Return to Nicholas Johnson's Iowa Rain Forest ("Earthpark") Web Site

Return to Nicholas Johnson's Blog, FromDC2Iowa
 
 

[Note: This material is copyright by the Des Moines Register, and is reproduced here as a matter of "fair use" for non-commercial, educational purposes only. Any other use may require the prior approval of the Des Moines Register.]

At the same time, we must also recognize that access alone is not enough. If a student makes it to college but can't make it through college because he or she was unprepared to succeed, it's a terrible waste of resources for the university, the state and especially for that student and that family.

That's why the University of Iowa is working hard to create programs that will help students transition successfully to the university, make the most of their time here and graduate successfully. One of those programs is the new "2+2 Guaranteed Graduation Plan," a partnership between the U of I and Iowa's community colleges.

An undergraduate student is no longer necessarily the 18- to 24-year-old who came to college straight from high school. More and more adults - many working full time and with children - are choosing to pursue higher education. Almost one-third of undergraduate students in the country are older than 24. Many of these older students test the waters first in the nation's community colleges, as do many students seeking a lower-cost alternative to begin college. More than 40 percent of undergraduate students in this country attend two-year community colleges.

Not all community-college students will choose to pursue a four-year degree, but for those in Iowa who do, the 2+2 Plan represents a tremendous opportunity. It begins with this premise: We know that students who set goals are more likely to succeed. As the philosopher Elbert Hubbard said, "Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or even courage but simply because they have never organized their energies around a goal."

So, we're working with the community colleges to create "templates" for specific majors, outlining for students the courses they need to take to fulfill U of I requirements and to prepare themselves to pursue additional study in that field. A student who signs up for the 2+2 Guaranteed Graduation Plan and meets specified graduation checkpoints will get guaranteed early enrollment at the university and guaranteed graduation within four years.

By getting students to start out, from day one, believing in and working toward a four-year degree, we're ensuring not only that more students will get that degree, but also that more of them earn their associate's degree on time first. And we're not just giving them a finish line to keep in sight - we're committed to helping them get there. Students who sign up for the 2+2 Plan become part of the U of I family right away. They get guidance from our advisers, a U of I e-mail account, library privileges, access to the Pomerantz Career Center and the opportunity to buy discounted tickets to university cultural and athletic events.

This past year, we successfully conducted a pilot program, working with Kirkwood Community College, the Eastern Iowa Community College District and Iowa Western Community College. We're now moving to extend this program to the rest of Iowa's community-college students.

This program really is that rarest of commodities, a "win-win-win" all around. It's good for the university, for Iowa's community colleges and most of all for the students we share in common.

You could say that this is a case where 2 + 2 equals much more than 4. It adds up to educated Iowans who are prepared to be engaged citizens, who have greater earning power and who have learned the value of setting a goal, making a plan to achieve it and following through. And that's a formula for success.
_______________

MICHAEL J. HOGAN is executive vice president and provost at the University of Iowa.