Extractivism is so often characterized as resource extractivism - the exploitation of a community's natural resources for economic gain. However, when we think about the relationships between community and university, there are many ways in which the university can take out of the community or benefit to an extent that extracts human, capital, and…

Why are many urban universities' relationships with their surrounding communities fraught despite university efforts at community engagement? Relationships between the factors underlying university-driven neighborhood change remain largely unexplored. In this article, I take the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) as a case study and examine the…

The quality of the relationship between a university and its host community both reflects and helps determine the effectiveness of the work they jointly pursue. Through the single issue of partnering to reduce college student alcohol misuse, we examined the quality of town-gown relations using a well-established typology grounded in the marriage…

This chapter reflects on how the Michigan Center for Student Success (MCSS) has leveraged its position within a membership organization for community college presidents and trustees to engage in statewide student success efforts in a state with a unique higher education governance structure. With no formal higher education governing body to set…

Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA), like other community colleges, does not require Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) scores or similar entrance examinations for admission. However, new college applicants must demonstrate their levels of reading, writing, and mathematics skills to determine whether they need developmental courses to prepare…

Little research exists on the specific ways that Indigenous Knowledge is integrated into institutions of higher education across the U.S.-affiliated islands of Micronesia. This research study highlights the existence of Palauan Knowledge within Palau Community College. An Indigenous paradigm (Wilson, 2003) is utilized to align with Palauan values…

Histories of the American community college have largely overlooked the humanistic education movement of the mid-20th century. This historiographical gap obscures leaders' ideological commitment to their institution's diverse mission during an era of rapid community college expansion. Advocates and critics of community colleges have consequently…

This article compares state expenditure data to see how the operating budgets of public community colleges specifically, and public higher education institutions generally, have fared over the past 30 years. Data from the National Association of State Budget Officers (NASBO) have long tracked major state expenditure categories, including the…

Community-engaged scholarship (CES) is frequently recommended as a postsecondary practice for producing knowledge to address real-world issues and support the public good. But CES has multiple meanings, and understandings overlap with similar terms, such as publicly engaged scholarship. I draw upon recommendations in the field to propose an…

A deeper understanding of how slavery and colonialism fundamentally shaped the system of higher education in the United States has led colleges and universities to reexamine their histories and acknowledge harms committed and the need for repair. Campuses are experimenting with how to address racial justice and healing for faculty, staff, and…

A cursory review of scholarly articles concerning community colleges will undoubtedly result in references to the ''cooling out'' function of academic advising. This theory remains among one of the most cited critiques of these institutions to date. Many scholars have debated the accuracy of the assertion, arguing that community college advisors…

Throughout history, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have overcome countless challenges to achieve their goals of maintaining cultural traditions, providing key leadership and role models, assuring economic functions, addressing issues between minority and majority populations, and producing Black agents for research,…

When Arthur Cohen launched "New Directions for Community Colleges" ("NDCC") in 1973, the focus was on sharing updates and practical advice for those leading and working in community colleges. At the time, scant attention was given to these institutions as most research centered on 4-year colleges and universities. The context…

This essay examines the history of what is commonly called the town-gown relationship in American college towns in the six decades after the Second World War. A time of considerable expansion of higher education enrollment and function, the period also marks an increasing detachment of higher education institutions from their local communities.…

The purpose of this article is to describe the development, mission, and events of the Festival of the Arts at Southwest Virginia Community College (1995-2018) with special emphasis on community involvement and community enrichment. The festival serves as a tool in fulfilling the cultural enrichment mission and community service function of the…