This chapter focuses on the overall themes, priorities, and "calls to action" that emerged from a discussion and reflection among community college leaders on the chapters in this volume.

This year's "Improving the Pipeline for Tennessee's Workforce: Academic Supply for Occupational Demand Report" is the first joint report between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD), Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), and…

The Academic Supply and Occupational Demand report highlights the connections between degrees that are being produced in Tennessee and the jobs that are available in the state. This year's report incorporates several meaningful changes from prior years' reports. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and Tennessee Department of Labor and…

The Academic Supply and Occupational Demand report highlights the connections between degrees that are being produced in Tennessee and the jobs that are available in the state. This report is divided into four sections: (1) Expected Degrees presents projections of postsecondary credentials to be awarded by public, private, and proprietary…

Community colleges are well-positioned to provide formal education and early field experiences to Early Childhood Education (ECE) teachers, particularly the non-traditional students who are balancing multiple obligations of family, work, and education. The increasing demand for online coursework formats by community college students has grown…

This report is the result of collaboration between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). Using data from academic years 2006 through 2016, THEC projected degree production for public, private, and proprietary institutions in Tennessee through 2025 (i.e., academic…

This report is the result of collaboration between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development (TDLWD). Using data from academic year (AY) 2006 through AY 2016, this report presents projections of awards to be produced by public, private, and proprietary institutions in Tennessee…

This study uses fixed-effects panel data techniques to estimate the elasticity of community college enrollment demand relative to local unemployment rates. The findings suggest that community college enrollment demand is counter-cyclical to changes in the labor market, as enrollments rise during periods of weak economic conditions. Using national…

This report is the result of collaboration between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Using data from 2006-2014, this report presents projections of degrees to be awarded from public, private, and proprietary institutions in Tennessee through the year 2025. These…

Little research has been done to examine how the awarding of bachelor's degrees, by community colleges, influences the traditional associate degree-granting role of these institutions. This quantitative study investigates the impact of this change on the community colleges that have been allowed to award bachelor's degrees, examining how this…

This report is the result of collaboration between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, and the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development. Using data from 2006-2014, this report presents projections of degrees to be awarded from public, private, and…

This report is the result of collaboration between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and the University of Tennessee's Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER). Using historical data from 2000-2012, this report presents projections of academic degrees to be…

For more than one hundred and fifty years, until 2008, California was an undisputed national leader in its commitment to adult education. The state's investment in adult learners topped $750 million, a sum greater than the combined total of every other state in the nation. However, for the past several years recession and fiscal crisis have left…

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of eight full-time community college faculty members who taught during the economic crisis of 2008. The study was guided by the central research question, "How do community college faculty members describe their lived experiences regarding the recent economic crisis of 2008 and its impact…

This report is the result of collaboration between the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, and the University of Tennessee's Center for Business and Economic Research (CBER). Using historical data from 2000- 2011, this report presents projections of academic degrees to be…