05/19/2014 Admissions Process

MAY 19, 2014 www.HispanicOu tlook.com VOLUME 24 • NUMBER 16

Life Lessons From Latino College Presidents Jump-Start Savings for College

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Wasthe Mexican-American farm-workers leader

César Chávez an authentichero for all Latinos or did hededicate himself solely to arelatively small group of eth-nic farmworkers concentrat-ed in a small section ofCalifornia and to a cause thatinitially found good fortunebut eventually unraveled andbecame a figment of its trueself and mission?

Chávez died in 1993 at age87 and left a legacy that nowsits in judgment by historybut continues to flourish forbetter or for worse.

Even though maybearound 10 percent or lessknow intimately of him, hisworks, his achievements andhis foibles, César Chávez nev-ertheless became in popularlore a paladin of theAmerican Latino with animage that extends beyondhis ethnic credentials.

He could do no wrong butin some aspects he did, ashistorians are beginning toreveal.

He’s the founder andleader of the United FarmWorkers (UFW) union whoserallying cry was “Si Se Puede”,(Yes, We Can) and no social

movement since by Latinoshas been able to duplicate itor even come close.

Only Martin Luther King’sJr’s civil rights movement,“We Shall Overcome” wasbigger but Chávez’s wasn’t asmuch about social equality asit was about economic parityand fairness for Mexican-American farmworkers, pri-marily grape pickers.

Chávez as a historical ref-erence is unequivocally theall-American icon celebratedin word, song and monu-ments, boulevards, andbabies; the hero of all heroesfor Latinos, mostly Mexican-Americans.

If you note his awards andrecognition and adoration,some would say he’s biggerthan the pope but to Chávez,a very religious man whorelied on the Virgin deGuadalupe, that would besacrilegious.

Chávez with true gritexposed the indignities andthe suppression towardMexican-American farmworkers in the late ’50s andearly ’60s by the Californiagrape growers.

The grape growers grudg-ingly listened, resisted initial-ly and then capitulatedamidst the crusade that theiconic former agriculturalworker and his forceslaunched.

The popular image is of astubby, sunbaked Mexican-American –the genus, Latino,was not in vogue in Americanparlance in the ’60s –marching with a group ofbedraggled farmworkerChicanos to the California

state capitol, Sacramento, toplea for fair wages and betterworking conditions.

César Chávez’s march wasinstrumental in focusing thesocial and economic injus-tices that had long afflictedthis minority group and wasexemplified in the grape-pickers movement.

Chávez was a neophyte inthis type of activity but withgood timing, he got the helpof Chicago labor organizerSaul Alinsky, who through hisCalifornia connections, waslooking for a Latino leaderwith a good labor issue.

Chávez and the Latinogrape pickers versus theAnglo grape growers was theperfect storm.

The cause received nation-al attention when Chávezwent on 25-day fast in theMahatma Gandhi tradition.Robert and Ethel Kennedycame to see him along with athrong of self-aggrandizingWashington politicians.

There’s a lot more to theCésar Chávez lore, however,that exposes some kinks inthe armor.

Journalist Miriam Pawelhas written two definitivebooks on Chávez’s socialactivism and his persona thatchanged in his last years andaffected his earlier pursuits.

The first, The Union OfTheir Dreams, is about eightof Chávez’s original teamrecounting those heady earlydays when everything wentright to the later years whenChávez and the UFW began totake a different tack from itsoriginal course.

Chávez was about organiz-

ing, not about management,and in certain areas he wasinflexible and unique. Hedidn’t like bureaucracyincluding his own or the mid-dle class.

As some good leaders do,he would make a pact withthe devil if it helped thecause, like snitching on illegalmigrants – mostly Mexicans –to enforcement officers.

With Chávez gone and themarch of time, the UFW hasbecome almost irrelevantgoing from a high of onceover 80,000 members toabout 15,000 today.

Pawel’s second book,recently released, was nine-year effort that portrays aman “monumentally inspir-ing and deeply flawed, themost significant Latino leaderin U.S. history. Yet his lifehas been told only in hagiog-raphy until now.”

She called Chávez “a hero-ic figure, but heroes haveflaws, they’re not perfecthuman beings.”

A movie, “César Chávez,an American Hero,” is now intheaters. President Obamahosted a screening in theWhite House, calling Chávezone of his heroes whoinspired him, but didn’t stayaround for the viewing, say-ing he’d see it later.

César Chávez, The Image or The Myth?

PoliticalBeat

Carlos D. Conde, award-winning journalist and com-mentator, former Washingtonand foreign news correspon-dent, was an aide in theNixon White House andworked on the political cam-paigns of George Bush Sr. Toreply to this column, [email protected].

by Carlos D. Conde

4 H I S P A N I C O U T L O O K • 0 5 / 1 9 / 2 0 1 4

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MAGAZINE®

CONTENTS

MAY 19, 2014

Re-thinking the Admission Process by Frank DiMaria

8

Mobilizing the College Experience at Del Mar College by Michael Bratten

Life Lessons Recounted in GroundbreakingBook on Latino College Presidents by Michelle Adam

CSAs for Low-Income Families Jump-Start Savings for College by Jamaal Abdul-Alim

Puente Program Helps Community CollegeStudents Transfer to UC Riverside by Gary M. Stern

The Economic Story of Higher Education:Stratification and Inequities by Angela Provitera McGlynn

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FREE

10

12

14

16

18

DEPARTMENTSPolitical Beat by Carlos D. Conde

César Chávez, The Image or The Myth? 3

Book Review by Mary Ann Cooper

Dominican Baseball: New Pride, Old Prejudice

7

Targeting Higher EducationImplementing Common Core State Standards by Gustavo A. Mellander

Interesting Reads 7

Priming the Pump... by Miquela Rivera

Calling All Role Models

Back Cover

Executive Editor – Marilyn GilroyManaging Editor – Suzanne López-IsaNews & Special Project Editor –Mary Ann CooperAdministrative Assistant & SubscriptionCoordinator – Barbara Churchill

Washington DC Bureau Chief –Peggy Sands Orchowski

Contributing Editors –Carlos D. Conde, Michelle Adam

Contributing Writers –Gustavo A. Mellander

Art & Production Director –Avedis Derbalian

Graphic Designer –Joanne Aluotto

Sr. Advertising Sales Associate –Angel M. Rodríguez

Article ContributorsJamaal Abdul-Alim,

Michael Bratten, Frank DiMaria, Angela Provitera McGlynn, Miquela Rivera, Gary M. Stern

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20


here comes a time when it seems best to take a step back and re-examine everything that has beendubbed “conventional wisdom.” The College Board’s decision to make major changes to the SAT makes it clear that highereducation and education, in general, is in the process of self-examination this year. As we report in this issue of HO, GPA,standardized tests and essays do not successfully measure the true talent of a college applicant. Hopefully these changes willlevel the playing field for minority and financially disadvantaged students who can’t afford the tutoring and prep courses thatcan improve test scores and access to higher education. Elsewhere in this issue we talk about other major change in theform of the Common Core standards being implemented over the next three years in states approving their adoption. Ofcourse some change can only come from within – spurred by a healthy dose of inspiration. For that inspiration we alsofeature a story about Latino College Presidents: In Their Own Words, by Rubén Martínez, director of the Julian SamoraResearch Institute at Michigan State University, in collaboration with David León, which shares the stories of Latino leadersby recounting the pathways Latino college presidents have taken to reach the top level in higher education administration.As we report, Latino leaders are here to give back to their community and to higher education at large, and this book couldbe an important tool to motivate new generations of leaders to do the same. Time will tell.

Esquina Editorial

¡Adelante!Suzanne López-IsaManaging Editor

T


It’shard to believe that professionalbaseball did not have any players ofcolor until Jackie Robinson was

plucked from the Negro Leagues to play for theBrooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Since that ground-breaking development, baseball has becomefully integrated with black, Hispanic and Asianballplayers and coaches. In 2013 New YorkYankee and Panamanian Mariano Rivera’sretirement from baseball after an extraordinarycareer as the arguably greatest closer of all time,called attention to how Latino players have changed the face of baseball.His biography includes stories of growing up poor, fashioning a baseballmitt out of a milk carton. His story is a testament to how young men inMexico, Cuba, Latin America and South America have embracedAmerica’s favorite pastime and are sought after by stateside talent scouts.

By far, one of the richest sources of talented players has comefrom the Dominican Republic including Pedro Martínez, Sammy Sosaand Manny Ramírez. By 2000, Dominican baseball players were inevery major league clubhouse, and regularly winning every baseballaward. In 2002, Omar Minaya became the first Dominican generalmanager of a major league team. What sets the Dominican Republicapart from other Latin nations, and how did this codependent rela-tionship between MLB and Dominican talent arise and thrive?

This is the basis of Alan Klein’s Dominican Baseball. Klein exam-ines the history of MLB's presence and influence in the DominicanRepublic, the development of the booming industry and academies,and the dependence on Dominican player developers, known asbuscones. But this is not a story told through rose-colored glasses.Klein also addresses issues of identity fraud and the use of perfor-mance-enhancing drugs as hopefuls seek to play professionally. Tobe fair, drug abuse is not confined to Hispanic players, but identityfraud is. There is more than anecdotal evidence that some playershave resorted to falsifying birth records to conceal their age and trueidentity in order to get into the “bigs.” What was once a fertile andunspoiled scouting location for new talent has become big businesswith all the positive and negative baggage that comes with it.

