“A mission statement can be defined as an enduring document of purpose that distinguishes one business from other firms of its type” (Cochran et al., 2008, p. 27). How does your mission statement stack up?

In addition to considering the following mission statements against Drucker’s (2005, p.7) ‘mission musts’, I will also weigh my reaction according to Cochran et al.’s (2008) “component analysis.” Cochran et al. (2008) expound upon Daft’s (2010, p.60) discussion of focus by isolating whether the mission statement actively reveals approach to customers, specific products or services, markets, technology, institutional longevity, philosophy, differentiators, or branding (Cochran et al., 2008, p.30).

Another intriguing aspect of Cochran et al.’s (2008) approach to refining the mission statement is proactively evaluating readability: “If the index was considered too high for their average readership they would rewrite the MS draft by reducing sentence length and usage of multiple syllabled words;” this is also referenced as the denotative analysis, which incorporates Blundell’s (1980) “Fog Index” (p.33). This framework then recommends readers evaluate the mission statements using connotative analysis on the basis of three dimensions–optimism, aggressiveness/assertiveness, and inspiration–using a Likert-type 1-5 scale (Cochran et al., 2008, p.30); I will utilize Cochran et al.’s (2008) connotative instead of denotative analysis to offer a cursory rating representing my overall appraisal of the mission statement.

Below are two institutions which approach learning and higher education in different ways–but Mayland was ranked 4th in its class by a politics and government publication (College Guide, 2010). While this monthly may not incite the same fever as caused by law school rankings (Sauder & Lancaster, 2006) there have been reports of criticism about the data used to evaluate the organizations, where dissenters claim community colleges are too complex to be ranked (Moltz, 2010). Since we are essentially ranking mission statements, I will assume for the purposes of this submission that a college placing in the top tenth on this list deserves attention.

Mayland Community College (#4)

“The mission of Mayland Community College (MCC) is to empower adults to become lifelong learners and to improve the quality of life within our communities” (Mayland Community College, 2010). Mayland’s mission statement is concise, but actively addresses multiple components of an effective mission: customers, institutional longevity, differentiators, branding. Specific products are somewhat implied, and while it is preferable that additional components were more actively integrated, the brevity is notable and lends well to memorability. The customers are adult students, while longevity is implied by a commitment to lifelong learning and learners, as well as “quality of life” in the community. Reinforcing ideas of “community” and “lifelong learning” is warm in approach, and immediately shapes perception of the branding. MCC’s differentiation lies in their active position to move beyong simple education by citing intent to “empower” and “improve;” these words begin to contextualize operations (Drucker, 2005, p.4) and inform goals.

The structural simplicity of the statement and emphasis on “lifelong learning” and “quality of life” offers great potential for a strong organizational culture. “The human organism cannot tolerate too much uncertainty or stimulus overload” (Schein, 2004, p.111); a simple, but forward-looking mission is also a solid basis for common language and effective communication. I have attended many churches, but do not remember any of their missions except that of one: To lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. It reflects the purpose of most Christian organizations, yet remains distinct in it’s simplicity. Similar to MCC’s mission statement, this is punchy, easy to remember, and specific.

Without extensive context about the culture and history of the college, I would wager that most stakeholders can capture the core message if challenged. MCC has chosen to celebrate well-being as a whole-life strategy, and so embraces “latent functions” (Schein, 2004, p.90) of the community college in an assertive manner which serves to differentiate their purpose. (Score: 11, where MCC earns 3pts for optimism, 4pts for aggressiveness/assertiveness, and 4pts for inspiration)

Tidewater Community College (Unranked)

“Tidewater Community College (TCC) provides collegiate education and training to adults of all ages and backgrounds, helping them achieve their individual goals and contribute as citizens and workers to the vitality of an increasingly global community” (Tidewater Community College, 2011). Qualititatively, the wordsmithing is rather tepid. There is nothing distinct about this declaration which differentiates TCC from any organization which has adopted socially accepted practices relative to diversity and today’s multicultural classroom. TCC does specificy that it intends to provide “collegiate education,” which certainly narrows their intent to deliver a product which is distinct from non-collegiate education and thereby establishes ab initio they are, in fact, a college.

