A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that ‘individuality’ is the key to success. ~ Robert Orben Tonight a jointly published post on both the Ministry of Happiness and my Higher Ed Mentor blogs. Today, once again, for my thirty-fifth year inContinue reading “The Miracle of Graduation”
Tag Archives: covid
Should Colleges Go Back Online in January?
I wrote a piece not too long ago for this blog entitled the hardest semester of your career, Fall 2021. This piece was focused on the fact that as part of emergency operations training you are taught that the recovery phase is the hardest phase in emergency management. Well, that was when we were allContinue reading “Should Colleges Go Back Online in January?”
What role does your college have in your work/life balance?
Reality is the leading cause of stress among those in touch with it. ~ Lily Tomlin In addition to working as a community college administrator I also have written a blog for the last eleven years entitled the Ministry of Happiness. In writing that blog, it deals with issues of how to live a happierContinue reading “What role does your college have in your work/life balance?”
Magical Enrollment Thinking
Over the last year and a half, community college enrollments across the college have plummeted by over 10% including a staggering 21% for first time college students. For community colleges whose funding is dependent specifically upon enrollments this enrollment decline has been disastrous. The COVID pandemic has certainly been the most complex and challenging timeContinue reading “Magical Enrollment Thinking”
Beware of Normalcy Theater
Tonight I want to talk about something I’m calling normalcy theater, it’s me co-opting the term security theater so let’s start by defining what that term means. Security theater, as explained by Bruce Schneier on CNN, is both a feeling and a reality. The propensity for security theater comes from the interplay between the publicContinue reading “Beware of Normalcy Theater”
The Hardest Semester of Your Career Fall 2021
Success is not built on success. It’s built on failure. It’s built on frustration. Sometimes its built on catastrophe. ~ Sumner Redstone Welcome to the Fall 2021 semester, one I’m sure will almost certainly be the most challenging semester of your career. I know, you’re shaking your head for one of two reasons. Either youContinue reading “The Hardest Semester of Your Career Fall 2021”
Going back to campus? Read this.
Going back to campus? Read this. Image credit, The Foothill Dragon Press For most colleges the time is quickly approaching for a full return to campus. For some schools that will be this fall, for others it will be January. For most of us, we’ve already been at least partially on campus for some time.Continue reading “Going back to campus? Read this.”
Thank you Educators for an Amazing Year
Thank you Educators for an Amazing Year The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet. ~ Aristotle Thank you educators, and let me be clear by educators that I mean everyone who works in education. That includes instructors, aides, staff, groundskeepers, cafeteria workers, public safety, custodians and on and on. Anyone thatContinue reading “Thank you Educators for an Amazing Year”
A Thank You to Educators
A Thank You to Educators Education is the movement from darkness to light. ~ Allan Bloom So for all educators from teachers to techs, lab aides, counselors, administrators and everyone else who works to make education happen including every type of support staff, thank you! While the end of the Spring 2020 semester was certainlyContinue reading “A Thank You to Educators”
How will we be best with what’s next?
How will we be best with what’s next? So on March 11, 2020 after watching COVID rates rising across the country, while in Sacramento and checking into a hotel room for a conference I was supposed to be attending the next day, I got a call from my Vice-President. The message was return home, allContinue reading “How will we be best with what’s next?”
Higher Ed Mentor 