ABSTRACT
Th is chapter provides an historical perspective of the evolution of management within community colleges. Th e social and fi nancial context of the community college, as well as the educational aims of these institutions, creates a distinct environment that infl uences both the ways in which individuals manage and what issues are most salient for institutional managers. Moreover, cultures of community colleges maintain fewer of the traditions typical of universities. Programming that covers only two years of postsecondary education results in a shorter time on campus for students, providing students with a limited window to advocate for change and ultimately creates weaker alumni ties. Teaching staff consist predominantly of adjunct or temporary faculty members who have no or limited focus on research and, as a collective, may not have a major infl uence on campus management, in spite of the espoused practice of shared governance (Kater & Levin, 2005). Campus administrative leaders are typically not scholars, nor do they share a professional identity with faculty: rather they are managers who respond to demands from the local community, boards of trustees, and state legislatures and policy-makers. Th e context of the community college itself (Cohen & Brawer, 2008; Levin, 2007)—employment status of its principal labor force, community orientation, governed by state legislation, and comprised of diverse students-infl uences managerial practices that range from bureaucratic operations to organizational eff ectiveness.