All backgrounds and ages is overly broad (Drucker, 2005, p.5), despite the entirely noble gesture which inclusion of the phrase represents. In a diverse society, whom else would this institution deign to serve? On the contrary, if instead of dismissing the expression as insipid one fully engages the underlying connotation, it begs the question of whether we have entered an age where it is no longer necessary to announce this? Drucker (2005) offers a succinct insight: “What everybody knows is usually twenty years out of date” (p.69). TCC does address some components effectively, such as philosophy and markets when discussing “citizens and workers” and the vitality of the “global community,” respectively. However, I would have rathered bolder expressions such as the “promotion of vigor and good citizenship” or “foster enrichment” but this may have fared poorly on the “fog index” (Cochran et al., 2008, p.33).

This mission fails to coalesce opportunities and needs with intent (Drucker, 2005, p.7), and amounts to “We are a college that provides college learning to everyone, and we help them to reach their goals and chip in.” Summarily, this mission statement feels more vague than ambitious, and more passé than traditional–thus falling hopelessly short of vintage. Sorry Tidewater: back to the drawing board. (Score: 7, where TCC earns 5pts for optimism, 1pt for aggressiveness/assertiveness, and 1pt for inspiration)

Want to submit an institution to be ranked? Reply with the mission statement in the comments section below…

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Cochran, D., David, F., & Gibson, C.. (2008). A framework for developing an effective mission statement. Journal of Business Strategies, 25(2), 27-39. Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 1670433141).

College Guide (2010). Washington Monthly. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/college_guide/rankings_2010/community_colleges.php

Daft, R. (2010). Organization theory and design. 10th ed. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning.

Drucker, P. (2005). Managing the non-profit organization: Principles and practices. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Moltz, D. (2010, Aug 24). Evaluating community college rankings. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/08/24/rankings

Mayland Community College (2010). Retrieved from http://www.mayland.edu/students/marketingmedia/catalog/generalinfo.html

Sauder, M. & Lancaster, R. (2006). Do rankings matter? The effects of U.S. news & world report rankings on the admissions process of law schools. Law & Society Review, 40(1), 105-134. Retrieved February 26, 2011, from Criminal Justice Periodicals. (Document ID: 1009548651)

Schein, E. H. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Tidewater Community College (2011). Retrieved from http://www.tcc.edu/welcome/collegeadmin/OIE/mission.htm

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I’ve boxed. I played capoeira in Paris.  I took acting classes with an alumna of the Stella Adler Conservatory.  I even tried my hand at amateur pole-dancing (emphasis on ‘amateur’).  None of these capers were nearly as fascinating as the evening I spent at the

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“Education encompasses more than just the facts and ideas that are taught in classrooms.  It is a broadening experience that develops all aspects of the student’s life: social emotional, psychological, mental and physical” (Ginsberg, 1997, p.79). A problem inherent in educational programming at community colleges is the impartation and assessment of critical thinking skills.

Bers (2005) explains that one of the challenges of assessing critical thinking is the likelihood of a community college student to drop out or resist non-compulsory assessments, even when there is a monetary reward (p.23).  Perhaps the problem is that the assessments are non-compulsory.  If a community college administrator dedicates a course to an institutional—and, arguably, civic—goal, one would assume the odds of fulfilling and measuring this goal are improved.

A study by Fahr (2005) found that “highly educated people accumulate human capital through their specific leisure time use…this effect tends to widen the skill gap between more and less educated people.”  The community college is uniquely positioned to encourage the kind of critical thinking skills that will cultivate an appetite for lifelong learning and empower students to “deal with ambiguity and negotiate the bewildering pace of social and technological change” (Brookfield, 2005 p.49).

That courses dedicated exclusively to critical thinking are uncommon is tragic (Bers, 2005, p.15).  Futurist Richard Watson (2010) mocks self-conscious attempts to simulate intellectual environments (p.112), but instead recommends a more subtle approach to nurturing reluctant learners to be “intellectually promiscuous” (p.138).   Learning should be fun, not filled with one of the many standardized instruments described by Bers (2005).  Watson (2010) writes:  “The link here is curiosity or, more specifically, a love of serendipitous experiences” (p.139).

