Enrichment programs make up a small but significant part of a community college's offerings. In some cases, their impact can be enormous--especially in rural areas where a community college might be the only source of enrichment for residents. Community enrichment programs also can be challenging to administer. For instance, it can be hard to find…

Community college students often face more stressors than those at four-year institutions. Many are working adults with families. Some are homeless, food insecure or have financial instability. The pandemic has exacerbated these challenges. Community college leaders are employing a number of strategies to solve the mental health crisis, such as…

Micro-credentials are short, highly focused programs designed to provide in-demand skills that help students quickly advance their career, often in just a single semester. They have emerged as a way for students-many of whom are adult learners looking to change jobs-to acquire and demonstrate a core set of skills that can jumpstart their entry…

As community colleges create or enhance their online learning programs, campus leaders must find ways to make these experiences equitable for all students, so that everyone has a fair chance at success. Colleges are using a wide array of innovative strategies to do this. These methods include designing online courses with inclusion in mind,…

Spurred on in part by the labor shortages caused the pandemic, a growing number of employers are eliminating their degree requirements in favor of a skills-based approach to hiring. "Skills-based hiring" focuses on the actual skills and qualifications someone brings to the job instead of just the degree they've earned. For job seekers,…

Collaborative leadership, a management style in which leaders encourage employees to contribute their own ideas and work together to develop solutions for meeting institutional goals, is becoming more common in community colleges and other organizations. In leveraging the ideas of a broad range of people, collaborative leadership often leads to…

Many college leaders watched the disturbing video of George Floyd's murder at the hands of law enforcement officers in spring 2020 and the wave of protests that followed nationwide. That event prompted the question: What can colleges do to create more equitable systems of education for "all" students at our institutions? While the act of…

With state funding and student enrollment on the decline, community colleges are looking for creative ways to grow revenue. To meet this challenge, community colleges are becoming more entrepreneurial in nature. Successful colleges understand their strengths, recognize the needs of their community and develop programs that marry these for…

"Green" jobs that contribute to preserving the environment are among the fastest-growing careers in the U.S., according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. With the rising need for workers to fill these positions, and surging interest among students in environmental careers, community colleges are creating new courses, certifications and…

Facing significant enrollment challenges as a result of the pandemic, community colleges nationwide have had to be highly strategic in how they market themselves to prospective students. Recapturing students while reaching new prospects requires creative solutions for meeting students' most urgent needs, such as shorter-term, more flexible options…

Individual trustees are often looking for different qualities in a community college president, and it can be challenging for a diverse group of stakeholders to agree on what they want. Boards that function most effectively work together to establish a clear set of criteria at the outset of the hiring process, and they share this list with…

The federal Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant program, which provided nearly $2 billion over four years to help community colleges meet employers' needs more effectively was a response to the 2008 recession. Distributed by the U.S. Department of Labor, the original TAACCCT funding brought colleges…

By purchasing abandoned facilities and transforming them into vibrant hubs for culture and education, community colleges are fulfilling one of their key missions: revitalizing their communities. But these types of projects can be fraught with challenges as well. Here's how Austin Community College (Texas), Manchester Community College…

Amid the global pandemic, community colleges nationwide found themselves challenged like never before. More than 21 million Americans lost their jobs in March and April. How would this economic collapse affect college revenue streams, or fall semester enrollment? Would campuses even be open in the fall? Would students continue to register for…

The three pandemic relief bills passed by Congress since March 2020 collectively provide about $75 billion for U.S. colleges--as well as the students they serve. The legislation has brought three waves of funding to community colleges, known as Higher Education Emergency Relief Funding (HEERF) I, HEERF II, and HEERF III. Colleges must spend a…