The Knowledge Net: A Report of the New …N EW E XPEDITIONS Charting the Second Century of Community...

N E W E X P E D I T I O N SC h a r t i n g t h e S e c o n d C e n t u r y o f C o m m u n i t y C o l l e g e s

a W. K. Kellogg Foundation Initiative

The Knowledge

NetA R E P O R T

O F T H E

N E W E X P E D I T I O N S

I N I T I A T I V E

American Association of Community Colleges

Association of Community College TrusteesConnecting Communities,Learners, and Colleges

The Knowledge

NetA R E P O R T

O F T H E

N E W E X P E D I T I O N S

I N I T I A T I V E

Connecting Communities,Learners, and Colleges

American Association of Community Colleges

Association of Community College Trustees

with support from the

W. K. Kellogg Foundation

Community College Press®

a division of the

American Association of

Community Colleges

Washington, D.C.

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)is the primary advocacy organization for the nation’s com-munity colleges. The association represents 1,100 two-year,associate degree–granting institutions and some 10 millionstudents. AACC provides leadership and service in five keyareas: policy initiatives, advocacy, research, education services, and coordination/networking.

© 2000 American Association of Community Colleges

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproducedor transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic ormechanical, including, without limitation, photocopying,recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission.

Requests for permission should be sent toCommunity College PressAmerican Association of Community CollegesOne Dupont Circle, NWSuite 410Washington, DC 20036Fax: (202) 223-9390

Printed in the United States of America.

ISBN 0-87117-329-8

iii

Preface v

Coordinating Committee vi

Introduction 1

1 Community Connections 3The Civic Role 3Employers and the Economy 7P–16 Connections 10

2 Learner Connections 13Learner-Centered Colleges 13Access and Equity 14Inclusiveness 14Curriculum 16Technology 18Support Services 18Credentialing 20Lifelong Learning 20

3 College Connections 23Human Resources 23Technology 26Accreditation 28Governing the Connected College 28Finance 30

4 The Challenge 33

Bibliography 37

Contributors 45

Index 49

Contents

v

The New Expeditions initiative waslaunched in April 1998 as a joint pro-ject of the American Association ofCommunity Colleges and the Associationof Community College Trustees. The W. K. Kellogg Foundation supported theeffort to consider current issues and tooffer a vision for the future of communitycolleges.

The New Expeditions CoordinatingCommittee—comprising the executiveboards of the two national associations—sought the input of educators, students,trustees, business and community leaders,and other stakeholders around the nation.Over a 12-month period, the committeecommissioned research papers, soughtverbal and written viewpoints, and spon-sored 39 public hearings, focus groups,and community conversations across thecountry. The New Expeditions Web siteconveyed information and solicited opin-ions. The Knowledge Net is the result ofthese efforts.

The public and private institutionsdiscussed in this report answer to manynames, including college, junior college,community college, technical college,state college, tribal college, and institute.The report represents all regionallyaccredited institutions that grant the associate degree as their highest degree aswell as those that grant one or moredegrees beyond the associate degree butchoose to associate themselves with community colleges. The Knowledge Netis intended to serve as an agenda for thefirst part of the 21st century for all theseinstitutions, collectively referred to hereas community colleges. Although thiswork will be of interest to many readers,it is directed first and foremost to com-munity college chief executive officers.

This report was made possible by thegenerous support of many individuals andorganizations, particularly the W. K.Kellogg Foundation through BettyOverton-Adkins and Delores Parker.Profound thanks go to the NewExpeditions Coordinating Committeemembers and chair Robert Atwell fortheir invaluable vision, guidance, anddirection, and to Madeline Patton for hertireless efforts in drafting the report. Weextend our gratitude to the followingpeople and organizations who helpedorganize focus groups, public hearings,and community conversations: BarryGarron, Catherine Ann Reed, ClaireGauntlett, Iris Heavyrunner, and GerryBazer. Others who offered thoughtfulinsight include Edmund J. Gleazer andDale Parnell. Special thanks go to staff,including Lynn Barnett, J. Noah Brown,and Dibya Sarkar, without whose effortsthe New Expeditions project and thisreport would not have been possible. Thelist of contributors includes the names ofother organizations and people whosevaluable insights helped shape the projectand the report. On behalf of the NewExpeditions Initiative, to all whoexpressed interest and gave their time, we express our sincere appreciation.

David R. PiercePresidentAmerican Association of Community Colleges

Ray Taylor President Association of Community CollegeTrustees

Preface

Robert Atwell, ChairPresident EmeritusAmerican Council on Education

R. Eileen BaccusPresidentNorthwestern Connecticut Community

and Technical College

George A. Baker IIIProfessorNorth Carolina State University

Ruth Burgos-SasscerPresidentHouston Community College System,

Texas

Donald W. CameronPresidentGuilford Technical Community College,

North Carolina

Dennis ChristensenTrusteeCentral Wyoming College

Willie CulpepperFormer TrusteeHawkeye Community College, Iowa

Isobel F. DvorskyTrusteeChabot-Las Positas Community College

District, California

Deborah Lee FloydExecutive Assistant to the Chancellor for

Special ProjectsUniversity of Kentucky

Augustine GallegoChancellorSan Diego Community College District,

California

Leonardo de la GarzaChancellorTarrant County College, Texas

Wayne E. GilesChancellorThe Metropolitan Community Colleges,

Missouri

Brice W. HarrisChancellorLos Rios Community College District,

California

Cynthia M. HeelanPresidentColorado Mountain College

Coordinating Committee

Coordinating Committee vii

Donna S. ThigpenPresidentBismarck State College, North Dakota

Diane K. TroyerPresidentTomball College, Texas

Perry W. WardPresidentLawson State Community College,

Alabama

Carolyn G. WilliamsPresident, Bronx Community College,

New York

P. Anthony ZeissPresidentCentral Piedmont Community College,

North Carolina

Brenda KnightTrusteePeralta Community College District,

California

Lydia Ledesma-ReesePresidentSkagit Valley College, Washington

George LittleTrusteeSandhills Community College, North

Carolina

Montez C. Martin Jr.TrusteeTrident Technical College, South

Carolina

Joe D. MayPresidentPueblo Community College, Colorado

Helen NewsomeTrusteeRoanoke-Chowan Community College,

North Carolina

Darrell L. ShumwayTrusteePratt Community College, Kansas

1

The 1988 landmark report BuildingCommunities defined community “not onlyas a region to be served, but also as a climate to be created.” As community,junior, and technical colleges approachtheir second century of service, this clar-ion call continues. Communities acrossthe United States face constant challengesthat require educational institutions torespond and point the way. In a societyfacing unparalleled and acceleratingchange, the most important challenge forcommunity colleges is to help shape thatchange. The colleges must provide oppor-tunities for people to become all they arecapable of being. The community collegemission to serve and to create a climatefor change is still relevant as the new century dawns.

If anything, the stakes are higher now than ever before. Biogenetics, aging baby boomers, increasingly mobile popu-lations, and an ever-broadening chasmbetween rich and poor bring mind-boggling challenges and opportunities.The impact of technology on work andlearning and the growing interdepend-ence of world economies together createa tumultuous climate in which peopleincreasingly look to their community col-leges for help in navigating the constantebb and flow of change.

Technology and globalization combineto further divide the haves and the have-nots—those with the skills and adaptabilityto navigate change and exploit opportunityand those for whom change means disrup-tion, displacement, and detachment.Surviving and thriving in a changing worldrequire that community colleges connect

in multiple ways. They must create a network of pathways enabling people totransverse the maze successfully and prof-itably. To sustain these travelers in theirjourneys, colleges must help impart theknowledge people need to make the rightdecisions and choose the road that enablesthem to realize their potential. This is the network, the knowledge net, the nexus of pathways leading to empowermentthrough the acquisition of knowledge andthe honing of skills that permit people toexploit change successfully.

In the 21st century, community col-leges must strengthen the knowledge net, constantly adding new strands andensuring that unforeseen challenges donot threaten to sever the colleges’ vitalcommunity connections. To remainviable, community colleges must ensurethat their programs and services are rele-vant, responsive, proactive, and creative.They must use their community presenceto embrace and enhance diversity andinclusion. The colleges should preparepeople to live and contribute in a democ-racy and should adhere to the principlesof sound institutional citizenship. Thecolleges need to help people develop theskills, including cultural and languagecompetencies, needed for success in theglobal marketplace. They should focus onlearners. Community colleges must con-tinue to provide the vision and leadershiprequired to help their communitiesremain vital and nurturing places. Inshort, community colleges must connectwith communities, connect with learners,and connect internally to ensure that theknowledge net is unbroken.

Introduction

3

The purpose of education,”said Ernest Boyer, “is to empower indi-viduals to live with competence in theircommunities.” Community college effortsto achieve this clear, powerful goal beginwith connecting to their communities.Communities in the broadest sense—where people live, socialize, work,worship, raise families, recreate, learn,shop, share common goals, and transactbusiness—vary greatly. Sometimes vastdifferences in wealth, education, abilities,perceptions of security, and personalcharacteristics are part of the heteroge-neous character of the United States.

Community colleges, committed toserving all segments of their diverse com-munities, beckon and welcome everyone togather in a spirit of neutrality, safety, hope,and aspiration. In some places, the multipleroles community colleges play make themthe most important institution in the com-munity. People come to communitycolleges for many reasons: to pursue a

degree, to develop skills for satisfyingemployment, to participate in communityforums or recreational or cultural activities,or just to experience the joy of learning.Communities in distress may call upontheir colleges to serve as mediators, unifiers, or even rescuers. Although most programs and services may be famil-iar and routine, change is constant andcommunity needs evolve. As the officiallinks to the community, college chief executive officers and governing boardsmust ensure that the institution serves allsegments of the community. These includethe civic sector, employer community, andother educational entities.

THE CIVIC ROLE

A democracy depends on people knowinghow they connect to their community,state, and nation. Citizens must have asense of civic duty and an understandingof the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. Those who are not citizensshould have, at minimum, an understand-ing of how communities make decisionsand how even noncitizens can participatein civic life. Community colleges help

C H A P T E R 1

CommunityConnections

4 The Knowledge Net

done just that. They can and should continue to use their status to convenegroups whose viewpoints differ. Theyshould not shy from opportunities forproblem solving, even when the issues to be confronted are as varied and con-tentious as hate crimes or rural landdevelopment. As catalysts, community colleges can stimulate collaboration andthe development of partnerships that willencourage citizen engagement. As conven-ers, they also can help lead celebrations for those who have made positive contributions to their communities.

As human behavior in American soci-ety seems increasingly conflict driven,community colleges need to strengthentheir role as conveners of communitymembers. Communities should view theircolleges as safe places for people toexplore and appreciate differences and tofind solutions when conflict arises. Thediversity of community college learnersenriches the educational experience, pro-motes personal growth, and strengthenscommunities and the workplace. Theinclusiveness of community colleges leadsto a healthy society. Community collegesprovide places on and off campus wherepeople can express concerns about issuesranging from racial problems to work-

citizens and immigrants to contributethrough educational and community programs. The colleges can and shouldbe models of civic leadership.

Common Ground As places that enjoy the trust and confidence of the community at large,community colleges represent a commonground for people with differing views,experiences, or heritage. Because thepublic perceives community colleges to beneutral ground, where anyone is welcome,they are safe places to confront toughissues. Over the years many of them have

Common ground. In the midst ofcitywide riots, East Los AngelesCommunity College was one of thefew places left untouched. To headoff further violence, the collegehosted and mediated meetings ofrival gang members. JacksonCommunity College, Michigan,is developing a Citizen Center forthe Common Good, a community-based incubator for social innovationand entrepreneurship.

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges should use their widespread community prominence and accessibility to help forge positive relation-ships among diverse segments of society.

■ Community colleges should assess their community’s needs and assets and implementappropriate programs to cultivate and enhancecurrent and future community leaders.

