Fact or Fiction: Do Community Colleges Actually Offer a Quality Education?

Environmental science is a rapidly growing field, particularly in light of challenges to our environment like global warming, exponential population growth, and potentially dangerous carbon emissions. Environmental scientists work to find ways to meet and overcome those challenges, in order to maintain a livable environment for generations to come. Training needs of this field can often be found at a local community college, where a two-year degree in environmental science can prepare you for a rewarding career or the next step in your education process.

What is Environmental Science?

Environmental science is the study of how various factors like industry, production, and humans impact the natural environment. Through those studies, an environmental scientist looks for ways to limit damage to wildlife, humans and natural habitat, through processes like conservation and green living ideas. The field of environmental science is a truly innovative one, as professionals in the industry look for new energy sources that are friendlier to the world in which we live.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics explains that an environmental scientist may begin his work by identifying the problems leading up to environmental damage. The scientist will then look for solutions to those problems, by observing and analyzing components of air, food, water, and soil. The job is highly specialized and might involve working with other companies or government agencies to educate, develop policies and measure the results of those policies on the environment.

This TED talk Dr. Milton Muldrow discusses

Community Colleges Nationwide Recognized for Outstanding Community Service

The annual President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll is out for 2012, and a number of community colleges made the list this year. This honor roll was originally created to highlight institutions of higher education that make significant contributions to their communities through the efforts of students and staff. The schools that made the grade have proven track records for giving back to the areas where they are located.

About the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll

The website for the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) explains that the President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll was first launched in 2006 to showcase the “role colleges and universities play in solving community problems” and to get more students started on a “lifelong path of civic engagement.” Originally inspired by the service of college students nationwide after Hurricane Katrina, the honor roll strives to recognize schools that “achieve meaningful, measurable outcomes in the communities they serve.”

The honor roll is a collaboration between the CNCS, the U.S. Departments of Education and Housing and Urban Development, Campus Contact, and the American Council on Education. Finalists are chosen through a series of criteria that include the scope and innovation of service projects, the incorporation of service-learning into course curriculum, the commitment of the institution to long-term partnerships with community organizations, and the measurable community outcomes as a result of the service projects.

This year's honor

Is Contraception the Answer for College Completion Rates?

Few would argue that community college completion rates in this country are currently in the dismal range, but not all would agree on how to bring those rates up to par. One somewhat controversial initiative is striving to increase college graduation rates by placing focus on a whole new area – the rate of unplanned pregnancies among community college students. To that end, the American Association of Community Colleges has launched a national campaign to reduce unplanned pregnancy in hopes of increasing the number of students who finish a community college program.

“Make it Personal” Gathers Support

The new “Make it Personal: College Completion” campaign was initiated by the American Association of Community Colleges with financial support from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. According to USA Today, the campaign material makes its point through “edgy material” designed to speak directly to today’s community college students. The goal of the program is to encourage community college students to “make smart decisions about sex and relationships.” This project is geared toward young adults and strives to be non-political by avoiding controversial subjects like abortion.

According to a report at Inside Higher Ed, the campaign was initially launched in 2010 and includes a twofold approach to educate college students about pregnancy planning. The first approach assists colleges with incorporating pregnancy planning into the regular college curriculum through classes like biology,

Community colleges nationwide have faced serious budget cuts that have forced them to make difficult decisions regarding the best ways to serve their students. In the case of Santa Monica College, a proposal to change the pricing structure of certain classes has been met with both applause and protest. Should community colleges be able to charge different prices for their more popular courses? Santa Monica is dealing with that issue right now.

Program Completion Delayed Due to Insufficient Course Offerings

According to a report at FOX News, Santa Monica College has been forced to reduce class offerings over the past three years due to significant California budget cuts that have left the school, like others around the country, scrambling to find enough resources to adequately meet student needs. Unfortunately, the practice of cutting classes has left many students in a serious bind. Students who were poised to complete degree programs or transfer to a four-year university have not been able to get the core classes they need to complete their requirements.

“Demand is huge across the board,” Bruce Smith, a spokesman for Santa Monica College, told FOX News. “The question is can we continue to keep cutting and cutting classes. It’s pretty devastating.”

This video from the Associated Press reports on how the board of trustees at Santa Monica College voted Friday to postpone a two-tiered fee scale that brought angry campus protests where students were pepper-sprayed.