This case study details how a community college library, in response to rising textbook costs and COVID-related closures, advocated for and received an increase in funding to provide online copies of many textbooks in its reserve collection. It also provides a glimpse into the roadblocks acquisitions librarians might encounter in trying to bolster…

Background: Community colleges are the primary door to higher education for students of color and those from low-income backgrounds (Bailey et al., 2015; Calcagno et al., 2008). To raise attainment and reduce inequalities in completion, colleges have adopted many student success initiatives--from first-year experience programming and basic needs…

Seventy-seven California community colleges offer nursing programs with a total enrollment of 12,960 full-time equivalent students in 2017-18, a decrease of 7.4% from the previous fiscal year. Seventy-two colleges received grants to expand or maintain enrollment by 1,439 students. The colleges are using these funds to provide support for nursing…

California State University (CSU) is an engine of economic mobility for Californians, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities. The system's 23 campuses are also vital in helping the state meet labor market demands for highly educated workers. But despite annual funding increases, CSU has struggled to enroll all eligible…

For many years, higher education data collection and funding efforts have focused on student success metrics like enrollment, graduation, retention, and course completion rates. At the same time, higher education leaders have become increasingly aware--in part because of the COVID-19 pandemic--of the vast array of challenges that college students…

Performance contracting has been acclaimed as an effective and promising means of improving the performance of public enterprises as well as government departments. The government of Kenya introduced performance contract signing in 2004. The aim of performance contracts was to improve resource utilization in public institutions among other…

Education and skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are important in a global economy increasingly focused on high-growth, technology-driven occupations. Yet, many states face a shortage of STEM-skilled students and workers. A number of states have built powerful and productive STEM education and skills strategies to…

The United States economic recession is now in its third year and continues to have a serious impact on the American higher education system, including Illinois' public community colleges. Illinois community colleges are seeing increases in enrollments while at the same time seeing significant decreases in state funding. The purpose of this…

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the presidents of the ten public community and technical colleges in the state of West Virginia perceive their institutions implementing the seven dimensions of college life in support of labor market responsiveness identified by the U.S. Department of Education. The U.S. Department…

This report provides the recommendations made by the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC) to the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology based from its examination on the accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada. Aligned with the needs of employers, and operating on the leading edge of advanced…

Community colleges are unique among higher education institutions in their potential access to local appropriations as well as state funding. A total of 26 states reported to the Education Commission of the States in 2001 that community colleges in their states received some share of local funding. Using data for 781 public community colleges, we…

This concise history of community colleges touches on major themes, including open access and equity, comprehensiveness, community-based philosophy, commitment to teaching, and lifelong learning. The third edition includes revised text as well as updated statistical information, time line, reading list, and Internet resources. In the more than a…