I arrived in Bloomington, Indiana, on Jan. 2, 2002 to begin a joint doctoral program in Telecommunications and Cognitive Science.

Working with Annie remains one of the greta joys of my professional life.

Thankfully I save almost everything, so I have a record of our first e-mail exchange. I wrote at the end of my first year as a master’s student.

She wrote back the next morning, May 18, 2000, describing her program of research. In this e-mail she outlines what I have come to believe is the best way to run a lab:

I do think that the program here at Indiana is/can be very rigorous. In many ways our curriculum asks students to identify their interests and needs and goals and then design their own program, with the help of their committee, to get them there.  For this reason it can be as challenging as you want to make it!  The basic Ph.D. core is, I think, a solid group of courses.

Since you’ve read my work you probably already know that a lot of my work was/is done as a team effort – with graduate students. I expect my Ph.D. students to contribute to all aspects of the research done in the lab from data collection to analysis to coming up with ideas for future studies (not all of these at first but all of them by the end of your studies).

I like to think that my Ph.D. students, when they are done, are methodologically well trained, and theoretically proficient in the field in general – and then have their own specialties of which they know (I would hope) more than me.

It is always my hope that I will learn from my Ph.D. students, not just that they will learn from me.  I expect them to branch out, learn more, and share the knowledge they learn and use with the lab group (in lab meetings) and the field (in conference papers), etc.

…

My own work tends to travel across content types (political advertising, news, prime time TV, PSAs, etc.) and recently has been moving into other platforms from TV (audio only, computer display, video games, etc.)  However, my theoretical approach is consistent (limited capacity information processing approach) and my methodology is generally experimental with an emphasis on covert measures of processing.

If a college student asks me, “When is it acceptable to use a smartphone during a business meeting?” then I must confess that my only answer is “I have no idea … at all.”

Yesterday I offended a colleague by using my smartphone during a meeting, and it’s not the first time that this has happened. I respect and quite like this particular colleague, so I feel quite badly about the faux pas. However, the incident crystallized this question that has been floating in the back of my mind for some time now.

Before you merely label me a heathen with no sense of business etiquette, consider the facts of the case and a recent conversation with a highly successful alumnus of our program.

Students were presenting a strategic communication campaign, and their research raised a great question about the brand. The question. They cut to the heart of the matter. And sitting in the back of the room against the wall, I realized that their question was so good and so fundamental that I didn’t know the answer.

But I did know that the answer was merely a click away on my iPhone. So I set the phone on the notebook on which I was taking notes, Googled the question, and quickly learned the answer.

The volume of the phone was, obviously, off, and sitting on the notes on my lap, the physical movement of my Google search could not have been more animated than taking notes. And most people in the room were taking notes. So it could not have been a visual distraction.

Yet being on the phone was offensive in and of itself. As a behavioral scientist, I find this fascinating.

To me, information always is preferable to no information. And my data searching was subtle, especially considering that I was against the back wall behind the tripod videotaping the presentation. All eyes were, rightly, on the students.

Thus the faux pas was philosophical in nature.

I wish that I could claim complete innocence and report that as soon as I learned the answer, I pocketed the iPhone. I did not. I sent a couple of tweets about the presentation. Also discretely but less innocent, philosophically.

Industry perspective

My smartphone usage ruffles feathers more often than I would like, and because of this, the people who chafe at my usage likely would be shocked by how often I refrain from relevant searches due to feelings of etiquette.

All of this likely would merely heap shame upon me if it were not for a recent conference call.

As part of the college’s outreach, several members of our National Professional Advisory Board volunteered their time to talk with a group of advertising students about careers, success, and the industry.

When answering a student question about how to add value to an employer, one successful business-owning alumnus said that he especially values energized young employees who can put information at his fingertips when he needs it.

“When we’re in a meeting, and a piece of information will help inform the discussion, I need a person who can get that information. That person is invaluable to me, and I will always keep them near.”

OK, that is a paraphrase due to imperfect memory, but the sentiment is accurate, and the word “invaluable” is a direct quotation. And he elaborated that he was specifically referring to the employee who pulled out a smartphone and searched the information in the meeting, adding that he didn’t have time to do it because he was leading the meeting.

So out-of-the-blue, one of our most successful graduates tells a group of students that such information-gathering is invaluable, and no other member of the board on the conference call contradicted him.

