Community Colleges on the Horizon

Reviews / Votes

This book is written for thinking leaders. By highlighting contrasting choices amid numerous opportunities and challenging assumptions while providing pathways for transformative innovation, it provides fresh insights into the future of community colleges as seen through a prism of organizational development and leadership. Its unique contribution is to show how abundance is a pragmatic and achievable goal even in a less than ideal operating context. -- Conway Jeffress, President, Schoolcraft College In his new book, Community Colleges on the Horizon: Challenge, Choice, or Abundance, Dr. Richard Alfred combines many years of studying community colleges and hundreds and hundreds of interviews with community college leaders with an interesting and engaging theory about challenge, choice, and abundance. To all of us involved in community college education, this book is a documented description of where we came from, where we are now, and where we are going in the future. And in addition to all of that, it is a very interesting and fun read. Dr. Alfred's extensive research and his relationships with community college personnel, students, and other constituents combine to demonstrate to each of us what we should be getting from our community colleges. His thoughts will be a revelation to some, a wakeup call to others, and an interesting and riveting read for all. And Dr. Alfred has the uncanny ability to point out both the positive and the negative with detachment and hopefulness. His professionalism lets one get a clear view of his colleges of challenge, choice and abundance and yet experience encouragement rather than judgment. Alfred demonstrates a wealth of information about many colleges, but is wise enough to let these colleges speak in their own voice. -- Jackie Snyder, Ed.D, Chancellor, Metropolitan Community College Community Colleges on the Horizon identifies the attributes and leadership skills needed to build high performing institutions. Trustees need to attract and retain presidents to ensure that colleges of 'abundance' are the rule, rather than the exception. -- Noah J. Brown, president and Chief Executive Officer, Association of Community College Trustees Community Colleges on the Horizon: Challenge, Choice, or Abundance is a book about leadership and institutional improvement by some of the most insightful scholars of the community college movement. In the same way that some people are healthier than others in mind, body, and spirit because of the choices they make, the health of an institution is determined to a great degree by unwavering leaders who shape institutions based upon an understanding of external forces and community needs along with an ability to inspire, to improve performance, and to develop internal capacity. For those who want to understand how institutions can be moved from challenge to choice and from choice to abundance by making the most effective use of limited resources, I highly recommend Community Colleges on the Horizon: Challenge, Choice, or Abundance. -- George R. Boggs, President and CEO, American Association of Community Colleges Community Colleges on the Horizon: Challenge, Choice, or Abundance is a book about leadership and institutional improvement by some of the most insightful scholars of the community college movement. In the same way that some people are healthier than others in mind, body, and spirit because of the choices they make, the health of an institution is determined to a great degree by unwavering leaders who shape institutions based upon an understanding of external forces and community needs along with an ability to inspire, to improve performance, and to develop internal capacity. For those who want to understand how institutions can be moved from 'challenge' to 'choice' and from 'choice' to 'abundance' by making the most effective use of limited resources, I highly recommend Community Colleges on the Horizon: Challenge, Choice, or Abundance. -- George R. Boggs, President and CEO, American Association of Community Colleges In his new book, Community Colleges on the Horizon: Challenge, Choice, or Abundance, Dr. Richard Alfred combines many years of studying community colleges and hundreds and hundreds of interviews with community college leaders with an interesting and engaging theory about challenge, choice, and abundance. To all of us involved in community college education, this book is a documented description of where we came from, where we are now, and where we are going in the future. And in addition to all of that, it is a very interesting and fun read. Dr. Alfred's extensive research and his relationships with community college personnel, students, and other constituents combine to demonstrate to each of us what we should be getting from our community colleges. His thoughts will be a revelation to some, a wakeup call to others, and an interesting and riveting read for all. And Dr. Alfred has the uncanny ability to point out both the positive and the negative with detachment and hopefulness. His professionalism lets one get a clear view of his colleges of challenge, choice and abundance and yet experience encouragement rather than judgment. Alfred demonstrates a wealth of information about many colleges, but is wise enough to let these colleges speak in their own voices as he unfolds his story of their evolution and capacity for change. He demonstrates knowledge of a number of theories which are used to illustrate in effective ways what the various voices are saying. He lets us sit in on the dialogue between leaders, staff, and faculty in community colleges so that we feel like participants in the various issues rather than spectators. I found myself expressing an opinion as I read about an issue, only to have one of his cast of characters bring up the same point to which others reacted, making me feel like I had participated rather than just been a spectator to the dialogue. At last we have a book that does more than document the community college movement of the 20th century... -- Jackie Snyder, Ed.D, Chancellor, Metropolitan Community College