"The diverse narratives captured in The Community's College
demonstrate the ways in which community colleges continue to serve
as powerful catalysts for social and economic mobility, not only
for the students whose stories are told here, but for their
families and the communities in which they are located. Equally
important, the analysis offered by Dr. Pura and Dr. Parker unveils
how community colleges-distinctively American institutions-are more
essential than ever to fulfilling our nation's historic mission of
educating for democracy."-from the Foreword by Lynn Pasquerella
While community colleges promote American ideals of democracy,
opportunity, and social mobility; provide a vital accessible and
affordable education for nearly 12 million first-generation,
economically-disadvantaged, and minoritized students; are engines
of local workforce and economic development; and enroll nearly half
of all students who go on to complete a four-year degree; they
remain the least resourced and the least funded institutions in the
United States. Offering the insights of the former president of
Greenfield Community College-located in Massachusetts's poorest
rural county-who was a national leader in community college and
higher education organizations as well as closely involved with
local businesses and organizations; and commentary and background
data provided by Professor of Higher Education and Chair of the
Department of Leadership in Education at the University of
Massachusetts Boston, this book addresses the challenges that
community colleges face as they strive to achieve their complex
missions in a changing world. By providing vivid accounts of the
diversity of students that community colleges serve, the complexity
of their missions-from dual enrollment with high schools, to
vocational training, adult education, and transfer to four-year
colleges-and the role they play in supporting and responding to the
needs of local business, as well in regional economic development,
the authors make the case for increased investment, while at the
same time making apparent to all stakeholders-from policy makers
and trustees to college leaders, faculty and staff-how they can
contribute to the vital development of human capacities. Community
colleges are open-access, train nearly 80% of all first responders,
graduate more than half of new nurses and health-care workers, and
have a history of nimbleness and responsiveness to community needs,
and can play a vital role in training for tomorrow's jobs, over 60%
of which will, in the next decade, require some college education.
The first four chapters set the scene, demonstrating the key
foundational linkage between education, community and democracy,
presenting a history of the community college movement,
illustrating what's involved in building strong and reciprocal
community relationships, and covering a whole panoply of leadership
issues such as governance, institutional culture, facilities
planning, resource development, accreditation, and crisis
management. The second part of the book presents Bob Pura's
accounts of his visits to five community colleges, each
representing different geographic regions, institutional size,
urban and rural locations, and how they respond to the varied
racial and ethnic populations from they draw their students and
establish themselves as anchors in their communities. As well as
offering an important message to state and federal policy makers,
this book serves as a roadmap for aspiring leaders of community
colleges as well as a text for leadership and higher education
courses. College leaders may find it useful for internal training
and learning community groups.
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