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Show A4 Castle Valley Review, March 2009 VIEWPOINT Opinion and Letters to the Editor My View Community Colleges A Tradition of Offering a Place for Everyone abolish the community colleges in Utah, including Carbon College. Immediately the ommunity Colleges in Amercommunity sprang into action and formed ica began popping up in the the “Save the Carbon College” committee. early 20th century as a result Signatures totaling over 10 percent of the of an increased understanding voters state-wide in the previous election that more years of education generally leads were collected to place the measure on the to higher earnings and more upward mobil- ballot and the issue was put to a vote of the ity. This coupled with the fact that private people. That election, by a three to one maruniversity education was beyond the reach gin overturned the Legislature’s decision to of most Americans and public universiclose the college. ties were also relatively expensive and not Today, once again, the College and the readily accessible to a dispersed American State face difficult times. Budget cuts loom population, led to states and communities large for all state agencies and institutions. creating their own brand of higher educaThis is a good time to reflect on what the tion. College does for the Community and what Until the 1940’s only a small percentthe Community does for the College. age of students began their education at CEU has for a number of years been a community college. Today a majority of fondly referred to as Carbon-Emery UniAmericans begin their higher education exversity, and for many years this was a fairly perience at a community college. Purposes accurate portrayal of both its students and of the community colleges quickly formed service area. The great majority of students around three pillars which are: general at CEU were residents of Carbon or Emery education (academic transfer education), Counties. vocational or career and technical educaThe addition of the San Juan Campus tion (workforce preparation), and lifelong in Blanding and the subsequent addition of learning (learning for pleasure or vocational distant learning sites throughout southeast retraining). Utah have made the name College of EastThe College of Eastern Utah was among ern Utah more descriptive of both form and the early community colleges established. function. This name was officially adopted It was born from a community effort that in 1965. “College of Carbon, Emery, Grand started with the Price Chamber of Comand San Juan and other places in Utah” just merce in 1928 and came to fruition by a vote would not fit well on a t-shirt. of the Utah State Legislature in 1937. Born When I describe College of Eastern Utah to residents of the Wasatch Front, I always describe it in terms to which they can relate. I start with the educational component From the struggling student who reand describe it by its impact to the community as Eastern Utah’s quires remediation in one or more subjects, University of Utah. In economic to the “straight A” student; with the supterms I describe it as the area's fourth largest employer. In the Salt port of the community, CEU will continue Lake Valley this would equate to to be an American Community College: A the entire Jordan School District. In athletics CEU is Eastern Utah’s Place for everyone! Utah Jazz and Buzz rolled into one. For the cultural arts enthusiasts, CEU is the Utah Symphony, the Repertory Dance Company, the Pioneer Memorial Theater and from the desperation of the Great Depresthe Utah Museums of Natural History and sion, “Carbon College” has been a true com- Fine Arts. munity college since its creation. In addition to the benefits provided to Since its opening many things have the local communities through these activichanged. “The College” has seen economies ties, local students who attend benefit from of feast and of famine come and go through the lowest tuition and fees in the state of its 70 years of operation. Once during World Utah, from the smallest class sizes and from War II student body enrollment dropped to the highest percentage of full time faculty in just 27 students. Professors were allowed to the Utah State System of Higher Education. teach high school classes in order to keep Out-of-state and international students also their jobs. benefit from some of the lowest out-of-state Later there was a legislative effort to tuition and living expenses in the United Brad King C “ Submissions Policy ” States. Each year CEU provides federal aid and scholarships to students worth in excess of $2,000,000. CEU students borrow less to pay educational expenses than at any other accredited college in the state. With the rising costs of educational expenses, this fact looms large when a student graduates and begins his or her professional life burdened by whatever debt is incurred during the college years. These tangible benefits make CEU an educational bargain, but the true values of the CEU experience are the intangible factors. The opportunities to get involved in activities that most students must leave behind in high school are still available to most students at CEU. Choir, band, newspaper production, dance, theater and many others are available; most without auditions. Student Government, the SUN student involvement center, CEU Ambassadors and the Resident Hall Assistants Program all provide unparalleled opportunities for leadership training and service learning opportunities. Small classes offer opportunities for students to get involved personally with well qualified faculty members who can provide mentoring that goes on long after the student leaves CEU. The students even as freshmen will study with professors holding advanced degrees and never with graduate assistants as professors. Especially in these difficult economic times, CEU provides an outstanding educational value. Students will take general education classes that would be required whether they attend another community college or the most prestigious university in the nation and they will take them at a fraction of the cost. CEU needs to weather the economic storm which it faces with more students and resources to continually provide monetary support for them. The budget cuts will affect the number and value of scholarships that will be available to incoming students. If you have children looking to attend college and they need information, contact CEU. If you have resources that you would like to pledge to help college students attain their educational dreams, again contact CEU. From the struggling student who requires remediation in one or more subjects, to the “straight A” student; with the support of the community, CEU will continue to be an American Community College: A Place for everyone! (Brad King is Vice President of Institutional Advancement at the College of Eastern Utah.) The Castle Valley Review welcomes and invites letters to the editor and guest commentaries on public policy or current events. We welcome letters of thanks to individuals who have helped make our community a better place to live, work and play. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit all submissions for space constraints, clarity and errors in fact. Submissions must include author’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be published. Letter’s and opinion articles can be sent to editor@castlevalleyreview.com, mailed to The Castle Valley Review, P.O. Box 487, Orangeville, UT. 84537 or faxed to 435-748-2543. |