Provides a retrospective account of the author's first years as the first chief administrator for a community college community services program. Describes how those initial experiences in program development resulted in an understanding of the importance of the community services mission that lasted throughout a 20-year career. (DMM)

Looks at the historical roots of community services in community colleges. Offers suggestions for keeping community colleges on the frontier of the development of these institutions (e.g., bringing the program into the instructional mainstream, emphasizing program planning, encouraging instructional innovation. (DMM)

Cites five strategic management factors accounting for the achievements in serving adult and community needs at three community colleges: presidential and board support; the organizational status given to community service programs; performance of change agent roles; diversity of needs assessment and community involvement methods; and favorable…

Examines the economic inequities resulting from Massachusetts legislation that permitted community college continuing education divisions to operate, but without the state's monetary support. Describes North Shore Community College's financial and administrative model for continuing education/community services, looking at its strengths, benefits,…

Outlines pertinent autobiographical factors related to subsequent community services/continuing education experiences in establishing legitimacy, identifying resources, promoting cooperation and participation inside and outside the institution, using help, involving the president and faculty, and achieving early visible success. Offers guidance…

Community services, the only unique aspect of community colleges, needs faculty involvement and a separate administrative structure to be effective. (RN)

An innovative design for the organization of community services and continuing education in a community college district calls for the centralization of administration and the decentralization of program offerings. (RN)

Cites the advantages of implementing formal planning strategies for community colleges and continuing education. Warns that goal setting for the enhancement of institutional quality must not be overlooked in favor of quantifiable emphases. Describes five phases of the planning process: preplanning, strategic planning, operational planning,…

Cites and provides abstracts for seven ERIC documents from the junior colleges collection dealing with the planning, management, and evaluation of community services programs. (AYC)

Reviews the development of Grant MacEwan Community College's continuing education program from a centralized model to a still-evolving multidimensional decentralized model. Addresses the problems and benefits of the decentralized administrative model. (AYC)

Details steps in a continuing education division planning model; i.e., define the planning group, develop a planning attitude, analyze internal and external environments, develop a mechanism for forecasting trends, hold planning sessions for determining strategic focus and operational plans, establish a timetable, hold follow-up/evaluation…

Considers influences on the funding of off-campus community and continuing education programs at community colleges. Reviews four existing funding patterns and proposes an alternative fiscal accountability model based on budget transfers and contracts. Looks at the principles and positive elements of the model. (DMM)

Considers the role of community services/continuing education (CS/CE) managers in shaping the future of their programs and the transformation of CS/CE management to a community-based, strategically oriented enterprise. Defines strategic management, listing its concrete, action-oriented elements. Reviews six phases of strategic change linked to…

Recommends, for the management of community college adult/continuing education programs, strategic planning to determine the unit's niche within the educational marketplace and interorganizational "coupling" as a means of cooperating with other organizations to foster innovation. Offers a case study of "coupling" at Allegany…

States that strategic management requires continuing education leadership to engage in explicit community services goal reaffirmation. Calls for a reassessment of college funding options; risk taking as part of modification for change; linkages with business, industry, and government; maintenance of staff morale and confidence; and strategic…