• Characteristics of Community College Leaders   
• AACC Leadership Initiatives

This report discusses leadership development as a major action area of the new mission statement developed by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). It includes a brief overview of the March 2001 AACC Leadership Summit and presents a summary of goals and strategies outlined by the AACC Leadership Task Force that followed on the work of the summit.

If you have questions about this report or would like to comment on it, please contact Margaret Rivera, Vice President, Member and Information Services at mrivera@aacc.nche.edu or by calling 202/728-0200 x 234.

Background
The Problem Statement
The Action Plan
Reference

Background

Leadership as Part of AACC Mission

In 2001, the American Association of Community Colleges renewed its mission statement to respond to changes taking place in higher education. One major concern for community colleges is the impending shortage of college leaders resulting from an unprecedented number of retirements over the next decade. Community colleges will need to focus on finding and developing qualified leaders to replace those retiring. The new AACC mission statement therefore includes leadership development as a strategic action area and goal, asserting that "diverse, qualified leaders are available at all levels of our nation's community colleges. They understand the community college mission, values, and vision and have the ability to implement them."

The AACC research brief The Critical Impact of Impending Retirements on Community College Leadership (Shults 2001) reported that 45 percent of current presidents plan to retire by 2007. In the next 10 years, community colleges will need to replace 800 of the 1,150 presidents. Yet the preparation of presidents and other community college leaders has declined, and the number of people prepared to step into leadership roles at higher levels, including the presidency, has dramatically diminished. The number of advanced degrees conferred in community college administration decreased 78 percent between 1983 and 1997.

Leadership Summit

In March 2001, AACC CEO George R. Boggs convened a Leadership Summit for community college leaders to come together to discuss the leadership crisis. Participants included college presidents, AACC board members, members of leadership programs, and representatives of university doctoral programs. The group addressed a variety of issues, including:

• the leadership pipeline       
• diversity       
• leader skills and knowledge base       
• leadership programs       
• program delivery methods       
• partnerships

Leadership Task Force

AACC board chair Pamela J. Transue, President of Tacoma Community College, Washington, selected leadership development as a priority for her term as chair, and she created the Leadership Task Force to follow on the work of the summit. The task force, chaired by Cynthia M. Heelan, President of Colorado Mountain College, began its work using the materials produced by the Leadership Summit.

The remainder of this document presents a summary of work by the AACC Leadership Task Force, including a statement of the problem and a resulting plan for action divided into three categories:

• Recruitment of presidents and upper-level managers       
• Preparation of presidents and upper-level managers       
• Support needed to sustain presidents and upper-level managers.

The Problem Statement

Retirements and changes in community colleges have created an urgency for developing future leaders.

Shults (2001) points out that because community colleges are losing not only CEOs but also administrative leaders and faculty leaders in the traditional leadership pipeline, the future of presidential leadership is uncertain.

The Action Plan

AACC members need to recruit, prepare, and support substantial numbers of diverse leaders through a variety of effective program paths, focusing on middle- to upper-level administrators, especially CEOs.

Recruitment of Presidents and Upper-Level Managers

Outcomes
 
The task force identified desired outcomes related to recruitment:

1. Member colleges will have a diverse pool of talented leaders for each position opening.
2. Middle-level managers will be identified and enticed to become upper-level managers and presidents.
3. New faculty members will be recruited to the field of community colleges. For example, graduate students will be made aware of teaching and administrative opportunities at community colleges and will be encouraged to pursue these opportunities.

Strategies

The task force identified the following strategies for achieving the outcomes identified above:

1. Create a Web-based registry similar to America's Learning Exchange. This registry will be a clearinghouse and career center describing people who are prepared for positions and jobs needing to be filled.

2. Design and implement a leadership-program database and present it on the AACC Web site. This Web page would inform interested people about the university programs available to study higher education administration or community college leadership.

3. Recruit new faculty and potential new middle- and upper-level administrators by developing an awareness campaign for university discipline-based departments. This campaign would describe opportunities within the community college world. This strategy would also include raising awareness at professional associations, for example listing community college positions in professional association magazines and at placement centers within universities.

All of these recruitment strategies will emphasize the importance of creating a diverse pool of candidates for middle- to upper-level positions in community colleges, especially the presidency.

Preparation of Presidents and Upper-Level Managers

Outcomes

The task force addressed the issue of preparation for middle- to upper-level leaders, especially CEOs, and named specific outcomes to be achieved:
 
1. Design professional-development program content so that it identifies and reinforces the essential characteristics of effective community college leaders.
2. Establish an information clearinghouse of available program paths for middle- to upper-level leaders and presidents.
3. Create new opportunities in the form of leadership programs or certificates for middle- to upper-level staff and college presidents.

Strategies

The following strategies were identified as the most immediate activities needed to to achieve the outcomes related to preparation:

1. Develop a resource of available and effective program paths through a leadership-development-program Web page.
2. Identify local, state, and regional college leadership programs and share the models on the AACC Leadership Database.
3. Create a list of characteristics needed by community college presidents and identify essential program content for effective leadership programs.
4. Create partnerships with a variety of groups to implement effective programs.

Support for Presidents and Upper-Level Managers

Outcomes

It is well known that presidents seek professional support from time to time throughout their careers. Shults (2001) reported that community college presidents surveyed sometimes felt unprepared to deal with key aspects of their job. Sitting presidents reported attending a variety of professional-development activities offered by a number of providers, including state and local leadership programs. The task force addressed specific outcomes related to ongoing support for community college presidents and middle- to upper-level managers:  

1. Provide assistance to new and continuing CEOs.
2. Establish renewal programs for middle- to upper-level leaders and presidents.

Strategies

The task force identified a variety of strategies to assist in achieving the outcomes for support:

1. Create programs that support current CEOs and assist them in staying current with trends.
2. Create an intervention service provided by ACCT and AACC  for presidents and trustees who request assistance with difficult issues.
3. Work with the AACC Affiliated Councils to replicate their strong mentoring programs and to collect and disseminate information on the mentoring process.
4. Collaborate with ACCT to provide training for trustees and search committees regarding the selection process and support for a new president.

AACC and ACCT will collaborate in providing training for trustees and search committees regarding the selection process and presidential support.

Reference

Shults, Christopher. 2001. The Critical Impact of Impending Retirements on Community College Leadership. Research Brief Leadership Series, no. 1, AACC-RB-01-5. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Community Colleges.