■ Community colleges should provide learnerswith an array of experiences to help them gaincivic awareness and skills that will enhancetheir participation in a democracy.

■ Community colleges should be exemplary institutional citizens and leaders in their communities.

■ Community colleges should encourage staffand students to become active participants incommunity activities.

■ Community colleges should support the arts in their communities, foster partnerships thatsupport cultural events, and strengthen programming when the college serves as the community’s cultural focus.

Community Connections 5

place strife. Harmony must come fromlearning about each other and learninghow to appreciate differences in ways thatdo not compel conformity.

Community Leadership Community colleges have a vested interestin developing local leaders since most oftheir constituents live and remain in thecommunity. Community college graduatesoften hold leadership positions in thecommunity. Every community has invisi-ble human resources—people who are not

in obvious leadership positions or whomight not consider themselves to be leaders. Community colleges, alone or incollaboration with other groups, owe it totheir communities to develop the skills,knowledge, and motivation of these futureleaders. They should look for hiddenpotential in all corners of their communi-ties, discovering young and old who aspireto building better places to live. Collegescan offer mentoring programs, summercamps, yearlong leadership-training programs, small-group instruction in leadership skills, and other efforts thathelp develop people as leaders.

Skills for a Democracy Because public distrust and disillusion-ment in recent years have led to abreakdown in citizen participation, it is incumbent upon community collegesto help cultivate habits and attitudes foractive citizenship. Citizenship is aboutmore than guaranteed rights; it is aboutresponsibility—a fact many people forget.Citizens want the right to a trial by jury,for instance, but often seek ways to avoidserving on a jury themselves. They wantthe right to criticize politicians but notthe responsibility of determining whogains public office. Communities mustexpand efforts to increase citizen partici-pation, such as encouraging voter turnoutand service on juries. Colleges shouldinform their students and personnel ofopportunities for direct participation inissues that are important to them. Manycommunity colleges have embraced serv-ice and other community-based learningas a way for students to serve their com-munities while acquiring an education.Expansion of these programs should beencouraged. People learn citizenship bestby doing, and options for service shouldbe a common expectation of colleges andtheir communities.

Part of any community college’s rolemust be to develop learners’ civic skills as well as to build their occupationalskills. As the educators of more than 10million people annually, community col-leges are primed to help build a nation ofpeople with the skills needed for an effec-tively functioning democracy. Unfettered,

“Never doubt that a small group ofthoughtful citizens can change theworld; indeed, it is the only thingthat ever has.”

—Margaret Mead

Developing community leaders. TheCitizen Leadership Institute at GulfCoast Community College, Florida,uses a curriculum of motivation andskill-building to cultivate action-oriented, grassroots citizen leaders.Richland College, Texas, partnerswith the Chamber of Commerce in the Dallas area’s prestigiousLeadership Richardson, a yearlongprogram for emerging and experi-enced community leaders, includingcollege administrators.

6 The Knowledge Net

problems and to improve the quality oflife for its members. Colleges shouldencourage their personnel to becomeactive community members and supporttheir volunteer efforts.

Institutional citizenship means think-ing big. More than any other institution,a community college has to think beyondits own doors. It cannot sit back and wait for someone else to solve problems.Those problems could permeate the college within a single generation. The consequences of children withoutimmunizations, homes without heat, and neighborhoods without public trans-portation, for example, touch an entirecommunity sooner or later. People with-out access to computers or transportationquickly fall behind. Community collegeleaders must assume responsibility forbecoming part of the solution. No longercan anyone rationalize that health is irrel-

evant to learning or that what happens to preschoolers or the elderly does notaffect a community’s quality of life.

Finally, in their interactions with per-sonnel, learners, and the general public,community colleges need to practice theskills they are teaching. These skillsinclude collaborating, listening, facilitating,systems thinking, and consensus building.

Encouraging the Arts The fine arts, as an expression of human

yet civil, dialogue is part of the learningprocess. Community colleges shouldstrengthen efforts to help people commu-nicate and interact in positive ways, learnto listen, mediate differences, facilitatediscussions, work in teams, and resolveconflicts. This kind of learning can takeplace in regular classrooms as well as incollege-sponsored community programs.Openness, civility, and inclusiveness mustbe the hallmarks of such programs.

Institutional Citizenship Just as community colleges seek to buildthe values of good citizenship in theirstudents, they have an obligation to begood citizens themselves. This can meansomething as routine as compliance withfederal regulations such as those of theOccupational Safety and HealthAdministration or the Americans withDisabilities Act. But institutional citizen-ship means much more than obeyinglaws. It also requires a degree of altruism.Most community colleges rightly engagein external issues that directly affectlearning. They should choose activitiesbased on the expertise or resources theycan offer to help solve a community’s

Civic responsibility. Miami-DadeCommunity College, Florida, pilots Forums on Civic Responsibility.Students write letters to themselvesstating what they are willing do to be a better citizen. In an Oakton(Illinois) Community College course,“The Civic Mind,” service learningstudents research social problems in the community. Students in theOne America program at GlendaleCommunity College, California,organize events on civic issues forcollege and community members.

Institutional citizenship. When thefloods of Hurricane Floyd devastatedNorth Carolina in 1999, Lenoir,Edgecombe, and Pitt CommunityColleges led efforts to help collegeand community members recoverand start fresh. Lenoir served as aRed Cross emergency shelter.


creativity and freedom, hold a specialplace in a democracy, and community colleges help maintain that place. Manycommunity colleges, particularly in ruralareas, serve as centers for the arts—in fact,

they sometimes provide the only culturalactivity in town. In other communities,college art centers supplement public- andprivate-sector programs. They give voiceand visibility to fledgling and experiencedartists and craftspeople, and they attractnew and veteran audiences. Whether aspecialized museum or citywide book fair,craft show, or television station, a specialcultural seminar or art gallery, or a theateror concert, the arts programming hostedby community colleges meets a local needand broadens perspectives. Most collegeshave some of these programs; others haveall of them and more.

Although the degree to which an insti-tution can address all of the programsvaries, every college should view supportof the arts not only as a community serv-ice but also as an effective communityconnector. At every opportunity, commu-nity colleges should welcome partnerships

that bring the arts to life in ways that benefit all members of the communities.They are part of the knowledge net.

EMPLOYERS AND THE ECONOMY

An insufficient and underskilled workforcethreatens a nation’s economy. Today’semployers report difficulty attracting andretaining skilled workers, and the shortageis expected to worsen. As aging babyboomers retire and the workforce shrinks,colleges can expect a talent war for skilledworkers. Future economic growth dependson people’s working smarter, not justharder, and the role of community colleges in this area is more importantnow than ever. With the rapid expansionof private-sector interest in education and training, community colleges mustperform in an increasingly competitiveenvironment. Those who do not respondcompetitively will lose students and con-tracts to organizations that can provideservices unencumbered by debates aboutscheduling, academic freedom, or seat time.

Workforce Development Technological advances in the workplacecall for workers with complex skills to fill jobs that previously did not requirepostsecondary education. Just a genera-tion ago, many jobs did not require evenbasic literacy. An unskilled worker withstrength and stamina could commandmiddle-class wages. Today’s skilled workers must be part of the knowledgenet—fluent in technology as well as communication and team skills.

Technology has flattened the organiza-tional structure of the workplace, requiringpeople to be more adept at functioning ingroups, analyzing problems, and makingdecisions without a supervisor’s directinvolvement. Critical thinking, interper-

Arts and culture. The professionaldance company in residence atHoward Community College,Maryland, performs and tours withprofessional, community, and studentmembers. Southeast CommunityCollege, Kentucky, preserves moun-tain history through its AppalachianCenter and the Kentucky Coal MineMuseum. Sinte Gleska University,South Dakota, preserves tribal arti-facts in a new facility, and AlabamaSouthern Community Collegehonors Southern writers at its annual literary festival.

8 The Knowledge Net

becoming part of that required skill set. To successfully sustain and adapt theircareers to market fluctuations, workersmust have a solid educational foundationand be ready to learn more throughouttheir lives. Because of the pace of change, lifelong learning is a necessity for continued employment. For thisreason, community colleges should vieweverything they do as part of workforcedevelopment, from traditional transferprograms that lead to a bachelor’s degree to English-as-a-second-languageprograms, remedial education, occupa-tional skills training, and noncreditcertification courses.

Adjusting to the Marketplace Community colleges face a challengesimilar to the one confronting businesses:how to meet current and future marketdemands. National surveys indicate thatevery job sector, including communitycolleges, expects to retrain workers on aregular basis. Each community collegeshould determine the needs of its areabusiness and industry and respond tothem. Colleges must include themselvesin local surveys. Increasingly, colleges willfind it difficult to recruit, retain, and payfull-time or part-time faculty, especially

sonal competence, and computer literacyhave joined reading, writing, and comput-ing as basic skills. Intercultural andinternational understanding are fast

Workforce training. On New York’sWall Street, Borough of ManhattanCommunity College faculty teachbusiness management degree coursesto Salomon Smith Barney employ-ees. The company makes tuitionpayments directly to the college. El Paso Community College, Texas,has a bilingual program to trainworkers for new jobs after being displaced by the North AmericanFree Trade Agreement.

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges should view the prep-aration and development of the nation’sworkforce as a primary part of their missionand communicate to policymakers the unique-ness of this community college role.

■ Community colleges must view basic literacy,English-as-a-second-language, and remedial pro-grams as essential parts of their mission withpositive effects on democracy and economic life.

■ Community colleges should provide peoplewith the academic, technical, and workplacesocial skills necessary for successful careers.

■ Community colleges should expand services to support emerging, existing, transitional,and entrepreneurial workers.

■ Community colleges should meet regularlywith employers to establish processes fortimely curricular, policy, and scheduling revisions that reflect new regulations orchanging market needs and practices.

■ Community colleges should collaborate withpublic and private human resource providers toreduce duplication and optimize coordinationof services.

■ Community colleges should develop strategicplans for global awareness and competencethat respond to the needs of their commu-nity’s learners, businesses, and institutions.

■ Community colleges should increase and expandprograms for global understanding, including language and culture, that will help connect thevarious cultures in their own communities.


in the areas of mathematics, science,engineering, and technology. Collegesthat are attuned to workforce develop-ment needs will expand services forincumbent workers, those in transition,and those who are entrepreneurs.

Ideally, community colleges’ responseto local needs will be coordinated withother private and public providers ofhuman development services to avoidunproductive duplication. Colleges shouldexpand collaborations with the businesscommunity and should be careful not topresent their institutions as the presump-tive deliverers of all higher educationservices. Collaborative approaches usuallyresult in a higher-quality, better-preparedworkforce. College-business partnershipscan provide colleges with access to labs,equipment, and expertise to strengtheneducational programs and enhance overallservice to the community.

The Global Village Economic forces and high-tech commu-nications connect people throughout the

world. As these connections becomecommonplace, it is essential that individ-uals understand what global village means.A basic understanding of the world’snations and the people who populatethem is a necessity in the internationalmarket, and community colleges mustdevelop strategies to enhance eachlearner’s global awareness.

Just as each institution must knowwhat general education means, so too mustit have a vision for its international edu-cation programs. The vision can be asbasic as wanting all learners to under-stand the interconnected nature of theworld they live in, including options forlearning different languages or studyingvarious cultures. Or a college may have more complex aspirations. It mayenvision providing import and exportinformation to area businesses, traininglocal people for jobs in other countries,or working directly with people, busi-nesses, governments, or institutions inother countries. A college’s internationaland intercultural vision must includelearners in occupational as well as transfer programs. The assumption thatsuccess in an occupational program

Meeting market needs. SpringfieldTechnical Community College,Massachusetts, established theSpringfield Enterprise Center with an unusual business incubator. Inaddition to space for 20 new startupbusinesses, its Youth Incubator hasroom and services to support newbusiness development by teens.Spearheaded by Central PiedmontCommunity College, North Carolina,the Workforce DevelopmentContinuum in Charlotte brings edu-cation, business, and governmentsectors together to give workers learning opportunities and skills certifications.

