In 2021, community college practitioners, scholars, researchers, and leaders documented the challenge of what worked, what did not work, and lessons learned during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic. This book summarizes the works of 39 authors who collectively wrote 14 peer reviewed papers in areas of leadership, curriculum, funding, social and racial tension, technology and digital access, self, family and community, and health and safety. Readers are challenged to embrace this era with innovative zeal and to continue to document community colleges' evolutionary changes during this pandemic era. The book will be useful to higher education practitioners, scholars, and leaders, as well as individuals in organizations who are interested in how community colleges responded to challenges of change during the COVID-19 pandemic. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Community College Journal of Research and Practice.

This collection brings together insightful chapters which explore diverse student success initiatives and programs in response to challenges faced by community colleges. Each chapter of the collection magnifies a specific aspect of student affairs to illustrate how dedicated departments and practitioners have effectively supported student success via select projects or initiatives. Readers will gain a deeper insight into the contemporary applications, practices, and impacts of agendas such as the assessment of student affairs and services, student success programming, Guided Pathways, and The Completion Agenda. By demonstrating the meaningful involvement of student affairs practitioners in fulfilling institutional missions and visions, this collection contributes to an overarching dialogue about promoting community college student success. This collection will be of interest to researchers, academics, graduates, and postgraduate students in the fields of higher education administration, educational leadership, adult education, and lifelong learning.

* Is the conferring of baccalaureate degrees by community colleges a solution to increasing access to and capacity in higher education?* Will the conferring of baccalaureate degrees restrict open access to, and imperil the existing mission of, community colleges?* What are the models and alternative methods of delivery? What are the implications?Breaking away from their traditional mission of conferring only associate degrees and occupational credentials, an increasing number of community colleges have begun seriously to explore and, indeed, in some U.S. states and Canadian provinces, to actually implement offering and conferring bachelor's degrees. Some leaders see these changes as a natural extension of community colleges' commitment to access, while others view their awarding of baccalaureate degrees as inappropriate and threatening the basic core values of this unique sector of higher education. This has become a "hot" and controversial topic, not only among community college and university leaders, but also among policy makers, business leaders and students concerned with issues of access, cost and the structure and purposes of post-secondary education. This book analyzes the emerging trend of the community college baccalaureate degree in the United States and Canada in order to contribute to the development of policy. The authors aim to describe, document, and explain this significant development in higher education. They present the background, examples of practice and different models of delivery, develop a common terminology to facilitate discussion, give voice to the views of proponents and critics alike, and include a comprehensive bibliography and set of resources. This bookis intended as a catalyst for dialog, action and further research on this critical and emerging trend. It is essential reading for leaders of community colleges, for administrators and planners in higher education concerned with issues of access and articulation, and anyone in public policy grappling with demographic trends and society's need for educated citizens able to meet the challenges of the future.

This book brings together a collection of chapters with different research designs that explore the research, practice, and policies of community colleges. The chapters in this book are the result of the graduate students and their faculty mentor's scholarly work, and a rigorous special issue's peer review process. Furthermore, this book offers recommendations on how to mentor graduate students, in the absence of research and mentorship on how to publish for graduate students and practitioner-scholars, as well as recognizing that graduate programs and professional associations are important on the socialization of practitioner-scholars. Each book chapter addresses the implications for practice and future research, policy for community colleges, and recommendation for change indicated by the research results. Five broad research themes, higher education policy, leadership practices and roles, network community, student success, and technology, emerged from the empirical articles and critical reviews. A final chapter shares advice and lessons learned from the 30 authors and mentors. With the exception of Chapter 14, the chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of the Community College Journal of Research and Practice.