Authors Locke and Guglielmino provide a broad overview of materials that focus on the types of sociological and cultural change and adaptations necessary that will enhance the experience within both subcultural groups and American students.
These changes have prompted many community colleges to reexamine their purpose, role, and ultimate mission statement to meet emerging challenges and capitalize on new opportunities. It is really more of a relationship between integration and organizational culture that will need to handle significant change without any adverse effects. For example, American students should be able to take advantage of opportunities to interact with students from other cultures, but the level of instruction should not be diminished in classes that have large groups of non-English speakers. In order to maintain a standard that contributes to the higher academic needs of both the university organization and the global business community, strict rubrics must be adopted that ensure a proactive and longitudinal stance throughout the community college system.
Article 3 -- Magrath, C. Peter.(2008). "America's Secret Educational Weapon: Community Colleges." Phi Delta Kappan. 89 (9): 640-8.
Sometimes the community college system is overlooked in the overall global business and economic climate, but new research shows that in many cases these institutional organizations prepare students better, and act as a more positive global magnet, than 4-year colleges or universities. For instance, in an average year, 1,200 community colleges enroll 47% of the undergraduates. This equates to 6/5 million students in credit courses and 5 million in valuable non-credit or adult learning courses. Nearly fifty percent of all baccalaureate degree recipients in the U.S. first attended a community college (Magrath, 1).
Despite all this data, there remains a considerable perception, mostly evolved from the U.S. University...
The opening statement from the College Board Action Agenda notes: "American community colleges are the nation's overlooked asset. As the United Stated confronts the challenges of globalization, two-year institutions are indispensable to the American future. They are the Ellis Island of American higher education, the crossroads at which K-12 education meets colleges and universities, and the institutions that give many students the tools to navigate the modern world" (2008).
Ironically, America's community college system has a superb reputation internationally, especially in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. These students pay the highest tuition (out of state), typically live in dormitories and contribute to their local economies. The system, though, is facing the same kinds of fiscal challenges that all levels of education face. This is why it is necessary for community college leaders to reach out and take the initiative to work with governors and legislators to strengthen the inadequate system of finances, facilitating transfers into four-year colleges in areas of critical need, and to better align secondary education systems with the community college sector.
WORKS CONSULTED
Bailey, T. And V. Smith, eds. Defending the Community College Equity Agenda.
Falcetta, F. (2007). "The Globalization of Community Colleges." AIFS-Foundation.
Cited in: http://www.aifsfoundation.org/pdf/Globalization.pdf
McJunkin, K. (2005). "Globalization of the American Community College."
Community College Journal of Research and Practice. 29 (4): 329-34.
National Commission on Community Colleges, (2008). "Winning the Skills Race
And Strengthening America's Middle Class: An Action Agenda for Community Colleges. Center for Innovative Thought, College Board.