Global awareness. Kapi`olaniCommunity College, Hawaii, has anAsian-Pacific emphasis across thecurriculum. Utah Valley StateCollege students increased theirvocabulary and diplomatic skills on study-abroad trips to China, and Johnson County (Kansas)Community College’s students and faculty spend spring break oncommunity service learning projectsin Mexico. Crowder College students in rural Missouri haveinternational Internet pen pals.

10 The Knowledge Net

before elementary school. Educationmust progress seamlessly from preschoolthrough college.

Early Childhood EducationTo fulfill the commitment to lifelonglearning, community colleges must lookbeyond their traditional age boundaries,because the key to success is teachingchildren how to learn and how to interactwith people. Research indicates that theyears before a child reaches kindergartenare pivotal to the learning process.Problems in early childhood educationusually follow an individual into later edu-cation and the workplace. The foundationof basic education cannot be underesti-mated. Community colleges have manyopportunities to play a significant role inearly education through quality daycare

programs on their own campuses, read-aloud and tutoring services, preparation of qualified Even Start and Head Startinstructors and aides, adopt-a-school programs, and others. They should takethese opportunities seriously.

Elementary and Secondary Education The quality of a student’s previous schoolexperience strongly influences persistencein higher education for all students, butespecially for African American andHispanic students. Because early coursechoices affect students’ decisions abouttheir high school curriculum, community

requires no language or cultural aware-ness is shortsighted for the communityand for individual learners. Goals andprograms should follow the vision whileconnecting to local priorities. Historyholds many examples of well-intendedinternational programs that ran agrounddue to lack of local support.

To be successful, an internationalstudies or global studies program shouldbe crafted around the needs of the community’s learners, businesses, andinstitutions and involve a broad represen-tation of the college’s constituency. Ifprogram choices align with this principle,the program will win support and flour-ish. If not, the odds of failure are high.

P–16 CONNECTIONS

Access to higher education requires notonly open-admissions policies but also acoordinated effort to eliminate academicand attitudinal barriers that begin even

“Poverty has a greater negativeimpact on the ability of a youngchild’s brain to focus, organize, andproblem-solve than exposure tococaine before birth, according toU.S. researchers.”

—Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges should develop partner-ships and programs that help preschoolthrough secondary school youth prepare for a lifetime of learning.

■ Community colleges and universities shoulddevelop partnerships that ease academic andpersonal transitions to baccalaureate andgraduate-level education.

■ Community colleges should fortify their role in preparing K–12 teachers by strengtheningtheir science, mathematics, engineering, andtechnology programs.

■ Community colleges should offer quality pro-grams for teacher professional development.


colleges need to start connecting withyoungsters in elementary and middleschools. Falling behind in reading, math,and science in these early years of school-ing makes it difficult for students to takecollege-prep courses in high school.Students coming underprepared to community colleges will not progress as well as they could, and they will havefewer options for advancement thanthose who come prepared.

Community programs that bringyoungsters to campus help make thecommunity college a part of their world.In-school talks by college personnel raisestudent awareness of possibilities as stu-dents begin to think of themselves ascollege material and learn the academicrequirements for particular careers. Manystudents and their parents think the basichigh school graduation requirements willbe enough for college and do not realizethat taking challenging math and sciencecourses increases chances of post-secondary success.

In addition to early and frequent contact, community colleges can expandtheir dual, or concurrent, enrollmentprograms to provide secondary studentswith curricula and facilities not offered by

their high schools. The college practiceof offering courses in high schools helpsease social hurdles for teens, especiallywhen the program offers mentoring.Tech Prep and school-to-career programssimilarly bridge the gap from high schoolto college. Community colleges can workwith local schools, businesses, and socialservice agencies to develop ways for stu-dents to use their nonschool time moreeffectively. Opening technology andrecreational facilities to the communitycan draw otherwise disengaged youth tothe campus.

Colleges and Universities In most states, articulation agreementsbetween community colleges and seniorinstitutions facilitate the transfer of cred-its. Stronger agreements are needed,however. Further progress requires moreinteraction between faculties to ensuresmooth transfer from one college toanother. Uniform course numberinghelps, as does the coordination of material to be covered in courses.

New partnerships between communitycolleges and four-year institutions elimi-nate some physical barriers betweenthem. Shared facilities and universitycourses offered at community collegesallow some students to move directly into

Reaching youth. Middle-school girlslearn basic electrical engineeringconcepts during summer workshopsat Portland Community College,Oregon. In Houston, Project GRADincorporates reading, writing, andmath programs with student discipline and parent involvement.Calhoun State Community College, Alabama, and Lake Michiganhave longstanding adopt-a-schoolprograms that encourage youth toplan for college.

College partnerships. Virginia’s community colleges have arrangedwith Old Dominion University tooffer the last two years of bachelor’sdegrees at all of the colleges.Programs vary by college to meetlocal needs. In partnerships with community colleges in six states,Ohio-based Franklin University offersbusiness, technology, and allied healthprograms through the Internet.


mathematics, engineering, and technologyis in a community college. The collegesshould strengthen these programs andencourage students to enroll in them.Community colleges should expand pro-fessional development programs for K–12teachers—helping teachers apply technol-ogy to instruction, for example.

For the quality of teacher training toimprove, it is imperative that communitycolleges and universities collaborate moreclosely. Because so many teachers begintheir postsecondary education at commu-nity colleges, policymakers and educatorsmust acknowledge and support the needfor greater coordination between com-munity colleges and senior institutions.

a baccalaureate program without havingto leave the region. Some institutions areexploring how to help transfer studentsmanage childcare, transportation, andother challenges in a new setting.Technology widens opportunities for all students through Web-based andother distance learning courses deliveredby a traditional college or university or a new virtual university.

Teacher Preparation At a time when school enrollments arerising rapidly and public school teachersare leaving their profession in high rates,many for retirement and some out of frustration, too many public schools donot meet the quality standards needed forsuccess in today’s world. Communitycolleges can play a pivotal role in changingthis situation. They can encourage topstudents to consider teaching as a careerand develop partnership programs thatwill help those students complete the necessary degrees and certification. Asteaching colleges and learner-centeredinstitutions, community colleges canmodel excellence in teaching, includingactive and participatory learning strategies.

Often the only training elementary ormiddle-school teachers receive in science,

Teacher preparation. J. SargeantReynolds Community College,Virginia, works with other state colleges, universities, and local schooldistricts to strengthen teacher trainingin math and science. Students visitprecollege classrooms with “masterteachers.” Tulsa Community College’sParateacher Program in Oklahomarecruits people from nontraditionalgroups for teaching careers.

13

Five years ago this section wouldmost likely have been titled “StudentConnections.” The mission statements ofmost community colleges have studentsas a priority, but higher education is inthe midst of a movement to realign thefocus from teaching to learning. Thechange is more than semantics. It is ashift from a producer-driven, or faculty-directed, endeavor to one that isconsumer driven, or learner centered.

LEARNER-CENTERED COLLEGES

Higher education traditionally has meas-ured its quality by input measures such as admissions selectivity, books in thelibrary, and terminal degrees of the faculty. These measures have neverworked well with community colleges andtheir traditions of open access and serviceto community. Recent years have seen amovement toward students’ accomplish-

ments and measuring the objectives they attain and the skills they master.Community colleges should research andunderstand better the different learningstyles of their students to ensure that allof them get the most from their collegetime and experiences. The learning col-lege movement is particularly applicableto community colleges, where many students do not aspire to an associatedegree or transfer to a senior institution.

C H A P T E R 2

LearnerConnections

Focusing on learners. PalomarCollege, California, revised its visionand mission statements in 1991 tofocus on student learning and a partners-in-learning environment.The college promotes collaborativelearning, learning communities, focuson learning outcomes, and better useof technology. Other colleges—including the Community College of Denver, Maricopa CommunityCollege District in Arizona, Lane in Oregon and Jackson CommunityCollege in Michigan—have undertaken similar efforts to become learner-centered colleges.


to that world. They see no door, open orotherwise, and the gulf between the havesand have-nots grows larger.

Access must mean more than an open door. It must also mean removingbarriers to participation. Colleges cannotshirk this challenge. They must asser-tively develop outreach activities that willmeet the needs of all potential learners.Community colleges that truly want toserve their communities must seek outthose individuals who would benefit fromprogram offerings but who, for anynumber of cultural or economic reasons,have not approached the open door ontheir own. The vitality of a communitydepends on this broader view of access.

INCLUSIVENESS

Inclusive community colleges strive tocreate positive environments for all people,regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity,religion, disability, class, or sexual orienta-tion. They develop organizational climatesthat allow learners and college personnelto communicate positively with each other. They also encourage collegewide

Community colleges have a tremendousopportunity to lead higher education inthis new student-centered model of qual-ity, with its institutional focus on learningand student success.

ACCESS AND EQUITY

From the beginning, community collegeshave made access and equity nonnegotiablecommitments. Providing access for alllearners remains the highest priority forcommunity colleges. Community collegeswelcome all high school graduates andpeople who complete the general equiva-lency development (GED) test. They offerlow-cost courses, evening and weekendcourses, and courses at multiple outreachlocations around the community. Distancelearning offerings, also low cost, accommo-date the demanding personal schedules ofdiverse groups of learners. As remarkableas they are, these efforts are not enough.

The country is full of people who havenot approached their local community col-lege alone, who assume they cannot affordit, who live too far from a campus, or whocannot imagine being college material. Forsome, a friend or relative’s encouragementmay have changed their minds; perhaps achance encounter with a stranger at theright moment spurred them on. Too manyunemployed or underemployed people still need education and training but do not go after it. Community colleges shouldfind these individuals and help them reachtheir potential.

The rapid pace of technologicalchange adds a significant access chal-lenge. The World Wide Web opens thedoor to new learning and communicationopportunities, but only for those who canaccess it. Members of the communitywho do not have computers, computerskills, or Internet access cannot connect

Redefining access. Through its Family and CommunityDevelopment Center, Fort PeckCommunity College, Montana,reaches potential students byaddressing family problems thathamper enrollment or persistence.Walters State Community College,Tennessee, and South TexasCommunity College use smalltuition stipends and personal atten-tion to attract dislocated workersand others to a new informationtechnology program.

Learner Connections 15

participation in programs and activities.Community colleges have an excellentrecord of welcoming individuals fromminority groups, and minority studentshave responded enthusiastically byenrolling at increasing rates. For example,although they make up less than 40 per-cent of all higher education institutions inthe nation, community colleges teach:

• 46 percent of all African Americancollege students

• 55 percent of all Hispanic college students

• 46 percent of all Asian and PacificIslander college students

• 55 percent of all Native American college students

• 47 percent of all college students withdisabilities

• 44 percent of all single-parent college students

• 50 percent of all college students overthe age of 30

• 46 percent of all college students whowork at least part time

• 50 percent of all first-generation college students

Community colleges have a right to beproud of their record of attracting under-represented groups to higher education,but still not enough enrolled minority students earn certificates or degrees. Thismust change. So-called minorities willsoon be the majority population in manyurban areas and states. They value theability to participate fully in the economy,and their participation influences the suc-cess of their families, their communities,and the nation. Community colleges musthelp more students from ethnic and otherminority groups complete their educa-tional goals. Colleges that develop ahealthy, inclusive campus climate, alongwith strategies to support student learning,

have a better chance of increasing studentpersistence than colleges that do not makethis effort.

Community colleges should look closelyat campus climate. Each institution shouldreview its institutional mission statement.Does the statement encourage diversity?

Inclusion. North Seattle CommunityCollege set new multiculturalrequirements for associate degrees,including understanding ethnic andcultural differences in the UnitedStates. An advisory committee monitors the effects of the new curriculum on campus climate.

