American Association Of Community Colleges Research Articles

It's All About Student Learning: Managing Community and Other College Libraries in the 21st Century (review)

Reviewed by: It’s All About Student Learning: Managing Community and Other College Libraries in the 21st Century Rebecca L. Schreiner It’s All About Student Learning: Managing Community and Other College Libraries in the 21st Century, ed. David R. Dowell and Gerald B. McCabe . Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited, 2006. 345p. $45 (ISBN 1-59158-149-4) This is an excellent, well-researched, well-written collection of 25 essays; however, do not be misled into thinking it is about student learning. The trick is to pay attention to the subtitle: Managing Community and Other College Libraries in the 21st Century and to read David Dowell's introduction to the unique teaching mission of community and baccalaureate colleges. The title does have meaning for community college librarians, but It's All About Student Learning is only occasionally about student learning and more about guiding the new community college and small college library manager through the multiple responsibilities of budgets, strategic planning, buildings, human resource management, organization charts, and marketing to your students and to your boss. Once you establish what the book is about, it is a fine collection of essays written by experienced, respected librarians in the field. I wish I had it by my side when I stumbled into the surprisingly rewarding job of a community college library director three years ago. There is a small body of book-length studies that the new community college or college manager can read such as Gerald McCabe's similar collection of essays by library administrators entitled The Smaller Academic Library: A Management Handbook (Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1988) and Roseanne Kalick's Community College Libraries (Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, 1992). There are also several guides by the Community and Junior Library Section of the American Association of College and Research Libraries. What makes this work unique is that it gives the library manager information from three perspectives: reference and collection management librarians on the front line; professional experts from the outside fields of human resource management and marketing; and experienced directors and deans. Especially useful are the numerous essays by community college library administrators all brought together in a convenient single volume. For the new library manager, these three different perspectives are all useful. The essays written by the practicing reference librarian or bibliographer give the manager a much-needed perspective from the front lines on virtual reference, Web design, distance learning, and collection evaluation. The outside consultants give the manager a fresh look from other disciplines on the challenges of human resources management, building design, and marketing. Essays by experienced library deans and directors help the new manager on the day-to-day responsibilities of budgeting, marketing, building design, policies, student demographics, strategic planning, and assessment. Very few library directors or deans have been groomed into their new roles, and these responsibilities [End Page 392] are often handed to them on day one with the strange assumption on the part of their vice presidents or provosts that their new managers have a clue. One of my favorite essays is by Mary Carr entitled "Alphabet Soup." It arms the new manager with one of the most comprehensive lists of acronyms for library-related organizations that I have ever seen. The new manager is thereby afforded an opportunity to nod knowingly while attending cocktail parties at the American Library Association conferences. Some of the collection's library directors or deans—David Dowell, Michael Rusk, Gerald McCabe, Mary Carr, and Christine Godin—go way back. They give a wonderful historical perspective on issues that a new community college library manager will face today. The book ends with a unique collection of what the editors call "short subjects." Absent the footnotes and bibliographies of the main essays, these little mini-articles include the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) position statement on Library and Learning Resource Center Programs, with which every library director worth his or her salt should be familiar, and a very nifty planning chart at the end by David Dowell. The book is well indexed with a short biography on each of the 25 essayists. In summary, the collection brings together administrators, consultants, and practitioners that give useful, cogent information and...

