This is the first comprehensive and contemporary history of the largest and most diverse public system of higher education in the United States. Serving over 2 million students annually--approximately one-quarter of the nation's community college undergraduates--California's 116 community colleges play an indispensable role in career and transfer…

"Honors Colleges in the 21st Century" contains the work of 56 authors representing 45 different institutions, which makes this the largest and most comprehensive group of honors leaders ever to appear in print together discussing honors colleges. Particularly notable is the fact that eleven of the chapters are co-authored by individuals…

In "What Excellent Community Colleges Do," Joshua S. Wyner draws on the insights and evidence gained in administering the inaugural Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. This book identifies four domains of excellence--degree completion, equity, student learning, and labor market success--and describes in rich detail the policies…

This book focuses on the topic of the multiple-stakeholders that comprise the education community across the P-20 continuum. In various ways and forms, the authors of the chapters found within this book promote the importance of engaging with the diverse array of stakeholders in order to truly improve education in an increasingly interconnected…

Over the years, a number of interventions aimed at increasing student engagement and performance have been implemented in higher education. Some of these, labeled high-impact practices (HIPs), when done well, have led to documented evidence of student success. Two approaches that have been identified as HIPs--first-year seminars and learning…

Nearly 40 percent of the students entering 2- and 4-year postsecondary institutions indicated their intention to major in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in 2012. But the barriers to students realizing their ambitions are reflected in the fact that about half of those with the intention to earn a STEM bachelor's degree and…

Organized around 15 tasks involved in the community-based programming (CBP) process, this book provides practical, field-tested guidance on successfully implementing CBP in community colleges. Following prefatory materials, the following chapters are provided: (1) "An Introduction to the Community-Based Programming Process" (Edgar J.…

This book highlights the community building experience at Maricopa Community College District (MCCD) in Arizona. Sixty-five percent of upper division transfers at Arizona State University come from MCCD, and 80% of The University of Phoenix's graduates have done a major portion of their lower division work at MCCD. At any given time, 50 to 60…

In this book, the chief executive officers of 14 community colleges, the director of a state agency, and the director of a national project share their experiences about partnerships, collaborations and alliances. The following chapters are included: (1) "Chapter and Verse: How We Came To Be Where We Are," by Lynn Sullivan Taber; (2) "Community…

Convinced that the time has come for a college committed to the improvement of all aspects of community life, the authors present the "community renewal college" concept. Such colleges would offer courses, programs and activities that correspond to specific local needs; seek out and motivate people who can benefit from these programs;…

Intended for community college administrators, governing boards, and other leaders interested in strengthening their institutions and communities, this monograph chronicles the experiences of five pilot colleges implementing the community-based programming (CBP) model of the Academy for Community College Leadership Advancement, Innovation, and…

Saltville, Virginia, is a former company town whose main employer, a soda ash plant, shut down on July 1, 1971. The closure of the chemical plant displaced 700 workers, and created a crisis that threatened not only the existence of the town, but of the entire region. In response, Virginia Highlands Community College (VHCC), in cooperation with the…

This monograph is a practical manual on public relations (PR) for community and junior colleges, containing numerous suggestions and recommendations for establishing and operating an effective public relations effort while avoiding PR pitfalls. An overview of the history of public relations in academe, the rationale underlying today's PR programs…

This curriculum guide discusses civic responsibility, how it is tied to service learning, how faculty can integrate concepts and exercises in a practical way, and how faculty can assess the development of civic responsibility in their students. Civic responsibility is defined here as active participation in the public life of a community, in an…

The designer of a modern community college must concomitantly meet the needs of those who expect a college to fit their traditional perceptions of a suitable physical plan, and not repel the great numbers of nontraditional students the community college is expected to serve. Many community colleges have been built as an uneasy compromise between…