Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN TENNESSEE

1996; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 20; Issue: 6 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/1066892960200609

1521-0413

D. Peter Consacro, Richard G. Rhoda,

Higher Education Research Studies

Tennessee's community colleges developed under extremely positive conditions. The original 14 institutions have come of age individually and as a group, and may well be the institutions of choice for Tennesseans in the foreseeable future. Their origin is significant to their continued growth and success. Their establishment followed a carefully laid out master plan that, among other things, recognized the impact that the colleges would have on the state's economy and the need to encourage enrollment by keeping access easy and cost low. These charter concepts remain in place and continue to drive the growth and vitality of the colleges. Today, the 14 colleges form a strong, diverse system, reflecting the geographic and economic diversity of their respective locations and assigned service areas. What all have in common is an enduring commitment to quality and a dedicated responsiveness to their communities. A strong structural relationship between Tennessee's community colleges and universities has had a salutary impact on the quality of their programs and has fostered easy transfer and articulation. The system is perceived by the public as efficient and effective in delivering quality programming. Public confidence has generated ample support, better than adequate facilities, equipment, and infrastructure. Recent assessments suggest that Tennessee's community colleges have a bright future, shaded somewhat by fiscal retrenchment. In the next decade, they will’ face the challenge of doing more with less.