Questions whether, and how, community colleges confront the challenges of diversity and provide real opportunities for upward mobility.

John S. Levin, Susan T. Kater, and Richard L. Wagoner collectively argue that as community colleges organize themselves to respond to economic needs and employer demands, and as they rely more heavily upon workplace efficiencies such as part-time labor, they turn themselves into businesses or corporations and threaten their social and educational mission.

Focusing on non-traditional students in higher education institutions, this new book from renowned scholar John Levin examines the extent to which community college students receive justice both within their institution and as an outcome of their education.

Community Colleges and First-Generation Students examines a community college writing classroom through ten students from diverse linguistic, ethnic, socio-economic, and national backgrounds. Students are introduced to a version of academic discourse that challenges their identities and visions of the future.

Community colleges in America have evolved a great deal from the establishment of the first community college in Chicago 117 years ago. The idea of American community colleges serves as a catalyst for connective solutions between industry, college, and the community on a global level. Global Adaptations of Community College Infrastructure provides emerging research on various contextual adaptations of the idea of the American community college as a connective solution to engaging community and industry. This research will help any nation or state forge policies on adapting the concept toward democratization of economic opportunities for all individuals as opposed to the current elitist system of higher education. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as diploma pathway programs and the development of education institutions in various countries, this book is ideally designed for academicians, economic and educational policymakers, higher education professionals, and individuals engaged in expansion and democratization of post-secondary education worldwide.

This book employs a socio-cultural approach to study the organizational dynamics and experiences of self-formation that shape community college life. The authors use case studies to analyze both the symbolic dimension and practices that enable the production of educational experiences in seven community colleges across the U.S. Levin and Montero-Hernandez explain the construction of organizational identity and student development as a result of the connection between institutional forces and individual agency. This work emphasizes the forms and conditions of interaction among college personnel, students, and external groups that were enacted to respond to the demands and opportunities in both participants local and larger contexts. The authors acknowledge both the collective and individual efforts of community college personnel to create caring community colleges that support nontraditional students.

Long regarded as a local institution, the community college has become a globalized institution. It has been affected by global forces, and by the interpretations of organizational members to both global forces and to the responses of intermediaries. Globalization as a process finds an outlet within the community college where economic, cultural, and technological behaviors are advanced along lines consistent with and supportive of globalization. Furthermore, government actions have directed community colleges to respond and adapt to a global economy. In this book, seven community colleges are examined to demonstrate organizational change in the 1990s precipitated by globalization.

Two-year colleges are facing major change. The majority will undergo a turnover in college presidencies in the next ten years, at a time when they are being asked to be engines for economic growth, enable more students – and a greater diversity of students – to gain 21st century qualifications, and provide a pathway to higher degrees, all with reduced state and local funding. Recognizing that future community college leaders – at all levels– will manage increasingly complex organizations, and face very different challenges than their predecessors, this book provides a multidimensional model of leadership suited to these new demands and environments. The model addresses issues of leader cognition, race and gender, the importance of culture, and the need for more collaborative modes of communication and decision making to frame and implement change. It recognizes that there is no longer any one way to lead, and that the next generation of leaders will be more diverse, possess experience and qualifications from a wider variety of careers, and follow new pathways to their positions. Leaders in the future will possess a cultural competency that is fostered by being lifelong learners.Through over 75 individual interviews with leaders and campus members, Eddy is able to provide examples of the model’s components in practice and to illuminate which experiences proved the most relevant for these leaders on their route to upper administration. She shows how her model intersects with the leadership competencies defined by the American Association of Community Colleges, and proposes strategies for future leadership development. This book is intended for anyone considering a leadership position, at any level, in a community college; for college administrators and boards responsible for leadership development programs; and for individuals in corresponding organizations who conduct training programs for aspiring leaders. Likewise, those employed at four-year universities may find value in the model as a developmental tool.

Praise for The American Community College "Since 1982, The American Community College by Cohen and Brawer has been the authoritative book on community colleges. Anyone who wants to understand these complex and dynamic institutions--how they are evolving, the contributions they make, the challenges they face, the students they serve, and the faculty and leaders who deliver the services and the curricula--will find The American Community College both essential reading and an important reference book." --George R. Boggs, president and CEO, American Association of Community Colleges "I have been a community college president for over forty-one years and a graduate professor for three decades. This book has been an inspiration to generations of students, faculty members, and administrators. It has become the classic of the field because it has great 'take-home' value to us all." --Joseph N. Hankin, president, Westchester Community College "In this latest edition of The American Community College, the authors continue to manifest their unique, highly knowledgeable perspective about the community college. This book is must-reading for all who desire to understand one of the most important educational institutions in the twenty-first century." --Barbara K. Townsend, professor and director, Center for Community College Research, College of Education, University of Missouri-Columbia "Cohen and Brawer's classic work is the touchstone for a comprehensive overview of the American community college. This is a seminal book for graduate students as well as seasoned professionals for understanding this uniquely American institution." --Charles R. Dassance, president, Central Florida Community College

The only overview of research on the uniquely American community college system, which is increasingly becoming the site of entry for students seeking a higher education. This new volume shows why America's community colleges increasingly find themselves at the epicenter of social conflict, surrounded by unresolved questions such as: In a country based on the notion of equal opportunity, shouldn't all high school graduates have access to higher education? Are access and excellence really compatible? What is the real work of community colleges? Is it to provide transfer programs for students going on to baccalaureate colleges or training workers for careers in business and industry? In this comprehensive guide, readers will find not only a solid grounding in the latest research on these difficult questions but also a thoughtful analysis of the social forces that gave rise to American community colleges and still shape them today.