Today's 'Neglected Majority'BY ROD A. RISLEYnn 1985, then AACC President Dale Parnell wrote of the

"neglected majority," a phrase he coined for the astounding 70percent of high school graduates who did not plan or aspire toattain baccalaureate degrees. Shocked by his findings, the authorand former community college president called for technology-

prep programs in high schools and community colleges. His hope: thatthe programs would result in a more highly skilled U.S. worl<force.

Twenty-two years later, community college and public policy leaders still facethe challenge of developing a competitive workforce, but the playing field haschanged dramatically. The worldbrce skill level necessary to compete in a globaleconomy and earn a livable wage will require, at minimum, an associate degree;higher-paying jobs will require a baccalaureate degree.

New strategies are urgently needed to address today's "neglected majority." Liketheir predecessors, this vast population of Americans likely will not earn baccalau-reate degrees. Although the National Center for Education Statistics projects thata higher percentage of high school graduates will enroll in postsecondary institu-tions than ever before, little progress will be made in increasing the number whoearn baccalaureate degrees unless significant intervention occurs. AACC's Achiev-ing the Dream initiative is developing and promoting many strategies for improv-ing access to the baccalaureate degree, but more programs like it are needed.

As part of a comprehensive plan to prepare students for success, more com-munity colleges should explore establishing or expanding honors programs. Suchprograms bave been shown to improve student retention, boost graduation rates,and increase the number of students pursuing baccalaureate degrees. Honors offer-ings also address the concerns of corporate leaders who call for workers with criti-cal-tbinking, communications, and problem*so!ving skills. What's more, a stronghonors program is a vehicle for student recruitment and improves the institution'simage in the eyes of tbe community and the education arena at large.

Obvious advantages aside, there are critics who argue that honors programs areantithetical to tbe mission of community colleges. It is true that these programsserve a relatively small segment of the student population compared with thenumber of underprepared students who enroll in otber, more general two-yearinstitutions—and, yes, the two compete for funding. But another argument can bemade that community colleges fulfill their missions more effectively by providinga balance of educational offerings, sucb as development programs for the underpre-pared and rigorous academic courses for the underserved. After all, don't commu-nity colleges have an ethical responsibility to provide programs for all students?

Just ask Miami Dade College graduateSusana Montes. Montes, who recentlyreceived a S50,000 scholarship to at-tend California's prestigious StanfordUniversity, says she never would havedreamed of attaining an elite highereducation were it not for her experi-ence at Miami Dade.

"The Honors Collegewas my visa to Stanford. I'mnot sure that I would have evenconsidered Stanford if it weren'tfor the support, encouragement,and preparation I received in theHonors Coliege."

—Susana Montes,Miami Dade College graduate

"The Honors College was my visa toStanford," Montes, a native of Colom-bia, said. "I'm not sure that 1 wouldhave even considered Stanford if itweren't for tbe support, encourage-ment, and preparation I received in theHonors College. When so many indi-viduals believe in you and challengeyou, you start to believe in yourself"

"That's the philosophy at MiamiDade's Honors College," said Dr. E.Carter Burrus, who has specialized inhonors education at tbe Florida campusfor 18 years.

"We are empowering these stu-dents—making them feel confident,"said Burrus, now director of the HonorsCollege at Miami Dade's North Campus.

Miami Dade North Campus Honors

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College students are primarily young,hrst-generation students. Many are His-panic or black and are from economi-cally disadvantaged backgrounds; manynever considered pursuing a bacca-laureate degree. Yet, officials at MiamiDade report, more than 85 percent ofits Honors College students completeits rigorous academic program andhead for the nation's most prestigiouscolleges. Among the Class of 2007,12graduates have been accepted at Tulaneand seven are transferring to Cornell.Other graduates will attend Emory,Columbia, and the University of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill.

Honors programs at community col-leges follow the same basic guidelinesas their four-year counterparts. Classesare designed with student demograph-ics, college culture, and locale in mind.Community colleges use the cohortstructure, designing specific, interdis-ciplinary classes for honors-programmembers; many students also signhonors contracts, which require honorsstudents enrolled in non-honors classesto meet a higher academic standard.

There is, perhaps, a misperceptionof t he breadth of student interest incommunity college honors programs.Many assume honors programs attractonly a small cohort of full-time, non-traditional-aged students. But manyhonors directors report that their pro-grams are popular with students froma wide range of ages, backgrounds, andinterests.

At Johnson County CommunityCollege aCCC) in Overland Park, Kan.,Honors Director Ruth Randall said thehonors program attracts more nontra-ditional-aged students. Randall sees thisas partly due to college demographicsand partly due to the strong com-mitment that older students tend toexhibit. "Our average age is 27-plus, andthe average age for an honors-programstudent is older, 29 to 30," she said. "1think the reason lies in the fact that theolder students are often the more seri-ous students."

But the programs attract youngerlearners as well. "A rigorous honorsprogram is the best way to reach out to

absolutely brought us a much**better pool of candidates,

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high school high achievers," said RogerEkins, former dean and director of thehonors program at Butte College inOroville, Calif. "We need to offer notonlv an affordable edLication but a rich

education^so that high school stu-dents don't come to community collegeas a last resort, but as an option."

"Many of our students don't come tothis community college witb the idea

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of ever getting accepted into a competi-tive university. They come with theirsights set low. An honors program canchange that," said Ekins, v^ho has seenButte's honors students be accepted byBerkeley, Stanford, and other leadinguniversities.

Like Burrus in Florida, Ekins inCalifornia can attest to the value ofan honors program from a recruiter'sperspective. "A Berkeley recruiter toldme that students in honors programshave a better chance of acceptance," hesaid. Statistical evidence supports thepremise that four-year universities areeager to recruit honors students. Thechallenge is that community collegesoften do a poor job of identifying hon-ors students to four-year colleges.

In a recent survey of 600 four-yearcolleges, 70 percent indicated theywere aware of two^yeai' colleges in theirrecruitment area that sponsor honorsprograms. What's more, 99 percent of uni-versities said they would actively recruithonors students if community collegesdid a better job of identifying them.

One caveat for community col-leges establishing honors programs isthat they must be vrilling to commitnecessary resources to ensure studentsuccess. Community college honorsprograms will face scrutiny from thepublic and from senior college andeducation leaders. It is an unusual andtimely opportunity to promote thequality of instruction, hut the effortcould backfire for lack of support andaffirm the hngering suspicion that com-munity-college programs lack rigor.

Dr. Diana Van Der Ploeg, presidentof Butte College, believes communitycolleges have a responsibility to provideopportunities for all students. For thebest and brightest, these opportunitiescome from honors programs. "The hon-ors program students bond with eachother and have a special connectionto the faculty. They are engaged andhighly motivated—we are preparingthem for success."

Roii A. Ri.si.Kv is executive director ofPhi Theta Kappa, the internationalhonor society, in Jackson, Miss.

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