Editor's comment: Drs. Ross and Contento address the important problem of corporatism as it is woven into the fabric of community colleges in the United States. Corporations have a corrupting influence at every level of education in the United States. A liberal arts education, teaching and challenging students to think independently has for the most part, become the private reserve of the wealthy few. Most of higher education in the U.S. is ostensibly directed at "getting a job" and more and more it fails even in this regard. As a result, "education" has become redefined to mean technical training for providing an employment pool for corporations more than enriching the intellectual, psychological and spirtual life of the nation. Sadly, this has become the accepted norm and goes unchallenged even among students and parents themselves. The authors challenge students, faculty and administrators in colleges and universities to rethink the identity and role of higher education in the U.S.

- Les Blough, Editor

What is the community college? Does much of daily community college behavior and practice mimic the secondary school experience? Do community colleges aspire to have equal reputations—and legacies—as four year colleges and universities? Should community colleges reconsider how they are perceived through the eyes of their K-12 and 14-16 colleagues?

We believe a fundamental dissimilarity exists between the cultures of community colleges and the cultures of four-year colleges and universities. Understanding this variance in culture may help better explain the current “identity crisis” expressed by many observers of today’s community colleges.

How do our current colleges appear to the public at large? Although we remain accountable to external, local, and parochial constituents, today’s community colleges are not commonly “peer reviewed”—except perhaps by accreditation agencies--.

The K-12 system has parent/teacher conferences, geographically local school boards, and neighborhood schools. Four-year colleges and universities have an inherent, built-in, ongoing review in the form of external rankings, continuous peer-comparisons, and internal and external evaluative measurement. In addition, admission selectivity, graduate school placement, research dollars, athletic teams, and alumni success contribute to the notoriety and successes (or non-successes) of the institution. Their reputation lies with the preservation of academic rigor and inquiry, “secured by the professionalism of the professoriate.”

Do we struggle with a kind of misplaced university-envy that manifests itself with position title proliferation, nationally competitive athletic teams, and course offerings abroad? If community colleges believe they set seeds for lifelong learning and inquiry, universities germinate and cross breed in an attempt to nurture and grow intellectual lives. While universities seem to create, foster, and preserve knowledge, cherish intellect, protect learning, encourage scholarship, and perpetuate inquiry - community colleges seem to protect themselves from… From what? From being found out? Why does this seemingly uncertainty of purpose continue to persist?

This fundamental concern over purpose is not unique to the community colleges. University graduate programs that prepare faculty and institutional leaders continue to question their own endeavors in advancing the component of scholarship. Responding to questions posed in book based on Carnegie Foundation research titled, The Formation of Scholars: Rethinking Doctoral Education for the Twenty-First Century, the foundation’s president, Lee S. Sculman, states, "If this next generation of Ph.D.'s doesn't come out with a much-better-developed sense of what their role in an academic community needs to be, and especially why full-time, fully engaged faculty are absolutely essential for educational institutions to be responsive and responsible, then we'll see simply an increase in the proportion of part-time faculty, and a progressive decline of institutions of higher education as intellectual communities, and more virtual credit mills."

Certainly, four-year college and university academic units, as well as athletic departments, international programs, or individual faculty will come under scrutiny by the public at large. But we believe that the entire community college enterprise is being securitized now-- mostly because of the mysterious and yet artificial culture that has flowered within the colleges— manifested by a kind of corporate swaggering, funding requests for programs that may truly not be in the best fiscal or intellectual interest of stakeholders, and an inability to sustain or support big dreams—an almost constant change and reaction without real planning-- a kind of new age reactivity with foundational footing placed insecurely in philosophical compost.

The growing external pressure to create full-time student equivalency (FTSE) – and the internal administrative hunger to achieve “Baldridge” awards-- may not accomplish the long term results the community college idealistic forefathers envisioned. Despite the success vignettes, budgets, and buildings, community colleges must be careful not to become credential-granting institutions rather than teaching/learning institutions.

Perhaps the real work force development taking place in our community colleges most directly and dramatically involves the career pathways of staff

The universities continue to produce (and this is not necessarily healthy), more Ph.D.’s than can find work. While at the community colleges, we seem to create positions for the masses who obtain Ed.D.’s from seemingly thousands of education leadership degree programs available – at both on line and traditional institutions of higher learning. The degree must be rich in mojo. One can be an assistant director of Student Life in early December, making 35K, complete the Ed.D. capstone project by the 23rd, and become an Associate Senior Vice President of Student Affairs Global Diversity Services in January, and see one’s salary triple….

Let’s find a way to put real diversity into community college teaching/learning experience… From the board room to the lounges, the corporate ethic we have embraced has muzzled the diversity we cheerily profess. Having a compass, a mission, a plan to guide our way is fine. Do we have to be corporate citizens?

Let’s be a community of scholars -- not a community of dollars.

Let’s understand and improve our own culture—even if it means assuming an honest “middle position” following secondary education and preceding university sponsored higher education. A “whispered truths” is the traditional unpopular reference to community colleges as “Grades 13-14.” Should we find that distinction insulting? Why?

Perhaps technology has made the notion of comprehensiveness obsolete. There is more to do everyday—do we really need to establish a director and a program and a glossy brochure for every blade of grass in the American social structure?

Greatness will follow if we truly develop our intellect and do what is in the best interest of our students—on their terms. Let’s focus on stewardship, but not in the Rotary Club ring-the-bell at the meeting of the month kind of way. Let’s stroll down the street of our town, and connect with the people who pay our salary…. Take pride in serving the needs of your community—whether they represent old economy or new economy needs. Let’s begin to make decisions with courage and confidence - deliberately with the best interests of our stakeholders (not our careers) at heart. Let’s not pretend to be a higher education institution if we are not delivering the goods.

We sense that community college management’s love affair with corporate structures has extended too much power to external agencies and institutions that do not understand, or accept, the beauty of the community college’s transitional purposes. Let’s take back the power—resist corporate citizenry and the namelessness that many of our college’s mission statement reflects (they all appear so awfully similar). Let’s become a magnet with powerful programs—and not simply adapt fancy stationery that gives the institution some sort of perceived “brand recognition.” Students want real day to day service—not bizarre logos or clever slogans or confusing acronyms.

The uniqueness of the community college position in American education should continue to be critically defined. We would recommend nourishing this uniqueness by choosing a definite focus, vision, and purpose at our institutions, and work together to ensure college quality.