Multiple Missions and Roles of Community Colleges
Community colleges are complex institutions serving a multitude of constituencies with dozens of programs and activities. However, this was not always the case; community colleges (once called junior colleges) were initiated a century ago with the focused purpose of providing the first two years of a four-year college education. During its hundred-year history, the community college sector has undergone a number of transformations, specifically in terms of its identity and purpose. These transformations have been thought of as generations, and with each new generation, the colleges have added new functions. The result has been that today's community college curriculum covers a broad array of programs, modes of education, and services, thereby earning the colleges the designation of comprehensiveness. But, what are the relative costs and benefits of comprehensiveness? During the past decade, state policies related to remediation, articulation, economic development, welfare reform, and accountability, to list only a few, have put the spotlight on both the successes and shortcomings of comprehensive community colleges. Many community college advocates argue that the constant expansion of functions is a natural outcome of the community-based mission of the colleges. However, regardless of strong institutional support for this transformation, during the past two decades academics and researchers have almost universally condemned the comprehensive model.
As a part of the National Field Study of Community Colleges, which examined fifteen community colleges in six states across the country, CCRC researchers analyzed the roles of community colleges, their organizational changes, and the ways in which community college missions conflicted with or complemented one another with regard to college curriculum and operations. The framework was drawn from research on institutions and organizations, and thus the inquiry focused on factors external to the colleges. This included state policy, financing, and economic context, as well as internal factors such as leadership, faculty, and the history of the colleges. The following questions formed the basis for this research:
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What are the roles of community colleges in the educational system?
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Which roles do community colleges and/or state governments seek to expand, to reduce, or drop? What are the explanations for these choices?
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How are the curricular goals of academic and occupational education integrated or distinguished within the colleges?
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How are state policy and financing decisions shaping community college missions? In particular, how do diversified missions operate to help colleges balance their budgets? And, what impact is increasing dependence on private funding having on the colleges?
The research was led by Thomas R. Bailey, CCRC Director, and Vanessa Smith Morest, Assistant Director for Postsecondary Research.
For more information, see the CCRC paper, The Organizational Efficiency of Multiple Missions for Community Colleges (2004), as well as other related publications listed below. A chapter on this topic is included in the book, Defending the Community College Equity Agenda, written by CCRC researchers.
Project Staff:
Thomas Bailey, George and Abby O'Neill Professor of Economics and Education & Director, Institute on Education and the Economy -- Teachers College, Columbia University
Vanessa Smith Morest, Research Affiliate -- Norwalk Community College
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| The Community College Equity Agenda (Podcast No. 1)Podcast by: Vanessa Smith Morest — 4/13/2007This is the first in CCRC's new series of podcasts narrated by contributors to CCRC's latest book, Defending the Community College Equity Agenda.View AbstractCommunity College Missions: A Theoretical and Historical PerspectiveJournal Article by: Kevin Dougherty & Barbara K. Townsend — 12/15/2006This chapter analyzes various ways of conceptualizing the missions of the community college, describes how those missions have varied over time and across geographical regions, and examines how missions complement and conflict with one another.View AbstractSpecial Issue: Community College Missions in the 21st CenturyEdited Journal by: Barbara K. Townsend & Kevin Dougherty — 12/15/2006This special issue of "New Directions for Community Colleges" was edited by Kevin Dougherty, CCRC Senior Research Associate, and Barbara K. Townsend, Professor of Higher and Continuing Education at the University of Missouri-Columbia.View AbstractDefending the Community