From Access to Success

Alliance for College ReadinessMartha CasazzaSeptember 29, 2010

Four Themes:

1. Belief in Students

2. Access with Standards

3. Genuine Commitment

4. Strong Support Systems

1. Belief in Students

a. Empathy…

I have a bachelor’s degree in political science and history, an M.Ed. in counseling and guidance, and a Ph.D. in counseling and psychology. My test scores always indicated that I would not do well in a college setting. As a matter of fact, my high school counselor told me to go to a technical school and not waste my time in a “real” school. She indicated I would never make it.

Empathy (continued…)

I had parents who did not complete a formal education but were strong advocates of education. They always told me and my siblings that education would be the way for us to get out of the migrant farm work cycle.

Empathy (continued…)

I was one of those kids that so many of these programs are geared toward. My mother, father and I migrated to LA in the early 50s. They were very poor and we lived in a fairly poor part of town. My education in high school…was pretty nondescript and uneventful and certainly undistinguished…

Empathy (continued…)

…You know I was doing my usual drifting through high school thing. I was sleepwalking through high school. But you know, like so many kids, I was just hungry for something, anything…I certainly know what it is like to sit there and look at books and not know what you are reading.

b. Two-way effect…

What do I contribute to students? Now, this sounds almost mundane, but it begins with the fact that I really like them and they feel safe with me…one other thing that’s interesting is that I still get to tutor. I tutor all kinds of odd things, and that’s really a gift from the student to me.

Two way effect (continued…)

Like I have just gone through Socrates’ Myth of the Cave, which I would not have had the chance to look at again if it hadn’t been for the student who couldn’t understand it. So, I had to refresh and get on with all that. But those are the gifts to me; I don’t really know what gifts we give to the students.

c. Beyond the classroom…

See the War Lord of the Omega Soul Gents was one of my students. I thought we were doing really well with him. The guy managed to make the transition from the streets to campus and even got reasonably good grades. After his 2nd semester, he came into my office and said,

Beyond the classroom (continued…)

‘ Hunter, I’m leaving because college is something you have to make a commitment to, and you got to spend time at it. And every minute is spent on campus studying…it takes me away from the street. I can feel my street skills atrophying, and I can’t afford to do this.’

Beyond the classroom (continued…)

…and I realized in talking to him…that we had failed him. We didn’t realize what was going on in his life. We were very happily tutoring him in English and talking to him about how to register…but we never paid attention to the fact that it’s a horrible transition to go from living on the streets which he literally did.

Beyond the classroom (continued)…

He had a great influence on me in terms of helping me to recognize what we were missing in dealing with students. Their lives had more to do with their success in college than my petty tutoring support…this student, by the way, ended up getting a graduate degree and went to work for a Talent Search program.

d. Challenge the System…

Another professor I had was Dean Blocker, and from the day I stepped on campus at Morehouse College, he was just like a staunch supporter and mentor. And when he tested me and my reading score came back really bad, Morehouse was pretty much sure they were not going to accept me…

Challenge the System (continued…)

…He went to the Admissions office and fought for me and told them, ‘ Just give this kid a chance.’ He was the first person who said, ‘ You can do this.’

2. Provide Access with Standards

a. Eliminate the Revolving Door…

Access is certainly important; I thought it was 30 years ago, and I still think it is critically important. I think it is not ALL that is important. What I am afraid of is that researchers are studying questions of policy; that is, they are trying to tell legislators what they ought to do about making access available…

Eliminate the Revolving Door (continued…)

…that is the first step, but I think we ought to be going beyond that to asking, ‘OK, once they get access, what are we doing in terms of learning?’ I guess the most common misperception probably is that quality and access are incompatible with goals for excellence and education…we know that many people who have not done well previously are capable of doing extremely well.

b. Institutional Responsibility Toward Society…

There is also a growing perception that the narrow range of academic talents is not all we need in an open society. We need people…who are very sensitive and work well with other people. We need people-oriented skills; we have not even approached that in higher education, yet more people lose their jobs because they can’t get along with other people.

c. Set Rigorous expectations…

I think we have a responsibility to the institution of not passing students…that very well may have been what happened to us in the 1970s. If, in the top level of developmental writing you are held to standards of how many people passed the course, then a lot of people are going to pass the course…

Set Rigorous expectations (continued…)

…on the other hand, if your assessment is based on how many people, of those who successfully complete, are going to successfully complete a college-level writing course, then you have the dual role of maintaining standards while providing access.

