American Higher Education

Donald Southerland

My career (1969-2019) spans 50 years although the last 5 years, I was a part-time Adjunct Instructor for a local University.  Of those 50 years, 45 years was spent either directly or indirectly in Education either as a Professor/Instructor or as an Administrator.  I have worked or taught in the following educational systems:  Community College, College, University, and/or Proprietary Colleges. 


The courses I have taught include:

1. English Composition
2. Micro/Macro Economics
3. Introduction to Computers
4. Statistical Problem Solving
5. Process Re-engineering
6. Personal Financial Planning
7. Strategic Planning
8. Project Management
9. Business Communications
10. Human Resource Management
11. Production Management
12. Management & Leadership

What did I discover?

That my college students were not very well prepared to attend College other than a Community College and even that level of education was doubtful.

My students basically LACKED:

• Writing Skills
• Spelling Skills
• Reading Skills
• Grammar Skills
• Presentation Skills
• Problem Solving Skills
• Critical Thinking Skills
• Working in Teams Skills
• Drilling Down on a Subject Skills
• Self-starter/Hit-the-Ground-Running Skills

I had students that...

1. never purchased the textbook
2. could not remember what they learned from their previous course
3. memorized for the test then forgot
4. did not prepare for class
5. did not do homework
6. did not ask questions
7. wanted to be told exactly what to do
8. did not want to figure out what I wanted