Confessions of a Community College Administrator

Written by Matthew Reed, the formerly anonymous author of Inside Higher Ed's most popular blog, Confessions of a Community College Dean, this book offers keen insights, a frank discussion, and suggested solutions for the many issues that are unique to community college administration. In Confessions of a Community College Administrator Reed describes the current landscape of community college leadership and addresses some of the fundamental questions that face community colleges. Who does a community college actually serve? How do administrators really make budget decisions? Where do the roots of the "permanent crisis" in higher education lie? How are full-time and adjunct faculty best balanced? Throughout the book, Reed offers guidance and encouragement for the next generation of community college leaders. He examines a set of proposed solutions from outside academia, then turns to other solutions emerging from inside the community college world that also show potential for success. Confessions of a Community College Administrator is filled with realistic, and ultimately hopeful, advice on how to step back from the day-to-day administrative struggles and gain some perspective on the larger picture. Reed offers administrators useful and productive directions for constructive change.

About the Author iv Acknowledgments v Foreword by Kay McClenney vii Introduction 1 1. The Community College Landscape 13 2. Funding: Where the Money Comes From, Where It Goes, and Why There’s Never Enough 35 3. Community College Administration: Who Does What 61 4. Herding Cats: Managing Creative People 85 5. Regular Challenges of the Dean’s Job 105 6. Saving Community Colleges: A Few Modest Proposals 125 Conclusion 153 Notes 158 References 161 Index 163

Matthew Reed is the author of the popular blog Confessions of a Community College Dean for Inside Higher Ed. He is vice president for academic affairs at Holyoke Community College and has been a full-time and adjunct faculty member, associate dean, and dean at for-profit and community colleges. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two young children.