Running Head: EVOLVING NEEDS OF COMMUNITY
COLLEGE STUDENTS1
EVOLVING NEEDS OF COMMUNITY COLLEGE SUDENTS5
Evolving needs of Community College Students
Students Name
Institutional Affiliation
Evolving Needs of Community College Students
Historical Background
Community colleges were initially not distinctly identified on
their own. Until the Clinton reforms of community colleges in
the 1980s, community colleges were no different from junior
colleges. The programs and organizational culture were not as
developed, and the student needs were rarely attended to in the
diverse way that they are today (Gavazzi et al., 2018). Students

were assumed to be homogenous, with either a low economic
background or substantially flat academic prowess. After the
recognition and reinstatement as accredited institutions of
merit, community college missions changed and became more
student-centered.
The core programs were initially only vocational and for
transfer to university purposes. Developmental education was
not adequately developed, yet it contributed in a massive way to
student retention and the student's ability to finish the program
and progress to higher education. Community colleges have
been very rigid in their approach to learning, governance, and
even administration (Beach, 2011). Most of the changes that
occur do not affect the entire institution but are marginalized to
transform only a select few. These changes either influence a
certain courses based on profitability or the trends in the
business world, but rarely extend to other programs within the
colleges.
Fiscal policies in community colleges are primarily dependent
on the federal government because community college facilities
are supposed to encourage the most economically
disadvantaged. Tuition is very low compared to the capacity
building needed to run the institutions, and the result is that the
community colleges suffer from an ultimate shortage in the
facility and consolidated programs that undermine the skill sets
offered to the students (O'Banion, 2019). Traditionally this has
been crippling the system’s ability to change the approach in
which the curriculum, administration and governance is run.It
creates a shortage of staff for capacity building purposes and an
overall decline in the quality of education offered within the
institution.
Current issues
Current issues relating to students' evolving needs include
student performances that have been diverse depending on
factors such as program choice. Programs in health sciences, for
instance, have seen a very consistent high-performance culture
that has been aided by the level of competency that the students

in the courses (Fugle & Falk, 2015). About 98 percent of the
students in classes such as a physician assistant, physical and
occupational therapy, radiologic technicians, and nursing
assistance have seen a very high return on investment in terms
of their absorption into the workforce or their progression into
baccalaureate degrees.
Social sciences have seen a drop in retention, although
enrollment has been high. Most students in the arts and
humanities suffer the same fate. The demographics for the
students range in terms of age, immigration status, ethnicity,
race, gender, and other social characteristics (Latiner & Valeau,
2019). These factors play a huge role in how much value they
attach to their degrees, performance, and abilities to complete
the programs they chose. Unfortunately, community colleges
have been portrayed in the media as crisis institutions with
diverse missions that are unclear and unfocused. In return, the
students are unable to define their career objectives and
consequently, future impact in the workforce.
Innovations and Trends
Innovations in community colleges to make it more student-
centered and attend more intricately to the needs of students
include the implementation of a more sophisticated method of
instruction. Teaching instruction has become one of the ways
that community colleges have innovated means of learning that
are more applicable and, in some sense, reduce costs. Computer-
based and computer-assisted instruction programs, which
include online education and associated resources, have made it
easier for students. Some students, who are unable to attend
community colleges physically participate online and receive
instruction and assessment at the same level as other students
(Hovliaras, 2012). Besides, this method is reproducible and,
therefore, cheaper to implement. With budget constraints in
community colleges' funding, the technique has been most
effective in providing quality education. Student enrollment
has, therefore, increased significantly over the years.
Budgetary allocations

Student based focus in community colleges is mostly dependent
on the resources available to implement the various models of
instruction, curriculum implementation, as well as support. It is
not an easy task to evaluate the factors associated with
community college learning. The highest cost would be research
and data collection for the students in all the values associated
with them. The information required includes the data related to
their identity, test scores, language, economic background, and
state of being. To address the evolving needs of students,
sophisticated methods of data collection that are holistic are
necessary to allow the college to make amendments based on a
specific student's needs.
For instance, most community college students are not entirely
students abut are workers engaging in schooling during their
free time. Most students in community colleges are already
working in a job to enable them to supplement their needs. Such
information is vital in designing the curriculum and identifying
how the community college as an institution can provide
support. Another example is the age difference in community
college students. Unlike universities, community colleges have
a more extensive age demographic ranging from mature adults
in their 40s to young post-secondary graduates. This
information is vital in determining how effective the learning
instruction is to a particular student so that they are provided
with good value.
Direct impacts on the comprehensive community college
regarding the mission,
Community colleges have been portrayed by the media as
institutions of crisis simply because they serve multiple
missions within one. The numerous tasks vary from the very
different caliber of students that attend the learning institutions.
Traditional infrastructure and technology provided a one size
fits all kind of curriculum that did not adequately meet the
needs of the market. Community colleges have a wide array of
missions that ultimately serve as institutions that bring equity
and social justice.