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges should embrace “learning”rather than “teaching” as the focus of theireducational enterprise and should focus on howdifferent learning styles affect outcomes.

■ Community colleges should take proactivemeasures to ensure that all community mem-bers have the necessary incentives, support,and opportunity to meet their education andtraining goals.

■ Community colleges must welcome and support all people regardless of age, gender,race, ethnicity, religion, class, disability,sexual orientation, or other factors.

■ Community colleges should develop strategiesfor maintaining a gender balance in enrollmentand staffing.

■ Community colleges must aggressively imple-ment strategies to create campus climatesthat promote inclusiveness as an institutionaland community value.


achieve the goals. Doing all this in anorganized fashion is the process of cur-riculum construction—a process thatcommunity colleges should execute more skillfully. Curricular planning must include conversations about the role of general education in communitycolleges as well as the impact on com-munity colleges of academic andoccupational skill standards, high-school programs, and the increasinginterest in baccalaureate programming.

The Associate Degree Community colleges affirm the associatedegree as central to their mission. Theassociate degree establishes the commu-nity college vision of what it means to be an educated person for faculty, administrators, students, and society. Itsets academic standards and goals for student achievement. Not every personwho enters a community college intendsto earn a degree, but for those who aspireto one and achieve it, the associate degree represents an important symbol of accomplishment and a passport toemployment or to upper division collegiate work.

General Education The general education curriculum, in par-ticular, requires a careful look. As the bodyof knowledge essential for an educatedperson, the general education curriculumshould empower people to engage in contemporary issues, appreciate and contribute to their culture, and appreciatetheir heritage. Colleges must find ways to include opportunities for experientiallearning, such as service learning, in all of their educational offerings.

Community colleges must produce the best-prepared students possible fortransfer into four-year colleges and universities. Because the general

Does it stimulate an academic environmentthat engenders healthy race and ethnic relations—in fact, healthy relations amongall groups? Surveys of learners, faculty, andstaff can gauge the campus climate and thereality of the college mission. The informa-tion gleaned in this process can suggestways to address those various relationships,including learner-faculty and faculty-administrator relationships. The goal is notfor community colleges to be homogeneousplaces, nor to be merely tolerant ones, but to be places of understanding wheredifferences are valued and respected.

The absence of men on college campuses, especially minority males, isemerging as a serious national concern.While women began to level the playingfield over the last decades, men haveabsented themselves from higher educa-tion in growing numbers. Colleges mustpersist in eliminating glass ceilings forwomen, but they and the nation cannotafford to ignore the loss of men, espe-cially minority men, in higher education.Although the reason for the imbalance isnot clear, the new gender-inequity situa-tion raises serious concerns, from thesocial and economic well-being of fami-lies to questions about the impact onclassroom climate, career choices, andcivic participation. As community col-leges develop strategies for diverse andinclusive bodies of learners, faculty,administrators, and trustees, they mustconsider gender balance.

CURRICULUM

As the focus shifts from teaching to learn-ing, the role of curriculum increases inimportance. Each learner must understandcompletely the course goals, expected skillsor knowledge to be acquired, and coursecontent and sequencing necessary to


education curriculum provides the back-ground people need to help them adaptto change, it should be considered adynamic, not static, collection of courses.In today’s environment, for example,familiarity with information technologyand the global community as well asAmerican cultures is essential. Thoughno single algorithm holds the answer for determining the core curriculum,educators developing it must share avision of its goals.

Curriculum Development As more curricula become availablethrough the Internet and elsewhere, andas the practice of sharing curricula amonginstitutions continues to grow, collegesmust develop strategies for coordinatedapproaches to curriculum construction.Curriculum designers can provide support for faculty creating a new curriculum or revising an existing one.All faculty should teach from up-to-datematerials. Although limited financialresources may restrict what some com-munity colleges can support, they shoulddo everything possible to ensure strongcurricula and high-quality instructionalmaterials. Curriculum revisions shouldreflect strategies for active, participatorylearning for all.

Industry-Based Standards The national demand for learning out-comes has prompted some colleges toevaluate student proficiencies accordingto industry-based skill standards. Thesecredentials are gaining currency amongemployers because they report studentskills more precisely than do traditionalletter grades. Many underemployeddegree holders suffer from the mismatchbetween what they learned and what theyactually need to know for better jobs. Ascommunity colleges develop curricula

using occupational skill standards, thegap between learning outcomes and jobrequirements should diminish.

Industry skill standards. BellevueCommunity College, Washington,and its Northwest Center forEmerging Technologies developedskill standards for information tech-nology in conjunction with industryleaders. The Maricopa AdvancedTechnological Education Center in Arizona has done the same for semiconductor manufacturing.

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges should review their visionof the role of general education and align theircore courses with this vision.

■ Community colleges should develop compre-hensive strategies for providing an array ofexperiential learning opportunities, includingservice learning, that promote democraticskills along with academic and technical competence.

■ Community colleges should make dynamic curriculum construction, management, anddelivery processes, including collaborativearrangements, an institutional priority in planning and resource allocation.

■ Community colleges should use recognizedoccupational skill standards in developing curriculum for occupational education andtraining.

■ Community colleges must repackage theircourses, policies, and schedules to meet theneeds of lifelong learners as customers.


not replace faculty, but it changes theteacher-learner relationship. Technologycompels learners to be more active par-ticipants in the learning process. Thisshift means that instructors become facil-itators, strategists, and coordinators forlearning rather than lecturers or assignersof lessons and homework. They mustfocus more on different learning styles,conditions for learning, appropriate cli-mate, goals, content, sequencing, and a multitude of strategies for optimallearning experiences.

Accepting these restructuring changesand adjusting to them is a challenge forfaculty and administrators. Faculty shouldnot be disheartened or threatened.Technology is a teaching and learningtool, not a substitute for excellent teach-ing. Community college faculty—byvirtue of their education, expertise, andexperience—have much to offer learners.As teachers and mentors, faculty under-stand different learning styles, supportand direct learners’ personal goals, andhelp establish paths to reach them.

SUPPORT SERVICES

Learner Support Learners need a support system thathelps them succeed. Unfortunately, stu-dent services often are the first hit andthe last to recover from budget cuts.Years of tight finances mean many com-munity colleges need to strengthen theirlearner-support systems. Colleges mustdiscover more about their students, theiraspirations, and their opinions of theircollege experiences in order to respondfully to learners’ needs.

Many community colleges continue to structure their services and supportsystems around recent high school gradu-ates, even though the average age of

The Secondary-Baccalaureate Squeeze Educators and policymakers in andaround community colleges are lookingfor ways to ease educational transitionsfrom high school to universities. Partner-ships with secondary schools that allowhigh school students to receive dual highschool and college credit for courses aremoving, in some cases, toward agree-ments for massive concurrent-enrollmentprograms. Collaboration between com-munity colleges and universities in somecommunities allows students to takeupper-level courses at or near the community college. Other communitycolleges offer courses for baccalaureatecredit or require a bachelor’s degree forentry into an associate degree program.Still others become four-year colleges. All of these connections are fascinating,but they may come with some risk.Community colleges and state systemsconsidering implementation strategies for these transitions should look carefullyat possible long-term effects. Will highschool–community college–university curricular lines blur? Will the associatedegree maintain its value as a credential?Can community colleges retain theiridentity and mission?

TECHNOLOGY

The widespread use of technology istransforming the learning process. Manypeople’s learning time does not conformto daytime or early evening hours. Web-based courses and other distance-learningoptions facilitate asynchronous learningat the time and place of a student’s choos-ing. College instruction no longer reliesentirely on gatherings in a lecture hall or laboratory where a teacher distributesinformation in structured formats andprescribed timelines. Technology does


enrollees is 30. The conventional modelof student services is built more for theconvenience of the staff than for thepeople who form the majority of thelearner population. Many people enrolledin community colleges are the first intheir families or the first among theirfriends to attend college. They face un-familiar routines on campus. The hecticpace of most community college students’days—a busy combination of work, class,and home responsibilities—leaves littletime for the informal conversations thathelp students navigate an institution.

Community colleges can improve con-nections with their learners in a variety ofways. Ideally, all community college stu-dents should begin their academic careerswith a one-on-one conversation with afaculty or staff member who can helpthem map an academic plan based onpersonal goals. Effective use of technol-ogy can facilitate interaction betweenstudents and academic advisers andfollow-up on individual progress afterstudents leave the college.

Transitional learners probably need more substantial services, such as specialassessments, frequent adviser contact,test-taking clinics, remedial courses, andEnglish-as-a-second-language courses.Additional support services such as child-care and transportation can make thedifference between a student’s completinga program or dropping out of it.

Remedial Education Learners who, for a number of reasons,are not prepared for college-level workoften face a difficult transition into col-lege. One of the first responsibilities of acommunity college is to provide anotherchance for such learners. It opens doorsof opportunity for recent high schoolgraduates, adults long out of school withnew educational aspirations, and immi-grants of all ages striving for success in anew country. Remedial education repre-sents a key part of the access puzzle andmust be an important activity of anycommunity college. It must remain so aslong as the need for it exists.

“America has a great advantageover other countries—our commit-ment to fully develop the talents of all of our citizens. Communitycolleges play a key role. We know thatour country has no one to waste.”

—Robert McCabe

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges should develop policies toensure excellence and appropriateness in highschool concurrent-enrollment programs.

■ Community colleges that offer bachelor’sdegrees should maintain their identity andintegrity as community-based institutions.

■ Community colleges must help faculty under-stand and integrate technology as an essentiallearning tool.

■ Each community college should ensure that its learner support systems provide attentiveadvising, services, and follow-up for all students.

■ Community colleges must embrace remedialeducation as an access point to higher education and increased opportunity and must make remedial courses mandatory for all learners who need them.

■ Community colleges should give reentry anddisadvantaged learners, including those inremedial programs, the same priority and support as all other learners.


nor skills acquired. Business leaders havelittle confidence in letter grades as accurate measures of knowledge or skill. Increasingly mobile workers needportable credentials that explicitly docu-ment what they can do. The traditionalacademic-accounting system does notreflect the multiplicity of educationalsources used by most learners. Learningoccurs not only in classrooms but also onthe job, in meetings, through travel andreading, and in self-paced independentstudies. People acquire knowledge andskills in many ways, such as internships,field experience, community leadership,volunteerism, and service learning.Traditional benchmarks like degrees andcertificates do not capture or reflect thevalue of these varied experiences.

Despite these inadequacies, degreesand certificates continue to play a strongrole as passports to social status andadmittance to four-year institutions. Thisdichotomy raises crucial questions aboutthe best method for assessing and record-ing learning. Community colleges mayhelp resolve this dilemma by creatingcenters for coordinating and conductinglearning assessments. The colleges couldprovide career transcripts of adult experi-ential learning in addition to traditionalacademic transcripts.

LIFELONG LEARNING

Learning over a lifetime is essential foreveryone—children, parents, seniors. Oneof the vast opportunities for the commu-nity college is to lead the community in lifelong learning. This effort has

Remediation is not an excuse to lowerthe bar in terms of graduation or certifi-cation requirements or grades. Theworth of any educational experience liesin the value it adds to a person’s life.Preparing a remedial student to do col-lege work successfully is as laudable andworthy as seeing a baccalaureate graduateadmitted to a first-rate doctoral program.Those who advocate the elimination of remedial education are wrong. Untilall learners come fully prepared for academic work, community colleges have an obligation to offer high-quality remedial courses that will help learners succeed. Efforts to improve the prospectsof remedial-education students shouldbegin by making remediation coursesmandatory for all who need them.

