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…

Community colleges are expected to serve the needs of their local communities. Hence, college presidents are called on to lead this collaboration between the college and the community. Presidents, however, are affected by a multitude of factors that contribute to abridged tenures, a scenario that can have harmful effects on the educational…

This interview study examined seven community college presidents' experiences of facing a sudden and unplanned stepping aside (e.g., unexpectedly needing to resign or termination) in order to understand the meaning of the transition experience for leaders. It provides an up-close view of presidents' perspectives on leaving the college. Despite the…

It was only three years ago that Dr. R. Wayne Branch was tapped to take over the reins at Clark College, a 70-year-old private college in Vancouver, Washington. As president of the Community College of Baltimore County-Essex, Branch oversaw the reorganization of the college after it was folded into a three-college system. Those organizational…