College of Commissioner Science

[LeCastor]

Have any of your Councils put on a College of Commissioner Science? If so, how has it gone? If not, why not?

Have any of you completed your Doctorate of Commissioner Science? If so, have you found it useful to your Commissioner Service? What were your thesis topics?

[MikeS72]

Central Florida Council does, although folks with a Doctorate are not very common.

I will be doing my Masters this year, and will probably begin work on the Doctorate program next.  I think one of the biggest things I got from last year's classes was the networking with Commissioners from other districts, and seeing what they do as compared to my own district.

[ParkMan]

I'd love to hear more about the experience of working on a doctorate.  I'm not a commissioner - but I see it in my future.

Our council also holds a College of Commissioner Science.

[CNYScouter]

I am in the Longhouse Council in Syracuse, NY.

We have had a Commissioner College for as long as I can remember.

Over the last few years this has evolved to an area event covering NE region area 3 and the councils take turns as the chancellor and finding staff.

It has been held at a school hear is Syracuse for a number of years.

We must be doing things right as they have had attendees in the past as far away as Cleveland, OH

I only got as far as a bachelors degree but taught classes at this in the past.

I have plans to attend his year as they are offering the Powder Horn Course directors  conference which our council has been trying to hold for a few years

[Laxplr21]

I currently reside in the Mid America council (MAC) but I started going to commissioner colleges when I was an ADC in Spirit of Adventure on the east coast.  Here in MAC, we partner with two other councils (within Nebraska) to run the college.  It is of course open to any.  They are going through the program to make it more interesting, useful and exciting for people to WANT TO COME.  We will see how it goes.  When I was living around Boston, I attended the Western Mass Council in Springfield MA every year.  This was an incredible experience.  It is done so well I have heard that National allows them to test classes to see if it will be implemented nationally.  They have their stuff together.

I find these schools useful.  Yes we may have had similar training elsewhere from the topics that are presented, but you do get a lot of time to speak with others on issues and topics.  It is a great way to meet new people and build your network.  There is always something new you can learn that may help you in the future.  I have my masters degree and going to work on my doctorate degree soon.  I have an idea for a thesis/project but nothing concrete.  I'm looking forward to future colleges.  A good learning opportunity.  If you are up around Springfield MA, go to the theirs. You will not be disappointed.

[John-in-KC]

We had a member here, someone with a real PhD

that member looked at the curriculum for a doctorate of commissioner service, and laughed. ... the project usually wasn’t even worthy of an undergrad end of course term paper in someone’s own university major. 

This Scouter was then on a tenure track hiring committee. A candidate had actually placed DCS on his CV.  He did get called for an interview.  According to the member, he threw up in the hallway after leaving the room. Let’s just say they went full throttle on him.

Lets just say that CCS is supplemental training, and leave it there. 

[ParkMan]

Of course it's a silly naming convention and nowhere near approximates a real PhD.  Just like University of Scouting isn't a real University either.

Just for my own knowledge I'm curious what folks do for a Doctorate. I get that there's an independent project involved here.  If you've completed one or know of others who have - what kinds of things did you see for projects?

[desertrat77]

I went through the bachelors of CS in 1990 (or thereabouts).

It was a nice day with a bunch of seminars.  I'd certainly never consider it a "degree."  Mostly listened to speakers and chatted with other attendees. 

Edited January 17, 2019 by desertrat77

[Laxplr21]

Here is what is listed through the Western Massachusetts Council   Sorry for the breaks and length. 

Bachelor Degree

Prerequisites:

Current registration as a Commissioner, Current BSA YPT Certificate, Completion of "Commissioner Basic Training"

Course Requirements:

Completion of seven courses of instruction, at least 5 of the courses at the Bachelor's program level

 

Roundtable  Bachelor Degree (some councils require 2 year commitment)

Prerequisites:

Current registration as a commissioner, Current BSA YPT Cert. Completion of "Roundtable Commissioner Basic Training"

Course Requirements:

Completion of seven courses of instruction, at least 5 of the courses at the RT Bachelors program level.

