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The Purpose of College Beyond Academics for Service Members
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"Do you think anyone really gives a s--- about what your major is? English literature, biology, whatever. The whole point of a college degree is to show a potential employer that you showed up someplace four years in a row, completed a series of tasks reasonably well, and on time. So, if he hires you, there's a semi-decent chance that you'll show up there every day and not f--- his business up."
-Dwight 'The General' Manfredi
While the quote above from the television series Tulsa King oversimplifies and, in a way, might seem to diminish the value of higher education and a college degree, it speaks to more than just the academic and objective purpose of college.
It is indisputable that, in some instances, colleges, courses, degrees, and predetermined requirements or paths are necessary to obtain specific careers. For example, doctors, nurses, law enforcement professionals, and many technical degrees have courses that lead to certifications and testing that are, in turn, required for government-level approval to work in specific fields. However, history and modern life are full of examples of accomplished men and women who had no formal education and were, or are, self-taught (autodidacts), like Abraham Lincoln, Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Herman Melville, George Bernard Shaw, Ernest Hemingway, Orson Welles, and Jimi Hendrix.
Nevertheless, some concepts, critical life skills, and processes require the intervention or delivery of a mentor, coach, or teacher. In many cases, and throughout history, these concepts have been provided through families and tribal relationships; respect, accountability, responsibility, and similar concepts require social interaction and a social construct that provides students with subsequent validation.
Parallels in Purpose: The Military and Higher Education
The military has always been an institution that provides a combination and integration of both academic and self-development concepts. Teaching, training, and leading servicemembers in almost every industry and technology available, the military produces personnel excelling in fields like medicine, communications, law, engineering, automotive mechanics, culinary, education, and all others. However, at the core of such training and education are core fundamentals to facilitate soldiers, marines, sailors, and airmen to be receptive and retain their instructions and training. In the case of the U. S. Army, you can equate these fundaments with the Seven Army Values: loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity, and personal courage. Similarly, across the country and the world, institutions of higher education of all shapes and sizes like Harvard University, the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), or even Leech Lake Tribal College base their missions, visions, and paths on core values, using, in many instances, the same concepts as respect, honesty, and accountability.
Challenges Impacting Students
Those who work in student success roles in higher education know that there are a number of reasons why college students and participants in most post-secondary journeys struggle and eventually discontinue their studies or career paths. While economic hardships, academic rigors, and external (to school) responsibilities account for a large portion of such struggles, a critical challenge for many students is a lack of overall preparation and understanding of how to operate in a college environment. As alluded to and noted earlier, it could not be any more true, especially today, that students can learn about any academic subject on their own if they want to learn. Whether they are at Harvard University, UCLA, or your local community college, the information and many delivery methods are available to obtain the lessons and subsequent testing required. However, as also mentioned, concepts like responsibility, respect, accountability, and resilience are non-tangible concepts delivered in situational interactions and exchanges with peers, instructors, and institutional leaders.
How to Build Accountability in Higher Education, Lessons from the Military
In a conversation with several community college instructors, as we delved into student success, struggles with attendance, the lack of timely assignment submissions, and a sense of accountability, they explained their concerns and their ideas behind the struggle.
"Jorge, you have to understand that many, if not most, of our students have never had concepts like accountability, responsibility, respect, or even trust taught or introduced to them."
While this statement does not apply to all colleges and universities, it is, unfortunately, a valid concern for many institutions whose internal culture directly reflects their struggling communities.
"I understand that in many cases, our students come to us already lacking these vital teachings and understandings. But if we know that this might be the one obstacle that will keep them from succeeding at our institution, when will we start teaching it to them?"
Accountability, respect, and responsibility are not a switch or concept memorized after reading a book or passage. These concepts are delivered in rituals and daily activities and learned over time. It is not enough for a Seargent to tell his soldiers to be early to formation; he also holds himself accountable by being early to ensure they are complying. Responsibility is a critical aspect of teamwork within military life and is evident when assigned or working within a team. The team's mission and success depend on every member of such team understanding and executing their task within the team.
Course of Action (COA) for Higher Ed Professionals
During their formative years in college, students are presented, introduced, and challenged with thought-provoking new ideas and concepts that challenge their political, religious, and social perspectives. However, to be challenged, students must first have a base of fundamental concepts to analyze and subsequently integrate or discard new teachings; this is true in college and throughout life.
Promoting and reflecting respect, responsibility, and professionalism as an instructor reminds veterans and former servicemembers of their inherent values and discipline, engaging their desire to emulate and continue their learned structured way of life. As administrators and leaders within higher education, well-structured, fair, and delivered guidelines, policies, and procedures allows for instructors and students to have a gauge of the standard and therefore understand what accountability and responsibility means within the institution. As students, and especially as a student-veteran, reach back or maintain your discipline, routine, and structured days; class time is your new "accountability formation," and your assignments are your "tasks" within your team. How do you promote respect, responsibility, and accountability in your curriculum, assignments, or work day? Beyond academics, how can we support military-affiliated students on our campuses to utilize the respect, responsibility, and accountability skills they have learned from the military?
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