By Darren Johnson
Campus News
Rockland Community College’s new president, Dr. Michael A. Baston, was inaugurated earlier this semester at a star-studded Gala and celebration. He succeeds Dr. Cliff L. Wood at the bucolic suburban campus, who had served for 13 years.
A former attorney who represented higher education clients, Baston first got directly involved with students moonlighting as an adjunct, teaching paralegal studies courses.
“I found engaging with students to be very rewarding,” he told Campus News, “how they were navigating the complexities of their lives and managing their aspirations; teaching them how they could make a greater contribution to the world.”
Then he proved he had a talent for growing quality enrollments and charting new student pathways at LaGuardia Community College in Queens, where he served as President for Student Affairs and Associate Provost for eight years. From there, he was regularly invited to speak at other colleges on student success.
“I enjoyed being at LaGuardia and helped deliver a support structure that led to increased student success and graduation rates,” he said. “The strategies developed at LaGuardia were brought around the country where I helped coach other colleges on how to improve their success rates.”
Baston’s strategies included intervening when students saw their grades drop and/or started missing classes. Without intervention, students may quit altogether. Baston’s plan led to improved reenrollment rates.
“When you have higher enrollment and course completion rates, these are good indicators that you are making progress. … The big challenge at community colleges is that students are not finishing what they started.”
Among the headliners who appeared at the Gala were Rita Harvey, the Broadway singer and actress best known for her starring role in “Phantom of the Opera,” and Pat Battle, co-anchor for NBC-TV 4 New York’s “Weekend Today in New York,” who served as master of ceremonies.
“We had a wonderful time,” he said.
But the next day was back to business. Baston believes that’s the great part about his job; meeting so many different constituencies – students, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, elected officials and members of the community – and encouraging their ideas to move the college forward.
He notes that RCC has several strengths – the school is renowned for an honors program, from which many graduates transfer to top four-year colleges including Ivies. As well, the school has also been formally recognized as military- and LGBTQ-friendly.
Where he sees room for growth are with returning adult students. “They may have a bachelor’s or associate’s degree already, but they come back to RCC to learn new skills. … We are the No. 1 college in New York State for older students and are connecting them to meaningful workplace opportunities in our county.
“When I teach Introduction to Paralegal Studies I find numerous students already have a bachelor’s degree, but they need coursework to advance their careers.”
Baston would like to see even more students graduate with a two-year degree. Many transfer to a four-year college without earning that credential. “Our graduation rate is above the national average, but it’s still something we can do better. Twenty percent of our students are early transfers. They leave for a four-year college before getting their associate’s degree. We want them to complete their education with us first. That way, they reduce the cost of their overall education and earn a credential.”
Baston exudes positivity and a can-do spirit. “This college’s future is bright,” he said. “Watch for Rockland Community College to become a vital economic partner with our community, and we will continue to look for meaningful ways in which we can do that.”
He is pictured with wife Tasha and RCC students at the RCC Gala.
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