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Dr. Richard Rhodes, Chancellor, Austin Community College District

At this turning point in education, there’s a strong possibility that COVID-19 stories may oversaturate our field, creating a potential that our eyes glaze over whenever we watch or read about how someone else has dealt with the pandemic. Instead of writing another post that follows that formula, we asked Austin Community College District Chancellor, Dr. Richard Rhodes, to share why he feels it’s important to stay vigilant to the uniqueness each of us is experiencing in this unprecedented time.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has turned our world upside down. The ways we teach, learn and work all look different. What is happening now is remarkable. The landscape of higher education is transforming, and it is on us to continue growing. 

COVID-19 presented challenges we have never seen. How we work through those challenges shapes whether we succeed or fail. We can use them as lessons and tools for enacting meaningful and transformational change. The fabric of what we do will always remain our cornerstone. We are here to support students and their success. How we do that is what is new.

So how does that coincide with our COVID-19 protocol? At ACC, we worked diligently to keep empathy and transparency front-and-center throughout our decision-making process. Creating and nurturing a real culture of collaboration, connection, and caring became more necessary than ever to improve communications and work as a team. This was the only way we were going to succeed. Some choices were easy to greenlight, such as creating a video to help educate our students on how to follow CDC guidelines if they had to come on campus. Many choices took far more introspection to ensure we were setting our students up for success. If we were going to do this right, we needed to do it as a college. We formed committees composed of members from departments districtwide to share insights, ideas, and recommendations — from faculty and student affairs staff to business and operations and marketing.

A prime example of this was choosing to adopt a pass/no pass model where students could opt for that option even after seeing what their grade was. Another example was utilizing CARES Act funds to purchase thousands of laptops and iPads for students who don’t have devices for remote learning. Providing this technology eliminates obstacles and allows them to continue their education whether they’re learning online or in-person. We even added hotspots on campus for drive-up Wifi access.

Our student support staff reached out to students continually, calling them to discuss their concerns and learn about any obstacles in their way. These methods were successful. Those calls allowed us to continue shaping and informing a process which would allow our students to succeed in the face of such unique circumstances.

Our faculty also stepped up to meet this challenge head-on. Whether getting trained on new technology or finding creative means to adapt their curriculum, our professors transformed the classroom so that students could continue to learn. I recall one professor in particular who took his auto-tech class from campus to home. This professor recruited his wife to film him while he demonstrated lab work on a car in his own garage. Our students could follow along at their own homes — and they never missed a beat. That’s the kind of engagement students thrive on.

All of this effort, driven by a human desire to understand and help, resulted in the kind of success we could never have imagined. In the fall of 2020, the National Student Clearinghouse (which aids students in being recruited for transfer after completing their community college coursework) was reporting a 9.4% decrease, year-over-year. ACC actually saw a 0.5% increase—in the midst of a pandemic, no less.

While so many factors, even many which started well before the pandemic, play a role in those figures, I am convinced that our open, direct communication with our students aided their ability to remain on-track. This communicative strategy was vital to keeping students safe, healthy, and engaged in their education.

As is always the case in education—we’re not done. We are watching and noting what we learn. Our goal is to capture everything so we can determine which elements are successful and continue to use them as we move into the future. At the heart of that data remains the unique individuals we serve — our students. I challenge you and your colleagues to keep tuned-in, as well—and appreciate that you have done so for me today.