Pre-Service Teacher Education in the Community College

For several years, alarms have been sounding about a shortage of K-12 teachers. Massive impending retirements are claimed: According to Allen (2002), nearly 40% of current teachers will be retired by 2010, although some researchers argue that the extent of anticipated retirements is overstated (e.g., Ingersoll, 2001). retention of younger teachers is definitely a problem. Teaching has a higher drop-out rate than any other profession does, as is partially illustrated by almost 50% of beginning teachers dropping out within their first 5 years (Ingersoll, 2002). A more fine-grained look at teacher shortage reveals that it is most problematic in high-poverty schools in urban and rural areas and in certain teaching areas such as mathematics, science, technology education, special education, and bilingual education. Additionally, there is a shortage of minority teachers at a time when public schools are increasingly filled with minority students (Townsend & Ignash, 2003). As part of its mission to meet the needs of its local community, the community college has become an important player in addressing the current teacher shortage--through both traditional and nontraditional programs designed to increase the supply of teachers. This special issue of the Community College Review examines some of these programs in detail so as to highlight the current role of the community college in pre-service teacher education. However, it is important to understand that this is not a new role for the community college. Rather, in focusing now on teacher education, the community college is returning to its early roots as this account of community colleges in the early 20th century illustrates: A distinctive feature of the institutions was their accessibility to women, attributable to the leading role the colleges played in preparing grammar school teachers. In such states as Missouri, which did not yet require K-8 teachers to have a bachelor's degree, it was common for more than 60 percent of community college students to be women, virtually all of them preparing to be teachers. (American Association of Community Colleges, 2004, para 4) Currently, close to 60% of community college students are women (Phillippe & Sullivan, 2005), although the percentage preparing to be teachers is much smaller. Data on this percentage are not available. However, education is listed as one of the Top 15 For-Credit Hot at Community Colleges in 2004, accounting for 2.2% of all for-credit programs that year (Phillippe & Sullivan, 2005, p. 92). Additionally, among 1999-2000 baccalaureate recipients whose field of study was education, almost 27% first attended a public community college (Phillippe & Sullivan, 2005, p. 93). By the 1960s, when all states required the baccalaureate degree for beginning teachers, the community college had assumed what is now its traditional role in teacher preparation: providing the first 2 years of the baccalaureate. Community college students completing the associate of arts (AA) degree could transfer to a 4-year school to start its teacher education program knowing they had completed all or most of the general education requirements for the degree. Many 2-and 4-year colleges developed institutional articulation agreements designating specific general education courses for students to take at the community college to ensure that they were ready for the 4-year teacher education program. Some agreements even stipulated a few community college teacher education courses that students could take and receive credit for at the receiving institution (Townsend & Ignash, 2003). This traditional role of providing the AA degree is illustrated in part of the content of two articles in this issue: Pipelines: Career Pathways Extending From High School to Community College to University by Debra Bragg and The Impact of a Grant-Funded Project on Selected Community College Teacher Education Programs by Pat Cunniff, Mary Belknap, and Steve Kinholt. …

FEMALE COMMUNITY-COLLEGE PRESIDENTS: EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP PATTERNS AND BEHAVIORS

ABSTRACT Drawing from the theory of transformational leadership and community-college literature, the purpose of this study was to determine the leadership patterns and behaviors of female chief executive officers (CEOs) in the community-college system in rural, suburban, urban, and inner-city settings. This study further investigated whether there was a significant relationship between the leadership patterns and behaviors of female chief executive officers and other factors such as the race/ethnicity of the CEO, the educational level of the CEO, the experience of the CEO, and enrollment. Specifically, the participants included female community-college presidents whose colleges were members of the American Association of Community Colleges. The participants were asked to rate 30 items on a 10-point scale on the 5 patterns of actions identified by the Leadership Practices Inventory by Kouzes and Posner, 2003. Participants were also asked to fill out a questionnaire, which was developed by the researcher. Descriptive and analytical statistics were used to analyze the data in this study. With a response rate of 72%, 126 of 175 CEOs responded. There were no significant differences found between rural, suburban, urban, and inner-city presidents and the 5 leadership patterns. The results indicated female community-college presidents differed in their leadership patterns according to race/ethnicity, experience, and education. Findings also indicated there were significant differences between leadership patterns and the percentage of fulltime students enrolled.

How to do your part to attract more professionals to the field.

Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology 381 Steve Yelton, program chair at Cincinnati State Technical & Community College, isn't surprised by the growing trend of high school graduates choosing to enroll in community colleges. These recent graduates are realizing what he has been telling his students all along: There are significant advantages to attending a community college over a four-year university, especially for a student interested in biomed. According to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the enrollment of students at community colleges rose from 5.6 million in 1999 to 5.9 million in 2000—the most recent year that statistics were available. Even so, attracting students to a career in biomedical technology remains a challenge for educators and managers. Just ask David Scott, biomed department manager at Children's Hospital in Denver. Frequently, Scott comes across students who have never heard of the phrase biomedical equipment technician (BMET). “Everybody always wants to be a doctor, but that aspect of the medical field isn't for everybody,” Scott said.

Book Review: A practical guide for integrating civic responsibility into the curriculum

A practical guide for integrating civic responsibility into the curriculum by Gottlieb, K., & Robinson, G. (Eds.)- Washington, DC: Community College Press, 2002. 86 pages. $15 (AACC members)/$20 (non-members). Reviewed by Courtney H. Thornton.The discussion of civic responsibility at all educational levels is widespread today as a result of the civic engagement movement of the last decade. Community colleges, four-year institutions, and high schools are all actively employing new programs to engage their students in the public life of their communities. Karen Gottlieb, a service learning consultant from Miami, Florida, and Gail Robinson, Coordinator of Service-Learning with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), have edited a guide that is intended to provide practical and accessible applications for the widest range of community college faculty who aim to develop citizenship skills in their students by integrating civic responsibility, in concept and action, into their courses. In total, thirteen authors from the following six colleges contributed to the volume: Albuquerque TVI Community College, Glendale Community College, Hocking College, Mesa Community College, Miami-Dade Community College, and Oakton Community College. Faculty, staff and administrators at these colleges were part of a two-year servicelearning project with the AACC funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). This guide is a result of the work on the AACC project.Chapter One identifies several reasons why this discussion of civic responsibility is critical in today's society. First, society in general exhibits discontentment with public officials and with a lack of civic engagement. second, increasing numbers of foreign-born people reside in the Unites States and attend colleges. The American interpretations of civic responsibility may not be innate for individuals from other cultures, and the venues of higher education can foster learning about civic responsibility. Third, although the number of students participating in volunteer activities is increasing, the connection between volunteering and civic responsibility is not often explicitly understood by students.Chapter Two connects the goals of civic responsibility to the mission of the community college and offers a definition of civic engagement. The definition is broad, and faculty and students are encouraged to adapt or augment the definition through discussion and experience. Faculty and others who are considering civic engagement for the first time may be confused by the differences between civic engagement, community service, service learning, and other similar terms, as the editors and contributing authors do not clearly differentiate among them.Chapter Three offers several considerations for faculty who desire to incorporate civic engagement into their classes. The chapter contains broad planning questions for faculty as well as a brief section that discusses how to advance the culture of civic responsibility at an institution. Sixteen activities in this chapter provide the practical guide that the editors intended and offer an appropriate level of detail to faculty who are new to the civic engagement movement. A variety of student activities are suggested that exist on a continuum of involvement level, ranging from reflective-thought activities to immersion in civic responsibility action. For example, sample activities vary from having students complete a self-inventory matrix of civic competencies and skills to having students plan and facilitate a town hall meeting around a community need. …

PARTICIPANT PERCEPTIONS OF A COMMUNITY COLLEGE SERVICE-LEARNING PROGRAM

Although the term “service-learning” was first used in 1966–67, service-learning has only been actively promoted by the American Association of Community Colleges since 1994. Johnson County Community College, a large, suburban community college located in Overland Park, Kansas, has had a formal service-learning program since 1993–94. To plan effectively for the future of the growing program, all faculty and staff participants since the program's inception were surveyed in 1999–2000 to collect basic information along with faculty and student perceptions of the program and to identify needed changes. Survey results revealed that program participants were well-satisfied with the program, although student respondents especially identified possible areas for change.

