Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend the U.S. Department of Education's Forum on Fostering Persistence and Degree Attainment, which was held at the Community College of Philadelphia, where I teach as a part-time faculty member.   As Barbara reported, I wasn't able to be on the panel.  The panel was totally made up of college administrators, with the exception of Larry Gold, director of AFT higher education.  I was the lone faculty member in the back of the room, an interesting position in which to be.  The goal of my attendance at this meeting was to help promote the idea that academic staffing ought to be a consideration as the federal government considers how to distribute the money going to the College Access and Completion Fund for staffing.  The fund is a 5-year, mandatory $2.5 billion investment in improving degree attainment rates in higher education.

When given the opportunity, though persistent hand-raising, I spoke about how the best way to achieve student persistence was through engaging faculty, giving them positive reinforcement, perhaps even creating a pool of money for contingent faculty to engage students and contribute to college life (through office hours, advising, committee work).  If some contingent faculty are willing, they should be asked to and paid to participate.  This will engage more and more students.

I asked them why in high school, students generally have a stable core of full-time teachers; then one year later, we think it's fine to teach the same students (who are more uncertain than ever in college) by using predominately "long-term subs" who do "volunteer work" outside of class time if they choose to (an administrator from Delaware loved that).

There should be different tracks to tenure, based on the route faculty want to pursue-a research track, a full-time teaching track, even a part-time teaching-track.  However, they should all end in tenure, I said, including part-time teaching.   Tenure should be awarded to every faculty member who has put in their time.  Academic Freedom is necessary because if colleges want student persistence, they need faculty to be able to be enthusiastic, charismatic, and have the spark that will make students want to learn.  If we are to give students the inspiration to think differently, we have to be able to speak and write with job protection.   I added that contingent faculty are often the first point of contact in the classroom, often teaching those remedial students to whom the administrators kept referring.  Without job security, I said, directing my comments at the administrators, "They will stay off your radar." If these faculty don't bring problem students or problems with programs to the administration, how does that help with persistence at the college?

The administrators kept asking each other what it was that inspires a student to learn.  I wasted no time in telling them that teachers inspire students,   Only they can really capture a student's desire to persist.  Services are needed, funding is necessary, but teachers make that comment to keep trying, make students follow in their footsteps, make students laugh and remember their class.  To have this level of engagement though, all college teachers need to feel valued and heard.  They need to be in control of curriculum, governance, and their own careers, I said.  I asked them to consider that every one of them, like us, was looking for a career in life, not a job.  Why do they disregard what they know motivates people? I said there is no replacement for a full-time tenured track professor's commitment to student persistence.  There should be more of these positions.  However, all faculty need the pride of ownership, the big picture, in order to encourage students to have the same level of persistence.  I reminded them that all college faculty are highly educated, and they notice when they are not being heard.  I said I see very little enthusiasm left, and very much anger and apathy, among faculty these days because of their mistreatment.  With negative reinforcement like "accountability is coming," and little positive reinforcement to be a part of the college, it's not surprising.

I ended by saying you will be surprised by how faculty will rise to the occasion when they are given a voice.  Engage faculty, and they will engage students.

From their nods and smiles, I believe many administrators and the Department of Education heard what I said; whether they listen remains to be seen.  Until then, I suggest we as the faculty need to keep speaking up.