Community colleges are known to some as the red-headed step-child of higher education. NBC is even playing the association to its advantage with its new series coming this fall, Community. But the fact is that community colleges have played a critical role in the U.S., serving 11.5 million students and almost half of all undergrads across the country.

Although community colleges are seeing an increase in student enrollment, that doesn't necessarily mean there's an increase in the graduation rate. As David Brooks notes in his recent op-ed, No Size Fits All, about half of community college students fail to earn a degree. Recognizing the important role that student services play in students' success, last week President Obama announced the American Graduation Initiative, which gives schools the funding they need to offer their students "wrap-around services."

Today, President Obama signed the FY 2009 omnibus appropriations act, which included a long overdue fix to a law passed more than two years ago that made the price of birth control skyrocket across the country.

In nerdspeak, an unintended consequence of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 altered the Nominal Pricing Exception, excluding university health centers and safety net clinics from a program that allowed them to purchase deeply discounted drugs - including oral contraceptives - from pharmaceutical companies. In plain English, Congress made a mistake, the price of birth control went up 900% for some college students and low-income women, and it stinks to have to choose between buying groceries for your kids and being faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

We know that access to affordable contraception is a key piece of helping women and families prevent and plan their pregnancies, and we applaud Congress and the President for checking this off the nation's To Do List.

In the world of 'hooking-up,' there is just too much information conveyed in vague terms. "So I went to that (insert place name), saw (insert partner's name) from (insert location) and we wound up hooking up."

Fill in the blanks accordingly and you have yourself a sentence released from the mouths of college students everywhere. Even I can admit to it. The names and places may vary but one thing stays constant: the word 'hooking up.' Does it imply making out? Sex? Hand-holding? (Doubtful.) What does 'hooking up' mean?!

Which brings me to the crux of this post: the bases. Roll your eyes as memories of your middle school days come pouring in, but let's be honest. None of us are really sure what the exact definition of 'hook up' is anymore, in relation to sexual activity. Do I really want to assume that it purely means sex, and every time a friend mentions 'hooking up' that they slept with that person? I guess this does apply to a few friends. Aside from them, however, the rest of us are lost in a land of sexual limbo, where various body parts and sexual acts co-exist as separate entities but leave with a common name: hook-up. Ready for a thesis statement? I believe it is of the utmost importance to supplement a "we hooked up statement" with a base number, just for clarification purposes, of course. So, without further ado, the official base system, according to the ultimate scholarly source, me:

1st base: Kissing. Includes any type of kiss you would engage in with someone you were romantically involved with. The awkward, do I give a quick peck on the cheek, air kiss, hug or handshake that you would have with a co-worker: not included. Making out, intense lip-locks, lip-biting, lip-licking (ew.), lip-sucking and anything involving a tongue in general: included. Human geographic range of said kissing: shoulder and above.

Please note: the obligatory touching involved with kissing, of the head, face, waist, shoulder, etc. is included with first base. Any other, ahem, petting (shout out to the older generations!) brings the participant to an automatic 2nd base or above, depending on the area touched.