What If We Succeed?

Unseen Struggles, Leadership Failures, and Triumphs in America's Community Colleges and among Their Students

What if the greatest challenge facing America’s community colleges isn’t budget cuts or bureaucratic hurdles, but a fear of success itself? As the Dean of a large community college's School of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics, I’ve seen firsthand how the fear of accountability can stifle progress and innovation. During a pivotal meeting in Spring 2024, a fellow dean's reaction to a proposal for expanding course capacity—"What if we succeed?"—exposed a deeper issue plaguing higher education. This book dives into the heart of that fear, unraveling why community colleges, despite being pillars of accessibility and opportunity, often fall short of their transformative potential. It’s a journey through the unsung heroes of U.S. higher education, uncovering systemic challenges like credit transfer roadblocks, resource constraints, and societal stigmas. But it’s also a call to action, offering bold strategies to empower these institutions to lead the charge in reshaping the future of education. If you’re ready to rethink the role of community colleges and embrace their untapped power, this book will challenge, inspire, and ignite change.