California State University, Sacramento (CSUS) has received a planning grant from the California State University (CSU) Commission on the Extended University to partner with area community college districts to enhance leadership in the community colleges. CSUS is collaborating with CSU Bakersfield, Chico, and Fresno in this effort. The new Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Policy (IHE) at CSUS is taking the lead in assessing the specific need for leadership recruitment and development.
The Director of IHE, Dr. Nancy Shulock, conducted interviews with 35 individuals, including 15 community college presidents/chancellors, 13 other community college administrators, two trustees, three statewide faculty leaders, and two community college organization leaders. The purpose of the interviews was to explore in broad terms what challenges face California’s community college leaders and, more specifically, how a new leadership development effort can help the colleges meet those challenges. This paper presents the findings from the interviews—the “view from the field.” It is intended to provide both the context for and the content of a new certificate program in community college leadership at CSUS.
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