A Crash Course in Learning Communities for the Political Scientist

A Crash Course in Learning Communities for the Political Scientist

The Influence of the Rural Community College Initiative on Increasing Civic Capacity in Distressed Rural Communities

This article discusses the influence of the Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) on the development of civic capacity in distressed rural communities. RCCI was a demonstration project funded by the Ford Foundation to explore the ways that rural community colleges can act as catalysts for economic and educational opportunity in persistently poor regions. Among other factors, a qualitative assessment of the project conducted by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) concluded that, although economic and educational progress was hard to measure, there was clear evidence of increased energy for community development. RCCI was distinctive from other community-based initiatives in that it included a nationwide network of institutions and used third-party intervention to facilitate the development of collaboration between college and community rather than relying on the resources of the college alone. Examples from Appalachian colleges participating in the initiative illustrate that this process of intervention and networking resulted in increased confidence in civic involvement by both college staff and community members.

Book Review: Help wanted: Preparing community college leaders in a new century (New Directions for Community Colleges Series, no. 123)

Help wanted: Preparing community college leaders in a new century (New Directions for Community Colleges Series, no. 123) by William E. Piland and David B. Wolf. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 2003. 114 pages. ISBN 0194-3081. Reviewed by Leila Gonzalez Sullivan.In response to a nationwide sense of crisis in community college leadership, authors William Piland and David Wolf have called upon noted current leaders in the field to describe the causes of this crisis, to examine the ways leaders have traditionally been prepared, and to suggest other means for creating new leaders to guide these institutions effectively in the face of dramatically different conditions and challenges.Chapter 1, Leadership Blues, outlines the dimensions of the problem. Those who are brave enough to take on a presidency frequently find their good work blocked by political machinations, legislative intrusions, and fiscal disasters, as well as suffering capricious cruelty (p. 6) and politics of personal destruction (p. 8), according to authors James March and Stephen Weiner. Listing a series of cases that ended or nearly ended a presidency, they note that campus culture and a lack of civility often contribute to a leader's downfall. And once employees lose confidence in the leader or the emotions surrounding an issue rise to an intolerable level, there is little hope of rescuing the presidency or restoring good relations. To avoid what the authors refer to as poisonous (p. 13), leaders should take every opportunity to build trust, to encourage civility, to develop conflict management mechanisms, and to emphasize continually that the community college is a social system in which all members are working toward a shared vision of student learning. This chapter speaks eloquently to the realities of presidential leadership in higher education these days; however, some readers may find the content discouraging enough to set aside the book and perhaps even their aspirations to leadership. This chapter might have served the purpose just as well at a later point in the book.In Chapter 2, Leadership Context for the Twenty-First Century, George Boggs, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges, summarizes research conducted by AACC which sounded the alarm regarding the growing leadership vacuum. Not only are nearly half of the current community college presidents planning to retire in the next five years, but their potential successors, upper level administrators, also expect to retire in even greater numbers. Yet community colleges will continue to be in the forefront of higher education as the primary providers of career preparation and lifelong learning, and the rewards of leading these institutions far outweigh the challenges ahead. Looking at the coming leadership turnover as an opportunity for new energy and greater diversity, the AACC board and its staff have identified essential skills and qualities of leaders, have established a web-based resource list of degree and professional development programs, and have begun to offer training for aspiring new leaders. Although little of this material is new or unknown, the chapter does set the stage for much of what follows in the text.Joanne Cooper and Louise Pagotto, the authors of Chapter 3, Developing Community College Faculty as Leaders, base their discussion in a literature review and see a pool of potential leaders already on campuses-the faculty. However, many faculty members are reluctant to step forward, preferring to wait until they receive a clear invitation to move into administrative leadership roles. Still others refuse the invitation entirely. Whatever the means by which faculty are drawn into administration, they generally have little preparation, formal or informal, for their new roles, and they may be apprehensive about making the move because their teacher colleagues will see them as having sold out (p. 30). To make the transition from teaching to administration easier, there must be formal training either through degrees or through workshops such as the model programs in Hawaii that are outlined in the chapter. …

The Perspective of the American Association of Community Colleges

AbstractThe authors examine and discuss the utility of the classification systems proposed for community colleges from the perspective of the American Association of Community Colleges. Each proposed system has its strengths and limitations, and the discussion provides insights for understanding the differences among community colleges.

