“This plaque belongs to every secondary school teacher in this room.”
Dr. Francis McMann
Chair, History and Social Science Department
Winner of the 2009 Distinguished Service Award
“These kids are incredibly conscious that they are crafting this
[virtual] world.”
Tom Richmond (speaking of social sites like Facebook)
Director of Admissions, Marketing and Communications
Bradley University
“Is this the time to stop tinkering around the edges and finally restructure student aid?”
Pamela Fowler
Director of Financial Aid
University of Michigan
“If we are really going to train students to be professional, we need to walk it and talk it.”
Joyce V. Brown
Senior Consultant, Secondary School Counselors
Department of College and Career Preparation, Chicago Public Schools
“If you tell them to study everything, they may not study anything.”
Robin O’Callaghan
Senior Director, Mathematics
The College Board
“If you don’t know what to do, do something.”
Daniel Lotesto
(advice for solving difficult math problems)
Mathematics
Instructional Coach
Milwaukee Public Schools
New Format Energizes Joint
Assembly Meeting
A new format for the Joint Assembly Meeting at the Midwestern Regional Forum in Chicago sparked a free-flowing exchange of ideas that engaged counselors, teachers, financial aid staff and administrators alike.
Following brief comments from a regional representative, each assembly used a single question or topic as the jumping-off point for conversations within tables dedicated to specific educational professions. After 20 minutes of discussion, the floor was opened for feedback from the tables. For the meeting of the College Scholarship Service Assembly, the discussion focused on the effects of the economic downturn and changing demographics on student aid. Many voiced concerns about the strength of aid commitments for students already in college, as well as for families struggling to balance the needs of multiple college students.
The meeting of the Guidance and Admission Assembly grappled with the issue of standardized test use and the question of how to encourage the proper utilization of College Board assessments like the PSAT/NMSQT®, SAT® and AP® Exams. Among the topics debated were the new Score Choice™ policy, the value of the writing section, the concept of score banking and the use of assessment scores in rankings.
The meeting of the Academic Assembly also addressed the economy with this question: “What is your institution doing to adjust in this economic environment, and how can the College Board be helpful at such a time?” All agreed that institutions are struggling and would continue to struggle with the effects of the economy, with some predicting further job cuts and budget reductions. Unfortunately, there was little consensus about what the College Board could do to help. While the need for more admissions trend data was discussed, many agreed that it was conversations such as these that the College Board should continue to facilitate in order to keep the lines of communication open during tough times.
Juan Williams Talks Challenges and Opportunities
Juan Williams
Juan Williams, one of America’s leading broadcast journalists, had a simple message for those attending the closing brunch of the College Board’s Midwestern Regional Forum: “Keep trying.”
A regular contributor to NPR’s news magazines “Morning Edition” and “Day to Day,” as well as the Fox News Channel, Williams gave a rousing speech on the state of America’s culture, scrutinizing both our lofty triumphs and sobering failures. To frame his analysis, Williams posited the appearance of an old, decrepit figure claiming he was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who demanded to understand how America has changed in the 40 years since his death.
As Williams explained, King would be elated at the election of the first African American president, but shocked at our culture’s shortcomings in many other areas. Statistics like a poverty rate increase since 1968 and the enormous percentage of black children born to single mothers would shake him to his core. Even worse would be King’s reaction to a corrosive pop culture that deifies “fools” like Flavor Flav, while demonizing truth-telling figures like Bill Cosby for “airing dirty laundry.”
Mr. William’s story brought into focus the true cost of forgetting King’s dream, as “so many people close their eyes and ignore this moment in history.” Williams advocated a return to a culture of personal responsibility and collective sacrifice that seeks to combat low expectations and a pop culture that says education only has marginal value. It is up to all of us to do our part to ensure we recognize historical milestones for what they are: an opportunity to do better.