Your guess as good as mine

So what to advise young people?

If this question actually were posed to me, I would hedge and say something like, “know your environment.”

I assumed that I knew what my younger-than-me colleague would think about such smartphone usage, and you know what they say about “assume.”

So I made myself look like a jerk, and I irritated someone whose opinion is valuable to me. That’s on me for not knowing the environment.

But that advice still sounds hollow to me. When I sit in Faculty Senate meetings and see our at-least-a-generation-older-than-me provost on his phone, I get it. Important stuff happens during a 90 minute meeting. He needs to attend to it.

However, it’s important to know that not only is my opinion not universal, it may be a definite minority.

I apologized sincerely, and I regret offending the colleague. But in the heart of the information age with the Millennial generation fully coming into the workforce, this issue must be addressed.

In the end, I forgot the first rule of strategic communication: know thy audience.

Photo published under a Creative Commons license from liewcf on Flickr.

Students returned to campus following nearly a one month winter reprieve.

The semester’s starts is always marked with excitement and energy. But also logistics.

This sidewalk was barren just 24 hours ago. Today it’s nearly elbow to elbow at the height between classes.

As a faculty member, I hold a plethora of office hours, and I practically beg students to come see me. They must tire of hearing the aforementioned fact.

Yet precious few actually make the trip. The ones who do are incredibly rewarding. I enjoy getting to know them, and these are the students who usually end up maintaining contact after graduation.

Several years ago, I heard a suggestion to hold a portion of one’s office hours in less traditional setting, such as the student union or a coffee shop. I wish I recalled the source of that tip.

I first tried the suggestion at Indiana University, and it worked well. Students were willing to come to Starbucks, and I cannot recall a single instance where I didn’t have at least one visitor.

Contrast this with traditional office hours where I would estimate fewer than 20% of the time I entertain a visitor.

This has been true early in this semester, where I have had traditional office hours twice and office hours in the Barnes & Noble Cafe in the Student Union Building once.

One visitor total to my office, but at the SUB we had to pull up more chairs around the table.

It’s supposed to be about student engagement. And they’re simply more willing to engage on neutral turf.

There was a four-year hiatus between my attempts at coffee shop office hours because they’re difficult to schedule and commit to. But I’m thrilled that they’re off to a good start, and I look forward to getting to know my students better.

ECC shares how they plan to address urgent growth needs related to healthcare professions and first responder training

By Sarah Evans

As with the three colleges previously highlighted in this series, Elgin Community College (ECC) is seeing its enrollment increase rapidly. For spring 2009, enrollment is up 14 percent, the third highest spring enrollment in the college’s 60-year history. This increase includes more returning students, transfers from other four-year universities and adult learners. Looking at Spring enrollment trends across the state of Illinois, we are not alone.

At ECC the plans for our future are already in the works

Due to tremendous growth and as one of the oldest community colleges in Illinois, ECC is currently requesting from its district (Community College District 509) permission to issue bonds to cover the critical needs of the college. On a national scope, ECC is not alone; there are many community college districts in need of vital facility improvements (in Illinois, many districts have successfully pursued a referendum in the past two years).

State funding for community colleges has dropped significantly over the past seven years, and no Illinois community college has received any state funding for capital projects or deferred maintenance since 2004. Federal stimulus projects remain undecided, but there is speculation that those who can match funds may take priority. If true, ECC could leverage referendum dollars to receive federal stimulus dollars, offering opportunities to further plans for a Health Careers Center of Excellence and Regional Public Safety Training Facilities, among others.

Healthcare providers and community colleges go hand-in-hand

Nationally, community colleges are responsible for educating 60 percent of all new registered nurses and the majority of allied health professionals. Impressive numbers, yes. However, we don’t always have the capabilities to keep up with demand. In the midst of a nationwide healthcare workforce shortage, the need for healthcare job training is so high that ECC turns away more applicants every semester than it is able to enroll. ECC’s referendum would double the classroom space for health careers training and allow the college to offer up to eight additional health career training programs, including a Bachelor of Science in nursing in partnership with Northern Illinois University.

We will continue to do our part to prepare for the employment increase in healthcare and related fields which is predicted to be approximately 19 million by 2016.

