A first of its kind in the state of Florida, the Seminole Community College's Center for Building Construction was constructed as a partnership project between Seminole Community College, industry persons and the state of Florida. A training facility for students in the Construction Trades Apprenticeship Program, the building stands on the SCC…

When Digital Equipment Corporation announced the closing of its facility in Springfield, Massachusetts, the result would have been a vacant 15-acre facility on the main thoroughfare of the city center, as well as the loss of 1,000 local jobs. Instead, through a collaborative effort led by the local community college, this historic site is now the…

We have inherited an educational architecture that, ironically, often gets in the way of its reason for being--to improve and expand learning. Organizational theorists call this classic trait of bureaucracies "goal displacement." (O'Banion and Milliron in College Conversations on Learning; League of Innovation Learning Abstract)

This study investigates the nature of the mentor/protege relationship of community college presidents, and likens it to that of teacher/pupil. The qualitative study focuses on how a mentoring relationship evolves and matures over time to create a learning experience that fosters the development of cognitive leadership complexity. Six strategies of…

To fully understand the continuing evolution of the community college movement, one must also consider the evolution of its leadership, its changing environment, as well as changing societal needs. This monograph provides some experiential insight into the leadership aspect of the community college, particularly with regard to generational change.…

Presidents are one of the most studied of administrative roles, yet little research occurs on understanding how these leaders construct their own leadership. Thus, the question guiding the research reported here concerned how community college presidents cognitively framed their leadership roles. This study involved the interviewing of 9 community…

During the course of a career, community college administrators are engaged in activities that are believed to enhance their skills, knowledge, and abilities. Career-related activities such as furthering one's education, participating in professional development activities, and cultivating mentoring relationships may impact the career advancement…

Traditionally, faculty members who expected to become presidents ascended through the typical labor chain to that position. However, questions are prevalent about whether these individuals gain the managerial experience needed to succeed in a presidency. Unlike the private business management model that has been successful in developing leaders in…

Community college leaders face new and diverse challenges, often requiring different orientations to leadership than were effective previously. Yet, focusing on leadership as a series of career stages through which particular skills and techniques are learned often leaves leaders without the capacity to do the adaptive work required of their…

In an era of unprecedented challenges and rapid change, community colleges need effective leadership that brings out the best in people, organizations, and communities. This qualitative study was based on interpretive research using appreciative inquiry (AI). AI is based on social constructivist theory and is a collaborative and highly…

Recent literature on faculty departure from community colleges has focused primarily on faculty retirement. Less research has been conducted on turnover related to stress and faculty burnout, particularly at the community college level. In order to shed some light on this subject, the citations in this annotated bibliography focus on the…

Academic journals shape a field by including certain topics and excluding others.The purpose of this study was to explore in 5 higher-education journals published during 1990-2003 the visibility and the use of community colleges as research sites. Findings indicated an extremely limited visibility of community colleges, with use of community…

Meaningful faculty professional development has been recognized through decades of research as an important component in effective classroom instruction. Too often, however, faculty development activities are offered by well-meaning administrators with little or no attention to faculty assessments of their own levels of competence. This study of…

Dozens of studies support the fact that communication skills are essential for success in a number of areas. After citing a sampling of these studies, a survey of the communication course offerings in Alabama's 2-year-college system reveals that most students are required to take only one communication course-either Fundamentals of Oral…

This study examined the financing patterns of 212 community colleges in 11 midwestern states during the decade of the 1990s using the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). Support from state appropriations declined between 1990 and 2000, and reliance on tuition and fees increased between 1990 and 1995, although both trends were…