|
|
|
The views expressed on this page are
solely
those of the author and do not
necessarily represent the views of County
News Online
|
|
Permission granted by RCC
Education Dive
President Speaks: COVID-19 lessons are preparing community colleges to better serve their communities
Valerie Roberson
President, Roxbury Community College, Massachusetts
April 27, 2020
While the transition from in-person to remote learning has been
difficult for all institutions of higher learning, it has been
particularly difficult for community colleges, which are used to
accomplishing more with less and keeping costs as low as possible for
their students.
Community colleges serve students who may not have access to laptops,
tablets and high-speed internet. More than 80% of students at Roxbury
Community College (RCC) are eligible to receive Pell Grants. Many of
them are still becoming familiar with web-based technology. Several
face the additional challenges of juggling their schoolwork with caring
for children at home as well as the financial pressures caused by
COVID-19.
Faculty members are also adjusting to this unprecedented situation,
which has required many of them to adapt to new technology and learn
how to operate web-based collaboration tools they have never used
before. COVID-19 has presented a steep learning curve for all of us.
Community colleges and other institutes of higher learning can not only
survive this crisis but can find themselves in an even stronger
position than before by implementing the following ideas.
Make health the top priority. Take whatever steps are necessary to make
sure your campus is a safe place for your students and staff to learn
and work. Err on the side of being cautious, even if it means extending
the period when remote learning is necessary.
Keep the focus on the students. Keep your students at the forefront of
every decision that you make. Affordability is the cornerstone of equal
access. Keep overhead and fees low to make a college education
affordable for as many students as possible regardless of their income
level. Don't pass expenses on to students. Designate a significant
portion of federal funds to help them.
Find ways to provide student support that addresses nonacademic needs
that can be a barrier to completion, such as food insecurity and
social-emotional support. Offer options including refunds to students
who need to postpone their education due to economic hardship caused by
COVID-19.
Communicate with your community early and often. Uncertainty breeds
mistrust and fear. Be transparent about all decisions and developments.
Keep your website updated, so anyone can easily find the information
they need. In addition, reach out to your students in the places where
they get their information, including email, Facebook and Instagram.
Communication also needs to be a two-way street. Ask your students for
their feedback and set up mechanisms where they can be heard. All
community colleges are required to survey their students; work with
your colleagues in institutional relations to develop and distribute
surveys that collect student input on decisions related to
commencement, re-opening campus facilities and more.
Remote learning is a process. Don't assume the need for technical
support and training ended the moment the first remote class went
online. Create an environment where both staff and students feel
comfortable asking technical questions and provide them with the
resources they need to enhance their online skills moving forward.
Exploring new and better ways to use remote learning may make community
college classes accessible to even more students in the future.
Mastering this new realm of higher education will be an asset to
community colleges going forward.
|
|
|
|