Dominican Baseball charts the trajectory of the economic flows ofthis transnational exchange and the pride Dominicans feel in their grow-ing influence in the sport. Klein also uncovers the prejudice that promptsmajor league baseball to diminish Dominican claims on legitimacy. Thissharp, smartly argued book deftly chronicles the uneasy and often con-tested relations of the contemporary Dominican game and industry.

The author, Alan Klein, is a professor of sociology-anthropologyat Northeastern University and has written previous books onbaseball. He is also the author of Sugarball: The AmericanGame, the Dominican Dream; Growing the Game:The Globalization of Major LeagueBaseball; and Baseball on the Border: ATale of Two Laredos.

Reviewed by Mary Ann Cooper

Dominican Baseball: New Pride, Old Prejudiceby Alan Klein2014. 200 pp. ISBN: 978-1439910887. $24.95 paper. Temple UniversityPress. Philadelphia, Pa. 19122. (800) 621-2736. www.temple.edu.

Interesting Reads

Cuban Americans and the Miami Mediaby Christine Lohmeier

After establishing the significance of Miami asa locale to receive a high number of migrantsafter the Cuban revolution in 1959, what followsis the evolution of Cuban-Americans as an exilecommunity in Miami and how media institutionshave covered this new community. The author

shows how media driven memories of pre-revolutionaryCuba have been kept alive in Miami and over time becamemore inclusive through the use of new media technologies.

2014. 212 pp. ISBN: 978-0786468942. $40.00 paper.McFarland Publishing, Jefferson, N.C., (336) 246-4460www.mcfarlandbooks.com

Schooling for Resilience: Improving the LifeTrajectory of Black and Latino Boys

by Edward Fergus, Pedro Noguera, and Margary Martin

Schooling for Resilience investigates howseven newly formed schools, created specificallyto serve boys of color, set out to address thebroad array of academic and social problemsfaced by black and Latino boys. Drawing on stu-dent and teacher surveys, focus groups, inter-

views, and classroom observations, the authors investigatehow these schools were developed, what practices theyemployed, and how their students responded academicallyand socially.

2014. 296 pp. ISBN: 978-1612506746. $29.95 paper.Harvard Education Press. Cambridge, Mass., (800) 405-1619. www.hup.harvard.edu

Wicked Women of New Mexicoby Donna Blake Birchell

The New Mexico Territory attracted outlawsand desperados as its remote locations guaran-teed non-detection while providing opportuniststhe perfect setting in which to seize wealth. Manywicked women on the run from their pasts head-ed there seeking new starts before and after 1912

statehood. This book follows the tales of these wild womenin a collection that proves crime in early New Mexico wasn’tonly a boys’ game.

2014. 128 pp. ISBN: 978-1626191280. $16.99. paper.The History Press. Charleston, S.C., (843) 577-5971https://historypress.net

http://www.mcfarlandbooks.com

http://www.hup.harvard.edu

https://historypress.net

http://www.temple.edu

by Frank DiMaria

Forgenerations the admission process has been onepart art and one part science, as schools searchfor the perfect blend of assessments needed to

identify the most talented and inspired students. GPA, SAT, ACT,and the college essay have long been at the core of the admis-sions process.

Robert Sternberg, former president of the University ofWyoming and former dean of the School of Arts and Sciencesat Tufts, has a lifetime of research that shows GPA, standard-ized tests and essays do not successfully measure the true tal-ent of a college applicant. From his years of researchSternberg developed a theory that he has put to work in theadmissions process.

“We have developed measures of creative, practical, wise,and ethical thinking. Some of the measures are described inmy book, College Admissions for the 21st Century. The solu-tion to the problem, I believe, is to use tests that measuremore than just memory and analytical skills – that go beyondthe very narrow definition of intelligence and scholastic apti-tude that has prevailed in our society,” says Sternberg, whoearned his PhD at Stanford University.

While performing research as a psychology professor atYale, Sternberg focused on measuring intelligence and creativ-ity and tried to demonstrate just how socialization steers theway kids develop. His research proved very important to thosestudents on the lower rungs of the socioeconomic ladder.

Kids who grow up in adverse financial circumstances learnto adapt with practical survival skills, while more affluent kidsoften are asked to focus on analytical and memory skills.Since the traditional college application process largely testsanalytical skills, it gives students who developed in an environ-ment that valued those qualities an advantage. Such a systemdoesn’t allow colleges to admit the most creative and adapt-able student populations, according to Sternberg’s research.

“If a child grows up speaking English as a second lan-guage, or grows up in poverty, or comes from a troubled fami-ly, his or her opportunities just are not the same as those of achild who grows up in an upper middle class, placid environ-ment. Test scores have to be interpreted in light of back-ground context,” says Sternberg.

As dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts,Sternberg helped the school pilot a new admissions policybased on testing students for their creative and practical skillsas well as their analytical skills. Admissions officers at Tuftsfound that his method helped them do a much better job ofpredicting student success. “It's been very effective in increas-ing numbers of underrepresented minority applicants who aresuccessful in the admissions process. It enables students whohave important skills that happen not to be measured by theSAT or ACT to show that they are capable of doing strong col-lege work,” says Sternberg.

Sternberg named his policy Kaleidoscope. The basis forthis innovative policy was his model of intelligence, WICS(wisdom, intelligence, creativity, synthesized) and hisTriarchic Theory. The idea was to measure predicted first-yearacademic success, over and above SATs and high school GPAs,as well as predicting first-year extracurricular activities, lead-ership and active citizenship. Every year that Kaleidoscopemeasures were used in the admissions process, the enteringclass’s average SATs and high school GPAs went up.

Kaleidoscope uses open-ended questions and providesadmissions officials with the means to score the answers whileallowing both applicants and admissions officers the opportu-nity to evaluate students beyond standardized tests.

These open-ended questions are based on a theory of lead-ership. Positive leaders, according to Sternberg, require a syn-thesis of: (a) creative skills and attitudes in order to generatenew ideas; (b) analytical skills and attitudes in order toensure that the ideas are good ones; (c) practical skills andattitudes to implement their ideas and to persuade others ofthe value of these ideas; and (d) wisdom-based skills and atti-tudes to ensure that the ideas help to achieve a common good,over the long and short terms, through the infusion of positiveethical values. The questions in Kaleidoscope are designed tomeasure these creative, analytical, practical, and wisdom-based skills and attitudes. The WICS theory is an extension ofSternberg’s theory of successful intelligence, which he spentseveral years validating in empirical research.

To allow students to demonstrate their creativity during theadmissions process, they might be asked to write a story with

ADMISSIONS


Re-thinking the

a title such as "The End of MTV." Or they might be asked todraw an advertisement for a new product or service. Theymight also be asked to submit a creative video via YouTube orto describe a United States in which Rosa Parks had nevergiven up her seat on the bus on that fateful day.

To show their analytical skills, applicants are asked to statetheir favorite book and to defend their reasons for this choice.“We measure practical skills by questions asking, say, how theapplicant persuaded a friend of something the friend did notinitially believe. We measure wisdom-based skills by questionssuch as how, in the future, the applicant will take a passion heor she has and use it to make the world a better place,” saysSternberg.

Although responses to the questions are rated holistically,they are based on rubrics. Sternberg and Tufts’ admissionsofficers trained the test’s raters to use specific criteria whenthey assessed the applicants’ responses. For example, theyassessed creative strength in terms of novelty, quality and taskappropriateness. They assessed analytical strength in terms oforganization, quality of analysis, logic and balance.

Sternberg and the admissions team performed statisticalvalidation on the predictive validity of the evaluations of theresponses for predetermining success in college. In this way,they were able to assess which questions worked well andwhich did not. Sternberg says that Kaleidoscope ratings of cre-ative, analytical, practical, and wisdom-based skills are basedon the whole application, not just on essays, drawings andother products that they placed on the application.

When it implemented Kaleidoscope, Tufts had to hire a fewmore admissions officers and retrain the existing ones, andgradually the student population began to change. But thebenefits were certainly much greater than the costs. Sternbergbelieves admissions should be based on the mission of a col-lege or university. Kaleidoscope changed the pool of studentsTufts accepted and how he and the admissions thought aboutwhat it means to have a talented student.

Sternberg is currently at Cornell University where herecently was appointed professor of human development atthe College of Human Ecology. His Kaleidoscope proceduresare used at Oklahoma State (where he was provost) and atTufts, where they have proven very successful in increasingnumbers of underrepresented minority applicants who mightnot otherwise have had the chance to attend a university.

Although Sternberg has made significant strides in convinc-ing some admissions officers that standardized tests come upshort in fully assessing an applicant’s talent, he knows the oldguard in higher education will never give up on them. Thesetests, he says, are the tools they themselves used to get wherethey are today. “They can't imagine people could be successfulthrough other abilities,” he says. “People who are strong inmultiple-choice tests are not necessarily those who most wel-come creativity and innovations.”

As America’s colleges and universities search for the mosteffective admissions policy to identify talented and inspiredstudents, Sternberg is steadfast in his belief that there is no

perfect admissions process. “But a good process will look atall kinds of strengths – musical, artistic, scientific, athletic,journalistic, business – all of the different ways in which stu-dents can excel,” he says.


