Contra factoidal warpitude

In this morning’s OC Register, our own Bill Hewitt provides a fine answer to a recent (11/26) article concerning low transfer rates (to four-year institutions) in the state’s community college system (Don't judge community colleges by transfer rates only):

The story…was absolutely a call of alarm about our state's community colleges and their transfer rates. Indeed, a large portion of self-proclaimed transfer students are young, ill-advised and uncertain as to their occupational futures. Many of them are stuck in a revolving door of uncertainty and are very much in need of proper guidance.

Let us, however, take a closer look at the non-transferring student body within this system, because while the article cites “only about a quarter of students who were focused on transfer courses in their first year eventually transferred to a four-year institution,” it fails to mention that of the remaining non-transfer students, many do obtain marketable skills for gainful employment. For these non-transfers, now contributing members of society, proud members of our state's taxpaying workforce, the California community college system has proved a success.

Also unaccounted for in this article is the nearly 30 percent of our state's community college student body who already hold baccalaureate degrees, and have enrolled in community colleges to obtain marketable skills as required by their employers. For this additional 30 percent, California's community college system provides a low cost way to, in fact, meet their immediate goal – to get a job or further their career. Perhaps in examining the true value of our system's transfer rates, we should look not at the number of students transferring but rather at the percentage of those students who wish to transfer and do.

Rather than push community college students to achieve one goal (to transfer), our students' individual goals should continue to be realized and supported. Many students who initially identify themselves as transfer students leave once they have obtained marketable skills – goal achieved. For others, community college is a place to return after already obtaining a degree to gain necessary enhanced skills – goal achieved. While many may feel transfer rates are indicative of community college success, I believe our system was meant to serve any and all deserving of a higher education, and believe further that we are doing just that.

Bill Hewitt
Irvine
president elect, Faculty Association of California Community Colleges; director of support services at Irvine Valley College

See also our own Sans surge (11/25)
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A QUOTATION FOR YOUR DAY:

“She’s like a bag of puppies, each ambition tumbling over the others in a desire to get out. And sometimes those puppies bite.”

—About actress Kristin Chenoweth (She Sings! She Acts! She Prays! NY Times)