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The evolution of Scottsdale Community College

At 50-year mark, SCC looks to define 21st Century higher-learning model

Posted 2/27/20

As student loan interest debt grows into a national epidemic and as business moves at the speed of technology the American ideals behind higher learning are quietly being turned upside down.

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The evolution of Scottsdale Community College

At 50-year mark, SCC looks to define 21st Century higher-learning model

Posted

As student loan interest debt grows into a national epidemic and as business moves at the speed of technology the American ideals behind higher learning are quietly being turned upside down.

For the majority of the 20th Century variations of the college degree --- paperwork called associates, bachelors, masters and even doctorate degrees --- were believed to be a one-way ticket to higher wages, homeownership and, of course, the attainment of happiness.

For many, the first step of the pursuit of the American dream started humbly at the community college --- and no college exemplifies this idea better than the Scottsdale Community College, 9000 E. Chaparral Road.

In calendar year 2020, Scottsdale Community College --- with a total student population of 13,022 --- is celebrating its 50-year anniversary.

In all, only three have been called college president in the 50 years of the school’s existence:

  • Dr. Art Decabooter;
  • Dr. Jan Gehler; and
  • Chris Haines.

“There have only been two presidents here over the 50 years of history at Scottsdale Community College,” said Interim President Chris Haines. “Art was a close mentor of mine and was very supportive of a woman leader. He was my mentor for a year. He would talk about Maricopa as a whole, leadership and anything at all I needed. It was a great experience, learning about the history of it all.”

An athlete during her own collegiate years in-turn becoming the South Mountain Community College Athletic Director, Ms. Haines says she has taken a career path she did not necessarily see for her herself.

Ms. Haines says the community college campus at Scottsdale is looking toward the future with a mantra of change, innovation and a 21st Century approach.

“We have been a traditional transfer education institution,” she said. “We are really looking at what is economically sound and what is it that our business community is looking for. Our community relations and workforce programs are geared to understand what is [it] that they --- the business community --- are looking for?”

Ms. Haines reports initial explorations into workforce development needs have blossomed into both a cyber security certificate program, an associate degree avenue along with coding classes providing similar routes of education fueling the next generation of information technology professionals.

“I think they are looking for everything from basic coding skills to cyber security,” she said of workforce development findings. “Cyber security is a big thing now. Coding is going to be like the next English prerequisite class you will take as a student.”

Ms. Haines says economic mobility translates into basic skill-sets in computer technology fields including cyber security, website development and IT practices.

“We need them to do X,Y and Z and they don’t really care about the degree. They really need people to learn the basics and be able to say, ‘I can do whatever you need me to do and I can learn,’” she said. “That begins with us teaching. We offer $85 a credit hour. For someone who just thought they couldn’t go to college this is something that starts to develop the idea that they can. In the IT structure, there are so many jobs that go unfilled every day.”

Ms. Haines contends the workforce development approach is a win-win situation for the university and the burgeoning tech sector here in Scottsdale.

“We have to be able to get students out in the job,” she said of the internship arm of the workforce development approach. “When you come here and through the workforce development program, when you leave here, we’ll get you an internship --- that is a great program to start. The Scottsdale business community is really somewhere that ties into this and who we can work with.”

But the student body is changing from top to bottom, Ms. Haines contends, offering insights into how the university model is evolving at the community college level.

“Everything is changing the way students do things,” she pointed out. “There are a lot of tiny shifts how students and all of us do things. If we don’t evolve we will fade into the black.”

The idea of evolution at the community college comes in two shades, Ms. Haines explains of new online offerings and certification programs along with a true open resource for education materials.

“Scottsdale is an open education resource. Some books are $400 a book. Now we can offer $45 for a study guide,” she said. “You don’t have to spend $1,000 in books. We have classes that are doing that. Our tuition is among the lowest across the nation. And, 75% of our students are part-time students.”

--- Chris Haines

For Ms. Haines, education is calling to make the world around her a better place.

“I just want to make a difference in lives every day,” she said of her personal mantra.

“We are not here to make a lot of money. Technology is going to drive what we are doing and the traditional education model is falling to the wayside. We can be a safe place for students to learn those soft skills that are so important in the professional world. The big things you want to do, you have to be able to work with a team. Social discourse is not a negative thing. All of these things are meant to make them better human beings.”

It’s got ‘community’ in its middle name

Scottsdale Councilmember Virginia Korte has seen the community college of Scottsdale mature from an aspiring educational institution to the ‘best-kept secret’ of the community, she says.

