Game Changers: The Quest to Rethink Institutional Roles and Functions at U.S. Community Colleges

When the 10 members of the American Association of Community College's (AACC's) 21st-Century Implementation Team 7 (nine of whom are community college presidents) sat down in 2013 to talk about reforming institutional roles and functions at the nation's two-year career and technical colleges, everyone in the room knew the work before them would be difficult. Handpicked by AACC President and CEO Walter Bumphus, each team member was intimately familiar with the recommendation's set forth in AACC's 2012 report, "Reclaiming the American Dream: Community Colleges and the Nation's Future"--and many had already started making changes at their institutions. AACC has begun an occasional series on the work and contributions of the Implementation Team. In this article, Bob Woods catches up with some of the presidents who participated in the discussions about institutional roles and functions; examines the challenges institutions continued to face en route to change; and sheds light on possible solutions. The subjects discussed include: changes in the student dynamic, an emphasis on academic achievement, and unpredictable funding.