Strengthening Community Colleges Through Institutional Collaborations

This issue illustrates examples of effective collaborations written by community college presidents, administrators, faculty, and leaders of state governments and national organizations. Each has contributed a story illustrating a successful program that required the efforts of a range of individuals and recommendations for others to build their own successes. Topics include: How to build effective dual enrollment programs to motivate high school students in rural areas to pursue higher education Why collaboration is crucial for institutions that apply for federal grant funding Effective partnering with institutional research and technology departments to advance student services and college-wide strategic planning How to infuse service learning into curricula to engage and encourage minority students at community colleges to focus their career aspirations How to advance community college study abroad programs through collective participation of administrators and faculty, and outside organizations Creating and sustaining effective partnerships between a state and its local colleges. This is the 165th volume of this Jossey-Bass higher education quarterly report series. An essential guide for presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other leaders in today's open-door institutions, this quarterly provides expert guidance in meeting the challenges of their distinctive and expanding educational mission.

This book brings together distinguished scholars, community college practitioners, and emerging leaders to expand upon existing theories, provide reflection on practice, and demonstrate the dynamic nature of community college internationalization. There is a special challenge for United States community colleges to move from selected international programs that impact a few students to sustainable change that influences the entire college community. A key importance is realization that reform is not based on chance, but on intentional designs that are intended to guide future endeavors. The research, case studies, and experiences of the authors in this book are both inspiring and critical in the quest to encourage an academic shift for long-term change that promotes international literacy as an integral component of the community college and celebrates the needs of the changing local communities.

The idea of the professional who bridges both research and practice has been largely overlooked and at times even disregarded by the academic and administrative structures that govern activity in higher education today. In international higher education, the number of students who now engage in mobility and exchange has expanded globally, along with the administrative cadre that manages all facets of internationalization, and the quickly growing scholarly attention to understanding the phenomenon. In this process, two distinct professional categories have emerged: those who ‘study it’ and those who ‘do it’ – the scholars and the practitioners. Practitioners are seen as those who manage the daily logistical flow of students and personnel around the globe, while scholars are seen as those who conduct research, collect and analyze data, and publish findings to inform, improve, and justify the activity. Yet this dichotomy is overly simplistic, outdated, and excludes the large and growing class of hybrid scholar-practitioners who now engage regularly in both kinds of activity. It is this rapidly growing population of bridge builders that are profiled and discussed in this book through critical essays on the notion of the scholar-practitioner and its implication for the further development of international higher education. The chapters include detailed analyses from university faculty, senior international officers and other high-level administrators, directors of research centers, key leaders from influential professional associations and private organizations, managers of study abroad and exchange, and graduate students. This book launches a much-needed dialogue about the perception and reality, potential and promise, of the scholar-practitioner in higher education today. It will be of relevance to a wide variety of readers, from those within universities and organizations to those who are outside observers of higher education.

Community colleges serve more students than any other institutional type in the United States, and internationalization is an inherent component of community colleges that advances student knowledge, facilitates student success, and serves the needs of local communities. As most community college students do not enroll in four-year institutions, their only opportunity for international experience is while they are in community college. Study Abroad Opportunities for Community College Students and Strategies for Global Learning provides innovative insights into international study and education abroad through community colleges, while discussing the value of adding study abroad programs to two-year institutions. This publication examines community colleges’ contributions in a local society, study abroad opportunities, peacebuilding, international education, and risk management. Designed for administrative professionals, community college leaders, educators, academicians, and researchers, this book covers topics centered on study abroad programs at diverse community colleges.

Student affairs and services play a critical role in student learning and success, as well as the level at which community colleges meet institutional outcomes. The evolution of student affairs as a field and recognition of its role in student experiences underscore its importance in the effort to provide quality education to college students. This volume provides a framework for excellence in student affairs work at community colleges, including assessing quality and outcomes for program development and accreditation. The authors explore: Excellence in preparing and developing professionals at multiple stages in their careers Creating and using professional standards and competencies Understanding the role of accreditation in professional practice. The issue also includes a discussion of implications for community college student affairs preparation and practice. This is the 166th volume of this Jossey-Bass quarterly report series. Essential to the professional libraries of presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other leaders in today's open-door institutions, New Directions for Community Colleges provides expert guidance in meeting the challenges of their distinctive and expanding educational mission.

Cooperation and collaboration at the regional level appears to be at an unprecedented high, yet there are still substantial disparities across national levels in education, political, and economic sectors. Authors explain at what scale policy decisions are taken within the policy environment and who has the authoritative allocation of values.

The book examines HBCUs and their role in higher education through several lenses, including politics, education policy, leadership practice, culture, and social justice. It will guide HBCU leaders and administrators to improve their institutions holistically during the age of accountability.