Letters 'Community college clash' EDITOR: Dr. Frank's article, "Will Private Colleges Survive?," in the January 1978 Illinois Issues peaks of a "community college clash" with the Community colleges being depicted as invaders in the area of liberal and scientific training. He also refers that the rightful function of community colleges is to meet the need for technical and vocational training for those who "would not have qualified for ad mission to ... programs of either the public or the private colleges and universities." This type of lack of perspective may well be one of the reasons that some private institutions are indeed struggling to survive. Aside from the fact that admissions standards to many vocational programs are equal to or greater than those of baccalaureate oriented programs, community colleges are in business to complement, not compete with, private colleges and public universities. Two years at a community college, in many cases, provides students with necessary courses to transfer to private institutions. Without the opportunities offered close to home by the community college, many potential students would never bother to pursue post secondary education. Dr. Frank failed to cite statistics on private institutions with increasing enrollments such as McKendree College in southwestern Illinois. McKendree has seen the potential offered by transfer students from community colleges and has tailored capstone programs which build on backgrounds and previous training of two-year college graduates. Capstone programs offered in areas such as law enforcement and business have enabled graduates of community colleges to transfer to McKendree without loss of credit. From FY'70 to FY'77 transfer enrollment increased from 72 to 171 from Belleville, Rend Lake, and Lewis and dark, and an additional 60 students will begin a nursing transfer program next year. McKendree has found its answer in program development and in aggressive recruiting. Other private colleges following this example will insure the survival of "lil' David" and the coexistence of public and private institutions in Illinois.
William R. Keel May 1978/Illinois Issues/31
|
|||||||||||||||