Presidents Academy: An evolution of leadership development

AbstractThis chapter discusses the Presidents Academy of the American Association of Community Colleges. The academy has evolved into a network made up of the nation's community college CEOs that provides a variety of practical leadership development and professional support programs.

AMERICAN HIGHER EDUCATION AT THE RUBICON: A PARTNERSHIP FOR PROGRESS

Amid debates over multiculturalism and political correctness, American higher education is beginning to test the boundaries of its economic and intellectual resources. Critics agree that, at the university end of the continuum, these organizations have lost sight of their central purpose. Meanwhile, at the other end of the continuum, community colleges that spread like ivy in the last quarter of the twentieth century face a massive need to replace aging faculty and administrators. This article provides a proposal that may help both of these giants to mutually support one another at a time when they are increasingly essential to our economy. Rationally, the only organization to meet the total needs of community colleges is the comprehensive university. Developing new credentialed administrators and faculty is a complex task and must involve several different organizations at the national, state, and local levels. With the American Association of Community Colleges at the helm, the federal and state governtments, the major associations at One Dupont Circle, the accreditation associations, and major foundations should contribute to the planning processes. The author attempts to analyze the human resource problem through three frames of reference, developed by the politicalanalyst Graham Allison (1971) to analyze major national crises such as the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. These frames are the Rational Actor, the Organizational Process, and Bureaucratic Politics. Using these as organizational frameworks, the author predicts how the organizations will behave and discusses how bureaucratic politics could be harnessed and focused at the national level to resolve the problems.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES: A NATIONAL OVERVIEW

In the midst of declining public governmental support, America's community colleges have embarked on a second century with a renewed spirit of mission. Resource development efforts are helping to further this mission for the enhancement and transformation of community colleges nationwide. A University of Florida research team from the College of Education, Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Foundations was supported by the Council for Resource Development (CRD), the Clements Group, and the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) in the design and administration of the first national survey on resource development efforts in the public community college setting. The 60-item survey was sent to 1,100 community colleges (members of either CRD, the American Association of Community Colleges, or both). A total of 373 colleges responded, making this the most comprehensive data set available on resource development efforts for both community college grants and foundation operations. Respondents data were classified using the Katsinas 2-year college topology modified to apply college-size categories across rural, suburban, and urban designations. The survey questions for this article focused on detailed information about the college profile, the grants office, and the foundation office. Data calculations supported findings for operational budgets, revenue from selected sources, and staffing. Initial analysis of selected data in this study provides evidence that resource development efforts within community college grants and foundation offices are resulting in substantial external revenue for the ongoing vitality of America's community colleges.

THE WORKING CONNECTIONS PROGRAM ASSESSMENT: HIGHLIGHTS

This article is the Highlights introductory section of the 300-page document titled An Assessment of the Microsoft/American Association of Community Colleges Working Connections Program (The Research Group, 2001a, 2001b). The study was conducted by The Research Group, and was funded by Microsoft and the American Association of Community Colleges. The Research Group was founded 30 years ago and conducts program design, evaluation, consultation, and training for business, private, and corporate foundations as well as local, state, and federal governmental entities. The Group has more than 25 associates representing college and university faculty and administrators and private executives and practitioners. A team of six community college and university faculty members and administrators performed the Working Connections assessment. The complete report includes seven operational profiles of community college programs that received grants, a comparative analysis of the projects, and a best practices section. The Microsoft grants funded the establishment and implementation of a systemic structure that included (1) the creation of curriculum; (2) the implementation of faculty development and training; (3) the recruitment of a student body to learn the new curricula; and (4) the development of support services for targeted, disadvantaged students. All are examples of innovative grants addressing an array of community college institutional objectives.

