Breaking the Cycle: Community Colleges Embrace Innovation for a New Era

In this week's edition of The EdUp WrapUp, we highlight a higher education and policy leader, Jee Hang Lee , President/CEO at Association of Community College Trustees . Community colleges have gone through a wave of value and perception conversations since Covid-19. During the pandemic, students left community colleges creating enrollment shortfalls many institutions have been fighting against for the last few years. Now, the "value of a degree" conversation is dominating headlines and community colleges are gaining positive momentum in student enrollment and public perception. What's next, it's almost like Groundhog Day for this sector!

"The majority of all individuals who received a bachelor's degree had community college credits..." Jee Hang Lee citing statistics regarding adult students receiving baccalaureate degrees.

Lee was using this statistic to illustrate the significant but often unacknowledged contribution that community colleges make to higher education, particularly in supporting students who go on to complete bachelor's degrees at four-year institutions.

Just as Phil Connors found himself repeating the same day over and over in "Groundhog Day," community colleges often face recurring challenges. However, like Phil, they're learning to break the cycle through innovation and adaptation. Dr. Bill Pepicello , former President at 美国凤凰城大学 , joined me yet again to discuss the state of community colleges with Mr. Lee.

Evolving Board Involvement: Learning New Skills Every Day

According to Lee, it is critical that trustees of community colleges master new skills for a changing higher education landscape. They're becoming more diverse and younger, with more working professionals joining their ranks. This shift is driving innovation in board education and engagement methods, including a move towards online and virtual learning opportunities. Mr. Lee noted, "We can no longer just solely rely on in-person meetings as a hallmark educational opportunity for our trustees."

Enrollment and Funding: Predicting More Than Just the Weather

Forecasting enrollment and dealing with funding challenges are annual issues. Predicting these are harder than Phil Connors trying to predict the weather on Groundhog Day. These challenges are intertwined, creating a complex landscape for institutions to navigate.

Recent data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center shows that community college enrollment fell by 7.8% in spring 2022 compared to the previous year. Like Phil learning to catch a falling child every day, community colleges must develop strategies to catch and retain students consistently.

Aligning Non-Credit and Credit Programs: Building Bridges Across Time

In "Groundhog Day," Phil uses his repeated days to learn diverse skills, from ice sculpting to playing piano. Similarly, community colleges are working to align non-credit and credit programs, creating clear pathways for students to build diverse skillsets over time. This approach not only benefits students but also helps address enrollment challenges.

According to a report released by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center in May 2023, students who participated in dual enrollment programs while in high school were 2.9 times more likely to enroll in college immediately after high school compared to students who did not participate in such programs. Additionally, these dual enrollment students were 1.7 times more likely to complete a college degree within six years.

The Role of Community Colleges in Higher Education: The Unsung Heroes

Phil need to grow as a person to break the cycle - and for personal growth, community colleges play a vital, often underappreciated role in the higher education landscape. Mr. Lee shared a powerful statistic: "The majority of all individuals who received a bachelor's degree had community college credits."

This highlights the crucial role community colleges play in the higher education ecosystem. Community colleges quietly guide millions of students towards their educational and career goals, often without receiving any credit for the role they play in helping student build GRIT and move toward bachelor's completion.

Looking to the Future: Waking Up to a New Day

As we work together to innovate toward a better tomorrow for the industry and for students, community colleges must continue to adapt and innovate to ensure they don't wake up to the same challenges every day. This includes:

• Expanding short-term, workforce-focused programs
• Leveraging their strong community connections
• Embracing new technologies and learning modalities

Just as Phil had to fundamentally change his approach to life to move forward, community colleges must be willing to transform their approaches to meet the evolving needs of students and communities - and trustees must step up and drive innovation.

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Top 5 Takeaways for Leaders

1. Evolving Trustee Demographics:

The composition of community college boards is changing, with more working professionals and younger individuals joining. This shift necessitates new approaches to board education and engagement, including increased use of online and virtual learning opportunities.

2. Enrollment and Funding Challenges:

Community colleges are facing significant challenges with enrollment declines and potential funding shortfalls as HEERF (Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund) dollars ran out. These intertwined issues require strategic planning and innovative solutions.

3. Importance of Aligning Non-Credit and Credit Programs:

There's a growing emphasis on creating clear pathways for students by aligning non-credit and credit programs. This approach not only benefits students but also helps address enrollment challenges.

4. Underrecognized Impact of Community Colleges

A majority of bachelor's degree recipients have community college credits, highlighting the crucial role community colleges play in the higher education ecosystem. However, this contribution often goes unrecognized.

5. Need for Adaptation and Innovation:

To meet evolving student and community needs, community colleges must continue to innovate. This includes expanding short-term, workforce-focused programs, leveraging community connections, and embracing new technologies and learning modalities.

These takeaways underscore the need for higher education leaders to be adaptable, forward-thinking, and focused on creating clear pathways for student success in a changing educational landscape.

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