Book Review: Fifty state systems of community colleges: Mission, governance, funding, and accountability by Friedel, J. N., Killacky, J., Miller, E., & Katsinas, S.

Abstract

Friedel, J. N., Killacky, J., Miller, E. & Katsinas, S. (Eds.). (2014). Fifty state systems of community colleges: Mission, governance, funding and accountability (4th ed.). johnson City, TN: The Overmountain Press. 384 pp. US$29.95 (paper), ISBN 978-1-57072-339-1.The fourth edition of Fifty State Systems of Community Colleges: Mission, Governance, Funding, and Accountability is an invaluable reference for community college scholars, practitioners, and policy makers. A unique feature of the American community college sector is that there is no national system regulating these colleges, and not all states have formal systems in place. As a result, there are numerous approaches that colleges and systems take toward finance and governance, while serving similar missions. This volume is organized so that each chapter provides the following information about community and technical college systems in each state: a broad overview, history, mission, governance, funding, major partnerships, accountability measures, and major challenges and opportunities. The result is a comprehensive survey that provides state-specific information relevant to those researching, working within, or creating policy for community colleges.Each of the 50 states has its own chapter, and most chapters were written by practitioners, thus providing insight as to the most important issues at the ground level. The preface notes that the majority of chapters were written by the chief state-level community college system officers or their designees, with other chapters penned by current or retired executive directors or staff of state community college associations, professors in university-based community college leadership programs within the state, or doctoral students in community college leadership programs. Chapters in the book are relatively short, ranging from 3 to 10 pages each. Although most chapters provide information about their states using the predefined categories listed above, the quality and depth of that information varies from state to state. Some states present a historical picture that illustrates the growth and evolution of their system and/or colleges, whereas others merely present a snapshot. However, enough information is included to allow the reader to perceive the trends that shaped missions, funding, and governance over time, and to view developing trends that present challenges and future opportunities for colleges and state systems.Fifty State Systems provides a state-level view of community colleges and, to a lesser extent, a national-level examination of economic and accountability trends that are heavily influencing the work of community colleges, making this a nice complement to The American Community College (Cohen, Brawer, & Kisker, 2014). Where The American Community College defines the comprehensive role of the community college in American society through data, literature, and an analysis of the issues, Fifty State Systems enhances that picture by presenting information specific to each state and, in many cases, the reason behind changes that have occurred at the state level. It also provides a real-world glimpse at the way community colleges continue to struggle with the tensions between academic, economic, and workforce values (Levin, 2007; Levin, Kater, & Wagoner, 2006). …