Governance in the community college

Interest in community college governance will increase among scholars and practitioners for many reasons. Enrollments are increasing rapidly while funding is not keeping pace. Taxpayer resistance is a reality. Workforce training programs will compete with transfer curricula for resources. Increasing numbers of poorly prepared students will require remediation. For-profit institutions will compete for students. Employee unions will press for better salaries and benefits and meaning participation in governance. Special interest groups will continue electing advocates to governing boards. P-19 initiatives will require close collaboration with public schools. In the meantime, rogue trustees will try the patience of everyone. Traditional governance models will not suffice in this demanding arena. Governance structures that are more collegial, flexible, and inclusive will be essential in the future as community colleges evolve to meet the needs of an increasingly complex and diverse society -- from publisher.