Community Colleges, Diversity Issues

Overview of U.S. Community Colleges

The first junior college was founded in Joliet, Illinois, in 1901 with the mission of offering the first 2 years of postsecondary general education for students who would then complete their final years of study and earn a bachelor's degree at a senior, 4-year institution. During the 1930s, workforce training was added to the junior college curriculum. After World War II and the implementation of the GI Bill, the demand for higher education access increased. In 1948, the Truman Commission on Higher Education recommended a system of public, community-based, local institutions, and the term “community college” was coined to describe them. Community colleges grew tremendously during the 1960s both in terms of numbers of institutions as well as degrees and programs offered. There are now community colleges in every state, and nearly half of all undergraduates in the United States are enrolled in a community college. The expansion continues today, as some community colleges have made a shift and are now awarding bachelor's degrees at their institutions. Community colleges have a legacy of being responsive to the changing needs of the nation.

Student Diversity in “Democracy's Colleges”

A hallmark of the community college has been the concept of universal student access, also known as open enrollment. In some cases, students do not need to possess a high school diploma or equivalent before enrolling in community college courses. Other attractions of community colleges include their close proximity to all citizens—a majority of people in the United States live within 25 miles of a community college campus—flexible course schedules, variety of programs and degrees offered, and affordable tuition and fees. While the policies of open enrollment and low fees are laudable—they make earning a degree attainable for individuals who may not have had an opportunity to attend more selective or expensive higher education institutions—it also means that community colleges have an extremely diverse student body. When compared to students at other public higher education institutions, community college students are more likely to be enrolled part-time; to be non-White, female, the first in their families to attend college, and at least 24 years old; to have children or be responsible for other dependents; and to need developmental coursework, especially in the areas of math and English. These nontraditional students with their great assortment of backgrounds, academic preparation, cultures, and off-campus responsibilities add to the milieu of community colleges. But they also increase the [Page 418]difficulties community colleges experience in actualizing their mission and goals.

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