Editorial Comment

Wishful Resolutions

With the New Year there is always talk of resolutions. The symbolic date gives us a chance to start fresh, to reform and to improve. Usually we make them for ourselves, but some things we can't change on our own.

Psychologists suggest that people should visualize outcomes that they wish for as a way to help make them happen. So here are some New Year's resolutions I would like to visualize the following people making:

Gov. Mitt Romney resolves to treat community college faculty and staff fairly by negotiating a new contract with the points we were promised by classification and across-the-board raises to equal those given to UMass faculty.

The Legislature resolves to increase community college funding (including contracts), and to establish a funding mechanism that is stable and predictable. And that it recognizes the important role of community colleges beyond being low cost.

The Legislature also resolves to find a solution to the lack of health insurance for part-time state employees. The ideal situation would be to give people a prorated version of the full-time employee benefit.

The Board of Higher Education resolves to be more efficient and to be an effective advocate for the community colleges.

The college administrations resolve to hire more full-time faculty and that existing adjunct faculty get a fair share of the new positions.

The MCCC Membership resolves to get more active, to become more involved in chapter and state-wide offices and committees and to get more politically involved.

Our students resolve to become more involved in the political process and become better advocates for community colleges not just as students, but also as alumni.

Finally, I will make my own sincere resolution. I resolve to produce a Newsletter that is timely and informative. I resolve to do my best to ensure that your Newsletter reflects your needs and interests and to be open for suggestions to improve.