College Policies

Outsourcing has become a standard component of a free market system today, with companies heading to outside sources for everything from customer service to health care support. Now community colleges appear to be a part of the outsourcing model, with schools using alternative resources for instruction, curriculum and even grading papers!

Pros and Cons of Outsourcing

A research report from Stanford University, titled "Outsourcing of Instruction at Community Colleges," lists many of the advantages and drawbacks of using outside sources for educating college students. Some of the benefits of the practice include:

• Outsourcing can lead to more efficient and higher quality education.
• A standardized curriculum offers consistency in quality.
• A competitive market usually means a higher quality of product and service.
• There are cost savings between hiring additional faculty and outsourcing teaching services.

By the same token, opponents of the outsourcing concept cite some of the drawbacks to the practice:

• Profit-making industries present a conflict of interest with the public goals of colleges.
• Outsourcing could undermine the tenure-based employment system.
• The quality of teaching could be lower.
• There is a lack of control by faculty over curriculum and course design.

While the jury appears to still be out on whether outsourcing is a good idea for community colleges, many schools and companies are proceeding with plans to broaden the scope of higher education through sources outside the mainstream education sector.

This video offers an overview of teaching in a community college.

Community colleges have experienced a surge in enrollment, thanks to an economic slowdown that has resulted in fewer graduates being able to afford four-year universities right out of high school. Rising unemployment rates have also contributed to the increased enrollment at these institutions, as laid-off adults head back to school to get training in recession-proof industries.

This trend works well into President Obama's plan to raise graduation rates at colleges across the country over the next few years. However, the increase in students also requires additional funding to accommodate them – which is much easier said than done in the current economic climate.

Stimulus Funding and Community Colleges

Stimulus money has been a help to many community colleges striving to provide courses and support to the new influx of students. However, stimulus funding is not expected to continue into the next academic year, leaving many institutions floundering for ways to make up the budget shortfall at a time when belts have already been tightened past the comfortable point.

In fact, the large majority of community colleges across the country have absolutely no idea how they will balance their budgets once stimulus funding ends, according to a recent study from The Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama.

According to a report at Inside Higher Ed, the annual survey of state directors of community colleges revealed that only 11 states have a plan in place to balance their

Community colleges across the country are leading the green revolution, as administrators are tuning into the many benefits an environmentally responsible campus provides. One particular institution, Butte College in Northern California, will be the first college in the country to boast a positive grid campus, producing more clean energy than it uses, according to a press release. While Butte College is setting the standard for greener campuses, other colleges are following suit with a variety of creative programs designed specifically for sustainability.

Paying for such environmental changes can be a hefty undertaking, as colleges like Butte have found. However, the federal government has pitched in to help Butte fund its sustainability efforts through low-interest loans like Clean Renewable Energy Bonds and benefits from the American Recovery and Investment Act. Other colleges have also found funding assistance through state and federal government agencies, while still others have footed the bill for some of their projects themselves or through private donations.

Butte College

By May of next year, Butte College will become the first positive grid campus in the country. At that time, the college predicts that it will be producing more sustainable, on-site solar energy than it actually uses; in fact, Butte will become the biggest energy-producing college in the world. The excess energy Butte generates will become a positive source of income for the college, according to Dr. Diana Van Der Ploeg, Butte College's president.

"Sustainability is at the

Profanity is generally frowned upon at primary and secondary schools across the country. In fact, one high school in Connecticut has issued a policy that allows police to hand out pricey tickets to students caught in the act of cussing. The rule is designed to teach students self-control and prohibit profanity in the school, where it doesn't belong. Despite the $103 price tag, most parents and students at Connecticut High School have supported these tickets, according to a report in the New Haven Register.

Most of us agree with rules against foul language used by kids, but what about when those kids reach college campuses? Aren't they considered adults, capable of making their own choices, even if the words they choose are offensive to people around them?

According to a community college in Mississippi, the answer is a resounding no. This school is cracking down on cussing on campus, and some say they are violating First Amendment rights in the process. One case has garnered the country's attention, putting the usually quiet campus in a bit of a predicament.

This video explains how not to swear.

The Case of Isaac Rosenbloom

According to a report in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Isaac Rosenbloom is a 29-year-old student at Hinds Community College. One day, he and a few other students remained after class to discuss their grades with the

The Peralta Community College District in California has recently been the subject of intense scrutiny since announcing its plans to establish "free speech" zones around its campuses. According to the Mercury News, school district officials are currently working on a policy to limit where and how groups can speak on campus.

These proposed free speech zones have rankled students and faculty alike and caused many to question whether First Amendment free speech is in jeopardy in venues where the public exchange of ideas has always been welcomed. However, Peralta is not the only college environment where free speech platforms have been limited. This idea has actually been in existence for a decade, and every college campus that has instituted free speech zones has come under fire for its plans.

This report from NCB News reports on free speech on college campuses.

Free Speech on College Campuses

Since the 1960s, college students have led many protests against social issues and stood up for policies and legislation they have believed to be a violation of their rights. Protests during that time primarily revolved around the Vietnam War, but grumblings against the "Establishment" and other social policies were also the topics of debate.

During the final two decades of the previous centuries, protests on college campuses cooled significantly. However, concerns over race and sex have emboldened students once again, according to a report from the