Comments on: UH Raising Standards; Increased Importance of Community Colleges http://doscentavos.net/2009/11/05/uh-raising-standards-increased-importance-of-community-colleges/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:59:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: twocentavos http://doscentavos.net/2009/11/05/uh-raising-standards-increased-importance-of-community-colleges/#comment-1488 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:25:45 +0000 http://doscentavos.net/?p=4813#comment-1488 You’re not wrong, but Tier 1 status will take a long time given UH’s and other schools’ grad rates. The money from the Obama administration still has to trickle down to our community colleges, and what they spend it one is something that needs to be watched. While we need more workforce programs, we will definitely need more remedial courses to prep students who do have the drive to go on to a university, and I hope there is enough balance.

The Obama initiatives include:

• Community college challenge grants, to help underfunded colleges that are dealing with limited capacity and to build partnerships with schools and businesses.

• The Access and Completion Fund, to provide performance-based scholarships and give colleges the tools to design more programs around work schedules.

• Modernization of community-college facilities, with $2.5 billion to help renovate facilities and keep up with maintenance costs. The renovations will create jobs, Obama said.

• Open online courses, to create options online as a tool that some think can be more effective than classroom instruction alone.

Now, online courses do not help the increasing population of underprepared students. They need the classroom. I see HCC benefiting, but more than renovating existing facilities will be the need for more facilities.

]]> By: sandra1113 http://doscentavos.net/2009/11/05/uh-raising-standards-increased-importance-of-community-colleges/#comment-1487 Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:03:45 +0000 http://doscentavos.net/?p=4813#comment-1487 In July, the Obama Administration announced a $12 million community colleges initiative. I think a Tier 1 school, increased enrollment standards & a boost to community colleges are all benefits. But I’m sure you’ll tell me why I’m wrong….

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