Dr. Sharon L. Blackman
Another year and another semester have ended. As we prepare for a long awaited and well-deserved holiday break, it is a good time for us to reflect and give thanks. We began the 2006-07 academic year with stories from author David Borenstein about social entrepreneurship and the difference just one person can make to make our world a better place for humankind.
We also began a new initiative with our educational partners, the Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District, with the Early College High School at Brookhaven College. Seventy-nine freshmen students are traveling the path of success by shaping their dreams for a better future. They are willing to be trailblazers and believe that education holds the promise of a better future. This non-traditional high school provides the opportunity for the students to develop skills and reach their potential while working toward high school graduation and beyond to graduate from college.
The ECHS is a part of the Texas High School Project, an initiative of innovative programs that involves partnerships between public and higher education. Students began this year, taking advantage of new state laws that permit dual credit opportunities for freshmen high school students. The Brookhaven ECHS students were enrolled in two dual credit courses this semester and will be in another two courses next semester. As with all new programs, new challenges are present. In addition to creating the best curriculum, we need to determine the best location for the high school classes to be held on the campus. A task force was created to begin to find a location for the high school, and will continue its work next semester to address the needs of the ECHS.
Next semester faculty and staff will begin working with the high school to address the continued development of the high school curriculum, which includes dual credit opportunities for the students as they pursue the completion of the DCCCD Core Curriculum and completion of an associate degree. Many other facets involving the high school will require involvement of Brookhaven employees. Look for invitations to the college community members in the spring semester to find a niche where you can help with the development of these efforts to integrate the high school with the college. This is just the beginning as the development of the Brookhaven Early College High School is an on-going process.
This semester began the second year of the Achieving the Dream grant. This grant provides the college an opportunity to address areas that can help it achieve its mission as a Success College. The four key areas identified are developmental education, student services, professional development and the learning environment. Kudos to the student services sub-committee members of the ATD Core Success team for their work with further implementation of the “Take Care of Business Week.” All areas of the college participated in encouraging and assisting students in returning for another semester by getting a head start on the steps necessary to have a smooth transition to the next semester.
Through the work of the ATD developmental math sub-committee and the positive results from the Future Achievers Succeeding Today, FAST, project that began last year, the math department piloted a new learning community with students concurrently enrolled in developmental math and human development courses. Although the results are not in at this time, it is expected that the students’ performance and movement to the next level courses will be positive.
This fall semester a new faculty development committee was formed to develop and implement professional development that would meet the needs of faculty. This committee is working with the Professional Development office and will have additional offerings for faculty in the spring semester.
Early fall brought our first Appreciative Inquiry Summit as we began our focus on the college’s strategic plan. Out of the summit came two ad hoc task forces – the Brookhaven Vision task force and the E-Arena Registration task force. The vision task force has been meeting and you will be hearing more in the spring about their work. The E-Arena Registration task force has been busy and wanted to move forward with some changes for the spring registration period. As we continue with our six hours of volunteer work in registration, staff members will have the opportunity to assist current and prospective students at tables that will be arranged in a semi-circle in the Student Services Center. Dr. Claude Caffee will provide more information when we return from break.
Also established this semester was the Strategic Planning Steering Committee. This 15-member committee will be providing the oversight for the work on the college’s strategic plan. This committee will be working with our consultant, Elliott Stephenson to develop the college’s plan by the summer.
Brookhaven student clubs also have been busy this semester. A big “THANK YOU” to all the college staff who have agreed to sponsor a club. Our students need and want the guidance and direction of our staff members. Without your support, our students would miss a big part of their educational experience.
The SPAR office also has been instrumental in students’ success. We have had a stellar semester of programs ranging from the “Women in Politics” series to the Student Leadership Institute. The work of clubs, such as the Student Government, Rotaract and Phi Theta Kappa organizations' collection of goods for those less fortunate exhibits the commitment of community service among our students.
Our student athletic organizations have continued to provide leadership in the sports arena. The Lady Bears Volleyball team made an impressive third trip to the national finals. Although they did not make it a three-peat, they represented Brookhaven College and the Dallas County Community College District well. The men’s basketball team is in full stride and continues to need our support as we move into the spring semester.
As we take time to rest and rejuvenate during this winter break, you can anticipate a few things on the horizon that will require our attention and work from the college. In 2008, we will need to present our Quality Enhancement Plan to the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. We will need to establish our topic of focus that we will implement and then have assessed during the following five years.
The future of the Success College will be based on the direction of its programs. The district adopted a new program development process this fall. Meetings will be conducted to introduce this plan to the college and to discuss how the college’s program development plan can blend with the district’s plan. There is also a need to develop a program review and renewal process. These initiatives will require the work of the college staff. Look for invitations for your involvement with these initiatives.
As I began this column, I mentioned this being a time of reflection and a time of thanks. I want to THANK each of you for your dedication and commitment to helping the college accomplish its mission by helping our students to be successful. Once again, my best wishes to you and yours for a very safe and blessed holiday season.
