1. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational
Success
Dr. Fay M. Butler, Director of Student
Engagement LaGuardia Community
College/CUNY

2. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
• There are two Proposed Workshop
outcomes/objectives
• The first objective is to review the role of the
community college in the current higher education
landscape.
• The second objective is to offer suggestions on
how we can prepare students to make the
transition to the community college.

3. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Workshop Outline
• The Community College -Overview, History,
Mission
• The Community College Today and the Economic
Downturn
• Unique Characteristics/Diversity of offerings
• Preparing your students to Transition

4. Community Colleges as a Springboard to
Educational Success
Brief History and Overview of the Community College
• Founded in 1901, Joliet Junior College in Illinois is the
oldest existing public two-year college. In the early
years, the colleges focused on general liberal arts
studies.
• During the Depression of the 1930s, community
colleges began offering job-training programs as a
way of easing widespread unemployment. After World
War II, the conversion of military industries to
consumer goods created new, skilled jobs.

5. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Brief History and Overview of the Community
College
• This economic transformation along with
the GI Bill created the drive for more
higher education options. In 1948, the
Truman Commission suggested the creation
of a network of public, community-based
colleges to serve local needs.

6. Community Colleges as a Springboard to
Educational Success
Brief History and Overview of the Community College
•Community colleges became a national network in the
1960s with the opening of 457 public community colleges -
more than the total in existence before that decade. Baby
boomers coming of age fueled enrollment growth.
•The construction involved in this gigantic growth of facilities
was funded by a robust economy and supported by the
social activism of the time. The number of community
colleges has steadily grown since the 1960s. At present,
there are 1,166 community colleges in the United States.
When the branch campuses of community colleges are
included, the number totals about 1,600.

7. Community Colleges as a Springboard to Educational
Success
The Community College Today
•Nearly half of all undergraduates, and more than 50
percent of all Black and Latino students attend community
colleges (American Association of Community Colleges,
AACC, 2006)
•Traditionally, our community colleges have been critical
portals of entry to higher education for underserved
students. They enroll high proportions of Black, Latino and
Native American Students and high proportions of
students from lower income and working class families.
(Rhoades, 2012)

8. Community Colleges as a Springboard to
Educational Success
The Community College Today
•The openness of the community college doesn’t stop with
academic preparation because it welcomes students of any
age ( Mellow and Heelan, 2008).
• In the 1996-97 academic year, 9.3 million people took
credit courses at community colleges. Another 5 million
took noncredit classes, the majority of which were
workforce training courses. Since 1901, at least 100
million people have attended community colleges.

9. Community Colleges as a Springboard to
Educational Success
The Community College Today
•Each community college is a distinct educational
institution, loosely linked to other community
colleges by the shared goals of access and service.
Open admissions and the tradition of charging low
tuition are among the practices they have in
common. But each community college has it own
mission.

10. Community Colleges as a Springboard to Educational Success
The Community College Today
•Community colleges are a vital part of the postsecondary
education delivery system.
•They serve almost half of the undergraduate students in the
United States, providing open access to postsecondary
education, preparing students for transfer to 4-year
institutions, providing workforce development and skills
training, and offering noncredit programs ranging from
English as a second language to skills retraining to
community enrichment programs or cultural activities.

11. Community Colleges as a Springboard to
Educational Success
The Community College Today and the Economic Downturn
•In the face of rising tuition costs, many
students are opting for the local community
college to get an associates degree or to tale
core classes
•Community colleges offer a wide variety of
programs
•Community Colleges can be a good choice
for students unsure of their degree path

12. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
The Community College and the Economic downturn
•AACC 2011 Survey of Community College Presidents
surveyed Presidents and district chancellors. There were 10
questions. There was a 46% response rate from 448
respondents. This group was surveyed from mid March to
early April 2011

13. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
The Community College and the Economic
downturn
•Key Findings
•Enrollment gains continued but slower than in 2009 and
2010
•Cheaper price tag is very attractive to many students
•Growth in online courses continues
•Instructional expansion without the necessary instructional
infrastructure

14. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
The Community College and the Economic
downturn
•Key Findings
•Health care areas register the greatest growth for three
years
•Critical Issues
•Continuing Pressures for assessment and outcomes
despite budget cuts.
•Continue to do more with less

15. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
The Community College and the Economic
downturn
•Rising enrollments mean increased demands for
institutional services and support
•What makes the Community College Attractive to so
many students now
•Unique characteristics/Diversity of Offerings

16. Community Colleges as a Springboard to Educational
Success
Unique Characteristics: Academics, Job Training and
workforce development
• Globalization is driving changes in our economy, and
the need for an educated workforce has never been
greater. The majority of new jobs that will be created
by 2014 will require some postsecondary education.
• In addition, the demographics of the workforce are
changing. As a result, employers increasingly rely on
the very students who currently are least likely to
complete their education.