“It's been very effective inincreasing numbers of

underrepresented minorityapplicants who are

successful in the admissionsprocess.”

Dr. Robert Sternberg, professor ofhuman development, College of Human

Ecology, Cornell University

by Michael Bratten, Del Mar College

Thetechnological tide is turning at Del Mar College,and advancements in the last year amount to afull-blown sea change. The objective: Give

today’s tech-savvy students what they need when they need it –and make it available on whatever electronic device they maybe using.

A slew of new, interactive projects, some completed andothers in the pipeline, are making the college experience easi-er and more accessible than it’s ever been for students andprospective students.

“We’ve never had this many projects launched in one cal-endar year,” said August Alfonso, chief information officer atthe college. “Collectively, we’re defining the prominence oftechnology at Del Mar College.”

After all, 60 percent of Internet activity is wireless andincreasing, Alfonso said.

A major change

The college took the first step toward this technological

revolution a year and a half ago by directing the informationtechnology department to put college resources at students’fingertips.

“They asked us to maximize high-tech and high-touch, withthe No. 1 goal being access to Del Mar College,” Alfonso said.“We know students have the devices. We want to allow them touse our resources. This is a major change.”

Bring Your Own Device, or BYOD, is the infrastructurebehind the change. It isn’t so much a technology as it is aguiding principle aimed at making academic activities possi-ble on any device 24/7. Any student with a browser, whetheron a smartphone, tablet or laptop, has access to the college.

BYOD’s inception paved the way for a succession of for-ward-thinking projects. Viking Net, a Wi-Fi network designedspecifically for students, enables them to surf the Internet,check email and do anything else online with their owndevice. (The Viking is the Del Mar College mascot.) Where thestudent goes, access follows.

“I use it for entertainment and to do research for my class-es,” said Hilliary Herrera, 20, a nursing education major, asshe browsed Viking Net on her tablet. “It’s very useful when Ican’t get to a computer.”

Self-service

Academic activity and mobile technology merged in August2013 with the adoption of the Canvas learning managementsystem, which allows interaction in a user-friendly, onlineenvironment with a social media feel. Users can download themobile app, and students can submit assignments and com-municate with their classmates and instructors. Alfonso calls itmobile learning.

“It’s self-service,” he said. “Students can practically com-plete a course with this.”

Daisy Garnica, 19, a chemical engineering major, especiallylikes Canvas’s calendar feature because it helps her stay ontrack with her class assignments.

“When you work and go to school like I do, your time islimited,” she said. “It’s good to have that visual.”

Because Canvas is hosted in the cloud, there are no serversto buy and maintain. And there’s no possibility of interruptionsin network connections that could halt coursework. That’s asignificant advantage in the subtropical Texas Coastal Bend,where the threat of a hurricane can lead to shutdowns and

TECHNOLOGY


Mobilizing the College Experience at

With the implementation of anew Wi-Fi network

emanating from trafficintersections,

Del Mar College studentslike Cecily Ensley can

access Viking Net on anymobile device anywhere in

Corpus Christi.

evacuations six months out of the year.

Answering the call

Recently, the college upgraded its telephone system to bet-ter manage calls from people asking general questions, whichincrease exponentially at the beginning of the fall and springsemesters. Dedicating additional staff to answer the callswasn’t feasible. The dilemma turned into an opportunity, andonce again, interactive technology was the solution. Usingtheir own device, students can now just use Ask the Viking.

Accessible via a button on the college’s home page(www.delmar.edu), Ask the Viking goes beyond the standardFrequently Asked Questions feature. It is regularly updatedaccording to users’ questions. More than 90,000 inquirieshave been answered since its launch in August 2013.

“It’s a great tool for answering preliminary questions,” saidGracie Martínez, student enrollment center coordinator. “Thecalls that come in now are much more manageable. They’respecific questions from students who genuinely need additionalassistance.”

The top three questions from Ask the Viking users are:

• How do I get a campus map?• How do I apply for admission?• How much does tuition cost?

The questions are valuable to the college because theyreveal interest by prospective students, Alfonso said.

Best service possible

Attracting students is part of the strategy behind the newtechnologies. Enhancing the college experience is anotherpart.

“We have to be efficient but also offer the best service pos-sible so that students have a positive experience,” Alfonsosaid. “That’s key to being a technology powerhouse.”

The college has invested about $184,000 in Viking Net,Canvas and Ask the Viking, Alfonso said. More projects are inthe works, such as a scholarship app. The college’s web serv-er, located 140 miles away in San Antonio, will soon bemigrated to the cloud. Eventually, students will be able to

apply, register and pay for classes on their mobile device,Alfonso said.

But the most far-reaching project is the 78415 initiative. Setfor a soft launch this summer, it will make Wi-Fi service avail-able in the ZIP code with the highest number of the college’sstudents – essentially expanding BYOD and Viking Net. Thereare 1,318 students from the ZIP code enrolled at the collegefor the spring 2014 semester.

Strong support

College President Dr. Mark Escamilla strongly supports theproject because 78415 is an underserved community whereeconomically disadvantaged students don’t take online accessfor granted. The infrastructure for wireless connectivityalready exists through a network that emanates from City ofCorpus Christi facilities, light poles and intersections with traf-fic lights. The city, seeking ways to upgrade the network forresidential and municipal use alike, is enthusiastic about part-nering with the college.

“We have a mission to improve the quality of life for the cit-izens of Corpus Christi and this fits directly into that,” saidDavid Treviño, the city’s information technology programcoordinator and network manager. “It’s going to benefit allresidents of the ZIP code. The applications that can use publicWi-Fi are practically unlimited.”

Once 78415 is launched, the college hopes to grow theproject to all the communities it serves. Alfonso expects thecost to decrease proportionately with the number of studentsin other ZIP codes.

The college’s technological advances wouldn’t be possiblewithout progressive thinking by its president, executive teamand other stakeholders, Alfonso said. Like him, they see thewriting on the wall.

“Mobile learning is upon us,” he said. “Our students aredictating this. The institutions that provide mobile access willbe the successful ones.”

“The technical environment at Del Mar College is ready.This is the right place and the right time.”


Mobilizing the College Experience at

Life Lessons Recounted inGroundbreaking Book onLatino College Presidentsby Michelle Adam

Rubén Martínez will never forget theimpact the first Chicano leader of aU.S. research institution had on

him. He recalled how Tomás Rivera,former chancellor of the University ofCalifornia at Riverside, approached himand his friends as they sat outside thestudent center drinking coffee as gradu-ate students there in 1979. While otheradministrators passed them by withoutsaying a word, Rivera took notice ofthem, and showed interest in their acad-emic life.

“He recognized us as students,addressed us in our own language, andpointed us to the significance of our edu-cational experience,” said Martínez. “Thatexperience has been a part of my profes-sional career from the very beginning.”

Today, as director of the JulianSamora Research Institute at MichiganState University, Martínez, in collabora-tion with David León, has published abook that, for the first time, shares thestories of Latino leaders like TomásRivera in higher education. Their co-edited book, Latino College Presidents:In Their Own Words, recounts thepathways Latino college presidents havetaken to reach their level in higher edu-cation.

As part of a “Diversity in Education”series, this volume focuses on threethemes: how college presidents survivedthe educational pipeline, and the impactof their families in achieving this; howthey moved up the faculty/administrationladder, what experiences made this pos-sible; the advice they’d give others; andwhat projects, programs, and initiativesthey have created and implemented aspresidents that reflect their experiences.

Published this past March, this one-of-a-kind book provides readers some-

thing unique – a glimpse into the lives ofLatino college presidents through theirown words and writings. The 11 presi-dents invited to share their stories rep-resent different types of institutions –community colleges, four-year institu-

tions, and research universities –and avariety in geographic location, gender,and subgroups of Latinos. Unfortunately,Latino leaders at Ivy Leagues or privatehigher education institutions were notincluded, since none seemed to exist atthis time.

Among those included in this volumewere: Erlinda J. Martínez, president ofSanta Ana College in California; HerlindaMartínez Glasscock, president of NorthLake College in Texas; Leslie AnneNavarro, president of Morton College inIllinois; Monte E. Pérez, president of

Riverside Community College inCalifornia; Rodolfo Arévalo, president ofEastern Washington University inWashington; Ricardo R. Fernández,president of Lehman College of The CityUniversity of New York; William V.Flores, president of the University ofHouston; Mildred García, president ofCalifornia State University at Fullerton;Alexander González, president ofCalifornia State University atSacramento; Ricardo Romo, presidentof University of Texas at San Antonio;and Francisco G. Cigarroa, chancellor ofthe University of Texas system.

These individuals were chosenamong approximately 175 Latino headsof institutions affiliated with the HispanicAssociation of Colleges and Universitiesand from those known to the volumeeditors. They represent 3.8 percent ofLatino leaders from an estimated total of5,000 leaders of institutions in highereducation. They also were selectedfrom a group of leaders that tend to beconcentrated in two-year institutions,especially in the Southwestern states,and exist in low numbers at four-yearregional institutions, and even more soat doctorate-granting schools. Andwhile books have been written aboutheads of institutions of higher educa-tion, scholarship on Latino leaders isalmost non-existent.

