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Stigmas against community colleges

  

NS 50

As astudent at Douglas, I’ve heard all the negative connotations that come with going to a smaller sized
community college rather than a research university, but | don’t believe any basis for this stigma other than pure
elitism. Yet, there are arguments made that going to a smaller sized community college is cheaper, smaller in terms
of scale or student population, and therefore is less quality education—or that community college students are lazy
or not as passionate and motivated as university students. Considering the fact that Douglas College is the largest
degree granting college in BC, and offers the most Bachelor’s degrees and post-degree programs than any college
in BC, | fail to see the truth in that. So, why does this stereotype persist?

It may be asmall school when compared to other Canadian research universities like SFU or UBC, but that’s
no justification for the negative connotation behind going to a smaller school. In fact, going to smaller school has
some major perks that no one mentions. For one thing, first year classes in universities can be as packed as 500
to 800 students are ina single class. The same classes at Douglas are taught with about 35 students—meaning
every student gets more hands-on experience and attention from their professors. Besides also being generally
cheaper than a university, colleges like Douglas are made for students who need to balance work and other
responsibilities—the college allows students to have very flexible scheduling to accommodate. Douglas also
combines the foundation of academia like a university with the career-ready experience and skills of a college.

Douglas is also popular with students and faculty as far as satisfaction rates. In a BC stats survey compiling
data from 2015 to 2018, an average of 93 percent of students at Douglas were satisfied with their education.
Douglas was also recognized as BC’s best employers in 2019, citing its accommodations for employees who are
also parents, their initiatives for mental and physical well-being, the encouragement they give their employees to
continue their education, as well as offering a variety of training programs.

We only know Douglas as the place where we come and learn, but | think it’s important to recognize the rich
and fascinating history that accompanies it. The very halls and concourse we walk through is the same one that
many other passionate and dedicated students have walked through years ago... and will continue to walk through
for many more years to come. Here’s to another fifty years, Dougie.

 

ts

Douglas College is the largest degree
granting college in BC, and offers the
most Bachelor's degrees and post-degree
programs than any college in BC.