Extensive assessments will only continue to exhaust institutional resources (Bers, 2005, p.23), and test validity/reliability only complicates the matter.  However, by measuring the longitudinal effectiveness of a critical thinking course through students’ demonstrated initiative and pursuit of knowledge networks, there is opportunity to nurture systemic change.  The challenge is whether a simple survey will provide the necessary data to determine success indicators, or whether the institution will yield to the temptation to administer yet another complex development assessment.

Ultimately, cultivating a hunger for learning is the job of the teacher—edifying learners to assimilate existing concepts and awaken themselves to new ideas.  There are a number of knowledge networks that facilitate this pursuit including TED, NPR, RSA, OpenCourseWare, Meetup, museums, trade associations, and, of course, books.  Sadly, many teachers are themselves unfamiliar with or indifferent towards many of these channels, and are thus unprepared to operate as integrators who truly encourage interdisciplinary, critical thinking.

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Bers, T. (2005). Assessing critical thinking in community colleges. New Directions for Community Colleges, 2005(130), 15-25. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Brookfield, S. D. (2005). Overcoming impostorship, cultural suicide, and lost innocence: Implications for teaching critical thinking in the community college. New Directions for Community Colleges, 2005(130), 49-57. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Fahr, R.  (2005). Loafing or learning?  The demand for informal education. European Economic Review, 49(1), 75-98.  Retrieved from ABI/INFORM Global

Ginsberg, B. (1997). Enrichments and enhancements for older adults beyond the classroom. Ageing International, 24(2/3), 75. Retrieved from Education Research Complete.

Watson, R. (2010). Future Minds. London, UK: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.

Here’s mine:

As a designer, I believe in the inherent value of original thought and social entrepreneurship. Delivering effective education in art and design is my way of contributing to incremental change and the kind of discovery that leads learners to engage their potential. Ultimately, cultivating a hunger for learning is the job of the teacher—edifying learners to assimilate existing concepts and awaken themselves to new ideas. The way that I accomplish this is by assimilating how other disciplines inspire ideas and enhance core competencies.

There are a number of channels that facilitate this pursuit including this blog, NPR, RSA (similar to TED, but older and better), Meetup.com, museums, trade associations, and, of course, books.

Take, for instance, Leonardo Da Vinci and that he was more than a painter and sculptor; his study of human anatomy led him to the “Vitruvian Man,” a seminal work that advanced understanding of the proportions of the human body and borrowed ideas from the architect, Vitruivius.  Vitruvius is most renowned for his seminal work “The Ten Books on Architecture,” which revolutionized early renaissance architecture and design philosophy.  Vitruvius was first a writer, then an architect and engineer.  Accordingly, if we were to persist in mapping the influences of these masters, the list of contributors would continue nesting ad nauseum.  It is interdisciplinary learning experiences that will cultivate the hunger to learn, dissolve silos and help shore up performance of our students, and, thus, our institutions (Basham & Mendoza, 2008; Watson, 2010, p.139).  This, I believe.

Take some time out and experience something new today.

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Basham, M., Campbell, D., & Mendoza, P. (2008). Critical issues facing America’s community colleges: a summary of the community college futures assembly 2008. Community College Journal of Research & Practice, 32(11), 857-870.

Watson, R. (2010). Future Minds. London, UK: Nicholas Brealey Publishing.

Welcome to TheLearnShop.  Authentically wonderful experiences are precious finds.  We connect the curious with cool learning experiences.  Join the #1 conversation about lifelong learning, elevated consciousness, and personal and civic enrichment.

Educational case law has an obvious impact on public policy. What is less obvious, however, is the absence of a ‘right to education’ mandate in federal law (De Vito, 2007).  The timeline for legislation milestones and associated provisions accommodating public education spans only a few decades from 1964-2001 (De Vito, 2007); the fourteenth amendment added in 1868 simply establishes equal rights to protection of the laws of the United States of America in those cases where education is provided.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964, Lau v. Nichols, Serna v. Portales, Castanada v. Pickard, Plyler v. Doe, Gomez v. Illinois, and No Child Left Behind articulate the court decisions and federal legislation governing the education of undocumented and English language learners during their K-12 years (De Vito, 2007).

