Practical Leadership in Community Colleges Navigating Today's Challenges

Practical Leadership in Community Colleges offers a path forward through the challenges community colleges face every day. Through field observations, reports, news coverage, and interviews with leaders and policy makers, this book digs deep into the issues confronting college leaders and provides clear direction for managing through the storm. With close examination of both emerging trends and perennial problems, the discussion delves into issues brought about by changing demographics, federal and state mandates, public demand, economic cycles, student unrest, employee groups, trustees, college supporters, and more to provide practical guidance toward optimal outcomes for all stakeholders. Written by former presidents, including a past president of the American Association of Community Colleges, this book provides expert guidance on anticipating and managing the critical issues that affect the entire institution. Both authors serve as consultants, executive coaches, and advisors to top leaders, higher education institutions, and leadership development programs throughout the United States.

Community colleges are facing increasingly complex issues from both without and within. Some can be avoided, others only mitigated—but all must be managed, and college leaders must be fully prepared or risk failing the students and the community. This book provides real-world guidance for current and emerging leaders and trustees seeking more effective management methods, with practical insight and expert perspective.

• Tackle the college completion challenge and performance-based funding initiatives
• Manage through economic cycles, declining support, and calls for accountability
• Delve into the issues of privatization and employee unionization
• Execute strategies to align institutional goals and mission
• Manage organizational change and new ways of thinking that are essential in today's competitive environment
• Manage issues involving diversity, inclusiveness, and equity
• Prepare adequately for campus emergencies

Community colleges are the heartbeat of the nation's higher education system, and bear the tremendous responsibility of serving the needs of a vast and varied student body. Every day may bring new issues, but effective management allows institutions to rise to the challenge rather than falter under pressure. Practical Leadership in Community Colleges goes beyond theory to provide the practical guidance leadership needs to more effectively lead institutions to achieve results and serve the students and the community.

GEORGE R. BOGGS is president and CEO emeritus of the American Association of Community Colleges and superintendent/president of Palomar College in San Marcos, California. An active author and speaker, Boggs is the recipient of many awards and honors including the Public Broadcasting System's Terry O'Banion Prize for Teaching and Learning for "triggering the most significant educational movement of the past decade."

CHRISTINE J. MCPHAIL is the managing principal for the McPhail Group LLC, a higher education consulting firm, former president of Cypress College, emerita professor of higher education and founder of the Community College Leadership Doctoral Program at Morgan State University, and a coach for Achieving the Dream, a national nonprofit reform network dedicated to community college student success and completion. She is a recipient of the AACC National Leadership Award and the League for Innovation in the Community College Terry O'Banion Leadership Award. McPhail is the editor of one of AACC's best-selling publications, Establishing and Sustaining Learning Centered Community Colleges.

Foreword xv
Dr. Belle Wheelan

Preface xix

How This Book Is Structured xx

How to Use This Book xxi

Acknowledgments xxv

About the Authors xxvii

1. Leadership Issues Management 1

Thinking About Leadership 1

Thinking About Issues 3

Life Balance 10

Anticipating Issues and Potential Outcomes 10

Issues to Consider 11

References 12

2. Mission 15

Questioning the Mission 15

Mission Generations 17

Completion Challenge 21

Balancing Access and Success 22

Transition, Progression, and Transfer 23

Accreditation and Mission 24

Push from the For-Profit Sector 24

Technological Development 25

Legislative Mandates 25

Funding the Mission 26

Workforce Preparation Issues 27

Developing Partnerships 28

Curricular Reform 28

Community College Baccalaureates 30

Organizations and Initiatives 31

Reform Effectiveness 35

A Framework for Mission Management 36

Issues to Consider 39

References 41

3. Accountability, Scorecards, Regulations, and Accreditation 49

Accountability 49

Scorecards 53

Regulations 54

Accreditation 57

Issues to Consider 60

References 62

4. Finance, Cost, and the Economy 65

Economic Benefits of Higher Education 65

Effect of Economic Cycles 65

Saving for Retirement 69

Tuition Increases and College Costs 69

Responses to Economic Cycles 72

Fundraising and Entrepreneurialism 73

Issues to Consider 77

References 78

5. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 81

Beyond the Open Door 81

Understanding DEI 82

Institutionalizing DEI 83

DEI Issues 85

Campus Climate Issues 86

Recruitment and Support Issues 87

Communication Issues 88

Gender Bias Issues 89

Students with Disabilities Issues 90

Affirmative Action Issues 90

Immigration Issues 91

Racial Issues 92

Men of Color Issues 92

Veterans Issues 94

LGBT Issues 95

Managing DEI Issues 96

Sustaining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 99

Issues to Consider 100

References 106

6. Governance, Communication, and Media Relations 111

Trustees 111

Media Relations 118

Delegation and Internal Governance 123

Communication 126

Collective Bargaining 126

Civility 128

Issues to Consider 133

References 135

7. Organizational Change to Promote Student Success 137

Leading Organizational Change 137

The Completion Agenda 139

Models for Change 140

Resistance to Change 141

Organizational Change and Classroom Practice 144

Organizational Change and Student Support Services 148

A Time for Change: AACC’s Reclaiming the American Dream 150

Sustaining Momentum: Managing the Change 152

Issues to Consider 155

References 156

8. Safety and Security 161

Responsibility for Safety and Security 161

Commitment and Enforcement 162

Truth and Consequences of Crime Reporting 164

Leadership Practices for Safety and Security Management 166

Key Safety and Security Management Leadership Questions 169

Resources 170

Athletics 174

Cybersecurity Issues 174

Issues to Consider 176

References 178

Conclusion 181

Reform and Redesign 181

Accountability and Transparency 182

Change and the Evolving Mission 182

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion 183

Stakeholder Demands 183

Safety and Security 184

New Requirements for Leadership 184

Rewards of Leadership 184

Reference 185

Index 187

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