“This is the first book written by ourLatino presidents. This is the first bookthat captures the experience of Latinopresidents in their own words. As AlfredoG. de los Santos Jr. (of the HispanicResearch Center at Arizona StateUniversity) said, ‘es único,’” saidMartínez. “We have not been proactiveover the years in capturing the intellectu-al biographies of the members of our

PROFILES


David León, co-editor of Latino College Presidents:In Their Own Words

intelligencia. And now with this, we havea lot of community magazines calling us.”

When Martínez thinks back to power-ful influence that Rivera had as a Latinoleader in his life, he recognizes that it’shigh time a book exists that documentsthe lives of powerful Latino leaders inhigher education. “We have to open upthe doors of higher education so thatLatinos can improve as intellectuals andbe able to lead institutions in a way thatwill benefit different populations of thiscountry,” he said. “Since there has beena very limited amount of preparation interms of one generation following thenext as leaders, we thought it would beimportant to capture the experience ofthese leaders, share how they navigatedthese systems, and let them give adviceas leaders of institutions.”

Each of the 11 stories in this volumeis unique, yet all college leaders sharedthe importance of their families in help-ing them get through the hard times,and in emphasizing learning and educa-tional achievement. “Some had greaterchallenges than others but all of themdemonstrated perseverance and thedetermination to overcome challenges.Some may have been told that they werenot college material, but this made themmore determined to succeed. Othersexperienced a lack of a welcoming envi-ronment in their respective units, butthey were able to overcome that andsucceed,” said Martínez. “They all point-ed back to their families, though, andthe importance of their families helpingthem in terms of values and navigatingthe periods of hardships.”

In terms of how each of these headsof institutions rose to positions of lead-ership, many seemed to be prepared tolead at the opportune time that a partic-ular role at an institution needed to befilled, and someone believed in them.Important qualities that helped themsucceed were those of being a good lis-tener, and being seen as fair and able torepresent different groups. Knowingthemselves and achieving a doctoratealso helped in their upward mobility.

Having overcome hurdles in institu-tions where Latinos and underrepresent-ed groups are often held to higher stan-

dards seems to have prepared these lead-ers to run institutions with a uniqueapproach. “Their perspective is one in

which they understand that all peoplehave potential and can learn. They don’tentertain the view that we find so com-mon in institutions, like that of Latinos orwomen not being able to do math,” saidMartínez. “By virtue of being members ofan ethnic minority they recognize that weare all part of the human race and bringour talents to the human potential. Theseleaders want to create learning environ-ments where all can thrive.”

While this 277-page volume carriesunique stories –from that of one presi-

dent who was a farmworker and experi-enced the challenges of an inconsistentmigrant education to the son of a physi-cian who grew up with college as anexpectation – each account provides ayounger generation with hope in theirown future possibilities, and shows howthese institutional heads all value educa-tion and want to create environments inwhich students can learn and succeed.

“I hope young people will understandthat our leaders understand repression,and that they have had to navigate waterscan restrain them, yet they are still tryingto create a better society through theinstitutions they are running,” saidMartínez. “These leaders have been will-ing to persevere and overcome chal-lenges in order to improve institutionsfor the benefit of all.”

As those who have shared their sto-ries in Latino College Presidents havedemonstrated, Latino leaders are here togive back to their community and tohigher education at large, and this bookprovides another step in inspiring newgenerations of leaders to do the same.Already, Martínez and León have givendiscourses on this book at universitiesand community organizations through-out the country, and colleagues plan touse this work in their classrooms.

“It’s time for this. We now have ageneration of Latino leaders who havestories to tell and there are youngeremergent leaders who can benefit fromtheir experiences,” Martínez concluded.“This book accomplishes this.”


http://edtechmadeeasy.com

by Jamaal Abdul-Alim

Higher education could become more attainable for low-income families in Albuquerque, N.M., thanks to a newinitiative that is part of a national trend of programs

designed to help the families put away money for college.Through a pilot phase of the initiative, about 220 children

in zip code 87105 – one of the poorest areas in Albuquerque– will be given an initial $150 to $200 for Children’s SavingsAccounts, or CSAs.

Up to $200 will be matched annually until the childrenreach college age, and caretakers and students may also beable to earn $100 per year in incentive payments for meetingcertain goals, such as good school attendance, according to adescription of the program provided by Prosperity Works, anasset-building organization that is overseeing the program.

If all goes as planned, the children of participating familieswill have between $6,000 and $10,000 saved for college bythe time they graduate from high school, program officials say.

“We believe this initial investment could help familiesthinking about putting a little bit, whatever we can afford, tostart planning for our children’s education,” said AdriánPedroza, executive director at the Partnership for CommunityAction, one of several agencies that are helping ProsperityWorks implement the program, known as Collective Impact.

Collective Impact is part of a growing national trend of pro-grams designed to provide families of lesser economic means witha mechanism to help finance their children’s higher education.

For instance, the San Francisco mayor’s office runs theKindergarten to College Program, which makes college sav-ings accounts seeded with $50 available to every kindergart-ner in the San Francisco school district. And in recent years,Congress has considered the America Saving for PersonalInvestment, Retirement, and Education Act, or the ASPIRE Act,which would essentially make CSAs universal for every new-born in the United States.

Some experts say CSAs will help low-income families real-ize their higher education dreams – and that the reasons tran-scend the amount of financial resources at a family’s disposal.

“I think it goes beyond the money,” said Deborah A.Santiago, chief operating officer and director of research atExcelencia in Education, a Washington, D.C.-based research

and policy organization that seeks to make college moreaccessible to Latino students.

“The ability to have college savings is good, but it’s what itsignifies for the family – that college is a possibility and thatthey have a role to play in supporting it,” Santiago said of CSAs.“And I think if they’re investing, even if it’s small amounts ofmoney, it permeates what they need to do to support it so thatearly investment does send a monetary but powerful messagethat they will support their child going to college.

“The earlier it starts the more powerful it is,” she said.Benjamin H. Harris, policy director, The Hamilton Project,

a Brookings Institution initiative that seeks evidence basedapproaches to public investments, said while CSAs sound goodin theory, there is little evidence that CSAs make a difference.

“You look at the research and what tends to happen is ifyou offer someone an account and offer someone free money,they tend to take it but they don’t end up taking advantage ofthe match,” Harris said, explaining that CSAs don’t reallyencourage families to save more for college.

As an example, he cited a recent Journal of Policy Analysisand Management paper titled “Do Child DevelopmentAccounts Promote Account Holding, Saving, and AssetAccumulation for Children’s Future? Evidence from aStatewide Randomized Experiment.” That study found that thedifference between families that were offered a $1,000 collegesavings account and those who were not was $1,040 – sug-gesting that families had only put away an extra $40 as a resultof the accounts.

“Are they a good way to save more money? Probably not,”Harris said. “Do they change children’s perspective? The evi-dence isn’t great but we need more study.”

Although CSAs get mixed reviews, Pedroza said the collegesavings initiative is crucial for Hispanic families. He cited asurvey from the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the PewResearch Center that shows 89 percent of Hispanics say col-lege is important to success in life but that only 48 percent saythey actually plan to get a college degree. CSAs, he said, couldhelp bridge the gap.

However, the same survey raises questions about how farCSAs will go in encouraging and enabling more Hispanic stu-

FINANCE


CSAs for Low-IncomeFamilies Jump-StartSavings for College

dents to enroll in college.For instance, The Pew Hispanic Center survey found the pri-

mary reason for the gap between the high value Hispanics placeon education versus their plans to actually finish college appearsto emanate from “financial pressure to support a family.”

“Nearly three-quarters of all 16- to 25-year-old surveyrespondents who cut their education short during or rightafter high school say they did so because they had to supporttheir family,” the Pew Hispanic Center states.

CSAs could help reverse the trend, said William Elliott III, asocial welfare professor and the co-author of “BuildingExpectations, Delivering Results: Asset-Based Financial Aidand the Future of Higher Education.”

The report found, among other things, that a low- to mod-erate-income or black child who has school savings of $1 to$499 before reaching the age of college enrollment is aboutthree times more likely to enroll in college than a black childwith no savings account.

Elliott said while research specific to Hispanic and Latinostudents is “underdeveloped,” he saw no reason to suspectthat things would be different for Hispanic children inasmuchas they are also low-income.

“There seems to be reason to suggest that if Hispanic stu-dents are part of a CSA programs they would experience high-er expectations for college, their parents would also havehigher expectations, and that they will be more likely to attendand complete college than their counterparts without sav-ings,” Elliott said.

Beyond questions about the effectiveness of CSAs, there arealso practical questions associated with their usefulness.

For instance, do CSAs have a negative impact when deter-mining a family’s Expected Family Contribution (EFC), on theFree Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

According to Melinda Lewis, policy director at the Assetsand Education Development Initiative at the University ofKansas, a CSA could impact an individual’s EFC, but not byvery much.

“There is reason to believe that the gains from this assetaccumulation would outweigh the potential effects on aid eli-gibility,” Lewis said.

Another potential issue is whether and how CSAs can be setup for children from families where one or both parents areundocumented, or if the children are undocumented them-selves.

