What's Happening?
Pam Eddinger, president of Boston's Bunker Hill Community College and co-editor of the new book 'Beyond the College Walls: Partnerships and the Future of Community College Reform,' argues that community colleges must move beyond internal reforms and deeply
engage with the broader civic and political ecosystems to improve student outcomes. Eddinger contends that colleges cannot significantly enhance student success without becoming active participants in policymaking and advocacy. Historically, community colleges have lacked the political infrastructure and lobbying capacity of four-year institutions, despite government policy and public funding directly shaping their ability to serve students. The book emphasizes that sustainable solutions to student challenges, such as food insecurity, require public policies and funding streams rather than solely relying on charitable efforts.
Why It's Important?
This call to action highlights a critical gap in the strategy for community college success and, by extension, workforce development and social mobility in the U.S. By advocating for greater civic and political engagement, Eddinger underscores that external factors significantly influence students' lives and their ability to succeed in higher education. The argument that colleges cannot 'food-pantry their way out of college hunger' illustrates the limitations of internal solutions without systemic policy changes. Increased involvement in policymaking could lead to more stable and comprehensive funding for student support services, better alignment between educational programs and workforce needs, and ultimately, a more equitable and effective higher education system that benefits a broader segment of the U.S. population.
What's Next?
The book's recommendations suggest that community college leaders will need to prioritize building relationships with civic groups, nonprofits, employers, and community leaders, spending significant time outside their institutions. This includes actively engaging with lawmakers and policymakers to advocate for policies that support students' basic needs and educational pathways. The success of initiatives like Massachusetts' free community college program, MassEducate, serves as a model for how sustained engagement can lead to significant policy victories. Colleges are expected to expand the types of data they examine, incorporating factors like housing affordability, transportation access, and local economic conditions to better understand and address students' broader ecosystems. This shift will require a re-evaluation of how colleges measure success and define their role within their communities.
Beyond the Headlines
The emphasis on community colleges becoming integrated into the 'civic leadership structure' points to a broader redefinition of their institutional role. Beyond being educational providers, they are positioned as key civic actors responsible for shaping public policy and community well-being. This perspective challenges the traditional view of colleges as isolated academic entities and instead promotes them as 'democratic anchor institutions.' The argument also implicitly addresses issues of equity and access, recognizing that students' success is deeply intertwined with systemic societal challenges. By advocating for colleges to influence these surrounding systems, the book suggests a more proactive and socially responsible model for higher education, one that seeks to transform entire communities rather than just individual students.
