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…

Despite declines in the number of liberal arts bachelor's degrees awarded by four-year colleges, the growth in liberal arts at community colleges has made up the difference, countering a national narrative that the field is in crisis. As designated by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act, the liberal arts cover a range of…

This article highlights how faculty leaders Antonio Acevedo, assistant history professor at Hudson County Community College, Christine Arnold-Lourie, professor of history and a coordinator of humanities at College of Southern Maryland, and David Bradley, a ceramics instructor at Arizona's Paradise Valley Community College, adapted and innovated…

This article describes how community colleges have evolved from early computers to virtual campuses and beyond in just a few decades.

Student athletes face challenges that many of their traditional peers do not. Not only are athletes expected to perform in their sport, they're also required to achieve in the classroom, a dual hardship for a demographic already tackling the difficulties associated with non-traditional learning. But with athletics programs entrenched at many…

Community colleges nationwide are retrofitting their campuses to meet best environmental principles, creating comprehensive "living laboratories" where participants have a direct impact on reducing an institution's carbon footprint. Environmental stewardship is a growing priority among millennials, observers say. Sixty-six percent of…

The road from teenage resourcefulness to a real-deal corporate operation was paved by the Bucks Business Association, a student led group at Bucks County Community College (BCCC) that hones student leadership, money management and organizational skills. Community colleges throughout the country are sharpening the startup-minded acumen of their…

This article describes how community colleges take on major changes as they undergo complete organizational redesign and streamlining of programming and services in the face of multiple challenges.

As community colleges across the country strive to improve completion rates and serve a growing number of students returned home from war, the need for programs that meet the unique needs of veterans--including job training, social acclimation, referral programs for mental health counseling, and academic tutoring, to name a few--is more pressing…

Nearly a decade ago officials at New Jersey's 19 community colleges sought a way for the state's two-year career and technical college system to work together to more efficiently serve the workforce development needs of the state. The goal was to say to businesses, "If you have a training need, we can help by delivering the…

For nearly as long as students, teachers, and community members have been adopting social media--more than a decade--community college leaders have sought ways to harness the power of online applications to improve fundraising and advocacy efforts. Dedicated Facebook pages and Twitter feeds were among the most logical starting points--if a college…

When Massachusetts' Bristol Community College (BCC) installed photovoltaic panels on the roofs of three campus buildings, the goal was to position the college as a regional leader in sustainability. The question was how to let the surrounding community know about its investment. The project took place largely out of public view, hidden high on the…

In recent years, "math and science" has been the mantra for many educators and business leaders who warn of an urgent need to encourage the pursuit of these and other technological disciplines or risk losing ground in the global economy. Simply emphasizing the need for "math and science" expertise does not, however, encourage…

Keeping up with alumni has always been tough for community colleges. It's not unusual for students to transfer to other institutions and leave the area, or to attend school briefly only to be swallowed up again by the workforce. Fortunately, a new breed of social media is making alumni outreach easier. And colleges are taking advantage. This…

Those following recent employment trends have heard about the nursing shortage. A combination of increased demand and impending retirements means 1 million nurses will be needed in hospitals, homes, and medical facilities by 2018. That's good news for job seekers. But it is not just shortages in nursing. Allied health careers, including…