 

Masters Degree

Prerequisites:

Current registration as a commissioner, Current BSA YPT cert, Earned Arrowhead Honor, Completion of Bachelor's degree or have been awarded the COmmissioner's Key

Course requirements:

Completion of seven additional courses of instruction (total of 14), at least 7  of the courses at the Master's level

 

Roundtable

Masters

Prerequisites:

Current registration as a commissioner, Current BSA YPT cert, Completion of "RT Commissioner Basic Training", Completion of Bachelor's Degree or have been awarded the COmmissioner's Key

Course Requirements:

Completion of seven courses of instruction, at least 5 of the courses at the RT Bachelor program level

 

Doctoral Candidate Certificate

Prerequisites:

Current registration as a commissioner, Current BSA YPT, Completion of Master's degree, Have been awarded the Commissioner Key

Course Requirements:

Note: Earning the Doctor of Commissioner Science Degree does not automatically qualify you to receive the Doctorate of Commissioner Service Knot Award!!!

Completion of 10 additional courses of instruction (total of 24), at least 5 of the courses at the Doctor's or Continuing Education program level, courses may not have previously been counted toward other college degrees.

Thesis or Project:

This can be on any topic related to Commissioner Service, The topic must be pre0approved by the College of Commissioner Science Committee, Complete the thesis/project using the approved format as determined by the college.  Completion of a thesis or research project on any topic of value to Scouting, The topic and final paper must be approved by the Doctoral Review Committee.

 

Doctor of Commissioner Science Knot Award:

Doctor of Commissioner Science Knot Award

Current Registration as a Commissioner, Current BSA YPT Cert. Completion of Doctoral Degree, Tenure (Serve as a Commissioner for a minimum of 5 years (years need not be consecutive), Service can be in one or more roles or positions Commissioner of service

Recruiting:

Recruit or assist in recruiting at least 3 new Commissioners during tenure as a commissioner.

Final Approval:

Approval of Council or assigned Assistant Council Commissioner

 

[shortridge]

In my neck of the woods, there is an extreme shortage of unit commissioners. Is this complicated (and overly pretentious, IMO) training system supposed to make it easier to get people to volunteer?

[Jameson76]

58 minutes ago, shortridge said:

In my neck of the woods, there is an extreme shortage of unit commissioners. Is this complicated (and overly pretentious, IMO) training system supposed to make it easier to get people to volunteer?

All these years of training classes gives these folks who want to be commissioners something to do...instead of you know....commissioner stuff

The commissioner program is great in the abstract.  The actual process of a commissioner doing some action to support youth programming at the unit level is often not there.

I have worked with 6 different units in 2 different councils.  In my 30 plus years on adult leadership I think I have seen a commissioner twice actually in the wild (you know at a unit).  I have seen many of them at council events, camps, etc hanging out...commissioning (I guess that is a verb)

Sort of like with fundraising...Do we have commissioners so we have good Scout Troops OR do we have Scout troops so we have commissioners

[desertrat77]

I was a UC several times, several locations.

The most common response I received from units was shock.  Shock that I actually showed up, visited with them, went camping with them (always offered, a few accepted), and that was a fan of their unit.  Some units responded to this, others didn't.  The latter usually had a longstanding, intense dislike for all commissioners in general, and nothing I did could shake them from that belief.

Not that I blamed them.  Rather, I sympathized with them.   I recalled my days as an ASM and SM, and I felt the same way about most commissioners.  Some were gold, most were all show/no go.  Fancy uniforms, active in anything district or council related, pompous know it alls who had zero interest in unit level scouting.

For the units that had challenges, I always drove away from each meeting with the thought "If I really wanted to make a difference for this unit, I'd resign as a UC and put in my app to be an ASM or committee member."

All said, I believe in the commissioner concept.  But the BSA would be better off having 2 squared away commissioners in a district who really care about unit level scouting than 12 who don't.

 

 

Edited January 19, 2019 by desertrat77

[John-in-KC]

I got really tired of the commissioner rat race when I was expected to be the manpower for the District Activity Operating Committee’s events AND do unit service by way of visitation and support. 

I had a day job, too..,

[PACAN]

I have never seen the purpose in this infrastructure of commissioners.  Scouting is not a college degree program. I would just like to see commissioners who actually are current on the programs.  When you have a "Doctorate" who doesn't know about the Eagle Project process they have no value added to units.

[cchoat]

Our council does not put on a Commissioners College, but those of us who are interested travel to outside councils that do host them. We will get together a few commissioners to split driving and hotel costs.

 

I hold a Doctorate in Commissioner Science.