I've long said that Illinois had a strong community college emphasis, and now it appears, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, that I was right. Turns out that in a poll of Illinois residents, they had more favorable opinions of the local community colleges than of the state universities.
The results stand to reason. Community colleges are incredibly affordable (under $100 a credit if you live in the local district) and they keep families together. The north and northwest suburbs of Chicago are among some of the most diverse places in the country, and many of my students were first-generation or even young immigrants from places in the world that have stronger collective family structures than our individualistic western ones. Community colleges are an economical way for students to earn a degree while staying close to home.
I knew it would be another story when I moved back to Rhode Island, which is culturally and educationally a much different place. But I do miss knowing that I had so many teaching opportunities at really good colleges. Even though I was only an adjunct, I had more work oppportunities than I had time to accept. It will be interesting to follow how this movement spreads, if at all, to other parts of the country in the coming years.
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