[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 43 (Tuesday, April 19, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
ANNOUNCING THE APPOINTMENT OF THE FIRST LIAISON FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES 
                WITHIN THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

 Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, over the years, I have learned 
that a character trait essential to public service is the virtue of 
patience. I know my colleagues share my view that when representing 
millions of citizens, all possessing diverse needs and concerns, a 
little patience goes a long way. Without it, surviving the dehumanizing 
effects of the labyrinth of the Federal bureaucracy is an impossible 
task.
  On February 22, 1990, I introduced legislation that would create a 
new position within the Department of Education dealing with community 
and junior colleges. I was unaware at the time that this legislative 
commitment would take me down a long, lonely bureaucratic road. I 
reintroduced this legislation on February 21, 1991, this time with a 
few cosponsors. One year later, I attached this legislation to the 
Higher Education Act amendments and saw it signed into public law.
  My legislation required that within 6 months of enactment, a liaison 
for community and junior colleges be appointed at the Department of 
Education--an individual who either held a degree from a community or 
junior college or had worked in a community or junior college setting 
for at least 5 years. This act was signed by the President on July 23, 
1992. I looked forward to an impending appointment.
  The need was critical. While in the past the Department had an Office 
for Community Colleges, in recent years there has been no official 
structure and very few if any high-level employees at the Department 
who came from a community college setting. At the same time, growth 
within community colleges was exponential. Community college students 
represent the largest segment of the postsecondary student population. 
Forty-five percent of those in postsecondary education are enrolled in 
a community college and 55 percent of all incoming freshmen get their 
start in a community college. Enrollment in 2-year institutions 
continued its upward trend with a total of 6.5 million students 
enrolled this year. In 1987, this figure was 1.5 million. These 
institutions have special needs, needs that differ from traditional 4-
year colleges and universities.
  After enactment of the liaison position under the Bush 
administration, we next faced a transition of leadership. With the new 
administration came new delays. Despite promises from incoming 
administration officials to work as quickly as possible to fill the 
position, they were faced with filling many new appointments and the 
timetable for the liaison position slipped. The new position created by 
Public Law 102-325 remained vacant for another year and a half.

  Mr. President, after 4 years of hard work and making the case several 
times over, I am pleased to announce the Department of Education has 
formally filled the liaison position. The first liaison for community 
and junior colleges will be Betty Duvall, executive dean of Portland 
Community College, and she will join us in Washington within a few 
weeks. Good things come to those who wait.
  Betty Duvall has formally accepted the position and I have the utmost 
confidence in her ability to perform the duties of the liaison. She has 
a lifetime of experience in the field both as an instructor and a high-
level administrator. Betty Duvall's record indicates her overwhelming 
commitment to not only innovation and excellence in education, but also 
meeting the needs of individuals who are often overlooked in our 
society.
  Her new job description positions her to serve as a senior advisor to 
the Secretary on community college issues. While doing policy research 
and analysis, she will plan, coordinate, and carry out projects 
effecting community colleges. Her involvement will be crucial as the 
Department continues to carry out school-to-work and Goals 2000 
opportunities.
  Perhaps it is fitting that this tale culminates this week. April is 
National Community College Month and just a few weeks ago, we honored 
20 Americans for their distinguished achievements in community 
colleges. This group of individuals faced enormous odds including 
depression, substance abuse, physical disabilities, and unemployment. 
They overcame these barriers and achieved the highest level of academic 
honor in their field.
  They are the 20 community college students who were named to the 1994 
All-USA Academic First Team for Two-Year Colleges. Their 
accomplishments were published in the April 7 edition of USA Today. 
These celebrated scholars represent the highest level of academic 
excellence obtainable in this Nation's 2-year colleges. All of the 
inductees have grade point averages of 3.5 or better with many reaching 
the 4.0 mark. I am pleased that several Oregon students were included 
in this group.
  Jack Josewski, a student from Linn-Benton Community College in 
Oregon, was a member of this first team and his story is a tribute to 
the opportunities afforded by community colleges. Mr. Josewski was a 
displaced timber worker who had to make a new beginning in lieu of the 
major economic transitions in Oregon. Finding himself out of work, Mr. 
Josewski went back to school to pursue journalism. He devoted his 
efforts to this pursuit serving as a photographer, ad manager, 
reporter, and editor for his campus newspaper. During his work on the 
campus publication, he was awarded the Best Series Award by the 
Oregon's Newspaper Publishers Association for a series on displaced 
timber workers. Despite his heavy involvement in the campus paper, he 
also managed to maintain a 3.9-grade-point average.

  Two other Oregonians were honored for their achievements in 2-year 
colleges. Heidi Scott who is studying music therapy at Southwestern 
Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, OR was named to the third team 
all academic and Brenda Leonard, a nursing student at Portland 
Community College, received a honorable mention.
  These are just a few of the many examples of the positive impact of 
our community colleges. It is stories like these that have inspired my 
lifetime support of these institutions. One of my most rewarding 
moments as Governor of Oregon was the creation of the community college 
network in Oregon. I am joined in my pursuit for community colleges by 
good friends such as Keith Skelton, a visionary ahead of his time who 
spurred me to take on the liaison legislation, and the good folks who 
oversee the Oregon Community College Association--a linchpin in the 
fight to secure the liaison.
  I firmly believe that an investment in the Nation's community 
colleges is an investment in our Nation's future. The passage of Goals 
2000 and the school-to-work initiative demonstrate this body's 
recognition of education as a high priority issue. It appears as if we 
have given serious credence to the words of Aristotle when he said 
that,

       * * * all who have meditated on the art of governing 
     mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depends 
     on the education of youth.

