Shifting Gears was launched in 2007 by the Joyce Foundation, a Chicago-based organization focused on improving the quality of life of citizens residing in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The primary goal of Shifting Gears is to increase the number of low-skilled, low-income Midwestern adults who obtain college-level occupational…

Community colleges, which serve almost half of postsecondary students in the United States, are receiving ever-increasing attention from policymakers and researchers. Although these institutions have always served a wide range of people in their communities, the number of students who enter community college requiring additional preparation before…

Over the past few decades, community colleges have helped increase the representation of female and minority students in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Flexible schedules, low tuition, proximity to jobs, and open access admissions make community colleges attractive to a diverse student body, especially…

The purpose of this study is to further the examination of involvement, perceptions, and experiences of faculty in shared governance, with an emphasis on the differences between men and women. Moreover, this study seeks to understand potential gender disparities in the experience of women faculty while involved in shared governance, with a focus…

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 state, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance". This provision paved the way for student-initiated lawsuits…

This article presents a study that uses iterative searches of literature, guided by data from campus observations, interviews, and surveys, to locate and test a theory that can be used to strengthen institutional leverage over student engagement and outcomes. A review of literature was conducted to frame a preliminary theoretical framework for…

Practitioners at individual community colleges and in-state agencies recognize the struggles of disadvantaged students, yet their combined efforts do not overcome the policies and practices that are contrary to advancing and aiding large student populations. In this article, an empirical investigation is briefly outlined, and the complex issue of…

Although most community colleges do not have on-campus housing, many rural two-year colleges do. Relying on federal institutional survey data, this chapter discusses issues related to the operation of residence halls and implications for both students and rural community college leaders. The chapter concludes with recommendations for policy and…

This chapter synthesizes the studies described in this volume and situates them within a broader policy context, concluding with implications for practitioners and researchers. (Contains 9 online resources.)

This chapter identifies eleven factors that, when present in a community college, substantially increase the probability that student affairs professionals will be able to create programs that matter to the institution's core mission. The chapter also provides student affairs practitioners with tools to assess the climate in student affairs as…

This chapter, aimed at both new community college student affairs professionals and experienced practitioners hoping to further develop their skills, provides resources and information about the expanding focus on student learning, translating student development theory into practice, and assessing student learning outcomes.

The 11 essays in this volume discuss integrating technology into the community college campus, review implementation strategies, and describe the possibilities of institutional transformation. The following articles are provided: (1) "Technology as a Catalyst for Reinventing an Institution" (Kathryn J. Neff); (2) "Navigating the Organizational…

Focusing on distance education in the community college, this volume explores issues related to administrative support, state-level policy, national standards, and copyright. The following article are provided: (1) "Distance Education as a Catalyst for Changing Teaching in the Community College: Implications for Institutional Policy (Arlene H.…

Focusing on the debate over the need for and appropriateness of remedial/developmental programs in higher education, this volume addresses policy issues related to the provision of such programs and presents state, national, and case study data. The following nine chapters are provided: (1) "Who Should Provide Postsecondary Remedial/Developmental…

Focusing on the role of community colleges in implementing the School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994, the 12 essays in this volume describe strategies and practices developed by colleges to address the provisions of the Act and help develop a global workforce. The following articles are provided: "Assessing the Community College Role in…