Community College Missions in the 21st Century (review)

Community colleges are a large and vitally important sector of American higher education. A total of 1,202 institutions serve more than 11.6 million students, nearly half (46%) of all undergraduates enrolled in the United States. Community colleges were founded for an expressly public purpose—to provide widespread access to postsecondary education. Tuition at these institutions is far more affordable than their baccalaureate-granting counterparts ($2,272 on average as opposed to $5,836 at four-year publics.) Community colleges also serve many students who require additional academic preparation and support to be successful.

But access to what and for what? Because of their importance, community colleges face the prodigious challenge of attempting to respond to disparate interests and ideals. The access mission of community colleges (with their open door policies) requires that significant institutional resources be directed toward "developmental" (that is, remedial) education. Community colleges are also expected to provide a firm foundation for baccalaureate work (the transfer mission) as well as vocational training for entry-level jobs (the workforce preparation mission.) In some communities these colleges are the most important cultural resource in the area and are therefore asked to provide non-credit-bearing enrichment programs (programs which are often revenue producers and offset other operational costs.) Balancing their various missions requires creativity, care, and, in some instances, compromise.

These struggles are highlighted in the recent edition of the New Directions for Community Colleges by Jossey-Bass. Edited by Barbara K. Townsend and Kevin J. Dougherty, Community College Missions in the 21st Century offers an often insightful and compelling look at the important but competing missions of community colleges. It offers perspectives from scholars and practitioners and nicely balances analysis of larger trends with on-the-ground examples.

The volume succeeds on a number of levels. First, it is a highly readable primer for those who wish to learn more about the array of roles that these important institutions play in American society. The volume offers a balanced account of the limitations and advantages conveyed by these institutions.

Second, readers are given a number of rich examples of how specific institutions have attempted to enact various aspects of their mission. Finally, the volume reveals how a particular sector of American higher education has responded to powerful market forces, all the while attempting to remain true to its historic (and higher) public purpose.

The introductory chapter (written by the editors) examines the various elements of the community college mission and underscores important variations in these missions historically and across geographic regions. The chapter offers a valuable discussion of the inherently conflicting nature of community college missions.

However, the authors persuasively argue that perfect mission alignment is unlikely because of the great demands placed on these institutions by various constituencies. Further, they point out that these mission incongruities have certain benefits: A diverse set of purposes offers institutions a measure of flexibility in responding to the turbulent higher education marketplace.

Several subsequent chapters touch on particular aspects of the community college mission such as open access (Chapter 2), preparation for baccalaureate education or the transfer mission (Chapter 4), workforce development (Chapter 6), and continuing education (Chapter 8). By focusing careful attention on these purposes one at a time, the reader gains an appreciation of the immense value of each.

Taken as a whole, however, it becomes clear that these academic purposes rest uneasily together. For example, many community colleges have established honors colleges (Chapter 5) that are intended to serve academically promising students. These programs have been subject to charges of elitism—a most horrific heresy for these bastions of populist and democratic ideals! However, such programs do provide access for...