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Community colleges pursue a critical mission in higher education — to directly serve our local community through powerful classes, programs and services. While the immediate impact from community colleges is significant, our students, alumni and employees also give back to improve their communities. Waubonsee Community College recently recognized one of our students for leading a unique outreach effort for some of the area’s most deserving local residents.

At every level of education, quantifying student success is a difficult task. With multifaceted missions and student goals, community colleges have a particularly complex challenge in defining institutional success. This spring, Waubonsee Community College is one of only 40 two-year colleges nationwide selected to participate in a pilot project designed to measure institutional performance and to create a national model

The start of a new year is an important, symbolic time for most people. Many see the new year as an opportunity to make life changes, learn a new skill, or pursue some new challenges. In higher education, the new year also signals the start of a new semester and a new financial aid season. If you’re planning on attending college or if your child will soon be heading to school, it’s time to apply for financial aid.

When most people think about a traditional college education, memories of an inspiring professor come to mind, or a required English or speech class, as do studying, homework and participating in class discussions and group projects with fellow students. Fun may not always be the top-of-mind adjective many use to describe traditional education. However, learning is fun, and our Waubonsee faculty work hard to provide an engaging and exciting learning environment.

Adaptability is a critical skill.  For example, even though recent technology advances seem to move at a dizzying pace, we must adapt to changing circumstances and new tools. Not so long ago, television and cell phones seemed almost magical inventions, as radio and the telegraph were in their times. As a society, we have integrated each successive wave of innovation into everyday life, oftentimes with profound changes. In education, online learning is that great leap forward — online courses are changing how we view education and how students access higher learning.

Colleges and universities serve a wide variety of audiences, with students typically the top priority.  Many higher education institutions also serve parents, alumni, businesses, legislators and others to maintain the support and the visibility needed to ultimately benefit students.  Serving the community as a whole, however, is a uniquely central mission of community colleges.

There is a buzz on college campuses each fall with the start of a new academic year.  The scenes from the first weeks of class are in many ways timeless and not bound by place.

Community colleges help an amazingly diverse group of people realize their dreams.  Our students are committed to building better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities.  As a community college president, I have the privilege of working to create a teaching and learning organization that is centered on student success.  As a part of this work, every year I develop a Presidential Action Initiative (PAI) for Waubonsee Community College.  The PAI provides clear direction for the college community on emerging issues — setting the tone for the college.  In today’s global and competitive economy, helping students succeed is more crucial than ever.  As a result, Waubonsee’s 2010-2011 PAI is “Shaping Student Success: Opportunity, Community and Accountability.”

With all the news coverage focusing on Apple’s new iPad, the Kindle and other e-readers, traditional paperbound textbooks may seem a bit of an anachronism.  However, student learners in most academic disciplines continue to rely on textbooks to support classroom lectures, exercises and hands-on labs.