  If we are truly going to heed this ancient wisdom we must not ignore 
the needs of the Nation's community colleges. It is in these 
institutions where workers are being trained and retrained, careers are 
being started, and students are cultivating diverse and nontraditional 
opportunities. I can think of no greater aim for our education system 
and I am pleased that Betty Duvall will soon be in place at the 
Department of Education to assist in these efforts.
  I ask that a description of the position of liaison for community and 
junior colleges be entered into the Congressional Record.
  The material follows:

         Liaison for Community and Junior Colleges--GS-0301-15


                              Introduction

       Part H, Sec. 1553 of Public Law 102-325, the Higher 
     Education Amendments of 1992 establishes a Liaison for 
     Community and Junior Colleges to be appointed by the 
     Secretary. The incumbent of the position must have attained 
     an associate degree from a community or junior college; or 
     have been employed in a community or junior college setting 
     for not less than 5 years.
       As the Liaison for Community and Junior Colleges the 
     incumbent shall:
       Serve as advisor to the Secretary of Education, reporting 
     through the Assistant Secretary for Vocational and Adult 
     Education, on matters affecting community and junior 
     colleges.
       Serves as liaison to the Office of Postsecondary Education 
     in matters related to community colleges.
       Provide direct staff assistance on the formulation, 
     development and implementation of Department policies and 
     programs affecting community and junior colleges.
       Perform liaison and coordination activities vis a vis 
     community colleges as assigned.
       Prepare research, background materials and reports on 
     community colleges and conducts special projects as assigned.
       Chair or serve on a variety of Departmental committees, 
     task forces and teams.
       Work through the School to Work and Goals 2000 teams to 
     assist community and junior colleges to participate in the 
     department's systemic reform efforts.
       Represent the Department at meetings with representatives 
     from interagency and external businesses and interest groups, 
     as assigned.
       Serving as the Liaison for Community and Junior Colleges, 
     the incumbent performs special and continuing assignments and 
     projects concerned with policy analysis and confidential 
     program matters with which the Assistant Secretary is 
     personally concerned. The performance of these assignments 
     requires a thorough knowledge of the views, plans, and 
     interest of the Assistant Secretary. The incumbent of the 
     position requested for Schedule C exception will not be able 
     to adequately perform his/her duties without being privy to 
     the political, personal, and management philosophies of the 
     Assistant Secretary. A confidential relationship of a 
     Schedule C nature is imperative since the incumbent will 
     speak for the Assistant Secretary and as such, will be 
     expected to reflect his/her supervisor's philosophies in 
     conversations with leading groups. The incumbent will also 
     present the views of the Assistant Secretary in 
     correspondence and other communications with agency 
     managers and program officials.


                   MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

       Performs a broad spectrum of special and continuing 
     assignments and projects of a confidential and policy making 
     nature concerning a variety of program issues related to 
     community and junior colleges which are of special concern to 
     the Assistant Secretary.
       Applies professional knowledge and skill sufficient to 
     generate and apply new hypotheses and concepts in planning, 
     conducting, and evaluating long-range projects or proposals 
     for the solution of complex public policy questions and 
     issues related to community and junior colleges.
       Undertakes policy research, performs policy analysis and 
     prepares reports and research papers of a confidential nature 
     for the Assistant Secretary affecting community and junior 
     colleges. Assembles facts and analyzes data of a highly 
     sensitive and confidential nature providing interpretations 
     and recommendations to the Assistant Secretary.
       Coordinates the work of other professionals to accomplish 
     several phases of complex projects concurrently or 
     sequentially.
       Serves as an advisor to the Assistant Secretary and 
     Secretary on broad initiatives and high priority issues 
     related to community and junior colleges which require the 
     immediate attention of the Assistant Secretary and or 
     Secretary. Provides comprehensive analysis relating to the 
     proposed initiatives, conducts broad background research and 
     short-term feasibility studies, develops general plans to 
     coordinate work to be undertaken and prepares broad position 
     papers to define objectives. Insures consistency with 
     Departmental policies, objectives and other initiatives such 
     as the School to Work Initiative and Goals 2000 and monitors 
     results and progress achieved.
       Anticipates the need for policy studies and advises the 
     Assistant Secretary and Secretary of the need for study of 
     long-range problems.


                              SUPERVISION

       The incumbent reports directly to the Assistant Secretary 
     for vocational and Adult Education. The supervisor typically 
     provides administrative direction. Overall assignments are 
     made in terms of broadly defined functions of the 
     organization. Specific assignments frequently originate out 
     of liaison activities of the incumbent with community and 
     junior colleges, who independently negotiates the scope and 
     objectives with Assistant Secretary.
       The incumbent assumes responsibility for planning, 
     coordinating, and carrying out projects and informs the 
     Assistant Secretary of programs as appropriate.
       The work is generally considered to be technically accurate 
     and is often not subjected to detailed substantive review by 
     the supervisor. Work products are examined for compliance 
     with broad Administration and agency policy.
       In all matters, the Assistant Secretary's viewpoints and 
     the policy consideration of the Department and the 
     Administration guide the incumbent's actions and 
     recommendations. This position requires a confidential 
     relationship between the incumbent and the Assistant 
     Secretary.

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