That school districts must educate the children of illegal immigrants and continue to secure government funding for this endeavor sets a powerful precedent for the higher education (Sanchez & Sanchez, 2008).  However, the “downpour of new laws, mandates, and local statutes” may systematically disenfranchise these students (Sanchez & Sanchez, 2008).

Access to education is ultimately organized under state law. “The majority of states provide statements regarding educational responsibility; some define the state’s role as minimal, others, as a fundamental right” (De Vito, 2007). The ambiguity of federal law, paired with erroneous interpretation of local statutes will either empower  college leadership, or create additional strain on our institutes of higher learning.

Now that a California Supreme Court is saying ‘yes’ to undocumented students (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/15/california-supreme-court-uphold-ab540-_n_783722.html), do you agree or disagree that illegal immigrants should have the same rights to education as a citizen?

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De Vito, D. (2007). The gap between the real and the ideal: the right to education amid fiscal equity legislation in a democratic culture. Ethics & Education, 2(2), 173-180. doi:10.1080/17449640701610111.

Sanchez, H., & Sanchez, M. (2008). The Politics of Illegal Immigration, Bilingual Education, and the Commodity of the Post-Technological Society. Educational Forum, 72(4), 336. doi:10.1080/00131720802362017.

Atlanta Public Schools is experiencing a sordid crisis due to a school board squabble that has erupted into a lawsuit (Shirek, 2010). In simple terms, the school board is suing itself. One fateful day, the board raised discussion about whether to modify the policy and allow a simple majority vote for the purpose of changing board leadership. Certain board members urged the board to exercise caution and seek legal counsel. Ultimately, the majority ruled in favor. Fifteen minutes after the vote, two board members were ousted and the minority countered with a lawsuit.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), students, community, and even the state’s attorney general are just a few of the stakeholders that have voiced their dissent for the events that have transpired. SACS has threatened to revoke the system’s accreditation if the decision is not reversed. The attorney general advised that the vote was in violation of the charter. The students and community mostly prefer that the board’s leadership grows up. Most notably, two parents in particular filed ethics violations against the board chairs in favor of the vote.

Independent counsel to the plaintiff board members as cited by 11alive.com asserts that “the Charter does not permit elections of officers of the Board at any other time besides January of even-numbered years, unless an officer vacates or resigns, or is removed from office pursuant to law” (Shirek, 2010). Beyond presenting the reader with these excerpts, there is no further need to pursue closure for what is best resolved in a court of competent jurisdiction or, ideally, between the original parties.

Regarding ethics, however, this situation is a perfect example of David Hardy’s “hubris of absolutism” (Hellmich, 2007, p.105). What is lawful is not always in alignment with what is ethical. These leaders all demonstrate a lowly state of indifference to a larger agenda and their position is neither reflective of the common good, nor is it utilitarian. Beth Richardson-Mitchell quotes the Dalai Lama’s thoughts on compassion, and essentially recommends that leaders practice the difficult task of subordinating their agenda to broader interests (Hellmich, 2007, p.79). The behavior of the board members towards their peers is painfully absent of “friendliness, gentleness, liberality, magnificence, modesty, proper pride, [and] temperance” (Hellmich, 2007, p.4). Put simply, they’re tacky.

What is of issue is not whether it is lawful to file suit against one’s fellow school board members, but whether it is the most ethical or diplomatic strategy. The author has taken the liberty of researching the members of the school board, in an attempt to understand what may be influencing their positions. Although these superficial insights hardly amount to what may be discovered through “journey mapping” (Hellmich, 2007, p.73), extra perspective certainly adds color to their behavior.

It is intriguing that while only two of the nine members have an MBA, both of those members are plaintiffs. This means that 50% of the plaintiffs have an MBA and 100% of the MBAs decided to sue. Testy, anyone? This is interesting because it begs the question of why their further training would not prompt them to pursue less damaging paths to a resolution. Are not these leaders specifically trained to transcend the prickly inconveniences of managing stakeholders, subordinates, and peers? It has been argued that efficacy as a leader is hardly increased due to an MBA (Green & Ibarra, 2010) and–when it comes to business school–MBA candidates have an impressive reputation as cheaters compared with other graduate students (McCabe, 2009; Finlay, 2002).

