Posts by Sara Goldrick-Rab

June 2, 2009, 10:36 PM ET

Community Colleges: Go Big

By Sara Goldrick-Rab

I frequently write about community colleges. In part, it’s because as a sociologist I’m very concerned with educational inequality and fascinated most with underdogs. In part, I enjoy complexity and I think these institutions fit that criteria. But most of all, I write about community colleges because too few people do.

Not these days, of course. These days community colleges are everywhere — the Obama administration seems fairly obsessed with visiting them, praising them, and hopefully funding them as well. But in the scholarly world, and usually in the public eye, these are the shadow colleges.

It’s time for a change. We have to start paying attention — serious, thoughtful attention — if we want to reach any of our current goals. Want out of the recession? We need more jobs and less economic inequality — and that means a more inclusive approach to postsecondary education...

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June 2, 2009, 09:13 PM ET

New Kid on the Block

By Sara Goldrick-Rab

This feels a bit like starting over. Trying to figure out what I’m supposed to be doing, who’s deciding whether it’s any good, and in the end whether I even like it. Just like beginning a job. Just like becoming a mom. Just like making a new friend.

So I figure, I’ll say a little hello and give you a chance to get to know me. We’ll see if we like each other, if I stand a chance of making you even a little happy, and if things go well, maybe I’ll stick around and say a word or two once in awhile. (OK, those of you who already know me know that only “a word or two” is unlikely.)

A quick Sara-snapshot: Untenured assistant professor at a research I university (where no, blogging doesn’t “count” for tenure). Sociologist by training spending time doing applied policy analysis in an Ed School. Mom to a toddler, with another due by year’s end. Wife to a policy director, and co-founder of a...