[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2197-E2198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       WILLIAM GREEN NOTES VITAL IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, December 8, 2006

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, on November 23, William D. 
Green, chairman and CEO of Accenture, published a very important 
article in the Boston Globe on the vital role of two-year colleges. As 
Mr. Green notes, ``America's system of junior and community colleges 
has proved to be powerful and very effective in preparing students for 
success at 4-year colleges and beyond.'' Mr. Green speaks from very 
relevant experience, both as someone who himself attended Dean College, 
a 2-year school in Franklin, Massachusetts, and as a leader in American 
business. He thus understands the importance of community colleges both 
as one who benefited from a community college education and one who now 
draws on community college graduates, among others, to staff his 
important company.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. Green does note one trend that I think we should all 
be trying to overcome--namely, that ``state support (of community 
colleges and junior colleges) continues to decline.'' Many people with 
whom I have discussed the problem of inequality in America have noted 
that the most important thing to do to help close that gap is to 
increase educational opportunity. I profess to be somewhat skeptical 
that this is going to do as much as many argue, but that is no reason 
not to go forward with increased educational opportunity as much as we 
can. And this will not happen if we allow ``state support (to) continue 
to decline'' for these schools. They are an essential avenue for young 
people from families that are not affluent to begin achieving a college 
education.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope my colleagues will read Mr. Green's words and 
accept the relevance of what he says to our job of increasing public 
support for higher education. I am grateful to Mr. Green for sharing 
his experiences with us on this important point.

                 [From the Boston Globe, Nov. 23, 2006]

                  The Vital Role of Community Colleges

                         (By William D. Green)

       Americans finally have an issue on which they can all 
     agree. If the country hopes to sharpen its competitive edge, 
     it will take a significant investment in education, 
     especially math and science. America must also boost their 
     analytical thinking to address challenges and innovate in 
     business and society.
       Often overlooked and under appreciated, not unlike the 
     people who attend them, these colleges can help enhance the 
     Nation's competitiveness, improve the skills of the 
     workforce, and contribute to a more fulfilling life for 
     millions of citizens.
       The son of a plumber and a school secretary in western 
     Massachusetts, I had the good fortune to attend Dean College, 
     a two-year residential college in Franklin. My two years at 
     Dean focused me, taught me to appreciate the value of 
     continuing my education, and provided me with the foundation 
     for building a career in global business.
       America's system of junior and community colleges has 
     proved to be powerful and very effective in preparing 
     students for success at four-year colleges and beyond. The 
     potential of these institutions to raise the game of those 
     who attend and to enhance our Nation's competitiveness is 
     clear.
       The challenge is to keep community colleges and junior 
     colleges strong at a time when State support continues to 
     decline. Many who have chosen to attend a junior or community 
     college have found that the experience can lead to exciting 
     places. Graduates can be found in Congress and on the 
     judicial bench. They've flown aboard the space shuttle, 
     commanded troops, and written for major publications. Some, 
     like me, run large corporations.
       These colleges mirror the communities they serve. They 
     enable students to continue their education at an affordable 
     cost, develop careers in a range of fields that is expanding 
     all the time, and, more frequently nowadays, change careers 
     to find greater job satisfaction and fulfillment.
       In healthcare alone, nearly two-thirds of the industry's 
     new workers have studied at community colleges. As the number 
     of baby boomers who are near or at retirement age swells and 
     the need for healthcare services grows, community colleges 
     will fill an important gap in the workforce.
       In addition to teaching people new skills, junior and 
     community colleges often help students learn how to learn--to 
     gain the

[[Page E2198]]

     kind of solid footing it takes to continue their education. 
     Research shows that students who transfer from a two-year 
     institution to a four-year college or university are often 
     more successful than those who start at a four-year 
     institution.
       As a society we need to applaud the accomplishments of two-
     year college graduates and encourage baccalaureate 
     institutions to accept transfer students who have proved they 
     can be successful students.
       In the long run, junior and community colleges not only 
     help students gain confidence in their ability to learn, but 
     they also provide them a foundation for achieving better 
     jobs.
       The potential ripple effect on the economy is obvious. As 
     the world becomes flatter and we're faced with new global 
     competition, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that 
     future generations of Americans enjoy a standard of living 
     that matches or surpasses our own.
       A strong system of junior and community colleges with 
     stepped-up support--financial or otherwise--from business 
     leaders, legislators, and educators can go a long way toward 
     making that goal achievable.
       If junior and community colleges win, we all win.

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