3. Genuine Commitment

a. Starting at the Top…

As I’ve said, you cannot be successful…if the president is not on board, up front in words and deeds. If not, it’s going to get a low priority even though it should have a high one, and it won’t be successful.

Starting at the Top (continued…)

… The other point is that your academic faculty has to be positive too. It’s amazing to me how blind they are. I mean these are people who ask, ‘Why are they here? Why are we dealing with these kinds of people?’

Nothing is successfully implemented by people who don’t believe in what you are doing or won’t take ownership.

b. Involve Significant Decision Makers…

I particularly went out and spent six months visiting with community groups and particularly with religious leadership and built that base before proceeding, before we moved anything or announced anything or went to my Board with it. Nothing is successfully implemented by people who don’t believe in what you’re doing or won’t take ownership.

c. Policy Makers and Practitioners Collaborate…

We need to wiggle into lots of different opportunities to be recognized across our institutions. We find ways to interact with faculty members…you also have to build support with your administrators, and those administrators can make a great deal of difference.

4. Strong Support Systems

a. Comprehensive System…

I see developmental education as…a means with which an individual not only improves academically but personally. Feeling better about ourselves has an effect on our self-esteem.

Comprehensive System (continued…)

At first I was really embarrassed about it, cause you know I didn’t understand it. And it was kind of like a shame like I had some type of disability. But somehow they helped to suppress that feeling about being embarrassed and stuff. They helped me…understand that everyone learns in a different way. That made me start feeling comfortable and…I was able to make assignments in my class focus more and complete those studies successfully.

Comprehensive System (continued…)

At the learning center, I can see a student holistically and I can come from the student’s point of view rather than from the informational broadcasting point of view that some faculty are tied to. That helps a lot in the classroom because I think you can be more sensitive to the individual.

b. Variations Across Institutions…

My experience with academic support was really good. Everyone there, they didn’t treat you like a stranger; they treated you more like a family member which I loved…I had a great tutor. She helped me focus on catching my own errors so that I didn’t have to use her as a crutch to help me focus.

c. Integrate Across Culture…

One of my earlier instructors was very positive, and that always affected me. In that classroom, there was almost a paper every week, but it was her encouragement…’Oh, you’re doing fine; you’re doing fine.’ I started doing more and more and then I felt that yes, I can do it. You know it is all the attitude of how you’re perceived, how you’re nourished.

Integrate Across Culture (continued…)

Of course everybody is different, and I guess as a teacher you probably have your own style. But, some teachers don’t realize that it is very, very important for students to get motivated. In other words, they don’t really motivate the students as much as they should.

Vision for the Future

Access is not optional

Access and Excellence Work Together

Transform Systems to Support Students

Five Recommendations

1. Provide Meaningful Access

2. Address the Whole Person

3. Integrate Support Systems

4. Develop Reward System that Values Teaching

5. Develop a Culture of Evidence

Provide Meaningful Access

Create Support System to Fit Institution’s Students and Mission

Create Academic Partnerships Across All Levels

Ensure that high schools raise expectations

Address the Whole Person

Consider the Changing Demographics

Integrate Cognitive and Affective Development

Emphasize Strategies over Skills

Create Intrusive Advising Systems

Monitor Progress Longitudinally

Integrate Support Systems

Create System of Shared Decision Making

Decrease Dependence on External Funding

Build Academic Support into Institutional Strategic Planning

Develop Reward System that Rewards Teaching

Create Faculty Development Opportunities

Implement Institution-Wide System of Faculty Evaluation

Develop a Culture of Evidence

Build Comprehensive System of Assessment

Disseminate Data Widely to ALL Stakeholders

Provide evidence to encourage funding for seamless system of education

In conclusion…

…always remember that the job is about helping human beings to develop; it is not necessarily about gaining better skills in math. That is simply an instrument in helping people to grow…you will never forget what you will feel and what you get back from students that you really help. If you’re really there to help them, it will give you some life satisfactions that few people have.

Robert McCabe, former president Miami-Dade Community College