Don't Let the Downturn Get You Down

We were noticing this week, on the RPG discussion list, that the California community colleges are reporting very large increases in matriculation in the current semester. It made us wince, because we know that tuition does not cover expenses at community colleges, not even close. This article helps you to make a good case for more public support for community colleges, even in times of financial crisis:

As community colleges across the country defend themselves against across-the-board budget cuts, they need to go on the offense by mobilizing key constituency groups to make the case that community colleges offer the best hope of turning the U.S. economy around.

Our extensive work with community college systems in seven states and two in-depth opinion research projects reveals that few people understand the value of public two-year colleges and the huge impact they have on economic success. Similarly, too few community colleges have organized effective advocacy efforts, and when they do speak out, they often use messages that don’t resonate with their target audiences.

While those at community colleges feel beaten down by unfavorable comparisons with four-year institutions, they need to realize that a huge reservoir of good will exists and should be tapped. Our poll findings show that the public holds community colleges in high esteem, but they don’t understand two critical issues that undermine the support of these institutions on the state policy front: