Talk prepared by Dr. Amanda O. Latz for students in Ball State University's Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education program.

1. Community Colleges:
10 Things You Need to Know
Presentation for the Ball State University
Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education (SAAHE) Master’s Program
12 February 2018, 1 pm, Park Hall MPR
Dr. Amanda O. Latz

2. #saahechat

3. 10. There are A LOT of community colleges in the
United States*.
*Actual numbers differ depending on where you
look.

6. Let’s do math.
• ALL institutions = 4,665
• Associate’s Colleges + All Special Focus Two-Year + Tribal
Colleges = 1,592
• That’s 34% of ALL institutions.
• ALL institutions enroll 20,481,953 students.
• Associate’s Colleges + Special Focus Two-Year + Tribal
Colleges enroll 6,747,069 students.
• That’s 33% of ALL enrollments.

9. Let’s do more math.
• Number of community colleges (AACC members) = 1,108.
• This includes public, independent, and tribal colleges.
• Total enrollment is 12,200,000 students (7.2 million credits + 5.0
million non-credit).
• That’s 41% of ALL undergraduate students in the United
States.

10. 9. Community colleges do A LOT.

11. Community colleges…
• Offer associate’s degrees for students who want to transfer to a
four-year institution.
• Offer associate’s degrees and certificates with clear and specific
post-completion employment pathways toward careers.
• Offer developmental coursework to help students become
college ready.
• Help employers train current employees and cultivate a skilled
pool of prospective employees.
• Build partnerships within their local communities.
• Support their local communities through educational, cultural,
and economic opportunities.

12. 8. Community colleges are more affordable than
most other higher education institutions.

14. We love math.
• Average annual tuition and fees for a community college in the
2017-18 academic year (public, in-state and in-district) = $3,570
• Average annual tuition and fees for a four-year institution
(public, in-state) = $9,970
• Community college tuition and fees are slightly more than
one-third the cost of a four-year institution!

15. 7. Community colleges are everywhere.

16. All the math.
• 90% of the United States population lives within 25 miles of a
community college.
• There are community colleges in every state. And, every state
“does” community colleges differently.
• Community colleges are one of the United States’ original
educational ideas.
• The United States has “exported” the community college idea.

18. Of note.
• One in every five community college students is enrolled in one
of California’s 114 community colleges. In other words, 20% of
the nation’s community college students are in California.
• Other large state systems include: Texas, Illinois, New York, and
North Carolina.
• Indiana’s Ivy Tech Community College is very unique.

22. 6. “The greatest challenge for community colleges is
embracing and supporting the most diverse classroom of
students ever to sit side by side in American higher
education”
(Mellow & Heelan 2008, p. 257).
.

24. (some) Contributing
Factors
• Open access
• “College for All”
• “Democracy’s Colleges”
• Dual enrollment
• Multiple missions (see # 9)
• Local demographics tend to be mirrored

25. 5. Community colleges are inequitably funded,
and some community colleges receive local
funding.

26. According to Mullin (2010), “community colleges received just
27% of total federal, state, and local revenues (operating and
non-operating) for public degree-granting institutions in
2007-2008 while serving 43% of undergraduate students” (p.
4).

28. What’s the breakdown?
Funding/Revenue Source Dollar Amount Percentage of Total
State $18,559,987,011 31.3%
Tuition $17,242,808,691 29.1%
Local $10,762,068,143 18.2%
Federal $7,989,717,218 13.5%
Other $4,721,411,387 8.0%

30. 4. Community colleges are relatively young.

31. Quick Comparison
• Harvard was founded in 1636.
• Joliet Junior College was founded in 1901.

33. 3. Community colleges grew out of the K-12 sector.

34. So what?
• Four-year institutions never “let go” of years one and two.
• Some structure (e.g., funding) and language has carried over
(e.g., “counselor,” “superintendent”).
• Community colleges now reach “up” and “down.”
• Community colleges are seen as a critical component of U.S.
higher education.
• At the same time, the community college sector constantly
contends with stigmatization.

35. 2. Community colleges have some AMAZING
academic programs.

41. 1. Community colleges have student affairs.

52. Let’s talk.