Racially minoritized communities in rural areas experience some of the most challenging conditions related to poverty, educational access, and educational attainment in the nation (Farrigan, 2021; Hillman, 2016). For residents in these communities, community colleges are the most common entry point into postsecondary education (Byun et al., 2017),…

The number of federally designated Hispanic serving institutions (HSIs) has almost doubled over the last 10 years. This shift has led researchers and policy makers alike to increasingly scrutinize what it means to be Hispanic serving, and not just Hispanic enrolling. In this study, we present perspectives from five Hispanic community college…

In this article, the authors focus on the intersection of the study of activism and the urban community college. Leveraging the Actors, Contexts, Tactics, and Strategies (ACTS) Framework, the authors (re)examine activism scholarship that illuminates similarities and differences between 2- and 4-year institutions. Ultimately, the article concludes…

The goal of this article is to enhance understanding and appreciation of the current and potential role of trustees in urban community colleges. In working to make sure students are successful, trustees face numerous challenges in implementing high-impact policies and practices that center student success. This article establishes a node…

As one of the STEM disciplines with the lowest percentages of minoritized students and professionals, faculty and administrators in the geosciences have an opportunity to address racism within the context of their classrooms and campuses. In response, a group of community college geoscience faculty from disparate institutions across the U.S. came…

This chapter describes and documents anticipated areas of federal community college advocacy. Changes in Congressional behavior are described with specific illustrations of federal legislation, specifically the Higher Education Act. Discussion on the role of the college president and CEO in advocacy focuses on the role of the president and the…

As interest in reducing the nation's incarceration rates grows, a shift in policy in favor of education for incarcerated individuals is occurring. This article focuses on the expansive role that community colleges have in offering educational opportunities to individuals in both jails and prisons around the country. This article provides an…

Food and housing insecurities are serious challenges confronting community college students. This chapter reviews the evidence on prevalence and correlates of basic needs insecurity and discusses institutional actions to support students.

In this chapter, the authors discuss the role community colleges play in alleviating poverty and how this role is reflected in institutional mission statements.

This chapter reports on three research studies conducted by the Center for Research on Educational Access and Leadership (C-REAL) at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) that are designed to help higher education institutions enhance their practices in serving men of color, namely Black and Latino men.

The coeditors for this volume synthesize key propositions from the volume chapters and offer recommendations for community colleges to employ college impact theories in student affairs practice.

This chapter examines how the work of community colleges relates to the democratic work that citizens must do and makes the case for better alignment between the two.

This chapter explores ways that the civic and workforce missions of community colleges might be better integrated in practice, using Minneapolis Community and Technical College as an example.

In the first chapter of this sourcebook, one of the scenarios presented for the future urban community college was that of a "workforce development college." In this scenario, the college of the future is the primary provider of a highly educated and talented community workforce in alignment with regional employment and economic…

The completion agenda is in full force at the nation's community colleges. To maximize the impact colleges can have on improving completion, colleges must organize around using student progress and outcome data to monitor and track their efforts. Unfortunately, colleges are struggling to identify relevant data and to mobilize staff to review…