The Evolving Mission of the American Community College Kenneth P. Walker, Ph.D. Council for the Study of Community Colleges AACC Annual Convention April 13, 2007 “The revolution in American education, in which the two-year college played a leading role, is almost over. Two years of postsecondary education are within the reach — financially, geographically, practically — of virtually every American.” Education in America Revolution: Evolution: Almost over Continues in full force New movement…new revolution Baccalaureate degrees awarded by some community colleges will continue the democratizing process for access to the bachelor’s degree. Joliet Junior College America's oldest public community college Why Baccalaureate Degrees at Community Colleges? Globalization of the economy Demands of business and industry Increased job competition Exporting of jobs Increasing demand by students Limited university access Rising costs Benefits of Baccalaureate Degrees at Community Colleges Increases access to higher education Promotes cost efficiencies Maximizes human resources Supports success of non-traditional students Promotes articulation and upward mobility Provides cooperative facility use for work-based learning Maintains family and employment relationships Expands commitment to economic development Responds to local need for specialized programs Capitalizes on facilities, faculty, staff and programs Community College Mission: Responsive, Adaptive, Growing “The institution must be able to change as communities change with new conditions, demands, or circumstances. Any time we can describe the community college in definitive, specific terms, we will destroy it. It has to change. It has to be different in different areas.” Ed Gleazer, Jr. The Community College: Values, Vision & Vitality “Responding to the Crisis in College Opportunity” National Council for Public Policy and Higher Education “ The nation should provide a space for every eligible student to enroll in higher education.” YET… Financial barriers prevent… 48% of college-qualified low-income high school graduates from attending a four-year college, and 22% from attending any college at all 43% of college-qualified middle-income high school graduates from attending a four-year college, and 16% from attending any college at all. Study by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance Why Baccalaureate Degrees at Community Colleges? Present Unable to attend a four-year college Attend no college at all Next decade 400,000 college-qualified students 4.4 million 170,000 college-qualified students 2 million Why Baccalaureate Degrees at Community Colleges? “The vibrancy of our democracy and our knowledge-based economy is dependent upon ensuring access to college for high school graduates.” --Empty Promises, 2002 Access to the Baccalaureate Degree “Access to the baccalaureate degree must be expanded so that future generations will be equipped to cope with the magnitude of change instigated by technology, industry, finance, commerce, and government.” Frank Newman “Changes in the marketplace for higher education are … producing a new vision for the delivery of higher education that has not yet become fully understood.” Access to the Baccalaureate Degree Vision for community colleges offering baccalaureate degrees not currently understood Vision for four-year colleges becoming universities not understood at the turn of the century Higher education mission … Graphic: National Conference on Teacher Quality …always has and always will adapt and conform to the changing needs and demands of society. 75 Years of the University Transformation Era “The most prominent element in the transformation was the emergence of the university.” – Arthur M. Cohen Slow introduction of universities Colleges had to modify concepts adhered to since colonial days including expanding the educational experience from four years to a greater length of time by organizing graduate schools and awarding advanced degrees. Mission Creep Mission Adaptation Idea: Converting colleges to universities Attributed to men familiar with German higher education Idea: Offering baccalaureate degrees at community colleges Began in Canada over a decade ago University evolution Added master’s degrees, doctoral degrees, postdoctoral studies, new majors: Business Journalism Engineering Architecture Pharmacology Dentistry Agriculture Mining Forestry Psychology Sociology Education Community College evolution Adding baccalaureate degrees in areas of need “Unless the old rural colleges revive themselves, it was argued, they stood in danger of slipping into oblivion.” --Christopher J. Lucas Restructuring driven by “a potent combination of social, political, cultural, and economic factors” Same factors which are driving baccalaureate degrees as community colleges Today, no clear understanding of what constitutes a four-year community college “Ultimately, the outcome of decades of ferment and turmoil…, would be the supplanting of the ‘old-time’ college as a dominate institutional model by that of the modern university. Existing colleges—some of them at least—would be transformed in succeeding years to entirely different kinds of academic institutions. The rise of the American university, marked though it was by false starts and much trial and error, was to prove itself a momentous phenomenon of almost revolutionary proportions.” “American higher education would never be the same again.” --Christopher J. Lucas Baccalaureate degrees at community colleges now authorized in 15 states! Graphic: ASHFoundation Tremendous opportunity for university faculty and graduate students to study, research and write about this new type of institution, still in its infancy “Continuing democratization of access to the bachelor’s degree will result in a higher standard of living and a higher quality of life.” --Kenneth P. Walker