CREDENTIALING

As governments and employers demandevidence of learning, the inadequacy oftraditional college transcripts has becomemore obvious. Different courses maylook the same on a transcript. The tran-script reflects neither course objectives

Retaining students. TheCommunity College of Denver has a decade-long commitment tostudent success. Strategies includecompetency-based courses, readingand writing labs, course evaluations,and a strong student support system.Student performance and satisfactionwith faculty are consistently high.


immense implications for establishingpartnerships and for dealing with commu-nity problems. By their outreach efforts, community colleges have redefined learners to include those who avail themselves of the programs, services, and facilities open to the public, not just to people paying tuition to takecourses. Changing societal and economicconditions in recent years have reinforcedthe idea that people at every stage of lifebenefit from formal as well as informallearning.

The idea of lifelong learning—thatone could take college courses beyondthe “traditional” 18-to-22 college age—was a community college initiative fromthe beginning. Its widespread acceptanceis one of the most important outcomes of the community college movement.Change is constant and so must be learn-ing. Today’s workers must continuallyupgrade their skills and knowledge to stayemployable. Some experts predict thatfuture workers will devote a portion ofevery day to learning at the workplace.

Documenting skills. The SCANS2000 Center is working on projectsthat will create a Career TranscriptSystem. Chandler-GilbertCommunity College, Arizona,Hocking Technical College, Ohio,and Monroe Community College,New York, document a student’sservice learning experience on academic transcripts.

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges should identify alternativeapproaches that augment conventional academic transcripts to communicate fully a learner’s skills, knowledge, and relevantexperience to prospective employers or other educational institutions.

■ Community colleges should analyze the learning assessment process and become centers for the assessment of specific skillsrequired by employers.

■ Community colleges should provide strategiesfor lifelong learning and develop programs forevery age level.

■ Community college personnel must be appro-priately informed about the various federal,state, and other assistance programs availableto support lifelong learners.

■ Community colleges must adopt strategies toalert graduates, other students, and commu-nity members to new learning opportunitiesand to financial assistance sources availableto lifelong learners.

23

To create a learning-centeredenvironment that will lead people to theknowledge net, all members of the col-lege community must be partners forstudent success. A productive partnershipwill allow administrators, faculty, laborunions, trustees, and others to placelearning and student success as the institution’s highest priorities.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Without attention to personnel contribu-tions and needs, an institution has littlechance of remaining current or flexibleenough to meet public demands success-fully. All personnel must demonstrate anability and a willingness to perform theirduties, adapt to change, understand thecollege mission, and carry out the col-lege’s commitments to communityservice. Their actions should reflectrespect for the contributions of every

sector of the community and for theneeds of the individuals and groupsencountered.

Faculty Community college leaders would do wellto examine the gulfs that exist among faculty and staff and should seek remedies.The distance that sometimes exists betweenfull-time and adjunct faculty is one exampleof counterproductive fragmentation. Com-pelling financial and pedagogical reasonslead to the hiring of adjuncts. Other per-sonnel do not always consider adjuncts tobe full-fledged members of the academiccommunity—even when they outnumberother instructional staff. Esteem for full-time faculty and collegial relations withadjuncts should not be mutually exclusive.Bringing adjuncts into the fold of the colleges will serve learners better.

In many community colleges, a dispar-ity exists between the percentages ofstudents and faculty from minoritygroups. The diversity of faculty and staffsays a great deal about an institution’scommitment to diversity, and effortsshould be made to honor that commit-ment. In homogeneous communities,faculty and staff from diverse back-

C H A P T E R 3

CollegeConnections


Recruiting new faculty. Santa Fe(Florida) Community College provides a $9,000 stipend to selectedminority students in University ofFlorida doctoral programs. Inexchange, the graduate studentsagree to help recruit and keepminority students at Santa Fe and to teach three courses a year thereduring their university study. SantaFe offers them full-time employmentupon graduation.

commit to teaching in community col-leges. A college and a business mightagree to share a particularly skilled facultymember’s compensation expenses, soinstructors in high-demand fields wouldfind it feasible to dedicate some of theirtime to teaching. Colleges might alsoaddress competitive demands for instruc-tor skills by adopting compensatorysystems based on market demand and performance merit.

Professional Development Professional development—lifelong learning—is as important for communitycollege personnel as it is for students andother workers. It can help keep an institu-tion viable, especially as colleges adoptnew technologies to provide courses, programs, and services. Colleges shouldthink creatively. Faculty externships or special projects can energize even long-term faculty. Colleges must devotesufficient funds to faculty and staff devel-opment. The amount will vary from oneinstitution to another, but a reasonablestart would be 2 percent of the operatingbudget. The American Association ofCommunity Colleges and Association of Community College Trustees have suggested this benchmark in the past

grounds can help open eyes to differencesand allow learners to see worlds andviewpoints beyond their own. Homo-geneous communities that seek and hirethese faculty and staff must do everythingpossible to make the environment a welcoming one.

Community colleges may find it helpful to work with universities and businesses to strengthen the pipeline forcommunity college faculty and to attractnew people to the profession. Communitycolleges should seek to collaborate withbusinesses to create incentives, such asscholarships, for graduate students who

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges must create a positive,professional work environment that values allpersonnel regardless of classification.

■ Community colleges should seek and hirediverse and competent faculty and staff inevery part of the institution.

■ Community colleges should allocate at least 2 percent of their annual operating budgets tothe professional development and training oftheir personnel.

■ Community colleges must prepare more peoplefor higher education leadership roles and strivefor more diversity in all leadership positions.

■ Universities should initiate or strengthen leadership programs that will prepare a newgeneration of community college leaders.

■ Community colleges should recognize theimportance of physical and mental health inthe learning, retention, productivity, and well-being of all persons, and should respond withprogramming, policies, and services to promote a healthful environment for learning.

College Connections 25

and for several years their members havedebated its merits.

Developing Leaders Community colleges across the nation facea leadership crisis and an unparalleledopportunity to meet that crisis. They mustbuild a new leadership pipeline. As senioradministrators and faculty retire in recordnumbers, the leadership of many institu-tions is being passed to a new generation.Many of those retiring have worked incommunity colleges since the 1960s, whenhundreds of new colleges opened. Theseleadership transitions provide an opportu-nity for community colleges to createprofessional staffs with more diversity.Although community college enrollmentsgenerally reflect the racial and ethnicdiversity of their communities, the facultyand administration at most communitycolleges have been composed largely ofnonminority persons. Identifying andpreparing more women and people fromunderrepresented groups to fill commu-nity college presidencies and upper-leveladministrative slots is essential.

With the large number of anticipatedretirements, community colleges mustmake a greater effort to prepare peoplefor the rigors of college leadership. In

addition to encouraging colleagues toacquire graduate degrees—the traditionalapproach—top administrators can look atother avenues, such as fellowship pro-grams or leadership institutes, to drawnew candidates. Mentoring younger staffis another approach. Many college-man-agement skills—negotiating, fundraising,policymaking, and lobbying—can belearned on the job under the tutelage ofan experienced guide before one becomesa college president. More universitiesshould initiate leadership programs forcommunity college administrators. Suchprograms played an invaluable role inpreparing leaders from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Health and Wellness Every institution’s agenda must includeattention to the physical, mental, andenvironmental well-being of all studentsand college personnel. Issues may varyfrom college to college, but the outcomeis similar. In any community, physicallyand emotionally unwell people do notlearn or contribute to their fullest andmay cause harm to others. Thoughtful

New leaders. The KentuckyLeadership Academy trains newleaders through an annual profes-sional development and mentoringprogram for faculty and administra-tors in the state’s community andtechnical colleges. Iowa StateUniversity runs a program with sim-ilar goals for the state’s communitycollege faculty and administrators.Both aim to bring more women andminorities into leadership positions.

Health and wellness. St. LouisCommunity College’s mission state-ment promises an environment thatfosters the well-being of everyone itserves. An Iowa Lakes CommunityCollege partnership with the commu-nity built a popular swimming centeron the college campus. At Rio Hondo(California) College’s fitness center,an unusual dress code encouragesloose-fitting clothing and sets a wel-coming atmosphere for out-of-shapeexercisers. Raritan Valley CommunityCollege, New Jersey, provides regularHIV testing on campus.


tions cause continual change. Forinstance, computers for all full-time faculty and staff or a campus computersystem that can be accessed off campusare technology goals that would berevised as equipment changes.

A campuswide technology plan shouldaddress and integrate the administrative,academic, and student needs of the college. Planners need to consider thematch between on-campus services andservices available online. Must online students come to campus to get counseling or buy books? Successfullyintegrating technology into all aspects of college operations takes a great deal of work and requires commitment andsupport from college leaders.

Technology, as a tool, helps collegesachieve their missions. It should neitherset the agenda nor drive the strategic plan.Those working on a technology planshould consider their college’s overall mission in establishing technological goals,assessing existing technologies, and thenexamining the gap between those tech-nologies and the college’s ultimate goals.

Technology should be considered apermanent part of community collegebudgets, not an addendum. It is not aone-time expense but an investment.There is no way to avoid periodic updat-ing of computer hardware and softwareeven when equipment-recycling pro-grams are in place. Colleges must tempertheir enthusiasm for technology and thedesire to have the latest, fastest modelswith evaluations of how new equipmentfits institutional goals and existing capac-ity. Novice planners should be carefulabout jumping into complicated systemstoo quickly.

Those working on technology plansmust be realistic about the effect of tech-nology on college personnel. In mostinstances, especially when faculty and staff

curricular, service, and policy strategiescan help create healthier campuses.Health information is a common part ofthe curriculum for allied health occupa-tions, but colleges can incorporate it intogeneral education courses. Informationon epidemiology, emotional counseling,homeopathic remedies, or HIV preven-tion are just a few examples. Policiesregarding smoking, alcohol use, and substance abuse can help community colleges promote good health habits.College decisions on policies regardingfamily leave, reproductive-health services,referrals for services, and fitness pro-grams influence the actions of otherswithin the community.

TECHNOLOGY

Technology does not work efficientlywithout human input. Community colleges must develop and maintain technology-planning processes thatinclude all sectors of the college commu-nity, including the faculty, and all areas of the campus for which informationtechnology is used—telephone andlibrary services, administrative services,academic computing, networking, and soon. The technology plan should meet thelatest accessibility standards for personswith disabilities.

The rapid pace of innovation and theunpredictability about how the generalpublic will use innovations complicate thecreation of a college’s strategic plan fortechnology. In less than a decade, theInternet grew from a small system forresearchers into a worldwide system formass communication and commerce. An institutional technology plan must setgoals yet must be flexible on the detailsfor achieving these goals, because innova-


begin their learning, technology takesmore time, not less. Just correspondingwith students by e-mail takes time.Technology has the potential to customizeinstruction to accommodate differences instudents’ preparation, learning styles,schedules, and goals. But this fluency doesnot happen automatically; it takes timeand practice. To incorporate technologyfully, faculty, staff, and learners need up-front training and ongoing support.

The use of computer technologyacross the curriculum should be manda-tory, with computer-literacy requirementsfor all degrees and certificates. Even aspeople use computer technology for different purposes across careers—art history research, tax preparation, auto-mobile repair, food service, banking,nursing, farming—colleges must inte-grate technology into the curriculum insuch a way that students can enter theirchosen careers with confidence.

The digital divide remains a seriousconcern for community colleges.Technology is becoming yet anotherwedge between the haves and have-nots of every community. Community collegesneed to guard against leaving behindpeople who cannot afford their own computers. Generously equipped and

Institutional technology plans. Acollege’s mission—to provide acces-sible, high-quality education for itsoften-diverse community—lies at theheart of its technology plan. St.Louis Community College’s planaddresses technology infrastructure,student learning, and administrativeefficiency. The plan at CommunityCollege of Allegheny County,Pennsylvania, acknowledges rapidchange and commits to continuousevaluation of new technology andapplications and to raising itscounty’s quality of life.