“Here, the financial industry considerations are likely far lesscomplicated than any public contributions or match,” Lewissaid. “In either case, the parents' immigration status should notmatter, since the child would be the intended beneficiary.”

She noted that many financial institutions have developedregulations that allow them to open accounts, including inter-est-bearing accounts, for individuals without lawful immigra-tion status, using IRS-issued Individual Taxpayer IdentificationNumbers (ITINs).

“If children do not have ITINs, their parents can apply forthem on their behalf, since they are dependents, even if theydo not have a personal tax liability,” Lewis said.

However, if the children are undocumented themselves,then receiving a public initial deposit or match “could be aproblem” since most public benefits are prohibited forundocumented immigrants.

Be that as it may, Lewis said, there is room for states, coun-ties and school districts to designate the match or contribu-tion as a “scholarship or incentive” instead of a “benefit.”That way, she said, the entities could still offer CSAs to undoc-umented children and stay within the confines of the law.


“The ability to have collegesavings is good, but it’s whatit signifies for the family – that

college is a possibility andthat they have a role to play

in supporting it.”

Deborah A. Santiago, chief operatingofficer, Excelencia in Education

PuenteProgramHelpsCommunityCollegeStudentsTransfer toUC-Riverside

by Gary M. Stern

Formany community college students, transferringinto a four-year college is filled with anxiety,doubt and stumbling blocks. It’s difficult for

many two-year college students to find an adviser becausecounseling offices often are understaffed. In addition, therequirements of each four-year college vary and obtainingenough financial aid can be tricky. That’s why the Universityof California, Riverside (UCR) collaborated with the nonprofitPuente Project to form the Riverside Puente ConnectionsProgram in 2008.

The thrust of the Riverside Puente program, says RicardoVargas, UCR’s assistant director of transfer recruitment whoruns the program, is preparing community college students tomeet the admission requirements of four-year colleges. “Itprovides academic, peer and financial guidance to students toensure transferring to a four-year institution,” said Vargas.Students participate in a 10-day residential conference thatconsists of seminars to prepare them to transfer and succeed.

In 2014, 60 students will participate in the summer work-shop. To be accepted, students must be currently enrolled inone of California’s 112 community colleges, be a second-levelPuente student, have a minimum 2.8 GPA, and write an essayabout why they’re a good fit for the program. This year

approximately 200 students applied for the 60 slots.About 80 percent of the students participating at UC

Riverside’s Puente program are first-generation Latinos, butthe number of students from other ethnic backgrounds,including Asian-American, is on the upswing.

In fact, Latinos and Asian-American students are the largestgroups attending UCR. Of its 18,530 undergraduates enrolledin fall 2012, 35 percent were Asians, 32 percent Latino, 17percent white and 7 percent African-American. In fact, 60percent earn a bachelor’s degree within four years and anoth-er 30 percent within five years.

Riverside Puente Connection also coordinates directly withcommunity colleges. Karolia Macías, an admissions counselorat UCR, says its counselors make face to face campus excur-sions, visit transfer centers, meet with faculty and students oncampus and communicate via Facebook.

“For first generation students, transferring can be over-whelming. We saw there was a core of students ready to takethe next leap who were missing out,” Vargas says. Some stu-dents thought University of California colleges were too rigor-ous, some presumed they couldn’t afford it, some worriedabout immigration status. All these issues are addressed in thesummer workshop.

PROGRAMS


Vargas attributes the key obstacles to first-generation stu-dents transferring to “lack of guidance, lack of encourage-ment, and a cultural background where the father often does-n’t want their child to leave the local area to attend college inRiverside, Berkeley or Davis.”

In the past, the Puente Project, which launched in 1981,collaborated with 61 community colleges in California. But UCRiverside wanted to improve its four-year transfer rates andreached out to Puente Project to tailora program, explains CatherineMartínez, mentor training coordinatorat the Puente Project, based at theUniversity of California, Berkeley. In2014, Puente is exploring possibleexpansion and collaboration with NewYork and Washington, D.C. communi-ty colleges.

The key focus of the PuenteRiverside Connections program is the10-day summer workshop that stu-dents attend. “Students need to seethe reason why it’s important to con-tinue (their college education). Theyneed the nuts and bolts of how to do itand navigate it,” said Martínez.Exposure to mentors, who stem fromsimilar backgrounds and have suc-ceeded, also plays a critical role. Bythe time students complete the work-shop they learn what it takes to trans-fer and improve their “critical think-ing and problem-solving and leadership skills.”

Speakers at the most recent UC Riverside conferenceincluded Rusty Bailey, mayor of Riverside, Ron Loveridge, for-mer mayor of Riverside, Congressman Raúl Ruiz and StateAssemblyman Manuel Pérez.

The financial aid workshop also plays a major role inenabling students to transfer, Macías says. It informs studentsof UC Riverside’s Blue and Gold Opportunity plan, where fam-ilies earning under $80,000 receive full financial assistanceto pay for tuition and fees. Many community colleges expectthat four-year colleges in the UC system are too expensive andrule them out, and this misconception needs to be corrected,she says.

Macías speaks from personal experience since she partici-pated in the Puente Program when she attended SouthwestCollege, a community college in San Diego. “UC collegesweren’t on my radar screen. I thought they were more chal-lenging. The Puente program completely changed my mind,”she says. She applied to UC Riverside, gained acceptance,graduated from the college and is now dedicated to helpingother first-generation students succeed.

In addition to improving writing skills and learning whatfour-year college want from community college students,Vargas says the program teaches discipline. Students are held

accountable for their actions. But it also improves their com-munication skills, networking capabilities, and “ability toaccept others outside of their community,” he says.

Once Puente community college students complete thesummer workshop, they continue to gain assistance. They areoffered support services such as transfer outreach programsand academic resource centers. Macías says they are sentreminders about when applications are due to four-year col-

leges and are assigned an admissions counselor to help withthe transition.

About half of the students participating in the Puente sum-mer workshops are accepted into UC Riverside. Many apply toother four-year colleges in the California college system, whichis fine with Vargas and Macías. “We encourage them to applyto other colleges. If not Riverside, Berkeley or Davis or anoth-er college is fine,” Macías asserts.

Monica Searcy, a sophomore at two-year Moreno ValleyCollege, participated in the 10-day workshop in 2012.According to UC Riverside’s background material, she saidspending 10 days away from home felt “like an eternity.” Butshe added that she “learned to be a leader and get involvedwith her community.”

Puente Program goes beyond teaching writing skills or howto fill out a four-year college application. “We want students tobe advocates for their own education. It means they need tospeak up for receiving services, getting more tutoring, morecounseling,” Macías says. “Puente’s goal is to prepare stu-dents for the next level: acceptance into a four-year college.”


Karolia Macias and Ricardo Vargas

The Economic Story of Higher Education:Stratification and Inequitiesby Angela Provitera McGlynn

Recent political discourse has used the airline industry asa metaphor for America’s class structure. We have first-class passengers with all the privileges it entails, includ-

ing but not restricted to, boarding the plane early, eating verygood meals, and having cocktails, and then we have businessclass, followed by upgraded seats in coach, followed by pas-sengers in the lowest economy class, sandwiched in spaceswith little room for any comfort at all. And of course, theselowly economy-class passengers are able to afford the price ofa ticket so they are still above those left on the ground.

One would hope that higher education would not look likea microcosm of the rest of society but unfortunately theresearch paints a similar picture.

The topic of inequality in America is beginning to be dis-cussed, particularly since the economic recession of 2008.

With the recent quote from President Obama about “inequalitybeing the challenge of our times,” a look at higher educationreveals a very similar type socioeconomic stratification as seenin our national landscape.

The rungs of that economic ladder begin with students andwhere they attend college: the more selective the college, andthis often correlates with higher tuition and fees, the higherare graduation rates.

Let’s start with a look at the annual increase in inflation-adjusted average published tuition and fees at public two-yearcolleges (the bottom of the rung in higher education). Tuitionincreases in this sector actually declined from a 10.2 percentincrease in the 2009-10 academic year to 5.4 percent in 2010-11. They declined to 4.6 percent in 2011-12 and 2012-13. The2013-14 academic year increase was just 1.5 percent.Community colleges managed to decrease their tuition hikes forstudents. A 2013 report from the Century Foundation, Bridgingthe Higher Education Divide: Strengthening CommunityColleges and Restoring the American Dream, noted that:

“In 2009, community colleges spent $9,300 per student oneducational resources, virtually unchanged from 1999 once

inflation was taken into account. Public research universitiesspent $16,700, up 11 percent from 1999, and private researchuniversities spent $41,000, an increase of 31 percent.”

Students are, however, at the mercy of institutions whichoffer them hope of advancing themselves in numerous ways,and clearly low-income students are at a huge disadvantage.The Century Foundation report found that wealthy studentsoutnumber poor students at the most selective four-year insti-tutions by a ratio of 14 to 1.

Community colleges educate twice as many low-incomestudents as high-income students but in the decade from 1999to 2009, community college funding increased by $1 per stu-dent while funding at private research universities increasedalmost $14,000 per student. Community colleges are vastlyunderfunded especially given the task of educating manyunderprepared students.

