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Sean Tvelia, Associate Professor, Physical Science, Suffolk County Community College, Selden, New York, USA

From a student services perspective, what is the most signifcant challenge we confront as we work our way into the 21st century?
Te most signifcant challenge from a student services perspective is the consumer-driven model of higher education–
where education is considered a product with a specifc quality that can be bought and sold like commercial
commodities. Unlike other commodities, whose quality is dependent on the provider, the quality of an education is
dependent on a process involving both the student (consumer) and the institution (provider). Institutions must ofer
the requisite information, services, and training, and students must be active participants in the learning process, avail
themselves of needed services, and seek out training for their desired felds. A balance of process and product leads to
well-educated and prepared professionals.
Students and parents have begun to question the value of higher education. In regards to an “input-output” perspective, do you feel a higher education degree serves its purpose?
Despite questions of its value, higher education institutions produce an educated citizenry that is more capable of understanding and responding
to the complex socio-economic issues we face in 2015. Tat alone means that higher education degrees indeed serve their purpose. Financially
speaking, those with college diplomas continue to out earn those without. As the National Center for Educational Statistics notes, only 60% of
working-age adults without college degrees maintained full-time employment in 2012 compared to 73% of bachelor degreed adults. College degrees
signifcantly enable greater upward economic mobility. In 2012 the median salary for those with high school diplomas was $22,900, bachelor
degrees $46,900, and master’s degrees was $59,600.
From an input-output perspective, students who are looking for a facile learning experience, just as in all areas, will be less successful than those
who challenge themselves. Tis has been magnifed recently due to the record number of degrees being granted while the number of new full-time
jobs remained low: a surplus of qualifed individuals allowed businesses and institutions to become extremely selective in their hiring practices.
Post-secondary institutions participate as a “pipeline” - moving people from where they are to where they want to be. Thinking holistically, what are the gaps in our
education system as students leave high school, complete their degree, and enter the workforce?
Students face many issues that are the result of unrealistic expectations–such as students who feel they do not need to take notes, read, or
participate in coursework to succeed. We must do more to develop work ethic. Unfortunately, higher education is currently dealing with the
completion agenda. Although popular politically, it runs counter to what educators experience and industry requires. Degrees completed in fewer
semesters inevitably require that students take fewer courses and are less robustly educated. At a time when employers can aford to hire only the
best graduates, we cannot advocate for colleges creating less educated individuals. Tis can only lead to the devaluing of college diplomas.

Dr. Kristy Taylor, Department Chair/Professor, Palm Beach State College, Belle Glade, Florida, USA

From a student services perspective, what is the most signifcant challenge we confront as we work our way into the 21st century?
We should be teaching students life skills from the moment they enter our institutions. It is important that we recognize
that the needs of our students are changing, and we must continuously work to proactively accommodate those needs,
while promoting individual responsibility. We should work to streamline various processes from the point of application
and enrollment to how we manage students in the classroom. Staf and professors at the collegiate level should focus more
on developing students through coaching concepts. Communication amongst various departments is vital to include
identifying gaps in the academic and student services department, proactively addressing concerns about students, and
providing students with a clear sense of direction and purpose at the beginning of their academic career. Students should
have a clear path that will allow them to be efectively coached toward achieving their career goals. Tis approach will only
be successful if we have processes in place that are easy to navigate, while allowing students to be self-sufcient, critical-thinking problem solvers.
Students and parents have begun to question the value of higher education. In regards to an “input-output” perspective, do you feel a higher education degree serves its purpose?
Higher education helps students to become more abstract critical thinkers and problem solvers. Efective advising and student engagement from
the beginning of their academic career (including K-12) can help students to assess their interests, talents, skills, and abilities in order to identify
career goals and objectives. Upon entering a college, students should be taking courses that will help them to achieve their desired outcomes.
Systematic academic pathways such as meta-major options allow students to take a variety of courses geared toward their particular areas of
interest. While it is important for students to have a career focus while in college, it is equally important for them to develop the ability to think
creatively, innovatively, and critically. In my opinion, a college education is benefcial to everyone in terms of developing critical thinking and
problem solving as a life skill, but it must be combined with efective career advising in order to maximize the level of output that students receive
from their education. Colleges and universities must assess the market in order to create programs that are tailored to the needs of the market.
Beyond being academically prepared, students must also take responsibility for developing their own skills to compete in the job market as well as
by becoming professional life-long learners.
Post-secondary institutions participate as a “pipeline” - moving people from where they are to where they want to be. Thinking holistically, what are the gaps in our
education system as students leave high school, complete their degree, and enter the workforce?
One of the major gaps has been the failure to link educational training to the employment needs of the community. College leadership must engage
individuals from the community in order to fnd out what the employment needs are, and the programs ofered by the college must be tailored to
ft those needs. Colleges should seek out feedback from community stakeholders as well as reassess the efectiveness of program learning outcomes
to ensure that students are able to gain employment and that the curriculum meets the current industry standards. Te pipeline should begin in
kindergarten, because we should be preparing students for academic success, as well as for the workforce, from the very beginning. Tis includes
ensuring that parents, teachers, and students are engaged very early on and students are taught to take responsibility for their learning. We should
be teaching students to become life-long learners as a means of promoting academic rigor and the development of critical analysis and problem
solving skills, as well as the importance of social responsibility. When students enter college, they should also be provided with a clear academic
path that will help them reach their career goals.

LEADERSHIP Vol. 20.3 Winter 2015 7

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