On November 1, the Michigan Developmental Education Association (MDEC) changed its name to the National Organization for Student Success: Michigan Chapter (MOSSMI). As an historian, I could not help but think of the way in which the death of a king has traditionally been announced: “The King is dead. Long live the King.” The specific monarch was no longer, but the monarchy continued. While I do not want to suggest that MDEC/NOSSMI is anything like a monarchy, the combination of sadness and excitement at the death of a monarch were evident as we prepared to approve the name change.

Earlier this year, when the National Association of Developmental Education (NADE) changed its name to the National Organization for Student Success (NOSS), it was evident that we would have no choice but to follow suit. Political realities and serious misunderstands about the transformative nature of student development made such a move inevitable.

NADE and MDEC understood student development in terms of helping underprepared students to prepare, prepared students to advance, and advanced students to succeed. Unfortunately, during the past few years, the idea of developmental education became equated with remedial education. At the same time, remedial courses came under attack.

After promoting developmental education for more that 30 years, there is a profound sadness that MDEC has passed.  Yet, the emergence of NOSSMI is a time for excitement. 

As educators who are passionate about student success, we realize that a new name will help others better understand our commitment to students as they experience personal and professional development during their transformative college years.

In October 2018, when I became President-Elect of MDEC, some asked how I could eventually serve as President of a developmental education organization when I don’t teach “developmental” classes. “How can you advance,” they wondered, “what you don’t do?” Yet, as my forthcoming book on Promoting Student Transformation at the Community College (HASTAC, 2019) demonstrates, I am a keen practitioner of the classical understanding of what it means to be developmental; the understanding that NOSSMI continues to advance.

Long live our commitment to student success.

–Steven L. Berg, PhD

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