Most community colleges across the U.S., have open door policies, in which practically anyone could attend. Therefore, all types of students, come through the doors of these two-year institutions, some prepared, others, not so prepared. However, there is one type of student, who seems, not to have had any home training, or parenting. This student lacks basic social etiquette skills. This student is one, that I refer to as the “Undereducated Student” The Undereducated Student, is one who has had no parenting, and proper social interaction skills, and as a result, the community college classroom environment, has become one of incivility. However, this is really just one part of the problem. The other part is that many two-year college administrators, will either deny that such a student exist, or if  the topic comes up for discussion, they become silent on the issue, and, some of them flat out do not want to talk about it. Why? It is very simple. Most two-year college administrators, have very limited teaching experience in a bonafide academic area, such as political science, history, biology, sociology, chemistry, physics, or some other serious area of study. Most two-year college administrators, acquire their Ph.D’s or Ed.D’s in education, because most of them could not get a Ph.D, in a pure academic area, therefore, they take the easy way out, because anyone who is, or has been in the academic arena, for a long period of time, knows that doctoral degrees in education are far less challenging than Ph.D’s, in hard core disciplines. Many of  the two-year college administrators, are truly shallow, and are pseudo intellectuals at best, and, their perceptions of students are far from reality. These administrators, have a tendency to possess a romanticize reality of students. By no means, am I saying that all two-year college administrators fall within this category, however, far too many do. Nevertheless, the undereducated student, has become very common at the community college. This student comes to class unprepared, such as not having ,pencils, pens, paper, scan-trons for tests, and, oh yes, does not read the required materials for the class session, so that he or she might have a reasonable intellectual conversation, concerning the subject matter. Instead, the undereducated student, spends time in class, sending text messages, talking in the back of the class, sleeping, or possesses a bad attitude, toward the professor, because he or she really does not  want to be in the classroom in environment. This student attends college, only because he or she has been socialized to do so, because the notion in America, is that college is meant for everyone, and, this is far from the truth. College is not meant for everyone, and, some people would do better in life, taking up  a trade, instead of going the pure academic route. After teaching full-time, for about 25 years, at four different institutions of higher learning, I have seen a serious transformation among students, specifically at the community colleges. This metamorphosis, is one in which students no longer want to learn, but, instead, they want to be entertained, and they want high grades for mediocre work. It is the same thing that Peter Sacks discussed in his book, “Generation X Goes To College”. Sacks pointed out how students wanted to do the least among of work, while at the same time wanting the highest grades. He also pointed out how students, valued feelings over intellect, and, possessed no real value for systematic scientific research.

The solution to this problem, is that community college administrators, must first, recognize that the undereducated student exist. Secondly, community college administrators, faculty, and professional support staff, must come up with a plan to deal with such a student. My suggestion,would be to have an orientation class, for incoming students, which would consists of, but, not limited to classroom etiquette, so, that the student can act more civilized in the classroom, because even though online classes are becoming more popular, still there are a large pool of students, who do not like them. Also if one were to do research, he or she would find out that the drop rate for online classes, is almost double that, of the traditional college classroom setting. The “Undereducated Student”, must be dealt with in a positive way, if not the community colleges across this nation, will continue to become, nothing but glorified high schools.  

    The Bowtie Professor Speaks!

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