Veep Greg Rogers' Corner

Last month, I received some feedback from a few folks who had not heard me talk about the many successful projects that had been completed in 2011. Rather than push this information out to the few individuals who closely read the Gaucho Gazette this month, I have asked Al Gonzales to make sure the Facilities Management website is up-to-date with all the great work he and his staff have done and will do for the college. The list of accomplishments from last year is long and impressive. A few paragraphs of summary on my part would not accurately reflect the magnitude of what was accomplished in 2011.  

Instead, I’d like to reflect on VP Natale’s message in last month’s Gaucho Gazette and add my own perspectives. You see, I also had the pleasure of teaching a class here at GCC last semester and can echo many of Dr. Natale’s observations. Having been one of those community college students who was on his own and working full-time while going to college, I have a fond appreciation of what many of our students face today. While each person’s story is unique, the ability of most to persevere in the face of challenges is a feat to be admired.  

For example, one of my students discovered during the semester that he had cancer and would need chemotherapy and surgery. Despite this life-threatening challenge and days where the chemo just made it unbearable for him to attend class, this young man not only completed the course but did so with a strong grade! He would ask me multiple questions about financial aid, course transfer, and the like, most of which required one of the many experts we have in our Student Services areas to answer. But, even though I could not answer all his questions, I enjoyed talking with him and engaging with him about things not even remotely related to CIS 105.  

Vincent Tinto has posited that the level of integration, both academic and social, a student experiences with an institution is a significant factor in whether or not that student will persist or drop out. Community colleges and our commuting student population make it extremely difficult to formally integrate a majority of our students socially. But faculty engaging with students informally is where we can and do excel. As college administrators, our opportunities to “engage” with individual students are usually very fleeting at best. Even though we can positively impact an entire institution with our roles, nothing can replace the one-on-one interaction with our students.  

Also as VP Natale experienced, I had the chance to work with several faculty and support staff this past semester that I would not normally interact with to the extent I did. Specifically, Rachelle Hall did a dynamite job guiding me through my first couple of weeks and then Clark Shipley took over the reins and did superb job teaching me what makes CIS 105 here at GCC so unique. I had taught the same course before at another institution but was wowed by the quality of the tools already in place for me as an adjunct faculty member. Tim Sylvester kept a watchful eye on me, too and provided welcomed input on how to improve my classroom management. Department Chair Richard Shortridge and Administrative Secretary Heather Huston also provided me the much needed behind-the-scenes support that I know all of our department chairs and administrative staff do every day for all residential and adjunct faculty.  

Unlike Dr. Natale, I hope to be back in the classroom this spring but, then again, he started his career there where I’ve only been the occasional interloper throughout my career. Nonetheless, I think we both have a renewed appreciation for the quality of the faculty and staff here at GCC from our recent sojourns to the classroom. And, that makes 2012 look promising indeed!