While the author is not suggesting that all MBAs are unethical, the aforementioned research is certainly provocative relative to the plaintiff demographic. It is unfortunate that business schools are late to the party with ethics training (Finlay, 2002). Peter Drucker himself said that it would be unwise to professionalize management: “no greater damage could be done to our economy or to our society than to attempt to ‘professionalize’ management by ‘licensing’ managers … or by limiting access to management to people with a special academic degree” (From Drucker’s Practice of Management). Look at the toll it is taking on the decision-making ability of supposed leaders in education. Yea, yea, I know that’s only part of the story. But it matters.

Claudio Fernandez-Araoz (2009) suggests that greater emphasis should be placed upon ethics during the admissions process to a business school. If they’re going to be obsessed with making it a profession, they should take a cue from older professions that have solid ethics codes so their graduates are not out there making a mess. Conversely, while this digression may mock the oversight of the board members with MBAs, it certainly does not explain why the other board members in state-regulated professions did not draw upon their varied experiences to better guide their interactions with their peers. Clearly, their duties as publicly appointed officials were insufficient to sway their resolve. So in the face of their ‘business’ training, responsibilities as public servants, and–for some of them–accepted professional codes, they still came unhinged. What gives?

The recently installed Board Chair is a leader with the non-profit, United Way, and has a background in public policy. Though his current role as chair is disputed, he was the youngest member of the board when first elected. One member is a former campaign manager and ran a communications firm. Another is an an attorney who acts as supervising counsel for a state agency. Another is a retired Buckhead Realtor who posted a sales-pitchy–but succinctly bulleted–summary of her specialties in real estate on the board of education’s member bio page. The aforementioned represent the defendants.

The former chair has an MBA and extensive political experience working with Atlanta’s mayors. Also on roll call is an ivy league graduate, who is a PTA mom and former math teacher with a record of increasing roles of responsibility serving on committees throughout the school system, an MBA who was the successor to Maynard Jackson and mysteriously resigned recently from his post as President/CEO of the former mayor’s investment banking firm, and, finally, a retired public servant from the Office of Legal Services in a state department.

So we hear about the test scores and the board drama, but how are these board members doing with schools under their purview. I visited Sutton Middle School, which is in Nancy “The Realtor” Meister’s district, and it was a supreme disgrace. The assistant principal, Meredith Kaltman, was rude and out-of-touch–she did not even know the names of her deputy superintendents. I know the principal runs the school, but come on. How can you do anything if you don’t understand the leadership infrastructure?

I watched Kaltman berate a group of students attempting to call parents to let them know about after-school activities and changes in their schedule. She barked at them so badly that it really worried me my child could go to that school one day. I’ve heard many parents in the area complain about fights and ambivalence toward the children. Just one day in the administrative offices almost made me nauseous. Meister, who helped oust the last chair, recently took the time to justify her contribution to the corrosive behavior on the board with a letter to constituents. Perhaps if Sutton wasn’t a disaster for the Buckhead Community, we could put stock in that. Yawn.

The school’s superintendent, Dr. Beverly Hall, is a wildly celebrated superstar in education, but is battling a crisis of her own–the same crisis that precipitated much of the shenanigans with the board of education: “accusations of widespread cheating” and “suspicions that answer forms on the state achievement test used to measure progress under the federal No Child Left Behind law had been tampered with by educators” (Dewan, 2010). Now, in her 11th and final year as superintendent, SACS is threatening the accreditation of her school system because of the school board (Shirek, 2010). Granted, only 12 of the 100 schools were flagged, but what is most shocking is the cheating occurred mostly in elementary classrooms! Recently, she announced she would step down at the end of her contract in June. Sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.

Let’s imagine, for a moment, that instead of exercising more sophisticated approaches to highly controversial issues–including decisions executed on a slim margin–the justices of the United States Supreme Court simply sued each other. Examples abound where the court reversed decisions such as Plessy v. Ferguson and Bowers v. Hardwick when it ruled in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas and Lawrence v. Texas, respectively. These were hardly trivial issues or matters of electoral protocol, as they involved racial segregation and criminalizing homosexual activity.

