Investments in professional development have been more important than ever for community colleges this past year against the backdrop of the pandemic and all that it has changed. While some colleges are facing declining enrollments and less in the way of state funding, they are stretching every professional development dollar they can get their…

As the world takes two steps forward toward normalcy, typically followed by a step backward into pandemic mode, the truism that faculty success leads to student success probably has never been more resonant. To achieve professional success, faculty need a culture--along with a budget--to try out new, innovative ideas. Both at the individual campus…

The more polarized American politics become, the more challenging it becomes for institutional leaders of all stripes to maintain a balanced approach and not get crosswise with anyone. Community college leaders are no exception to this reality--and they say succeeding in this environment requires an artful combination of underscoring the natural…

This article explores how four community college faculty leaders draw upon their past experiences and current motivation to brighten students' futures.

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

Community college faculty have always been more than classroom teachers, but during the pandemic their roles as counselors, navigators and sources of needed referrals perhaps have never been more paramount--or appreciated. Beyond the dizzying logistics and scrambled pedagogy involved in switching from in-person to online learning, faculty have…

In recent years and especially over the past 12 months, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the unrest after the death of George Floyd, community colleges have been making efforts to view and rethink their missions through an equity lens. These efforts have included turning this prism toward institutional operations like student services, human…

The growth of online education has slowed down among community colleges, but it is still outpacing overall enrollment, while the quality of the education offered has improved from a pale imitation to a worthy competitor, administrators say. More than 5.5 million community college students enrolled in distance education programs in 2013-14,…