The Positive Commandments:

Ten Ways Community Colleges Help Students Succeed

Linda Serra Hagedorn, Ph. D.

2004

Commandment I: Encourage faculty-student interaction; recruit instructors who offer time, attention and resources to facilitate student development; include student interaction in the faculty reward system. “The value of time spent between a faculty member and a student cannot be overemphasized. Campuses that genuinely prioritize student success encourage and reward faculty who take an interest in student development by giving their time, energy, and academic resources.”

Commandment II: Offer affordable education together with multiple forms of financial aid. “By making every possible effort to fund students’ education and then tracking their progress, the EPO&S program sets an outstanding example of the way college administration can work with students to advance their success.”

Commandment III: Offer flexibility in course times and offerings by opening sections to suit student demand and convenience. Offer many courses in the evenings and on weekends. “Many community college students hold full-time day jobs while they work toward their degrees and certificates; therefore, it is crucial for the college to be open and active in the evening hours so that employed students have options. Special resources, like the writing center and library, must also be open and available….”

Commandment IV: Maintain transfer centers where students can receive information to allow them to identify four-year schools that offer and/or specialize in the course of study they wish to pursue. ”While some students, faculty and administrators are modifying their definitions of ‘success’ in the community college context to include alternatives other than transfer, many students still judge the quality of a particular campus by the ‘opportunity to get accepted at any university….As long as transfer remains one of the primary functions of the community college, all campuses should maintain functional transfer centers with knowledgeable and friendly staff.”

Commandment V: Hire and retain faculty who are experts in their discipline. “…[I]deally a community college instructor would have both content knowledge and the ability to convey information in a competent manner. One without the other is incomplete. Fundamentally, administrators are responsible for hiring and recruiting appropriately trained faculty. They are also responsible for making sure that faculty have time and freedom to dedicate themselves fully to the task of teaching, which necessarily involves the cultivation of meaningful relationships with students.”

Commandment VI: Promote student study skills and academic preparation though on-campus assistance with writing, computer skills and learning resources. Find innovative ways to introduce students to available services. “For students who come to the community college without cultural capital or academic savvy, resources must be readily available and identifiable in order to appear accessible. Unlike their four-year counterparts who have in many cases visited college campuses….community college students can often feel lost in the shuffle.”

Commandment VII: Provide sufficient technology and/or computer access for all students. Make electronic resources available at convenient times. “Students who have computer access at home take for granted their ability to type assignments for class without the worry of whether or not a twenty or thirty minute wait to use a campus computer will make them late for work….However, many community college students face technology difficulties every day.”

Commandment VIII: Provide campuses in key locations so students can attend classes locally and not travel far from home or work. “Today, many community colleges are bursting at the seams and trying to find new ways to use existing space so that the maximum number of students can find classes at convenient times….In sum, many of the students we talked with cited the college’s location as the primary factor in their decision to enroll.”

Commandment IX: Incorporate work-study programs so students can work and study in one place, allowing them to take more classes or focus more directly on their degree or certificate progress. “The secret to enhancing services for students is to find a mutually beneficial arrangement so students can learn and develop their own skills while at the same time help to reinforce the goals and mission of the college….By recognizing the need for many students to find employment, and in offering job opportunities on campus, the LACCD campuses are increasing the likelihood that more students will attend classes and make timely progress toward their goals.”

Commandment X: Hold career days and fairs, and offer career counseling, to expose students to diverse career paths and employment opportunities. “While counseling advice is still seen as central to the process of navigating the community college experience, career counselors focus solely on helping students determine a major course of study or employment trajectory. Some student like to visit career counselors just to find inspiration.”