Looking at tuition changes in dollars and cents from the2003-04 academic year to the 2013-14 academic year at four-year institutions and then separating those institutions intopublic and private, here is the data: In 2003-04, the annualtuition, room and board charges for private nonprofit four-year institutions was $24,071 and for public four-year institu-tions, costs were $13,336. By contrast, public two-year col-leges charged on the average $2,425.

Jump ahead to the 2013-14 academic year, and tuition andfees for students at private four-year colleges now average$30,094 per year, $18,391 for students at public four-yearcolleges, and $3264 for students at two-year public colleges.

This tuition data can be found in the Trends in HigherEducation series by the College Board Advocacy and PolicyCenter in a publication entitled, “Tuition and Fee and Room andBoard Charges over time, 2003-2004 through 2013-2014.”

The next economically stratified area one rung up from stu-dents would be the teaching faculty in higher education. The firstdramatic trend we see is the increase of adjuncts (part-time fac-ulty members) teaching at colleges and universities. The mostrecent published data by the National Center for EducationStatistics notes that the number of full-time faculty in degree-granting institutions increased by 42 percent from fall 1991 to fall2011. The increase in the use of part-time faculty increased 162percent over the same time period. During that time, the percent-ages of faculty who were part-time increased from 35 percent to50 percent. Many institutions today have considerably higher per-centages of part-time faculty compared with full-time faculty.

The inequities involved in the full-time versus part-time facultyissue are multifaceted. Colleges employ part-time faculty so theycan pay them a pittance of what full-time faculty earn and mostoften, offer them no benefits. Although part-time faculty areoften excellent and dedicated teachers, students are short-

REPORTS


changed in terms of their access to them since very often,adjuncts are running from college to college teaching courseshere and there in order to support themselves. This is an area ofinequity that obviously deserves more attention than it is getting.

Faculty salaries reflect the sector in higher education whereone is employed ranging from two-year community colleges topublic four-year colleges to private colleges and then to top-ofthe-rung elite private institutions. The higher the rung on theeducational ladder, the greater are faculty salaries.

The gap between private and public colleges in facultysalaries is significant. In the American Association ofUniversity Professors’ (AAUP) report, “Here’s the News: TheAnnual Report on the Economic status of the Profession2012-2013,” authors John Curtis and Saranna Thornton saythat a full professor at a private, non-religious doctoral univer-sity earns on average more than $40,000 a year than a fullprofessor at a public four-year institution.

In fact, the average salary of an assistant professor at a pri-vate, independent doctoral university earns more than theaverage full professor at public four-year BA and MA institu-tions and certainly more than a full professor at a communitycollege. The gap is growing between salaries at public andprivate colleges and universities; AAUP notes the “salary disad-vantage” for public college faculty members.

The College and University Professional Association forHuman Resources (CUPA-HR), the recognized authority on com-pensation surveys for higher education, released the findings ofits 2012-2013 Faculty in Higher Education Salary Survey byDiscipline, Rank and Tenure Status in Four-Year Colleges andUniversities. Their results show that over the years, increases insalaries for faculty typically do better than inflation for privatecollege faculty (median salary increase about 2.4 percent in2012) and less than inflation for public college faculty members(median salary increase 1.9 percent for 2012).

CUPA-HR also noted the extreme variations of salariesbased on discipline with the highest paid disciplines beinglegal professions and studies, engineering, and business, man-agement, marketing, and related support services.

Salary discrepancies are most apparent when comparingelite private institutions with the rest of the pack. TheChronicle of Higher Education reported that a full professorat the University of Chicago earned $203,600 for the 2012-13academic year. Almost identical salaries are given to full pro-fessors at Harvard University, and this is a far cry above themedian for full professors at less elite institutions.

It is fairly common for institutions to call students the heartand soul of the institution. Mission and Goal statements arefull of language pointing to students and their success as thereason d’être for their existence. In most graduation cere-monies, faculty turn to students for a kind of mutual congratu-lations, and the gesture is meant to pay homage to the facultywho are also often referred to as the heart of the institution.

However, the people who run the institutions from the col-lege president to the multiple vice presidents, the deans,department chairpersons, and other administrators and pro-fessional staff, again, depending on what rung of the ladder heor she is on, are typically more highly paid than faculty, andthey greatly outnumber typical college full-time faculties.

The CUPA-HR Administrators in Higher Education SalarySurvey For the 2012-2013 Academic Year showed the samesocioeconomic demarcations as found for faculty. Private col-lege administrators’ salary raises from 2011-12 to 2012-13increased more than public college administrators across theboard, with top executives’ median salary increases at privateinstitutions averaging 2.5 percent versus one percent for pub-lic college top executives.

This CUPA-HR report also discusses executive benefits –perks such as housing, car allowances, club memberships,deferred compensation programs, and performance-basedopportunities. The report lists the percentages of people get-ting these benefits across seven top executive positions:CEO/president of a college system, CEO/president/chancellorof a single institution or campus within a system, executivevice president/vice chancellor, chief academic affairsofficer/provost, chief business officer, chief athletic adminis-trator, and chief development/advancement officer.

Of course adding to the inequality, when an administratorgets a salary increase of 2 percent and a faculty member gets asimilar increase, we must consider the much higher basesalary the administrator earns so the dollars and centsincrease is actually quite disproportionate.

Other inequities are found across both private and publicinstitutions and among faculty and administrators, as forexample, women are typically paid less than men in highereducation. Minorities, particularly Latinos and blacks who aregreatly underrepresented in academia, typically earn lessmoney in both private and public colleges.

Higher education, thought by many to transcend the nation’s“great divide,” seems to simply mirror the national picture.

Angela Provitera McGlynn, professor emeritus ofpsychology, is an international consultant/presenter onteaching, learning, and diversity issues and the author ofseveral related books.


% Distribution of 2012-13Survey Respondents by Affiliation

PrivateReligious

24%

PrivateNon-Religious

29%

Public47%

Source: Administrators in Higher Education Salary Survey For the2012-2013 Academic Year, CUPA-HR, Spring, 2013, p.7.


ImplementingCommon Core

State Standardsby Gustavo A. Mellander

TheGeorge Washington University hosts the Centeron Education Policy (CEP), self-described as “anational independent advocate for public educa-

tion and for more effective public schools.” To remain unbi-ased and scholarly, the center has sought nearly all of its fund-ing from charitable foundations. Among other projects theyhave been monitoring public education and the proposednational Common Core changes for over three years.

Since most Hispanic children go to public schools, anyreforms as well as their successes – or failures – will affectthose students quite directly.

A word about our educational history

History matters. It affects the present and the future. In thiscountry the nation’s educational and political establishmentshave long supported ingrained educational independence andharbored a distrust of government. Suspicion of state andnational influence in local education decisions has alwaysbeen part of America’s reality. Local boards have jealouslyprotected their turf.

One should not forget that the federal government was notcompellingly involved in nationwide education policy deci-sions until 1957. There were a few attempts earlier but localopposition, read distrust, weakened these efforts. But in 1957all that changed. That year the nation was stunned by theSoviet Union’s successful launch of Sputnik. Fearful that we asa nation were falling behind the Soviets, Washington mobilizedto recast higher education and quickly thereafter K through 12education.

Powerful forces were opposed to such “interference.”Education had always been a local matter, a fiercely protectedprerogative in every state. Massive federal support and influ-ence came about when education was wedded to nationaldefense. It went like this: to protect the country, to counter theSoviets, the nation had to improve its education, so for the firsttime, The National Defense Act included funds for education.

A flood of funds flowed to universities and students. Onehad to have a vivid imagination, or a vested interest, to sup-port some of the programs. The connecting line betweennational defense and those disciplines was wobbly and attimes indecipherable. Sanskrit, ancient religious studies and

many other esoteric topics all received federal funding. Manya student struggled through odd and demanding disciplines.Those who survived discovered upon graduation that manywere unable to find related employment. I won’t go into detailabout the scores of students who completed graduate workwith federal fellowships at revered universities where theymajored in Swahili and other abstruse studies. They weretrained for jobs that did not exist.

All of this does not mean that federal assistance to educa-tion was useless or misdirected. Quite the contrary, hundredsof thousands, if not millions, benefitted and do so to this day.

Historically, our nation’s public education system hasserved as a foundation and bulwark for democracy. Nativeborn children and immigrants benefitted and became active,informed partners in crafting our democratic system. CEP iscommitted to public education and proclaims to help “citizensmake sense of the conflicting opinions and perceptions aboutpublic education and create the conditions that will lead tobetter public schools.”

That is a worthy goal and parenthetically, I assume, theywant to offer the same opportunities to non-citizens as well.

Common Core State Standards

The center has been monitoring the implementation of thenation’s Common Core State Standards (CCSS) since theirinception some four years ago.

Most states are in a crucial phase of implementing the corestandards. What they are? In short, they are guidelines whichspecify the knowledge and skills that students in gradeskindergarten through 12 should acquire in mathematics and

TARGETING HIGHER EDUCATION


English language arts (ELA) to be prepared for college andmeaningful careers. Clearly the program is of interest toHispanics for it will affect their students. Succeed or fail it willimpact their future.

As of a year ago, July 2013, 45 states and the District ofColumbia had adopted specific voluntary, state-developedstandards in both subjects. Minnesota only adopted the CCSSin ELA. Much time and effort has been invested. Steps toassess progress are scheduled for the 2014-15 school year.