“As we all know here in Scottsdale, Scottsdale Community College is our only higher-eduction facility,” she said. “It is really one of our community’s best-held secrets.”

From its thoughtful layout and architecture to its emerging education programs, the community college is becoming a beacon of the next generation of education, Ms. Korte contends.

“Once you enter that campus, you realize how thoughtful that campus is. How proud the facility is and the admiration of the work they do --- I think that is pretty special,” she said recalling the rich history of the mascot becoming the beloved Artie the Artichoke. “The mascot is one that is honored and treasured by this community and SCC.”

--- Virginia Korte

Mascots aside, Ms. Korte explains, there is serious business fueling the next generation of education --- and workforce development.

“It created a real important avenue for building our own talent,” she said of programs like IT, film production and nursing practices available at SCC. “It really has helped create the workforces for the jobs we have here in Scottsdale.”

Ms. Korte says for Scottsdale to continue its progression toward a metropolitan city of the 21st Century, access to higher learning is a critical component.

“I think it is critically important for our young adults to have direct access to higher learning. It has been proven time and time again that college degrees improve the lives of individuals. I think it is critically important for our young adults to have direct access to higher learning,” she said.

“It improves the quality of life and improves the amount of lifelong earning. It is a quality-of-life issue and it is a life-improvement issue.”

Long before the birth of the digital age, Ms. Korte contends the idea behind the community college was found in its name --- a place of education for the Scottsdale community.

“In Scottsdale, the community college took on the theme of being a place for the community,” she said.

“As Dr. DeCabooter used to say, ‘community is in its middle name.’ It is so important for a community to build their own. Because, as we know, the transient nature of our society. People moving here and there and as people grow up in a place and learn a skill or job and providing a service, they often lived and raised their children there. It is a perpetual aspect of a healthy community.”

The business of education

Higher learning is based upon a common idea: You go to school, you earn a degree to get a living-wage job.

“Nearly all company expansion or relocation decisions revolve around education, both in terms of educational attainment for their families and acquisition of talent,” said Scottsdale Economic Development Director Rob Millar. “The primary, secondary and college-level systems are an integral ecosystem that work together in growing and sustaining our economic development initiatives.”

And, for Scottsdale, the name of the game is the tech sector.

“The tech sector is one of Scottsdale’s fastest-growing targeted sectors,” he said.

“This is in part due to the growing tech integration worldwide, but it is also due to our targeted and ongoing efforts to ensure we are growing a diverse and sustainable economy in Scottsdale. Tech companies and employees are in high demand around the country and Scottsdale is quickly becoming an attractive alternative to the high real estate and labor costs in San Francisco and the overall Bay area.”

--- Rob Millar

But as business moves at the speed of tech, that is changing vastly the needs of students and the requirements of educators.

“We have to give them options, but that is not an easy thing to do,” Ms. Haines points out.

“It is changing and it is fast-paced. Being able to be with those people to be moving into the 21st Century, is where we are headed. If we don’t move forward we will be stuck --- I don’t do anything in a vacuum. Many hands make light work. The ideas behind the workforce element has me excited.”

While Ms. Haines admits enrollment has been tailing downward over the last seven years, most recently the student population has held steady. Ms. Haines says she is optimistic systemic changes on how the college operates will translate into a new energy around the community college.

Ms. Korte agrees the tide is changing around higher education.

“I think we as a community and as a nation realize that four-year degrees are not made for everyone,” she said. “There are many people out here that need vocational skills to make a good living. We will never get away from those core subjects of math, English and science, but we need to fine-tune these colleges to meet the needs of our businesses.”

--- Virginia Korte

Mr. Millar agrees.

“Today’s fastest emerging companies are adjusting the workforce landscape,” he pointed out.

“Highly trained and educated talent is driving company decisions in nearly every industry and we do not anticipate that to change in the near future. It used to be talent would chase companies, but the roles have changed to where companies will not evaluate a community for location until they can first be assured of the availability of talent to meet their operational needs.”

For Mr. Millar, the key is becoming an adaptive resource for the needs of emerging industries, which is driving the first part of the digital revolution.
“SCC can continue their great work in adapting and evolving their programs to meet the ever-changing needs of our emerging workforce,” he said.

“Continued collaboration and coordination will ensure we are preparing future generations for future demands in education, apprenticeships and trades. SCC is a tremendous institution and a critical partner in our efforts and we look forward to our on-going collaborative efforts in showcasing Scottsdale as a premier location for business.”