But why expect leaders in public education to exercise the temperance of a Supreme Court justice? Is that asking too much? Too much drama here for me. Who would be motivated to learn in such an environment?Children are inherently creative thinkers, and have the capacity to excel. We are robbing them. Perhaps this article is the answer to the riddle “What do you get when you appoint politicians, lawyers, and MBAs to the board of education? Answer: Pandemonium.

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Dewan, S. (2010, August 8). Allegations Are Haunting School Chief In Atlanta :[National Desk]. New York Times (Late Edition (east Coast)), p. A.11. Retrieved November 6, 2010, from ProQuest National Newspapers Core. (Document ID: 2103642011).

Fernandez-Araoz, C. (2009, April 16). How to fix business schools: Make ethics a b-school admission requirement. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from http://blogs.hbr.org/how-to-fix-business-schools/2009/04/make-ethics-an-admission-requi.html?cm_sp=blog_flyout-_-how-to-fix-business-schools-_-make_ethics_an_admission_requi

Finlay, C. (2002, November). The right stuff? Canadian Business, 75(21), 100. Retrieved November 6, 2010, from ABI/INFORM Global. (Document ID: 242109421).

Green, S. & Ibarra, H. (2010, January 7). Ranking the world’s best CEOs. HBR Ideacast. Retrieved from http://blogs.hbr.org/ideacast/2010/01/ranking-the-worlds-best-ceos.html

Hellmich, D. M. (2007). Ethical leadership in the community college: Bridging theory and practice. Boston, MA: Anker Publishing Company. pp. 105.

McCabe, D. (2009, April 13). How to fix business schools: MBAs cheat. But why? Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from http://blogs.hbr.org/how-to-fix-business-schools/2009/04/mbas-cheat-but-why.html

Shirek, Jon (2010, October 29). Read the lawsuit: Atlanta school board members sue each other. 11alive.com. Retrieved from http://www.11alive.com/news/education/story.aspx?storyid=160187&catid=11

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Since many of my classmates have more experience in the community college environment than I do, I posed this question to them as an outsider. I’ve received some very interesting responses so far. This has been an interesting conversation in the blogosphere (see http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/08/25/certificates and https://webspace.utexas.edu/cherwitz/www/ie/commcoll.html and http://scienceblogs.com/thusspakezuska/2007/10/what_you_need_to_know_about_co.php). It’s also a topic I began considering while reading Peter Smith’s Quiet Crisis. Although the following is more free association than anything, I wanted feedback from people outside my doctoral program as well, so I posted it here.

I am of the opinion that expanding the degree offerings to a bachelor’s in a community college should be a non-issue, but also believe the backlash from 4-yr universities is justified as this represents a market share problem for them. What I do question is why it is there is so much emphasis on staff to have doctoral degrees when these institutions themselves do not confer this type of degree. Please correct me if there there are community colleges that do offer the aforementioned. The interviewee for my group’s case study is an assistant dean at georgia state university, in quite a reputable program. He does not have a phD, nor does he need one (in my and obviously his superiors’ opinions). I also have a close colleague that works in student affairs in a community college here in atlanta, and though her experience qualifies her to be a dean, she does not have a phD and is limited in how she may advance. Why? Since her community college is practicing greater elitism than Georgia State University in it’s treatment of employees, I am amused, and wonder whether this happens elsewhere.

In my own personal research, I have noticed that many of the leadership positions in community college focus less on years of experience and more on doctoral degrees. Why is that? Has it always been this way? Were/are community colleges less dignified or effective when/if they did not brim with doctors?

Should not the community college be the one place where validation of expertise is less myopic? Although it is ironic I am enrolled in a doctoral program, I do believe there is too much pressure on credentials, and wonder whether it makes community college students think they are only worthy of teaching/leading in a college if they acquire a doctoral degree. I question whether this qualification is automatic upon obtaining this degree. I question whether perpetuating this single-track thinking is productive, and whether it serves to protect the establishments we serve or furthers learning. When I’ve researched community college presidents here in Georgia, and beyond, I wondered whether a community college student could ever be a college president one day with no more than a bachelors from a community college and be equally effective and valued. Should that anomaly be insulting to those of us with advanced degrees? Or would it be a triumph?