Message from Dr. Belinda S. Miles: The Dream Continues
January 14, 2022
Colleagues,
The National Student Clearinghouse Research Center reports that fall 2021 college enrollments continued to decline and estimates that colleges and universities lost close to one million students since the start of the pandemic. We share this reality as the ravages of the pandemic continue to impact our communities and families. Yet, we are not surprised by the national and local enrollment trends. We thank our faculty, academic counselors, enrollment staff, and all others for their fruitful efforts to show our students how much we care and how committed we are to keeping them on track.
Especially during these trying times, Westchester Community College is a beacon of hope and a place of refuge for everyone. We are guided by our student-focused North Star. We are assured that this is important and meaningful work by the fact that thousands of students and families are continuing to rely on us to keep open the doors to their dreams through high-quality academic and career pathways and the myriad student support services that are essential to their academic development, wellbeing, social and economic success, and ability to reach their fullest potential.
By working together and innovating, we have seen strong results from our student success efforts. We will pause soon to say more about the new and extraordinary student success and completion results we are achieving together. This work demonstrates the appreciation we have for our students as we work to help them reach their goals. Our accomplishments also reveal our consistent and ongoing commitment to the ideals that beckoned us to devote our careers to the community college mission of access, learning, and success. This focus and these ideals will contribute to a strong start to spring 2022 next week.
Thanks for your continuing diligence in adapting to constantly changing circumstances, including the recent announcement that the first two weeks of instruction for spring, which begins on January 18, will occur remotely. While remote learning has shown us high-quality results and has enabled us to reach new students, many students have indicated that they strongly prefer in-person teaching and learning, support services, and student activities. WCC is determined to maximize safety and minimize risk for all students and employees as we pursue our mission. We are grateful that vaccination has resulted in less severe illness for many affected by COVID-19. This outcome along with our continuing health and safety protocols are contributing to a safer educational and work environment.
This weekend we honor and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. As our nation continues to confront social and racial injustices, so many of Dr. King’s speeches and remarks still hold relevance. Here is a link to his “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered in August 1963 during the March on Washington. If you are participating in the National Day of Service, thank you for your commitment to creating a more fair and just society.
Dr. Belinda S. Miles
President