however, from the Clearinghouse report is the great waste of talent and resources represented by students who begin but do not complete their college education.  This is what the country as a whole should address.

VETERAN'S CLUB AT STCC

The STCC Veterans Club on February 25, 2013  President's Appreciation Luncheon. Left to right: Justin Check, Treasurer, Darlyn Diaz Lindsay, Vice President, Mike Rossi, Admissions Counselor & Coordinator of the Veterans/Service Members Center, STCC President Ira Rubenzahl, Liz Almeida, Club Advisor, Professor Eric Brown, Advisory Board Member, Robert Richards, President and Jonathan Sullivan,  Secretary

STCC strives to support US military veterans who are coming to college to advance their careers. The Veteran's Club runs a lounge space for veterans to study and meet, hosts campus events such as a salute on Veteran's Day and conducts counseling and mentoring for fellow vets.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick being interviewed by STCC student Joel McAullife on  February 1, 2013.

STCC digital media student Joel  McAuliffe interviewed Massachusetts Governor Patrick today asking him penetrating questions on taxes, the state budget, education and the future of the Commonwealth.  The interview which was taped will be aired on WTCC-fm, the STCC college radio station.

Governor Patrick was on campus holding a cabinet meeting and then touring the STCC manufacturing program.  This program prepares students for good jobs running sophisticated computer numerical controlled (CNC) machines.  

Governor Patrick last week proposed a state budget for FY 2014 that would increase spending on education and transportation, reduce the state sales tax while raising the state income tax.  Public higher education that has seen decreases in the past few years would gain as would K-12 education and transportation construction.  Spending on construction has the highest multiplier effect, that is it generates more jobs and secondary economic effects, than other choices while money for education pays dividends long-term in the creation of human capital.

WHAT IS OPEN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND WHAT WILL IT DO?

Picture Author: Jonathas Mello at www.jonathasmello.com

Open educational resources (OERS) is course material that is not copyrighted and freely available through the internet.  Can this freely available material replace college textbooks?

Consider for example a first course in college algebra.  The concepts of algebra were developed thousands of years ago by the Babylonians, Egyptians and Greeks but the first modern treatment is traced to Al-Khwarizmi's, an Arab mathematician of the 9^th century AD.  In fact, the word algebra comes the title of his book published in 820 AD.  While other important developments in algebra took place after Al-Khwarizmi, the material taught in college has not changed in many decades, even hundreds of years. 

Thus for courses like first year algebra, material-most of it now available on the internet - can be assembled and made available at low cost or no cost digitally to students.  OERS should improve the flexibility and usefulness of course materials while driving down costs to students.

A number of efforts are now underway nationally to pilot OERS in college and universities.  For more information, the OER COMMONS is a good place to start.

HIGH COST OF COLLEGE TEXTBOOKS

Source of picture: State University of New York at Genesco (http://news.milne-library.org/)

The cost of textbooks is a major complaint among college students nationwide.  And for good reason – the College Board reported that during academic year 2011-2012  students on average spent $1213 on textbooks and related course materials at a private four-year college. The numbers at public institutions were similar with students spending $1,168.  

Textbook costs have reached these numbers because for decades their prices have risen rapidly, faster than inflation.

The chart below from the January, 2012 issue of Technology Review shows the longterm trend; the red line showing the costs of college textbooks has gone up much faster since 1980 than home prices (green line) and overall inflation (blue line).

  

What can and should be done?  One opportunity is to develop inexpensive course materials from free information on the inter-net.  More about that in my next post.

JANUARY IN NEW ENGLAND

STCC at twilight,  January 2, 2012.  Photo by  Joan Thomas

At each time of the year the STCC campus has its own beauty.  The picture above shows the campus green with a downtown office building and city bell tower just seen in the background.  A closeup of this scene in the south-western direction is below.

The view from campus toward the center of Springfield showing the City Bell Tower next to City Hall.  Photo by Joan Thomas, January 2, 2012.

HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM STCC STUDENTS

Once we mailed out hundreds of cards to college friends and supporters; then three years ago we created a series of pictures that could be accessed on the college website.  Now in keeping up with the changes in communication, STCC presents a video featuring our English as a second language students.  Enjoy by clicking the link below or the highlighted text above.

www.stcc.edu/happyholidays