Globalization and the Community College

The community college movement has been eager to embrace the accelerating changes brought about by global capital and facilitated by information technology. Leadership for the community college role in globalization has been cultivated by the American Association of Community Colleges and the League for Innovation in the Community College. As the administrators of publicly funded community colleges view themselves as managers and CEOs in a competitive market for education, the colleges look to private industry for funding. Meanwhile, the voice of the community college is nearly silent with regard to environmental destruction and human rights abuses e xacerbated by globalization. This article will focuse on the role of community colleges in facilitating and cheerleading the corporate global economy while attenuating dissenting world views that would promote a more just and sustainable future.

PROFILING CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICERS IN PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGES

A survey of chief academic officers (CAOs) at public community colleges belonging to the American Association of Community Colleges was conducted in 1998-1999. The personal and professional characteristics of respondents are reported in this article. A profile shows the average CAO to be a married White man with a doctorate. He is 52 years old and has served in office for slightly more than 6 years. Women represented more than one third of the respondents. The average female CAO is a 51-year-old married White woman with a PhD. She has served in her current positionfor slightly more than 5 years. She has heldthree previous positions in higher education, two administrative and one faculty. The study indicated that female CAOs differ from male CAOs in four ways. The continued low representation of ethnic minority group members in the CAO position is noted. The importance of the CAO position to the community college and the community college to higher education in general calls for systematic inquiry regarding such profiles on a longitudinal basis.

A TECHNICAL COLLEGE'S RESPONSE TO THE NEED FOR INTERNATIONALIZING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Part of the mission of the American Association of Community Colleges addresses the need for a curriculum emphasis on international and intercultural education (Wismer, 1994, p. 77). Considering that (a) 2‐year colleges exist primarily to prepare students for jobs, (b) many American businesses operate in an international environment, and (c) a growing proportion of companies in the United States are foreign affiliated, the internationalization of our curriculums is necessaryforthe fulfillment of institutional missions of preparing the workforce for businesses. However, to fully internationalize college programs and services, the focus must be on more than courses and curriculums. The everyday life of college students, faculty, and staff must present evidence of cultural diversity. Internationalization, therefore, must be infused at every level of college activity. Such an infusion is occurring at Florence‐Darlington Technical College in Florence, South Carolina. There are four broad categories within which activities are planned or are underway: (a) resource development, (b) awareness development and information dissemination, (c) faculty and staff development, and (d) curriculum development. The importance of the need for this South Carolina college to undertake internationalizing initiatives is underscored by the multicultural business environment that exists in the state. For many years, international investment has created record levels of new employment opportunities for South Carolinians and has contributed significantly to statewide economic and industrial growth. The economic impact of international business in the state is apparent. However, there is also a cultural impact that is less obvious, yet profound. These factors present some definite implications for the need to internationalize technical college programs and services.

LITERATURE A COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT SHOULD READ TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE

To be a community leader and an effective community college president, one must be aware not only of the community college literature but also that of other disciplines. Hence, although most of what follows is from the extensive literature on the community junior college, some business management literature is mentioned, as well. To round out the article, moreover, I have included a number of books that I, as a community college president, have found instructive—books that have nothing to do directly with colleges or management. Their inclusion here reflects the hope that these works will give the reader as much pleasure as they have given the writer over the years. Two general series that are continually renewing the available literature are the publications program of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the Jossey-Bass publications, particularly New Directions for Community Colleges, a paperback sourcebook under the general editorship of Art Cohen and Florence Brawer. At the very least, the reader should regularly peruse the annual catalogs put out by both these valuable sources. Periodical literature must be reviewed regularly. Particularly helpful are the journals and newspapers dedicated to our field, particularly the Community College Journal of Research and Practice, the Community College Review, the Community/Junior College Research Quarterly, the Chronicle of Higher Education (which deals with the entire field of higher education but frequently has useful articles on our subfield), the Community, Technical, and Junior College Times, and Community College Week. The book that the author of this bibliographic essay considers to be the best introduction to community colleges is still Michael Brick's Forum and Focus for the Junior College Movement (New York: Teachers College, 1964), which is a history of the American Association of Junior Colleges (as it was then called). It also parallels the formative years of