Community college the right choice for this nursing alum

Nursing was the right choice for Pamela Walker, the new emergency director for Elgin-based Sherman Health and ECC was the right choice to pursue her education.

“ECC was my jumpstart for a lifelong career of growth and achievement,” says Walker, a 1977 graduate with more than 20 years of nursing experience.

Walker says that ECC provided her with so much training that she didn’t return to complete her bachelor’s degree for 22 years. She credits her success to the relationships she’s developed with her fellow nursing students and ECC instructors.

The ECC nursing program is as popular today as it was when Walker attended. Although enrollment caps existed in the ’70s as today, she says the difference between the two periods is that nursing is now seen as a career choice, not as a casual decision. ECC has a huge role in training future nurses and healthcare staff, she says. Sherman Health and other regional hospitals also see the importance of that role.

“All area hospitals are eager to partner with ECC,” Walker says.

80 percent of police, 86 percent of fire fighters, and 84 percent of paramedics receive their credentials at community colleges

ECC is at the forefront of safety and security preparation for our region–training the firefighters, police officers and paramedics.

However, the college does not have training facilities on campus or the space to meet the increasing demands for job training. Currently the college can train only about 240 students per year for public safety professions. Regional public safety training facilities funded by the referendum would double the number of students trained for jobs in public safety each year–and ensure that students have access to high-quality technical and medical training close to home.

Local police chief is life-long learner

St. Charles Police Chief James Lamkin is a believer in ECC, earning his associate degrees in accounting and criminal justice during the ’70s and ’90s.

“I always believe ECC is a tremendous resource in our area,” he says. With a career in law enforcement spanning more than 28 years, Lamkin, who recently was named the 2009 president of the Kane County Chiefs of Police Association, has put his degrees to good use, as he’s able to juggle his department’s budget with police work. He says ECC gave him the tenacity to earn his degree. As an adult learner, Lamkin enjoyed the engaging conversations he had with instructors.

Your Economy. Your Community. Your College.

As with our peers across the country, ECC is ready to accommodate the current and future growth of those who utilize their community colleges. Although we have much to be proud of throughout our 60-year history, we have real, urgent needs that have expanded as the economy drives more people to the resources and services we provide.

To protect our regional economy in this national economic downturn, we must continue to build a skilled workforce, attract economic investment, and reduce unemployment. This is what community colleges are all about.

If you haven’t yet, go and check out what your local community college is doing–I bet they’ll surprise you!

Enrollment is increasing at Metropolitan Community College of Omaha, Nebraska, but online enrollment is growing more than twice as fast as the overall rate.

For Spring 2009, enrollment is up 6 percent, but online enrollment is up 13 percent, according to officials.

Officials say that two factors are driving this online growth: students are staying home because of the cost benefit of staying home, and students are taking online courses because they work around a job.

The fastest growing demographic at Metropolitan Community College is Asian/Pacific Islander — having seen greater than 7 percent growth two years in a row.

As with many community colleges, Metropolitan works to meet the challenges of state funding and remaining nimble enough to meet the needs of the community in real-time. But officials there said they are battling another challenge: faculty nearing retirement age.

Most people who work at community colleges are aware of “myths” about community college. Here are the four myths listed by Metropolitan:

Community Colleges are easier than four year institutions.
Community Colleges are not quality programs, for lower income, lower social status.
For those students who can’t make it in a “real” or four-year institution
An associate degree won’t get you anywhere/it’s not important to finish your degree at your CC before transferring to a four-year

Despite growing enrollment and shrinking funding across the nation, community college officials continue to reach out to improve the perception of their institutions.

“We have some of the same instructors as the four-year universities/colleges who teach of the same rigor here as they do at their other institutions” said Metropolitan’s Sheila OConnor, director of marketing and public relations. “We are not a second-rate institution.”

Community colleges today

There were 11.5 million students enrolled in 1,195 community colleges in January 2008, according to the American Association of Community Colleges. Of these students, 41 percent were enrolled full-time, and 77 percent held full-time jobs. Compared to their counterparts, two-year schools represent a bargain. Annual tuition and fees at public community colleges average $2,361, which is less than 39 percent of the $6,185 cost of the average public four-year school.

Photo credit: Photographs courtesy of Metropolitan Community College, Omaha, Neb.