Tech-savvy faculty and staff.Institutions take various paths tohelp faculty stay up-to-date in theirtechnology skills. Information technology faculty and staff at AimsCommunity College, Colorado,teach non-IT faculty how to movetheir courses online. CerritosCollege, California, provides train-ing to faculty and staff through itsInnovation Center. IT students help faculty develop Web pages at Camden County College, New Jersey.

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges must seek bold andunconventional approaches and consult withall stakeholders when developing informationtechnology plans.

■ Community colleges must plan for technologi-cal upgrading as a routine part of budgetingand resource allocation.

■ Computer literacy must be a core requirementfor all community college students and faculty.

■ Community colleges must develop adequateonline support services for students and faculty to accompany online curricula.

■ Community colleges must make the onlineenvironment accessible to all students andcommunity members.

■ The quality of all electronic courses and services must be equal to or better than those on campus.


ACCREDITATION

Accountability demands an assurance ofinstitutional and program quality. Qualityassurance also builds trust and credibilitywith the service community as well asother members of the higher educationcommunity. The principal tool is accredi-tation. For institutional assurance,regional accreditation is the tool ofchoice; for program-quality assurance,specialized accreditation serves the samepurpose. In recent years, regional accred-iting agencies have moved towardstudent-performance standards in anattempt to shore up their role as gate-keepers for institutional eligibility forcertain federal programs. This trenddemonstrates how closely quality assur-ance is connected with accountability.

Although technically a voluntaryprocess, quality assurance throughaccreditation is a de facto mandatoryprocess that can be expensive and timeconsuming. Community college adminis-trators should view the accreditationprocess as a planning tool.

GOVERNING THECONNECTED COLLEGE

The essence of the community collegelies in its community-based nature. As avoice for the community, the board oftrustees ensures that the college serves thecommunity’s interest. Community collegesuccess arises from this unity of purpose.To avoid becoming insular, self-serving,and eventually irrelevant, community colleges must maintain this strong community connection, and boards mustconnect as closely as possible to the com-munity. Community-based trustees mostlikely can best understand the commu-

adequately staffed computer labs with longhours are a must. Colleges also shouldexplore ways of giving or lending equip-ment to students from disadvantagedhouseholds and should work with librariesand others to develop resource networks.

Community colleges should not usetechnology to skimp or cut corners. TheInternet expands the offerings of campuslibraries, but it does not replace them. It provides accessibility for specializedprograms to students who attend rural orsmall colleges, but only if they have theacademic foundation and the technologyto access the programs. Although tech-nology can enhance the intellectualgive-and-take between instructors andstudents, it does not eliminate the needfor faculty. Colleges may save money by using already-established electroniccourses, but they should not resort toperpetuating outdated materials or lec-tures just to reduce expenses. Technologyshould provide a way of making thelearning process better, not just a differ-ent method of doing the same things.

Colleges must not see electronic education as a means of abandoning theircommitment to hard-to-serve students. Allstudents—even those with disabilities or aneed for remedial or English-as-a-second-language instruction—should have accessto electronic courses. Standards mustremain high for electronic courses so thatthere is no question about course quality.Although many faculty and students findtechnology fun, that characteristic shouldnot define an electronic course. Besidesmaking these online courses available toall learners, colleges should provideonline-support services. Faculty requiresupport and training, and students needservices equal to those offered on campus,such as study groups, library resources,and advisement. All groups need easilyaccessible technical support.


nity’s needs and ensure that the collegemeets them. State boards can meet thischallenge by using local advisory boards.

Communities do not function in isola-tion, even when the state governancestructure includes local governing boards.Because economic and workforce devel-opment and overall quality-of-life issuesdo not adhere to legally defined commu-nity or college service-area boundaries,statewide coordination is necessary. Sincethe state’s interest flows from its many communities, the statewide governancestructure should be a confederation oflocal college-community interests.

Election and appointment processesboth work well in trustee selection, buteffective boards require the continuingparticipation of community leaders. Localboards and state and national trusteeassociations must communicate the characteristics that define effectivetrusteeship. To work well in the complex,fast-paced, and politically charged arenaof public higher education, good gover-nance relies on a clear understanding ofthe board’s role, which must be specifiedin board policy, statute, or regulation.

Board members must recognize theirrole as an independent community voicethat is most effective and that servescommunity interests best when theiractions satisfy all participants. Boardpolicy must ensure that all trustees andstaff members respect the president as the link between the board and students,faculty, and staff. Board members shouldnot use their personal expertise tomanage the college. Trustees who do so violate the role differentiation between themselves and the college’schief executive officer.

Development of an effective board-CEO team begins with a participatoryand inclusive CEO-selection process.Board policies provide direction for

expected institutional outcomes and theethical context in which they are to bepursued. Governing boards provideCEOs with a supportive working envi-ronment, appropriate compensationpackage, and guidelines for evaluation.

Boards must adopt, follow, andenforce standards of conduct that respectthe public trust. Trustees have a responsi-bility to pursue the community’s bestinterest, regardless of their own points of view or those of a particular interestgroup. Once the board has made a decision, trustees should cease debate and support the decision. They mustunderstand that it is the board, not theindividual trustee members, that hasauthority. Trustees conduct their affairs

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community colleges should ensure that theaccrediting process meets their quality assurance and public accountability goals and use it for strategic planning and professional development.

■ State systems must recognize and respect therole of locally connected governing boards inrepresenting community and college interests.

■ Governing boards must communicate the characteristics of effective trusteeship andcultivate future trustees who exhibit thosequalities.

■ Governing boards must define their rolesclearly and commit to represent the interestsof the community.

■ Trustees and the college’s chief executive officer must act as a leadership team andrespect their differing leadership roles.

■ Trustees should participate in local, state, and national in-service training.


any other segment of education. Somemight view this as clever and efficient.Over time, however, it has the potential ofbackfiring and causing a significant loss ofeffectiveness. This pitfall must be avoided.

Communities and those empowered to allocate resources must nurture their community colleges. Well-tended collegeshave adequate financial resources; suffi-cient faculty, professional staff, andsupport staff; sufficient technological andother equipment; a suitable complex ofphysical facilities; and a reasonable capac-ity to sustain and maintain the college.Money makes it possible for communitycolleges to serve their communities andlearners. While generally received fromstate, federal, local, private, and learnersources, funding varies from state to state.One state channels funds through countyboards, while another levies taxes. Averagein-state annual tuition ranges from a fewhundred dollars in some states to a fewthousand dollars in others. With such differences, it is not practical to focus on all the variables of funding for eachcommunity college in the United States.

Instead, it is important to focus onone common financial issue. Every stateuses some form of learner “seat time” todetermine the level of appropriations.

with the knowledge that their actionsaffect the image, and value, of the collegeheld by its students, faculty and staff, thepublic, legislators, and accrediting bodies.

The complexity of discharging theresponsibility of a trustee today is stag-gering. It requires a firm grasp of the role and process of governance and acontinually updated understanding of the social, economic, political, and educational environment in which a college operates. Effective governancerequires that trustees design and participate in their own professional-development experiences locally and through their state and national organizations.

FINANCE

Resources Although community colleges are wellpositioned as important and valued insti-tutions, their accomplishments often canbe attributed more to the extraordinaryeffort and dedication of trustees, faculty,and staff than to the skillful allocation of financial resources. Typically, scarcefinancial resources challenge communitycolleges to do more with less than in

Funding support. Maryland fundsnoncredit instruction—including anycontract training but no recreationalactivities—at the same level as creditinstruction. Through a performancecontract with the state board ofregents, each Ohio campus receives$50,000 to support training andassessment services to Ohio employ-ers and is then eligible for additionalfunds based upon the level of serv-ices provided.

Training new trustees. Trustee education is so important that somestates have put it into law. A 1999North Carolina statute allows aboard of trustees to declare vacantthe position of a trustee who, with-out justifiable excuse, does notparticipate in a state association-sponsored trustee orientation andeducation session within six monthsof appointment.


College leaders have long viewed thispractice as a barrier to serving their com-munities fully because it does not addressnoninstructional community issues orprovide services to youths or older adults.It also generally does not support work-place training. In spite of some attempts,a more flexible approach has not beendeveloped satisfactorily.

Some state governments are pushingperformance-based funding. Most statesthat have used it have decided to allocate a portion of their funds based on perform-ance criteria adopted by the state’slegislature. On its face, performance-basedfunding has the potential to resolve someof the negative features of credit hour–driven funding. Reporting educationaloutcomes by the number of students whoattained their personal goals, passedlicensing exams, or found work in theirfield of study does have the advantage of publicizing a wider range of activitiesthan do graduation and transfer rates.

The motives behind performance-based funding, however, can beproblematic and even constraining. If states adopt the performance-basedapproach to fund the community servicesa college provides, it would help addressthe unmet financial needs of communitycolleges. But if the rationale is merely tosave money and demand more accounta-bility, it will not do so.

Disconnects The divergence between the politicalreality of the appropriations process andthe strong service culture that definescommunity colleges represents anotherfunding challenge. The rigid fundingprocess does not respond with sensitivityto large deviations from the historicalnorm or recent past practices.

Consider what would usually happenif a state system of community colleges

experienced a 20 percent increase inenrollment during the year in which theappropriation was based. If this hap-pened, it is highly unlikely that thesystem would realize a 20 percentincrease in funds. The reason is thatcommunity college budgets are tied to other, unrelated sectors of the statebudget. If a state’s revenue and the cost of doing business increase at a rate of 4percent, most state agencies would getjust a 4 percent increase. The hypothe-sized 20 percent enrollment growth couldbe accommodated only at the expense ofother agencies or educational institutions.It can easily be seen that a challengingpolitical situation results and that largeincreases in appropriations will be diffi-cult, though not impossible, to achieve.

Tribal colleges, which get most oftheir funds from the federal government,face a particularly poignant situation.They must compete with other AmericanIndian education and healthcare pro-grams. Most of these colleges receive themajority of their operating and capitalfunds through the Tribally ControlledCollege or University Assistance Act,which Congress has never funded at theauthorized levels. The colleges get littlestate funding because they lie on federaltrust lands, and local property taxes

RECOMMENDATIONS

■ Community college leaders should advocatefor funding flexibility to support expanding programs that are not based solely on full-time-equivalent criteria.

■ By using a strategic approach and seekingpolitical allies who share common goals, community colleges must aggressively maketheir case for greater funding to accommodateincreased enrollment and service needs.


Nationally, high school graduationrates and immigration will create a surgein community college enrollments, particularly in high-growth states. Thiscomes at a time when the best financialpredictions lead to the conclusion thatexisting revenue structures cannot main-tain current levels of services. Thiscollision of insufficient revenue andincreased demand presents higher educa-tion leaders with the unpleasant choice ofincreasing student fees or reducing costsor a combination of both. Undesirablefee increases yield only limited gainsbecause a larger proportion of fees mustbe allocated as financial aid for other students. An economic downturn willmake matters worse.

A final comment on funding relates tothe long-standing feeling that communitycolleges are poorly funded when com-pared with universities. Equitablefunding—equal appropriations for educating freshmen and sophomoresthroughout a state’s higher educationsystem—would be the optimal way ofresolving community colleges’ financialproblems. Until that ideal is achieved,it is in the best interest of communitycolleges to make a case for funding basedon financial needs to support programsand services. Community colleges have acompelling story to tell, and the moreeffectively it is told with solid data, thecloser they will come to resolving theirfinancial needs.

cannot be levied on trust lands. A fewtribal colleges get a share of the profitsfrom the casinos and other enterpriseslocated on trust lands, but the amountthey receive is relatively small and unpre-dictable. Most tribal colleges survive bycobbling together grants with tuitionfees, which are high in comparison to thepoverty of their students. With rapidlygrowing populations, these colleges confront a special challenge in servingtheir communities.