So time has almost run out for states to ensure that teach-ers and students are prepared before tests measuring stu-dents’ mastery of the standards begin.

Many states have decided to connect their accountabilitysystems, including consequences for schools and districts, toperformance on those assessments. It could be a rockyprocess for some states.

Teachers and principals will be directly affected as well.Many states are developing educator evaluation systems thatwill hold these professionals accountable for their students’mastery of the CCSS.

Students will be expected to pass rigorous academic tests.Since many colleges are considering using CCSS- assessmentscores to make decisions about such issues as to which stu-dents need remedial courses, scores will have consequences.

Not wanting to wait until the results are in, and in an effortto learn more about states’ strategies, policies, and challengesin implementing the CCSS, the Center on Education Policyconducted a comprehensive survey of deputy superintendentsof education or their designees in February through May of2013. Forty states responded, including 39 that had adoptedthe CCSS in both math and ELA and one that had adopted thestandards in ELA only.

The survey findings represent the views of a majority of theadopting states. It was agreed to keep the responses confiden-tial to encourage frank answers.

The report discusses state views of the rigor of the CCSS,their impact on learning, and necessary changes in curricu-lum and instruction. Other issues addressed included:

“state timelines for teaching curricula aligned to the CCSS;state activities to implement the CCSS, including collabora-

tive efforts with other states and the impact of state fundingcuts; implementation challenges; and the capacity of state edu-cation agencies (SEAs) to carry out CCSS related activities.”

That’s a tremendous set of goals and, I am sure, they repre-sent hundreds of thousands of hours of work by thousands ofteachers and administrators. One shudders at their workload.

Bottom line

The survey report neatly ends by listing a number of con-clusions. To begin with, supporters of the Common Core areconfident that the proposed standards will raise the bar forstudent learning.

They acknowledge preparing students to meet more rigor-ous standards will require important shifts in curriculum andinstruction.

All of the adopting states view the CCSS in math and ELA tobe more rigorous than their previous state standards. Theyalso believe the CCSS will lead to improved student skills. Inaddition, the adopting states recognize and accept the fact thatimplementing the Common Core will require substantialchanges in curriculum and instruction in their state.

States are carrying out a variety of activities to help prepareteachers, principals, and students for the Common Core.Specifically, states are “engaged in CCSS-related professionaldevelopment activities for teachers and principals; informa-tional meetings with various stakeholders; activities to preparedistricts and schools for the CCSS-aligned assessments; andtechnical assistance related to the standards.”

Many states have collaborated in these efforts and, as aresult it is reported they have realized economies of scale andincreased state education agency expertise.

Furthermore, a majority of survey respondents report theirstate already has begun teaching CCSS aligned curricula. But itmust also be reported that in nine states, the process did noteven begin until this 2013-14 school year. Some will begineven later.

Although most adopting states support the CCSS and haveinitiated activities to implement them, many lack adequateresources to effectively carry out all CCSS-related activities.Thirty-four states reported that adequate resources are amajor (22 states) or minor (12) challenge to CCSS implemen-tation.

It is not yet known whether SEAs will have the fiscal capaci-ty to maintain and implement the standards. Depressingly, lessthan a quarter of the SEAs report having adequate staff exper-tise, staffing levels, and resources to implement variousaspects of the CCSS.

That general lack of capacity, combined with concernsabout adequate funding, might create greater implementationchallenges as the adopting states move closer to administeringthe CCSS-aligned assessments during the key 2014- 15 schoolyear.

Current realities

It is almost universally agreed that if Common Core is goingto succeed, many key players must be committed and on thesame page. Governors, state legislators, and state boards ofeducation members need to provide solid support andresources to implement the standards. These state leaders alsoneed to oversee staffing and operating budgets for their SEA toensure it has adequate staff and expertise to support CCSS-relat-ed activities. But of course, many leaders and lay persons havedifferent opinions about how state resources should be spent.

Matters might get more complicated in 2014 since thereare 36 gubernatorial elections on tap. Political realities mightcomplicate the ability of SEAs to provide leadership for the

Common Core. Supporters of the Common Core outside ofstate government – such as nonprofit organizations, institu-tions of higher education, the business sector, and philan-thropic organizations –could help states by providing assis-tance and support for CCSS implementation activities.

For example, some states need free and seamless access toproven CCSS professional development models for teachers andprincipals. Other states could benefit from being able to directdistricts and schools to experienced individuals for informationabout CCSS-aligned curricula and related materials.

Some SEAs might welcome efforts to expand their capacityto implement the Common Core, either through direct grantsfrom charitable organizations or through efforts to coordinateand share expertise and staffing across states.

Critics abound

Many find it hard to be optimistic. They have seen similarattempts many times before. The educational landscape is vastand ever so different by design and by years of accretion. Changewill not come easy even if well-meaning people work hard.

Can we really be sure that we are on the right track forsuch a large variety of goals? Failure among just a few of themcould doom the final outcome. They are all interconnected.

Yet, what’s the alternative? Do nothing? Nibble around theedges of this monumental problem? Most thinking persons

agree the problem of substandard education must beaddressed in its entirety, not piecemeal, not in selected areasof the country if it is to be radically changed.

The first step, and I wonder if it has been fully implement-ed, is to convince all involved that the goals, math and Englishproficiency, are worthy and more to the point, essential forchildren’s education.

Necessary for them to succeed, not only in school and col-lege, but in their lives. Has that case been made to their par-ents? Reforms can’t just be embraced by elite professionalssuch as teachers, administrators and policymakers.

And what about the ever present gulf of suspicion betweenthe general public and those far away bureaucrats that areensconced in state capitals or Washington?

If all diverse constituencies are not fully on board, theprospect of succeeding is bleak. Sorry but true. Look at thegraveyard of good ideas that never had a chance to succeed.

But I for one remain optimistic, for pessimism never yieldsgood results. It’s a tough battle, as noted earlier a lot of vestedinterests, a history of opposition to nationwide standards, anda disillusioned community with public education will be sig-nificant stumbling blocks.

But what’s the alternative?


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University of South Florida System is a high-impact, global research system dedicated tostudent success. The USF System includes three institutions: USF; USF St. Petersburg; andUSF Sarasota-Manatee. The institutions are separately accredited by the Commission on

Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. All institutions have distinct missionsand their own detailed strategic plans. Serving more than 47,000 students, the USF System has anannual budget of $1.5 billion and an annual economic impact of $4.4 billion. USF is a member ofthe American Athletic Conference.

Administrative and Executive Positions:News Director (WUSF-FM) Director of Economic DevelopmentPsychologists (2) Director of Institutional Research

(St. Petersburg Campus)Director of Events Regional Chancellor (Sarasota/Manatee)Assistant Vice President (Career Services) Regional Assoc. Vice Chancellor

(St. Petersburg)Faculty Positions:

College of Medicine College of Public HealthFull, Associate, Assistant Professor (Pharmacy) Postdoctoral Scholar Research Assistant Professor (General Surgery) Assistant Professor (Vascular Surgery) College of the Arts- School of Music

(Gastroenterology/Esophagology) Assistant Professor (Piano)Assistant Professor (General OB/GYN)Assistant Professor (Cardiology) College of Arts and Sciences Assistant Professor (Dermatology) Visiting Instructor (English)Associate/Full Professor (Senior Faculty Biostatistician) Instructor (Women & Gender Studies)Hospitalists-Assistant Professor (Internal Medicine) Instructor (Art & Media)Asst/Assoc/Full Professor (Endocrinologist) Visiting Instructor (School of Public Affairs)Dean (Honors College)Research Associate Assistant Professor (Physical Volcanology)Assistant Professor (Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine)

Assistant Professor (Theory & Community Journalism)

Assistant/Associate Professor (Pharmacy) Instructor/Assistant Director (Humanities Institute)

Director (Continuing Education)College of Engineering Faculty Coordinator

(E-Learning/Instructor-Sarasota Campus)Instructor (Mechanical Engineering) Assistant Professor

(Information Technology-Sarasota Campus)Instructor, Assistant Professor

(Computer Sci & Engineering) Assistant Professor, Education(St. Petersburg Campus) (2)

Instructor, Management (St. Petersburg Campus)

Assistant/Associate Professor, Accounting(St. Petersburg Campus)

For a job description on the above listed positions including department, disciple and deadline dates: (1) visit our Careers@USF Web site at

https://employment.usf.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/Welcome_css.jsp; or (2) contact The Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity, (813) 974-4373;

or (3) call USF job line at 813.974.2879. USF is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution, committed to excellence through diversity in education and employment.

www.usf.edu • 4202 E. Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33620

MCC, a dynamic institution with state-of-the-art facilities, outstanding educational programs, and a strongcommitment to diversity, is seeking candidates to fill an anticipated opening for:

Instructor of Criminal Justice

For a copy of the vacancy announcement, including minimum qualifications and application deadline, pleasevisit our Web site at www.mcc.commnet.edu. Please send letter of intent, resume, transcripts, email addressand the names of three references to: Holly Foetsch, Interim Director of Human Resources; ManchesterCommunity College; Great Path, MS #2; P.O. Box 1046, Manchester, CT 06045-1046

Or e-mail the required application information noted above to the Department of Human Resources: c/o [email protected] EOE/AA/M/F

http://www.hbs.edu/research/faculty-recruiting

https://employment.usf.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/welcome_css.jsp

http://www.riohondo.edu/hr

http://www.mcc.commnet.edu


Westchester Community College is committed to hiring innovative administrators, faculty members, and staff. Women, minorities and those dedicated to diversity and multiculturalism are strongly encouraged to apply. Full-time positions include excellent bene�ts. Hiring subject to availability of funds.

