Business and colleges share stake in Ohio’s future

Business and colleges share stake in Ohio’s future

EDITOR:

A key element emphasized in the state’s 10-year plan for higher education is the involvement of business.

The state’s plan devotes significant discussion to the “Relationship with Business Community,” highlighting ways that business and higher education can and should work together for their mutual benefit, such as through annual business satisfaction surveys to help schools evaluate their talent production, and a “compact” to increase the availability of co-ops and internships and to share in the marketing of higher education.

The chancellor clearly seeks business collaboration with higher education in the tradition of Gov. Taft’s Commission on Higher Education and the Economy and the Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education, the latter of which has brought together business leaders and public and private college and university presidents in Northeast Ohio since 1951. As the chancellor recognizes, business can contribute significantly to the talent development efforts of higher education, and appears willing to do so.

Employers can provide meaningful experiential learning opportunities for students through co-ops and internships, giving them not only learning experience but better access to jobs upon graduation and the incentive to stay in the region. The National Association of Colleges and Employers reported in 2004 that employers typically extend offers to more than 57 percent of their interns, and an average of more than 77 percent of those offers are accepted. However, internships take concerted effort and planning on the part of employers for the experiences to be meaningful to the student and helpful to the employer, and smaller employers can find resources stretched to provide the opportunities.

Business can also be a more vocal champion of higher education, not only by recognizing the important mission of educating and nurturing talent, but also by assuming some responsibility for marketing to outsiders the strength of the public and private talent development network Ohio has in its colleges and universities.

In my conversations with college and university presidents around Northeast Ohio, a common theme has been the importance of business involvement in their mission and the wish that business would more actively celebrate higher education. After all, diverse and experienced boards of trustees, replete with business leaders, select the presidents themselves, usually the cream of the academic talent crop.

In the NOCHE model, the business-higher education partnership is perhaps the most powerful and promising alliance for Ohio, one that has been envisioned and effectuated before but which could be enhanced by more open and regular communication and a clearer understanding of the needs of each. Ohio’s future depends on this vibrant collaboration.

ANN WOMER BENJAMIN

Executive director

Northeast Ohio Council on Higher Education

And the show went on

EDITOR:

I would like to express my appreciation to the people who came to my assistance at the Spot Light Theater on the YSU campus March 29.

I experienced one of life’s embarrassing moments when I became ill during the performance. Help came from everywhere. I am truly grateful.

Incidentally, the performers were professionals, they didn’t seem to miss a line.

PHYLLIS HUGGINS

Boardman