BUNKER HILL Community College president Mary Fifield, who is retiring in June, engineered impressive enrollment gains and innovations such as midnight classes at the Charlestown campus. She’s a star. Across town at Roxbury Community College, former president Terrence Gomes stumbled around before resigning last year amid charges of sloppy distribution of financial aid and underreporting of campus crime. He’s a washout. But both presidents have something significant in common: low graduation rates.
Searches are underway at both campuses for new presidents. But the lack of buzz in Boston about the effort is surprising, especially given the Obama administration’s recent focus on community colleges as gateways to the middle class. Governor Deval Patrick and Mayor Thomas Menino should be standing on their heads trying to attract first-rate candidates to these posts.
Comments
While I understand holding schools acountble - I am perplexed as how schools are supposed to ensure that students graduate- if a student does not care enough or is uanble to complete their education - how is that the fault of the school? Also, the "higher performing" MAss BAy Community College is more a function of demographics.
In full disclosure, I took a class at RCC and BHCC and found boht professors hard working, accessible and good teachers - and I have an MBA - so I know from higher ed as I play one on TV
You try holding down a job and a full course load for years. It can be done, I did it, but I had lots and lots of support from all fronts. If I hadn't had that it would havebeen impossible.
It's the nature of the beast with these types of schools. As Frans stated, most of these students are working full time or are full time parents on limited income. Of course not everyone will be able to finish. The spoiled brat that is away at a four year school that mom and dad is mortgaging the farm for is partying away and occasionally attending class but his chances of graduating are far greater because he doesn't have to worry where the money's coming from.