BOOK/MEDIA REVIEWS

Abstract

Alternative Pathways to the Baccalaureate: Do Community Colleges Offer a Viable Solution to the Nation 's Knowledge Deficit? by Nancy Remington and Ronald Remington, eds. Sterling, VA: Stylus, 2013, 224 pp., $23.99, paperback.In Alternative Pathways to the Baccalaureate: Do Community Colleges Offer a Viable Solution to the Nation 's Knowledge Deficit?, Drs. Nancy Remington and Ronald Remington serve as editors for a host of authors addressing both the development of the community college baccalaureate movement and case studies of community college baccalaureate programs. The editors should know, as they both have extensive experience in community colleges and developing such programs. The contributors collectively suggest that community colleges are poised to address the needs of more affordable access to higher education and development of higher-level skills impacting a broader population.Drs. Nancy Remington and Ronald Remington lay the groundwork for the resulting articles by asking three questions:* Is there and should there be a distinction between the applied and academic courses of study?* If institutions are inclusive, does that necessarily mean their programs and degrees are less rigorous and of lesser quality?* How can/should community colleges do more? (p. 2)The book then immediately moves into part one and a discussion of the Community College Baccalaureate Association (CCBA). This organization has been at the forefront of advocacy for a community college baccalaureate degree and believes, in addition to other benefits, that the community college offers geographical, financial, and academic access. The CCBA additionally suggests that students from nontraditional backgrounds would be more successful at a community college due to smaller classes and more flexible scheduling.The remainder of part one offers perspectives to be considered by all involved; including the challenge of adjusting the community college mission for offering the baccalaureate and the impact of the community college baccalaureate on the lives of students. For practitioners, contributors Belle S. Wheelan and Tom Benberg provide specifics on how considering the community college baccalaureate raises many considerations. Mission, faculty qualifications, curricular issues, and support services are all challenges that a community college must address if offering the baccalaureate is the goal. Fiscal issues abound as planning for increased salaries, academic support resources, technology costs, and laboratory equipment will commit the planning group to a new paradigm in budget planning. Wheelan and Benberg make plain that the idea of offering the community college baccalaureate is no small decision and the ultimate question to address is, What is in the best interest of the students? (p. 66).Part two begins with the first of six offerings that address specific examples of community college baccalaureate programs (Florida's statewide efforts, Lorain Community College, etc.), Canada's community college baccalaureate experience, the applied baccalaureate degree, and the possible impact of technology and virtual education. Part two closes with a summation by Andrew K. …