College Equity AgendaBook by: Thomas Bailey & Vanessa Smith Morest — 11/25/2006In this book, CCRC researchers analyze how colleges have tried to improve their performance with respect to low-income students, students of color, and nontraditional students, given the challenges that their students face. View Abstract | Purchase at Amazon.comRethinking Cooling Out at Public Community Colleges: An Examination of Fiscal and Demographic Trends in Higher Education and the Rise of Statewide Articulation AgreementsJournal Article by: Gregory Anderson, Mariana Alfonso & Jeffrey C. Sun — 3/7/2006The rise of articulation agreements constitutes a new state strategy to cope with the stagnation of higher education appropriations, the spiraling costs of tuition, and an excess demand for affordable higher education. View AbstractIt’s Not Enough to Get Through the Open Door: Inequalities by Social Background in Transfer from Community College to Four-Year CollegesJournal Article by: Kevin Dougherty & Gregory S. Kienzl — 3/7/2006This journal article analyzes two nationally-representative datasets to examine how the likelihood of transfer is affected by social background, precollege academic characteristics, external demands at college entrance, and experiences during college.View AbstractEffectiveness of Statewide Articulation Agreements on the Probability of Transfer: A Preliminary Policy AnalysisJournal Article by: Gregory Anderson, Jeffrey C. Sun & Mariana Alfonso — 3/1/2006Does the existence of statewide articulation agreements increase the probability of vertical transfers from two-year to four-year colleges?View AbstractPaths to Persistence: An Analysis of Research on Program Effectiveness at Community Colleges Paper by: Thomas Bailey & Mariana Alfonso — 1/1/2005Accreditation agencies and state regulators are increasingly scrutinizing measures of student outcomes such as persistence and completion rates. This monograph presents a critical analysis of the state of the research on the effectiveness of specific practices in increasing persistence and completion at community colleges. View AbstractThe Role of Community Colleges in State Adult Education Systems: A National AnalysisPaper by: Vanessa Smith Morest — 4/1/2004This report looks at the structure of literacy and adult education in the US with a focus on the role of community colleges.View AbstractThe Organizational Efficiency of Multiple Missions for Community CollegesPaper by: Thomas Bailey & Vanessa Smith Morest — 2/1/2004Using case study research conducted at eight community colleges in five states, this full-length report examines the issue of, and controversy over, the ever-expanding missions of community colleges. View Abstract | Download the PDFCommunity Colleges and the Equity Agenda: The Potential of Noncredit EducationJournal Article by: W. Norton Grubb, Norena Badway & D Bell — 1/1/2003The potential of noncredit education in community colleges is discussed in this informative journal article.View AbstractCommunity Colleges in the 21st Century: Challenges and Opportunities Brief by: Thomas Bailey — 1/1/2003CCRC Brief No. 15 is about today's challenges for community colleges, including current trends leading to enrollment growth and the controversy over mission expansion. View Abstract | Download the PDFBuilding a People's University in South Africa: Race, Compensatory Education, and the Limits of Democratic Reform (History of Schools and Schooling, V. 13)Book by: Gregory Anderson — 10/1/2002This book chronicles the transformation of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) from a so-called bush college, originally designated under apartheid for the education of Coloured (mixed-race) students, to South Africa’s first non-racial, open admissions tertiary institution.View Abstract | Purchase at Amazon.comCommunity Colleges in the 21st Century: Challenges and OpportunitiesBook Chapter by: Thomas Bailey — 1/1/2002This informative book chapter discusses challenges of community colleges; trends leading to enrollment growth; the controversy over mission expansion; and offers suggestions for policy reform.View AbstractThe Evolving Community College: The Multiple