Rural community colleges in generalhave special circumstances that warrantconsideration for extra funding. Aboutone-third of the nation’s community colleges are located in rural areas or intowns with fewer than 25,000 residents.In many of these places, community colleges are the centers of the commu-nity. As more people leave rural areas, thecolleges must contend with a scarcity offinancial and human resources. Usuallysmall institutions, they generally havelarge service areas. They lack theeconomies of scale enjoyed by largerurban and suburban institutions and as a result have higher per-student costs.On top of these financial challenges,many rural colleges struggle with out-migration and the loss of intellectualcapital—brain drain—when graduatesleave the region for employment. Ruralcommunity colleges also have difficultyattracting faculty and staff because theycannot offer the salaries and amenitiesavailable in suburban and urban areas.

33

The Knowledge Net intends tocreate a common vision and roadmap forAmerica’s community colleges for thefirst decade of the 21st century. Thisreport, of necessity, rests heavily on thepast and present. Although the future is difficult to predict, some things are certain. Change, driven by acceleratingtechnological development, will be pervasive. Market demands for timely,competitive services will accelerate, aswill demands for accountability at alllevels. The community college missionappears to be in flux. The global market-place will require colleges to producelearners with new competencies at thesame time that institutions face a staffingcrisis. The educational community willface continued pressure to keep up withconstant change.

Fiber-optic systems, computers, digitization, wireless communication, and the Internet—though still in theirinfancies—will affect education and train-

ing enterprises indefinitely. It is not prac-tical to make specific predictions aboutapplications of these technologies, but itis feasible to emphasize in no uncertainterms that community colleges must stay alert and informed by subscribing to cutting-edge periodicals, attending forward-thinking conferences, and building staff expertise. Without doubt,colleges must create institutional climatesthat encourage experimentation and risk-taking and engage staff at all levels.

Community colleges must find strate-gies for staying responsive to communityneeds as the pace of change quickens.Customers and learners will demand moretimely programs and services, and thesewill be delivered in an increasingly competitive environment. Communitycolleges may have to choose between general or specialized programs and serv-ices. They face hurdles caused by regulatoryrequirements and restrictions on revenuecreation. Much is riding on how commu-nity colleges meet these challenges.

Public and governmental demands foraccountability continue to grow. Thetrend is rooted in decreasing confidencein public institutions, in changing priori-ties for allocating funds, and in the

C H A P T E R 4

The Challenge


college–university junctures. The three-year baccalaureate is another example,and others will surface in coming years.Together, they will have a dramaticimpact on community colleges as we nowknow them and may redefine how thecolleges respond to change, to commu-nity needs, and to institutional staffingpractices.

The next decade will see an immensegrowth in the need for global compe-tence. Advancements in communicationand transportation will shrink the dis-tance between nations. The past severalyears have seen more businesses expandinto the global economy to avoid shrink-age or closure. Employers deliberatelymay seek workers who have any kind ofinternational experience. Communitycolleges must be ready to meet the needsof these companies and workers.

A huge restaffing effort is just aroundthe corner. A serious talent war lurks,driven by simultaneous planned retire-ments and an economic expansion thatrequires educated workers for continuedgrowth. Colleges will find themselves in the difficult position of needing toreplace more faculty and staff than previously expected while maintainingpersonnel diversity. Institutional professional development programs mustprepare new people to work effectively incommunity colleges. Large turnover rateswill sorely test the ability of communitycolleges to maintain the character thathas been shaped by a century of sharedvalues, beliefs, and visions.

In the midst of all these economic,technological, and institutional changes,community colleges cannot afford to lose sight of the heart and soul of theiridentity—a close and consciously nur-

growing national importance of educa-tion and training. Community collegeshave little choice but to expend morefunds for tracking those who graduate aswell as those who leave, to collect moredata, and to conduct more research.These follow-up efforts must be done ina way that does not diminish the college’scapacity to serve, respond, and adapt.

The mission of community collegeshas changed substantially since they were founded a century ago, and changecontinues. In order to serve their com-munities more fully, some communitycolleges are awarding the “applied” oreven the traditional baccalaureate degree.Florida has already granted baccalaureateauthority to all its community collegesunder certain conditions. For now, thesebaccalaureate-granting institutions pledgeto remain classified as community colleges. At the same time, half of thenation’s state colleges and universitiesoffer the associate degree. The lines are blurring.

Concurrent (dual or joint) enrollmentsrepresent a stronger trend. The practiceof simultaneously granting high schoolcredit and college credit to studentsenrolled in regular community collegecourses is gaining strength. The governorof Utah wants every student to graduatefrom high school with an associatedegree—a bold vision that stands the traditional community college mission on its ear. Two of the state’s communitycolleges already offer a bachelor’s degree,and a third is not far behind. Thissqueeze leaves community colleges on the margin of what has been mainstreamfor most of the 20th century. Missionblur is happening at both the secondary–community college and the community

The Challenge 35

tured reflection of their communities.“Building communities” is more than a catch phrase; it is what community colleges are about. Societal change isaccelerating alongside technologicalchanges. People in neighborhoods as wellas workplaces need communication andlearning skills over a lifetime to directchange and to accommodate to it, andlearner-centered community collegeshold the key to managing change andsustaining healthy communities. Noother institution is situated more favor-ably than the community college to help bring about necessary changes inknowledge, skills, perspectives, attitudes,and values.

Current educational systems do notmatch today’s reality. Education needsfundamental reform, but experience has shown that top-down efforts are notnecessarily the answer. Community colleges—broadly based and interwovenwith community networks—have theopportunity and the obligation to leadtransformation that will meet therequirements of a citizenry engaged in lifelong learning. They must makeserious connections, not just token ges-tures, with people and organizationsworking with early childhood education,elementary and secondary schools, andadult education in schools and the work-place. They must be prepared to servethe growing numbers of senior citizensseeking courses and training.

Community colleges must not onlyfacilitate communication and learning butalso must lead the changes needed fortrue lifelong learning in a world drivenby technology and a global economy. At the same time that the Internet hasbecome a household word, inspiring

images of one homogeneous worldwidecommunity, the planet is in fact morefragmented. The search for identity, personal or national, threatens thecommon good, and human influences at all levels shape the mammoth changes setin motion by technology and globalization.

In spite of other demands on them,community colleges must continue tostretch to see the bigger picture aroundthem. They must find answers to toughquestions, even those that seem periph-eral to education: Why does the nationspend more money on prisons than onschools? What drives some youth towardgangs and some adults toward hategroups? What kind of age discriminationwill surface as elderly people outnumberworkers? How can it be easy to ignorecries for qualified daycare providers whilebeing horrified about child neglect? Howwill colleges assess these issues and stakea claim in the future?

Community colleges must preparepeople to live in and to contribute to thisnew century. They must guide the devel-opment of technologically competentpeople who will be sensitive to the impactof their actions in the workplace, thecommunity, and the world. They mustproduce people with occupational skillswho also can think critically, solve problems, work and live ethically, andcontribute to a democracy. Communitycolleges have demonstrated their capacityand commitment for 100 years. Theynow must sustain the climate of commu-nity that is their very essence and forgeahead to create new connections—humanand electronic. They must proudly andpurposefully assume their leadershipposition in the knowledge net.

37

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45

The following organizations sponsored public hearings, focus groups, and community conversations, in coordination with or in addition to AACC and ACCT:

American Council on InternationalIntercultural Education, Des Plaines, Ill.

American Indian Higher EducationConsortium, Alexandria, Va.

Association of College Unions International,Bloomington, Ind.

Bronx Community College, Bronx, N.Y.

Cedar Valley College, Lancaster, Tex.

Community Colleges for InternationalDevelopment, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Consortium for Community CollegeDevelopment, University of Michigan,Ann Arbor

Council for Resource Development,Washington, D.C.

ERIC Clearinghouse for CommunityColleges, Los Angeles

Foothill College, Los Altos Hills, Calif.

Ford Foundation, New York

Frederick Community College, Frederick, Md.

Institute of Higher Education, University ofFlorida, Gainesville

Instructional Telecommunications Council,Washington, D.C.

League for Innovation in the CommunityColleges, Mission Viejo, Calif.

National Council for Continuing Educationand Training, Eugene, Oreg.

National Institute for Staff andOrganizational Development, Austin, Tex.

National Society for Experiential Education,Alexandria, Va.

Owens Community College, Toledo, Ohio

Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif.

Phi Theta Kappa, Jackson, Miss.

Rural Community College Initiative, MDC,Inc., Chapel Hill, N.C.

The Stanley Foundation, Muscatine, Iowa

University of Florida, Gainesville

The following people contributed papers and comments:

Cliff Adelman, U.S. Department ofEducation, Washington, D.C.

Brenda Norman Albright, Franklin EducationGroup, Franklin, Tenn.

Richard Alfred, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

George Autry, MDC, Inc., Chapel Hill, N.C.

George A. Baker, North Carolina StateUniversity, Raleigh

Thomas E. Barton, Greenville TechnicalCollege, Greenville, S.C.

Ann Beheler, Richland College, Dallas

Trudy Bers, Oakton College, Des Plaines, Ill.

Antonia Black, Regis University, Denver

Vivian B. Blevins, St. Louis CommunityCollege

Contributors


Norman Fortenberry, National ScienceFoundation, Arlington, Va.

Thomas E. Gamble, Joliet Junior College,Joliet, Ill.

Leonardo de la Garza, Tarrant CountyCollege, Fort Worth, Tex.

Edmund J. Gleazer, Bethesda, Md.

Sharon Gordon, Port of Portland, Portland, Oreg.

W. Norton Grubb, University of Californiaat Berkeley, Berkeley, Calif.

Samuel Halperin, American Youth PolicyForum, Washington, D.C.

Ray Hancock, John A. Logan College,Carterville, Ill.

Cynthia Heelan, Colorado MountainCollege, Glenwood Springs, Colo.

Carl Hite, Cleveland State CommunityCollege, Cleveland, Tenn.

Jeff Hockaday, Cary, N.C.

Harold Hodgkinson, Center forDemographic Policy, Institute for Educational Leadership, Washington, D.C.

Richard T. Ingram, Association of GoverningBoards of Universities and Colleges,Washington, D.C.

Earl P. Johnson, San Mateo CountyCommunity College District, San Mateo, Calif.

Arnold M. Kee, American Association ofCommunity Colleges, Washington, D.C.

J. Terence Kelly, Delgado CommunityCollege, New Orleans

Charles R. King, Southwest VirginiaCommunity College, Richlands, Va.

Kevin J. Kopischke, Alexandria TechnicalCollege, Alexandria, Minn.

John P. Kristofco, Wayne College, Universityof Akron, Orrville, Ohio

Eric Larson, Blackhawk Technical College,Janesville, Wis.

George R. Boggs, Palomar College, SanMarcos, Calif.

Joseph A. Borgen, Des Moines AreaCommunity College, Ankeny, Iowa

Peter D. Boyse, Delta College, UniversityCenter, Mich.

Clifford M. Brock, Bainbridge College,Bainbridge, Ga.

David Buettner, North Iowa AreaCommunity College, Mason City

Peter F. Burnham, Brookdale CommunityCollege, Lincroft, N.J.

Anthony D. Calabro, University andCommunity College System of Nevada, Reno

Anthony P. Carnevale, Educational TestingService, Washington, D.C.

Patricia Carter, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

C. E. Chiesi, Harford Community College,Bel Air, Md.

Dennis Christensen, Central WyomingCollege, Riverton

Willard R. Daggett, International Center for Leadership in Education, Inc.,Schenectady, N.Y.

Gary Davis, Illinois Community CollegeTrustees Association

Judith S. Eaton, Council for HigherEducation Accreditation, Washington, DC

Allen Edwards, Pellissippi State TechnicalCommunity College, Knoxville, Tenn.

Steve Eskow, The Electronic UniversityNetwork, San Francisco and Orlando, Fla.

Sean A. Fanelli, Nassau Community College,Garden City, N.Y.

