Construction on community college campuses is often paid for out of general capital or operations budgets or by way of taxpayer-approved bonds. But, as state and local money becomes increasingly scarce, many colleges, while still pursuing traditional funding sources, are also considering alternative strategies to support facilities upgrades on…

While it is too early to measure changes in fall 2011 enrollments, overcrowding on campuses is likely to remain a problem, at least for the foreseeable future. For community colleges, many of which face steep budget cuts in the coming year, the challenge will be how to draw back spending without negatively affecting the student experience.…

Facilities and services are a huge drain on community college budgets. They are also vital to the student experience. As funding dries up across the country, many institutions are taking a team approach, working with partner colleges and private service providers to offset costs and generate revenue without sacrificing the services and amenities…

Ned Miller does not take security lightly. As director of campus safety and emergency management at the Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC), any threat requires serious consideration. As community college administrators adopt a more proactive approach to campus safety, many institutions are experimenting with emerging technologies, including…

There are countless justifications for why young adults, faced with so many distractions, do not complete their educations. Many students fail to finish college because of a lack of information and understanding about healthy relationships and sex education. The author's own struggles and eventual successes as a student and mother compelled her to…

As people live longer, healthier lives and the new health care law extends benefits to millions more Americans, the need for nurses, technicians, and others to staff the nation's hospitals and medical facilities presents an enormous opportunity for workers displaced by the faltering economy. This article features Virtual Career Network that helps…

Those following recent employment trends have heard about the nursing shortage. A combination of increased demand and impending retirements means 1 million nurses will be needed in hospitals, homes, and medical facilities by 2018. That's good news for job seekers. But it is not just shortages in nursing. Allied health careers, including…

The numbers were already bad, and they keep getting worse, for the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD). Given the weak economy, administrators planned for a 5 percent reduction in state funding in the 2010-11 academic year. The actual reduction ballooned to more than 7.5 percent, an additional $13 million that DCCCD would be forced to…

Separated by 8,000 miles and untold cultural and economic disparities, the Qatari government and Houston Community College (HCC) in Texas would seem unlikely educational partners. HCC, like many U.S. community colleges, has a reputation for preparing students to meet local employment needs. Qatar, in the midst of an economic transition of its own,…

Community colleges have long been destination No. 1 for American workers looking to upgrade their skills in search of new opportunities. In this article, the authors highlight how partnerships in three industries--automotive, biotechnology, and energy--are buoying efforts to support local economies. They discuss how business and nonprofit partners…

The Completion Agenda has emerged as the overarching mission of the community college. Never in the history of the community college movement has an idea so galvanized stakeholders--from the White House to the state house. Never has so much funding from philanthropic groups, such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Lumina Foundation, been…

Not all social-networking tools are created equal. Knowing where alumni are and what they're doing online is key when deciding what social networks to use. Knowing how to address and employ social networking can change the way institutions engage alumni. Social media help institutions connect with alumni; these tools help build, sustain, and even…

As Americans look for ways to reboot their careers, the value and contributions of the nation's community and technical colleges cannot be oversold. A wave of unprecedented support--from the press, the public, even the White House--has shone a light on the benefits of an affordable, quality community college education. Despite unprecedented…

The current discourse on community college leadership makes much ado about the "new normal," or the collective influence of the social, economic, and political conditions under which people advance their organizations. To succeed in a changed environment, community colleges--many confronted with drastic budget cuts--must find ways to raise money…

By all accounts, 2010 was a watershed year for community colleges. President Obama touted the role these institutions play in putting Americans back to work, and widespread enrollment increases lent credibility to the notion that students at long last are realizing the benefits of two-year quality and value compared with the higher price of…