To Survive, Community Colleges Need to Stay True to Their Mission

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | September 3, 2021 | Esam Sohail Mohammad

[karpov]

While community colleges are known as a low-cost path to higher education, some might be shocked to learn that their enrollments took a steeper hit than the four-year sector in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Usually, economic downturns help the two-year sector’s enrollments when learners are attracted by the more affordable tuition and no-frills, no-nonsense approach to the calling of higher education.

In that rather sobering observation, however, lies a lesson that could help community colleges move forward: stay true to the mission.

Once the million-dollar fancy marketing campaign for the brand new dorm or the cool robotics center runs its course, the core constituency of the community college remains: students who are seeking to save a significant chunk of money in the pursuit of their eventual baccalaureate degrees. That is the bread and butter, the raison d’etre if you will, of a vast majority of America’s community colleges.

Pretending otherwise may be useful for the pockets and careers of marketing directors, foundation CEOs, and pricey consultants setting up booths at various higher education conferences. On the other hand, chancellors and presidents already under siege for falling enrollments should be wary of buying into a narrative that more spending on buildings, fancier amenities, and niche program offerings are panaceas for reversing the decline.

It is a narrative that is often promoted by a segment of the broader management consulting industry that specializes in advising higher education entities and generates revenues in the billions from its clients. Unlike its purely corporate counterpart, this segment draws less scrutiny from the usual watchdogs.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

I’m a reverse transfer. I went straight to a top 4 year university out of high school. And then spent time in community college after graduating university.

Same thing after grad school. Went back to community college after attaining my MA overseas.

And I found that I attained the most clarity about my life trajectory at CC.

Also, Community college is great for adults seeking things like foreign language acquisition.

[vetvetdoug]

I taught at a JC for a semester and came to the conclusion that the CC are a government jobs program for politically connected and entitled people. There is much largess that is being spent on the CC and JC.

[marron]

I’d say the core constituency for community college are the following three: *people planning to go to the 4-year university, but needing a cheaper alternative (or they didn’t get admitted and need to get their foot in the door)... *adults continuing their education at night... *and tech training for people who have no intention of going on to college. Welding, computers, diesel, the whole gamut. And that last area is where CC has the chance to shine.

[alternatives?]

The first is also very important. Many of the classes in the first couple of years of college are not that meaningful or worthwhile.

[faithhopecharity]

Not quite

Community colleges are not ONLY cheap lower division class providers for university. That is one of THREE fundamental components of the CC mission statement.

CC’s also provide direct paths to careers in a wide range of fields, from electronics tech to first level nursing and nursing assistants, from real estate to accounting tech, from law enforcement to fire fighting. From automotive tech to radio television broadcasting to the internet. From computer programming to cosmetology.

These “career and technology” programs are a main component of most community colleges — and frankly just try to live without these many kinds of service providers!

Thirdly, and arguably of less vital importance, community colleges also offer community/ oriented classes — often short courses — things people just want. Tai chi. Guitar lessons. Opportunities to play in band. Or in orchestra. Basic fitness. Wright lifting. First aid training. Personal finance. These usually are offered through their own division and may carry fees so as to be self/ supporting ( thus not detracting from the CC’s career/.tech and university-oriented study programs.

Ps: the number one rated CC in America is a caeeer-teach focused school. The number two CC in USA, and most of the top ten, are traditional “all three foci” colleges.

[PGR88]

A good friend is a department head at our local community college system.

Like the article, he complains about the “management consulting mindset” and the revolving door of Presidents who come through every 2 years with this mindset.

I respect him because he’s apolitical. I believe he votes democrat, but he sees the danger of wokeism and cancel culture, particularly in academia and wants all ideas represented and discussed in a thoughtful and proper academic manner. That alone could make him a conservative in his school. He was very concerned when at a recent zoom meeting involving some other regional community college faculty, the organizer made everyone pronounce their pronouns and sexual orientation.

[Seruzawa]

There used to be the Utah Technical coolege in SL where I got my AS in ET before transferring to Weber State. However Weber State sent instructors to UTC and I got my EE without having to commute.

Then the powers that be decided to change Utah Technical College to Salt Lake Community College. Can you guess what happened? The technical/trades areas were cut so that they could offer more basketweaving useless-drivel courses. This “raised” the standing of the school officials amongst the educrats. After all, people who work with their hands and keep the lights on just aren’t important, you know.... peons... riffraff. Our high society of intelligentsia (who are incompetent at everything) doesn’t need such people sullying up the parlors.