Mission DebateBook Chapter by: Thomas Bailey — 1/1/2002This book chapter explores future trends and concepts impacting multiple missions of community colleges.View AbstractThe Evolving Role of the Community College: Policy Issues and Research QuestionsBook Chapter by: Kevin Dougherty — 1/1/2002Book chapter about community college policy issues; discussion of research questions and methodological perspectives.View AbstractMultiple Missions of Community Colleges: Conflicting or Complementary? Journal Article by: Thomas Bailey & I. Averianova — 1/1/2001This journal article dicusses the shifting missions of community colleges.View AbstractThe Community College: The Origins, Impacts, and Futures of a Contradictory InstitutionBook Chapter by: Kevin Dougherty — 1/1/2001This book chapter offers a consummate account of the issues surrounding contradictory missions of the community college.View AbstractFour-Year Graduates Attending Community Colleges As Serious Credit StudentsBrief by: J. W. Quinley & M.P. Quinley — 12/1/2000CCRC Brief No. 10 describes the interesting occurance of community college students who have already demonstrated their academic ability by receiving 4-year degrees before enrolling.View Abstract | Download the PDFHow do Community College Faculty View Institutional Mission? An Analysis of National Survey DataBrief by: D. Brewer — 8/1/2000CCRC Brief No. 9 provides quantitative evidence on faculty views about institutional mission.View Abstract | Download the PDF |
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| | Books | | Defending the Community College Equity AgendaBook by: Thomas Bailey & Vanessa Smith Morest — 11/25/2006In this book, CCRC researchers analyze how colleges have tried to improve their performance with respect to low-income students, students of color, and nontraditional students, given the challenges that their students face. View Abstract | Purchase at Amazon.comBuilding a People's University in South Africa: Race, Compensatory Education, and the Limits of Democratic Reform (History of Schools and Schooling, V. 13)Book by: Gregory Anderson — 10/1/2002This book chronicles the transformation of the University of the Western Cape (UWC) from a so-called bush college, originally designated under apartheid for the education of Coloured (mixed-race) students, to South Africa’s first non-racial, open admissions tertiary institution.View Abstract | Purchase at Amazon.comThe Contradictory College: The Conflicting Origins, Impacts, and Futures of the Community CollegeBook by: Kevin Dougherty — 1/1/1994This book systematically analyzes the evidence on four key issues that have divided commentators on the community college: The community college's impact on students, business, and the universities; the factors behind its rise since 1900; the causes of its swift vocationalization after 1960; and what direction the community college should take in the future.
View Abstract | Purchase at Amazon.com |
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| Presentations | Institutional Determinants of Student Success at Community CollegesConference: Third Annual Low-Wage Workers Conference
Date: March 18, 2004
Location: Columbus, OHRemoving Barriers to Student Career
AdvancementPresentation given at national meeting.Conference: Spring 2003 TA3 Meeting
Date: June 01, 2003
Location: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Green Bay, WIUpholding the Promise: How Community Colleges Contribute to the Equity AgendaPresentation given at annual conference- about CCRC's research in equity; discussion of research using national datasets.Conference: 83rd Annual AACC Convention
Date: April 07, 2003 3:45PM - 4:45PM
Location: Adam's Mark Hotel, Dallas, TXColegios Universitarios in Argentina and Their Expected Impact on Access and Attainment of Non-Traditional Students Presentation given at educational conference.Conference: Comparative and International Education Society
Date: March 13, 2003
Location: Hotel Inter-Continental
New Orleans, LA
Institutionalization of Innovation: The Challenge of Community College LeadershipConference: League for Innovation in the Community College Annual Conference 2001
Date: March 02, 2001
Location: Atlanta, Georgia |
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| Seminars | Community Colleges and Educational EquityCommunity colleges play an increasingly important role in providing educational opportunity for all students. Date: April 06, 2006 1:30 – 4:00 PM
Location: 179 Grace Dodge Hall, Teachers CollegeAll Learning is Learning: The Role of Credentials and Non-Credit Education in Community CollegesThis seminar explored the issues related to credit and non-credit occupational training, with views presented on certification programs, credentialing, and related topics.Date: May 22, 2004 (2003-2004 academic year). 11:30am-2:00pm.
Location: 179 Grace Dodge Hall, Teachers CollegeEmerging Needs for LeadershipCCRC Seminar featuring panelists with expertise in the area of community college ledership.Date: December 04, 2002 7PM-9PM
Location: Randolph Room, Faculty House, Columbia UniversitySeminar on the Community College Research CenterCCRC researchers presented the center's goals and projects for interactive discussion with participants.Date: April 09, 1997 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Location: Columbia University Faculty Club |
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