Administrators and Staff • Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, Educational Opportunity Center (EOC),

Yonkers (search reopened)• Of�ce Assistant (Word Processing-Spanish Speaking), EOC• Program Coordinator (Network Systems)• Senior Tutors (hourly position, EOC)• TASC Test Coordinator (hourly position, EOC)• TASC Examiner (hourly position, EOC)• Technical Assistant for Allied Health (hourly position, EOC)

Full-time FacultyInstructor-level positions start in the Fall 2014. Requires Masters plus one-year related experience, unless otherwise indicated on website.• Chemistry (search reopened)• Digital Film• Emergency Medical Service• Fashion Design (also serves as Curriculum Chair)• Librarian

Part-time Faculty Adjuncts at Educational Opportunity Center, Yonkers. Requires Masters and one-year related experience unless otherwise indicated on website.• Career Readiness, EMT, ESOL, Nursing

For details, visit www.sunywcc.edu/jobs. Applications accepted until positions are �lled. Resumes to Human Resources, Westchester Community College, 75 Grasslands Road, Valhalla, NY 10595; fax 914-606-7838; email Word documents to [email protected]. Please indicate position of interest on envelope or in email “subject” �eld. AA/EOE.

WESTCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Administrator, Staff & Faculty Positions

Faculty Coordinator of Supplemental InstructionThe Faculty Coordinator of Supplemental Instruction is responsible for the development,implementation, and supervision of a peer led supplemental instruction (SI) program inbiological sciences. This project is anticipated to run through 2019. This position will beresponsible for working with faculty to identify and select SI leaders, provide trainingand consultative services to faculty, train and provide assistance to SI leaders, monitorthe quality of SI sessions, arrange for logistical support, and evaluate the SI program.

Minimum requirements:• Master’s degree in a lab science field from a regionally accredited university

(e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, etc.).• Experience in the administration, supervision, and/or budgetary management

of academic support centers or supplemental instruction programs at an institution of higher education.

• Experience in successfully planning, executing and evaluating new programs and initiatives.

• Two (2) years post-secondary teaching experience in the lab sciences

Preferred requirements:• Master’s degree in biology from a regionally accredited university preferred• Two (2) years’ experience coordinating supplemental instruction, tutoring or

similar academic support programs or services at an institute of higher learning.• Community college teaching experience in the lab sciences• Experience with assessment of student learning outcomes • Experience with proven programmatic methods in overcoming barriers to academic

success.

GTCC is strongly committed to diversity and welcomes applications from all qualifiedcandidates, particularly minorities & faculty under-represented in higher education.

Visit our website www.gtcc.edu to apply and view the complete job description.

GUILFORD TECHNICALCOMMUNITY COLLEGE

FACULTY SEARCHESRutgers-Camden is the southern campus of Rutgers, The State Universityof New Jersey. It is located in a dynamic urban area, just across theDelaware River from downtown Philadelphia. The campus includesundergraduate and graduate Arts and Sciences programs, a School ofBusiness, a School of Law, and a School of Nursing.

Mathematical ScienceFull-time InstructorNon-Tenure Track

Political Science Assistant Professor

Subfield: American Government, Urban Politics and Policy

For specific information about any of these positions, includingqualifications and deadlines, see our website at

http://fas.camden.rutgers.edu/faculty-research/fas-job-searches.

Rutgers University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.The University and our departments seek to attract an active, culturally

diverse faculty and staff of the highest caliber. Women and minorities arestrongly encouraged to apply. In addition, Rutgers University is the

recipient of a National Foundation ADVANCE InstitutionalTransformation Award to increase the participation of women in academic

science and engineering careers.

American UniversityCollege of Arts and Sciences

Department of BiologyThe Department of Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences at AmericanUniversity invites applications for a full-time, term faculty position as the Director ofBiology Teaching Laboratories to begin August 1, 2014. A PhD in Biology or a closelyrelated field, 3 years post-doctoral research experience, and 3 years teachingexperience are required. Strong management and organization skills must bedemonstrated. Proficiency in developing laboratory pedagogy and membership inrelevant professional associations is desirable.

The successful candidate will directly supervise faculty and graduate students whoteach the lab sections for the introductory Biology courses and be responsible for thesafety, quality, and rigor of the student performance in those lab sections. The candidateshould have strong writing skills in terms of creating lab exercises and submittingrelevant grants. Additional duties may also be assigned by the Biology Chair.

Send letter of application addressing relevant teaching interests and experience, C.V.,and three letters of reference to: Dr. David Carlini, Chair, Search Committee;Department of Biology; American University, Hurst Hall, Rm. 101, 4400Massachusetts Ave, NW; Washington, DC 20016. Send electronic submissions [email protected] (electronic submissions strongly encouraged). Applicationswill be considered until the position is filled.

American University is an American University is an Affirmative Action employer. Allqualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race,color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status. AmericanUniversity is a tobacco and smoke free campus.

http://www.gtcc.edu

http://fas.camden.rutgers.edu/faculty-research/fas-job-searches


Jan. 27 Financing a College Education Jan 21

Feb. 10 Feb. 4

Feb. 24 Women in Higher Education Feb. 18

March 10 March 4

March 24 Community College Issue March 18

April 7 Graduate School Issue April 1

April 21 April 15

May 5 Top 100 College for Hispanics April 29

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June 30 Health Professions Issue June 24

July 14 July 8

August 4 Arts Issue July 29 August 25 August 19

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Sept. 22 Back to School Issue Sept. 16

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“Ability may get you to the top, but it takes characterto keep you there.” – John Wooden

ManyLatino students can tell you who tops themusic charts, which actors receivedOscars and the star athletes for major

football and basketball teams. Hero worship is natural, sowe need to encourage students to look beyond the whoopla,examine the effort required to stay on top and note the signsof character the stars demonstrate. A closer look may causesome Hispanic students to revise their list.

Through friendly conversation any adult can ask Latino stu-dents who they admire and why. Important questions beyondwhich awards were received, which designer brands wereworn or how much money someone earned need to be asked.Keep your opinions out of it, ask the reasons for their choicesand then listen carefully. What you hear Latino students sayabout character will likely fall into the categories determinedby Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman in their workon human strengths and virtues. The categories are universalthough the examples can be unique and personally relevant.

Start with looking for wisdom and knowledge. Is the per-son the student admires curious, creative and open to life-long learning? Some Latino students may focus on celebri-ties surrounded by paparazzi and drama and not knowabout what celebrities do outside the spotlight. SomeHispanic students, though, might find themselves talkingabout a loved one who has made wise choices and learnedmuch, regardless of circumstance. Whether it is a rap orhip-hop star spouting off or Tio Patricio heading off a familyargument, Hispanic students can learn about people and usethose lessons to make wise choices.

Search for examples of courage. Latinos can find exam-ples of bravery among those who have served their country,for Hispanics are most heavily represented in the military,including casualties. But look closer than a foreign battle-field. Who has stood in the face of adversity or ridicule andstuck with their beliefs? Ask Latino students to find andshare examples of how their heroes have persevered in the

face of trouble, then comecloser to home and talk aboutpeople they know who havelost or failed and yet contin-ued despite defeat. It might be a modern Babe Ruth – or itcould be a parent who completed college while raising afamily and holding a job. Ask the students about integrity –how many people on their most-admired list tell the truthand follow through on what they say they will do? With scan-dals reported by the media, students can name famouscelebrities who have been discovered to lie or cheat. Forstudents who have had many promises broken, the questionof integrity might ring most true. When it comes to their ownlives, students will often admit that if a person is not goodon their word, they probably are not good for much else(though they still may think that the glamour shown bymedia is exciting, so help them distinguish the two!)

Ask the young Latino how his superstar shows humanity.Does the hero help others? Speak up for those who can’thelp themselves? Is their idol kind and generous, seeing thesimilarities rather than the differences between people?Does the person they regard highly seek justice for othersthrough leadership and good citizenship? Again, ask who inhis personal experience has shown those traits. Comparingreal life examples to famous media personalities may helpstudents judge a distant hero more accurately.

Encourage Hispanic students to examine the people theymost admire in terms of prudence, modesty, moderation andgood judgment. If these ideal people show restraint and humil-ity, they probably are insightful about their own shortcomingsand are more grounded than those who lose control. (Andsince the ones without control are usually more notorious thanfamous, help Latino students distinguish between the two).

Finally, Hispanic students should scrutinize those theyadmire for signs of gratitude, spirituality and appreciationfor what is good. If the heroes lack those elements of grace,chances are they are arrogant, self-absorbed or unworthy ofthe attention and credibility young people give them. YoungLatinos can then decide who really is awesome after all.

CALLING ALL ROLE MODELSPriming the Pump...

Miquela Rivera, PhD, is a licensed psychologist withyears of clinical, early childhood and consultativeexperience. She lives in Albuquerque, N.M.

Documents

05/19/2014 Admissions Process