Richard L. Ferguson, ACT, Inc., Iowa City, Iowa

William J. Flynn, Palomar College, San Marcos, Calif.

Contributors 47

Dave Leo, Net1Plus, Lunenberg, Mass.

Jack M. Lewis, New River CommunityCollege, Dublin, Va.

Harold Loyd, Abraham Baldwin AgricultureCollege, Tifton, Ga.

Gene Maeroff, Teachers College, ColumbiaUniversity, New York

Stephen J. Maier, Sheridan College,Sheridan, Wyo.

Robert McCabe, League for Innovation inthe Community College, Miami, Fla.

Patricia A. McDonald, Community Collegeof Allegheny County, Pittsburgh

Polly McMahon, Spokane Falls CommunityCollege, Spokane, Wash.

Jamie P. Merisotis, The Institute for HigherEducation Policy, Washington, D.C.

Catherine M. Millett, University ofMichigan, Ann Arbor

Kenneth J. Minnaert, South Puget SoundCommunity College, Olympia, Wash.

Louise Mirrer, The City University of New York, New York

Michael T. Nettles, University of Michigan,Ann Arbor

Norm Nielsen, Kirkwood CommunityCollege, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Amaury Nora, University of Houston,Houston, Tex.

Terry O’Banion, League for Innovation in theCommunity College, Mission Viejo, Calif.

Eduardo Padrón, Miami-Dade CommunityCollege, Miami, Fla.

Dale Parnell, Redmond, Oreg.

Rodney G. Pasch, Moraine Park TechnicalCollege, Fond du Lac, Wis.

Marie Pepicello, Phoenix College, Phoenix

Dan Phelan, Southeastern CommunityCollege, West Burlington, Iowa

Leslie Purdy, Coastline Community College,Fountain Valley, Calif.

Donald E. Puyear, State Board of Directorsfor Community Colleges of Arizona,Phoenix

Neal Raisman, Academic Marketing andPositioning Solutions, Jamesville, N.Y.

Lee Rasch, Western Wisconsin TechnicalCollege, La Crosse

Judith Redwine, State Center CommunityCollege District, Fresno, Calif.

Don Reichard, James Sprunt CommunityCollege, Kenansville, N.C.

Laura Rendón, California State University,Long Beach

Tronie Rifkin, Evaluation and TrainingInstitute, Los Angeles

Rod Risley, Phi Theta Kappa, Jackson, Miss.

Carl Rolf, Northwest Iowa CommunityCollege, Sheldon

Richard M. Romano, The Institute forCommunity College Research, BroomeCommunity College, Binghamton, N.Y.

Martha Romero, Siskiyou Joint CommunityCollege District, Weed, Calif.

Richard Rouillard, Oklahoma CityCommunity College, Oklahoma City

Jane N. Ryland, President Emerita, CAUSE

Susan A. Smith, Midlands Technical College,Columbia, S.C.

Donald Stewart, The College Board, New York

Donald Supalla, Rochester Community andTechnical College, Rochester, Minn.

Roberta Teahen, Northwestern MichiganCollege, Traverse City, Mich.

Jeri Thornton, Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City

Pamela J. Transue, Tacoma CommunityCollege, Tacoma, Wash.

Scott Vettleson, Litchfield High School,Litchfield, Minn.

Kenneth P. Walker, Edison CommunityCollege, Fort Myers, Fla.


Kathleen A. Williams, The Boeing Company,Seattle

Thomas R. Wolanin, The Institute forHigher Education Policy, Washington,D.C.

James L. Wattenbarger, Gainesville, Fla.

James F. Weber, Arapahoe CommunityCollege, Littleton, Colo.

Ronald Whitehead, Jones County JuniorCollege, Ellisville, Miss.

49

Aaccess, 14; redefining, 14accountability, 28, 31, 33accreditation, 28administrators, 25advocacy, for funding, 32Aims Community College (Colorado), 27Alabama Southern Community College, 7Allegheny County, Community College of

(Pennsylvania), 27Appalachian Center (Southeast Community

College, Kentucky), 7articulation agreements, 11arts, encouraging the, 6–7associate degree, 16

Bbachelor’s degree, 12, 18, 34Bellevue Community College (Washington), 17Borough of Manhattan Community College

(New York), 8“building communities,” 1, 35business incubator, 7

CCalhoun State Community College

(Alabama), 11Camden County College (New Jersey), 27Career Transcript System, 21Central Piedmont Community College

(North Carolina), 9Cerritos College (California), 27Chamber of Commerce, Dallas, 5Chandler-Gilbert Community College

(Arizona), 21change: rapid pace, 1, 26, 33–34chief executive officer (CEO), v, 29childhood, early, 10

Citizen Center for the Common Good(Jackson Community College, Michigan), 4

citizen leadership. See community colleges,civic role

Citizen Leadership Institute (Gulf CoastCommunity College, Florida), 5

civic responsibility, 6civic role of community colleges, 3–7civic skills, building, 5college partnerships, 11–12, 18, 34college-prep courses and programs, 11community-based trustees, 28–30community colleges, 3; challenge facing, 1,

33–34; civic role, 3–7; institutional citizen-ship, 4, 6; learner-centered, 13–14; mission,4, 34; P–16 connections, 10–12; as repre-senting common ground, 4–5. See alsospecific topics

community leadership, 5community programs, 11community(ies), 1, 3, 28–29, 35; defined, 1competitive environment, 7, 24computer literacy, 7, 27computers. See Internet; technologycredentialing, 20credit transfer, 11Crowder College (Missouri), 9cultural awareness, 9–10culture and arts, 7curriculum, 16–18curriculum development, 17

Ddemocracy, skills for, 5–6, 35Denver, Community College of, 13, 20digital divide, 27disability, 14, 15, 26, 28disconnects, 31distance learning, 14, 18

Index


Iimmigration, 32inclusiveness, 1, 14–16industry-based standards, 17information technology (IT), 27Innovation Center (Cerritos College,

California), 27institutional citizenship, 1, 7international awareness, 9–10Internet, 9, 11, 14, 26Iowa Lakes Community College, 25

JJ. Sargeant Reynolds Community College

(Virginia), 12Jackson Community College (Michigan), 4, 13Johnson County Community College

(Kansas), 9junior colleges, v

KKapi`olani Community College (Hawaii), 9Kentucky Coal Mine Museum, 7knowledge net, 1, 7, 35K–12 teachers, 12

LLake Michigan College, 11Lane Community College (Oregon), 13leadership development, 5, 25Leadership Richardson (Texas), 5learner-centered colleges, 13–14, 35learner-support systems, 18–19learning communities, 13learning styles, 18Lenoir Community College (North

Carolina), 6lifelong learning, 8, 20–21, 24, 35

MMaricopa Advanced Technological Education

Center (Arizona), 17Maricopa Community College District

(Arizona), 13market needs, meeting, 8–9math and science: importance of, 12Miami-Dade Community College (Florida), 6minority groups, 15, 25. See also ethnicityMonroe Community College

(New York), 21

diversity, 14–16, 23, 25dual enrollment. See enrollment, concurrent

EEast Los Angeles Community College, 4economic development, 7–10Edgecombe Community College

(North Carolina), 6educated person, and associate degree, 16education: early childhood, 10; elementary and

secondary, 10–11, 18; general, 9, 16–17;P–16, 11–12; purpose, 3

El Paso Community College (Texas), 8employers: and the economy, 7–10enrollment, 32; concurrent, 34; gender

differences in, 16equity: access and, 14ethnicity, 4, 14–16, 25

Ffaculty and staff, 23–24; adjunct and full-time,

23; recruiting new, 24, 34; tech-savvy, 27Family and Community Development Center

(Fort Peck Community College, Montana), 14

family problems, addressing, 14finance, 30–32Fort Peck Community College (Montana), 14Forums on Civic Responsibility (Miami-Dade

Community College, Florida), 6Franklin University (Ohio), 11funding, 30–32; performance-based, 31

Ggender, 14–16, 25general education, 9, 16–17Glendale Community College (California), 6global awareness, 9–10global village, 9globalization, 1governance, 28–30Gulf Coast Community College (Florida), 5

Hhealth and wellness, 25–26high school, 10–11, 18, 32Hocking Technical College (Ohio), 21Howard Community College

(Maryland), 7human resources, 23–26

Index 51

NNew Expeditions Coordinating Committee, vNew Expeditions initiative, vNorth Seattle Community College, 15Northwest Center for Emerging Technologies

(Bellevue Community College,Washington), 17

OOakton Community College (Illinois), 6Old Dominion University (Virginia), 11One America program (Glendale Community

College, California), 6online services, 26–27

PPalomar College (California), 13Parateacher Program (Tulsa Community

College, Oklahoma), 12partnerships, 11–12, 18, 34performance-based funding, 31Pitt Community College (North Carolina), 6planning: for technology, 26–27Portland Community College

(Oregon), 11poverty, 10presidents, 25professional development, 12, 24. See also

lifelong learningProject GRAD (Houston, Texas), 11

Rrace, 4, 14–16, 25Raritan Valley Community College

(New Jersey), 25remedial education, 19–20restaffing, 34retirements, effect of, 12, 25Rio Hondo College (California), 25rural community colleges, 32

SSalomon Smith Barney, 8Sante Fe Community College

(Florida), 24SCANS 2000 Center, 21science and math: importance of, 12seat time, 7secondary-baccalaureate squeeze, 18, 34service learning, 5, 6, 16, 17, 21Sinte Gleska University (South Dakota), 7

skill standards, industry, 17skilled workers, need for, 7skills: building civic, 5; for a democracy, 5–6;

documenting, 21South Texas Community College, 14Southeast Community College (Kentucky), 7Springfield Enterprise Center

(Massachusetts), 9Springfield Technical Community College

(Massachusetts), 9St. Louis Community College, 25, 27staff. See faculty and staffstudent support services, 18–20students, retaining, 20

Tteacher preparation and training, 12technology, 1, 7, 14, 18, 26–28, 35. See

also information technology, Internettechnology plans, institutional, 27technical colleges, vtranscripts, 20tribal colleges, 31–32trustees: board of, 28–30; training new, 30Tulsa Community College (Oklahoma), 12

Uuniversities, partnerships with,

11–12, 18, 34Utah Valley State College, 9

WWalters State Community College

(Tennessee), 14Web-based courses, 12, 18workforce development, 7–8Workforce Development Continuum

(Charlotte, North Carolina), 9World Wide Web, 9, 11, 14, 26

YYouth Incubator, 9youth outreach, 10–11

The following New Expeditions issues papers are available as a set from Community College Press®:

Student Access in Community Colleges, by Michael T. Nettles and Catherine M. Millett

Reexamining the Community College Mission, by Amaury Nora

Fulfilling the Promise of Access and Opportunity: Collaborative Community Colleges for the 21st Century, by Laura Rendón

Public Community College Faculty, by Tronie Rifkin

Community College Financing: Strategies and Challenges,by Jamie P. Merisotis and Thomas R. Wolanin

Contradictory Colleges: Thriving in an Era of Continuous Change,by Richard Alfred and Patricia Carter

Issues in Community College Governance, by Gary Davis

Community College Leadership in the New Millennium,by Jeff Hockaday and Donald E. Puyear

The Search for the Learning-Centered College, by William Flynn

Technology and the Future of the Community College, by Jane N. Ryland

Community Colleges and Career Qualifications, by Anthony P. Carnevale

Charting the Future of Global Education in Community Colleges,by the American Council on International Intercultural Education,

Community Colleges for International Development, and The Stanley Foundation

To purchase the set of 12 papers (order #1523) or the report, The Knowledge Net (order # 1436), please contact

Community College PressP.O. Box 311

Annapolis Junction, Maryland 20701-0311Phone: (800) 250-6557

Fax: (301) 604-0158E-mail: [email protected]

www.aacc.nche.edu/bookstore

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