Individual trustees are often looking for different qualities in a community college president, and it can be challenging for a diverse group of stakeholders to agree on what they want. Boards that function most effectively work together to establish a clear set of criteria at the outset of the hiring process, and they share this list with…

New and rising community college leaders follow their own path, with the help of mentoring, networking and leadership development opportunities. To become campus leaders in the first place, they have followed in the footsteps of others by learning from them, both informally through mentoring and networking, and more intentionally at gatherings…

The more polarized American politics become, the more challenging it becomes for institutional leaders of all stripes to maintain a balanced approach and not get crosswise with anyone. Community college leaders are no exception to this reality--and they say succeeding in this environment requires an artful combination of underscoring the natural…

The purpose of the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) Competencies for Community College Leaders is to guide the development of emerging leaders and to assist colleges with the selection of employees dedicated to the community college mission, vision, and values. Recently after over two years, college presidents on the AACC's…

The coronavirus pandemic has tasked recently hired presidents at two-year institutions with preserving their charges' safety and health, representing an unprecedented leadership test alongside acclimating to a new campus. Newly minted presidents interviewed by "Community College Journal" -- Daria Willis, president of Everett Community…

Community college presidencies don't last forever. Sometimes they do last until retirement, but in other cases, leaders decide they want to make at least one move before then, which usually entails a move to another institution. This involves a diplomatic dance, with decisions to be made about whom to tell and when about the possible opportunity,…

Immigrant community college presidents are working to ensure the unpleasant, even frightening experiences of their younger years are not replicated among the current student body. Immigrant leaders interviewed by "Community College Journal"--Dr. Steady Moono, president of SUNY Schenectady County Community College; Dr. Lin Zhou, president…

Community colleges aren't quite as high on the list of hackers and scammers as institutions like banks, hospitals and four-year research universities, yet the institutional and personal data stored on their servers and in the online cloud can be valuable, so they need to lock down their data like any other entity. This requires a combination of…

Ongoing professional development is critical even for the very top executives at community colleges. While many community college systems focus on the onboarding of new presidents, professional learning should be a never-ending process. The best institutions recognize this and devote time and resources to the continuing development of their…

As the pandemic reaches the one-year mark in the United States, college presidents reflected on the impact the prolonged crisis has had on their institutions, their communities-- and themselves. The past year has seen not only the rampant spread of the novel coronavirus, but also social and political unrest. All of these issues have affected poor…

Community college presidents and board members come and go. But a major driver of the continued success of two-year colleges is how fruitfully the relationships between CEOs and their boards evolve over time--from the onboarding process when a president first takes the helm to the "outboarding" process that starts with them giving…

Trust and fairness are essential components in building strong, positive relationships with union representatives. Although negotiating contracts with faculty and employee unions can be challenging, it's easier and less contentious when the two sides approach the process not as adversaries, but as partners in improving education. Even with strong…

The skill set asked of today's top educators is demanding, with higher education boards of trustees targeting versatile leaders able to raise funds, speak to the media and serve as an institution's academic authority, all while maneuvering among constituent groups seeking their time and attention. Community college presidents, in particular,…

George Knox reflects on his 15-year career as president of Labette Community College in Parsons, Kansas. Knox writes that, as a first-time president coming into a brand new system, he was very fortunate to have many seasoned presidents and mentors in Kansas and from the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) Presidents Academy. He says…

Cutting programs and laying off staff is one of the hardest parts of a community college president's job. Not only is it emotional for everyone involved, but the political fallout can be damaging as well. How campus leaders arrive at the difficult choice to cut staff and programs, and how they communicate their decision to stakeholders, can make a…