17. Community Colleges as a Springboard to
Educational Success
Unique Characteristics: Academics, Job Training
and workforce development
• Without community colleges, millions of
students and adult learners would not be
able to access the education they need to be
prepared for further education or the
workplace.

18. Community Colleges as a Springboard to
Educational Success
Unique characteristics: Academics, Job Training and
workforce development
• Community colleges have a special responsibility
for workforce development (AACC).
• In addition, they assume primary responsibility, in
the public system, for offering developmental
courses, programs, and other educational services
for individuals who seek to develop the skills
needed to pursue college-level study or enter the
workforce (AACC).

19. Community Colleges as a Springboard to
Educational Success
Unique Characteristics: Academics, Job Training and
workforce development
Statistics
• Headcount Enrollment (Fall 2009)
• By program type Credit 8 M Noncredit 5 M Total 13 M
• Degrees and Certificates Awarded (2008–2009)
• Associate degrees—630,000
Certificates—425,000
• Looking at the diverse offerings, what do we need to
know and how do we prepare students to transition?

20. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Managing and Negotiating the process
•Pre application Activities
•Understand application procedures for academic admission
and admission to non credit programs
•The choices could be confusing and overwhelming
•Placement testing, remedial courses

21. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Managing and Negotiating the process
Pre application Activities
•Certificate programs, have specific requirements- different
start and end dates from the normal semester, students
need to understand the nature of the non credit side of the
house as well
•Attend at least one Open House- either virtual or Live

22. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Managing and Negotiating the process
•Pre application Activities
•Gain a working knowledge of the Community Colleges in
your immediate vicinity
•Help your students make decisions or direct them to the
appropriate professionals in enrollment management or
student affairs

23. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Managing and Negotiating the process
•Your Student has been admitted- now what
•Advise your students to attend New Student orientation,
either virtual or Live
•Tell them to take notes of who’s who and to ask questions.
There is no such thing as a stupid question

24. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Managing and Negotiating the process
•Your Student has been admitted- now what
•Advise students NOT TO MISS ANY
ADVISEMENT/TESTING AND REGISTRATION
APPOINTMENTS. !!!!!

25. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Who’s Who on the campus – those persons that are
critical for the first semester
Critical services for student success at the Community
College
•Advising, counseling, financial services, non credit staff,
student development, student support services

26. Community Colleges as a Springboard to
Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Who’s Who on the campus – those persons that are critical
for the first semester
Critical services for student success at the Community College
•Academic counseling and tutoring, bursar, campus safety,
residential life, registrar, campus ombudsmnan
•Advise your students to make certain they know what is in the
student handbook, that is their contract with the institution

27. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Student Life and Student Development at the Community
College
•Encourage your students to attend any club fair or service
learning fairs. These generally happen early in the semester

28. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Student Life and Student Development at the Community
College
•Student Development Theory and Student Life
•The most basic tenet of Astin's Theory of
Involvement is that students learn more the more
they are involved in both the academic and social
aspects of the collegiate experience.

29. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Student Life and Student Development at the Community
College
•Student Development Theory and Student Life
•An involved student is one who devotes
considerable energy to academics, spends much time
on campus, participates actively in student
organizations and activities, and interacts often with
faculty (Astin, 1984, p.292).

30. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Preparing your students to Transition to Community Colleges
Student Life and Student Development at the Community
College
•Students will have options of participating in
extracurricular activities-sports, music
•Co- Curricular Activities-Leadership Development
•Service Learning- Mentoring at Risk Youth

31. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
Workshop Summary
•Community colleges are a vital part of the
postsecondary education delivery system.
•With the cheaper price tag, Community Colleges
have become a real option for many students, even
those who have the background to attend four year
institutions.
•The Community College- a springboard to
educational success

32. Community Colleges as a Springboard to Educational Success
References
• Astin,A. (1993) What Matters in College. Jossey- Bass, San
Francisco, CA
• American Association of Commmunity Colleges Website -
http://www.aacc.nche.edu/Pages/default.aspx
• Campus Computing Project. (2011) The Community Colleges and the
Economy. American Association of Community Colleges.
• Haurwitz, R. (2010). Community colleges face funding, classroom
challenges amid rising enrollment. Statesman.com (December 29,
2010)
• Mellow, G &Heelan, C. (2008). Minding The Dream . Rowman and
Littlefield, New York, NY

33. Community Colleges as a
Springboard to Educational Success
References
• Rhoades, G. (2012) Closing the Door, Increasing the Gap:
Who’s not going to (community) college?. Center for the
Future of Higher Education.
• Rosenbaum, J.E.,Deil-Amen, R & Person, A. (2006) After
Admission: From College Access to College Success.
Russell Sage Foundation, New York.
• Taylor, P., Fry, R., Wang W.,& Dockerman, D. (2010)
College Enrollment Hits an all time high, fueled by
community college surge. Pew Research Center