The missions in the various programs identify this mission and
prepare students on a level that should be on a competitive scale
with other students around the world, not just America.
President Obama made this clear at the Michigan Macomb
Community College in July 2009 when he proposed that
community colleges should credit more baccalaureate degrees
and increase their merit so that the students are more able to
find a place in the workforce. He also insisted on the students
competing on a global market.
Finance
Per student allocations, n community colleges have been
significantly low and call for action in the next twenty years.
Contributions such as the Pell grant Section 101 of HR 3221
enables student allocations to increase in terms of stipends,
allowances for books and supplies, and capacity building within
the institution. Most community college students come from
disadvantaged backgrounds whose goals are more oriented
towards providing for families than educational progress.
Consequently, this affects the retention rate of such students
who depend on their jobs to finish their education. Whenever an
opportunity for vocational work arises, such students
comfortably prefer to quit school and pursue the financial
benefit of employment. If such students have funds that
alleviate some of the financial implications, they can be more
interested in joining transfer courses and proceed to
universities. Financial aid available is not enough to support
such demographics, and community college fiscal policies need
to reevaluate these options in their prospects.
Students
Students have many issues that dictate their ability to perform
in a school environment. Many of these issues can only be
addressed if the community colleges make a concerted effort to
ensure that developmental education is available. Services such
as counseling and crisis management should be a priority,
especially with the economic crisis that is going on. Many
students face an undeniable threat of dropping out due to

financial distress. The value of delayed gratification that comes
with an excellent educational pursuit should also be taught so
that the discipline is more deeply ingrained in the students.
Teaching and learning
Teaching instruction should include specified learning outcomes
and objectives. The content should be broken down into smaller,
manageable dosages that are easily understood and learning
tasks arrayed. Models of the presentation should also be
elaborate, and feedback on understanding and performance
should be engaging. Criterion tests also prove to be very central
to understanding how well the instruction method has been
received. Besides, a feedback survey on the methods of
instruction applied is most beneficial.
In the next twenty years, student access to smartphones and
personal computers will have primarily increased so that
computer-assisted programs will be most effective in instruction
delivery (Maneva-Sleimann & Asian Development Bank, 2015).
The capacity of institutions in terms of high-speed internet and
WIFI will be paramount to allow the real-time application of
learning methods as well as to open up the students' minds to a
vast array of knowledge accessible through internet resources.
The colleges have no choice but to ensure that internet resource
is continuously available, and no downtime or slow WIFI is
experienced (Remington & Remington, 2012). Also, learning
resource centers need to diversify their support to be useful. In
class, activities will be reduced and replaced by online
competent based studies that are more in learning colleges and
learning communities. Student learning will need to enhance
their creativity as well as involve relevant hands-on experience
through programs that include actual businesses.
Governance and Administration
Governance in the next two decades will have to involve all
stakeholders in the community. These include faculty staff, non-
teaching staff, lecturers, parents, students, and business owners
to ensure an elaborate system of all-inclusive governance.
Incorporating a more organic rather than the mechanical

operation of management will allow the students exposure to
evidence-based learning (Gaulee, 2018). For instance, if
community colleges enhance partnerships with various industry
leaders in multiple fields, students have access to hands-on
experience e and apprenticeship from the actual workers. This
approach can expose them to a more applicable approach to
learning. Also, external stakeholders such as the federal
government have a role to play in accountability and providing
value to students.
Controversies in the literature surrounding the comprehensive
community college
Literature about the community college mission is mostly
misunderstood. For instance, the media portrays community
colleges as places where little real learning takes place and as a
home for underachievers. Besides, community colleges are
rarely acknowledged in literary forms as credible scholarly
articles can be produced, and intellectual property can be
patented. Student-centered community colleges are not
adequately explained in literature except for a few articles. In
most cases, the evolving needs of community college students
have been overlooked and undermined. Fiscal policies that
allocate state funds to community colleges lack credible criteria
of allocation.
The community colleges' missions are not spelled out and
sometimes are politicized based on the government in place. For
example, the portrayal of the community colleges as institutions
that offer baccalaureate degrees by President Obama in a way
undermined the real mission of community colleges (Floyd,
2013). The portray of students in community colleges as post-
secondary graduates are also wrong because the demographics
suggest that eve adult learning occurs in community college on
a very significant level.
Structural and procedural systems in many community colleges
are being faced out, but this information is rarely in mainstream
media. For instance, Manhattan Community College New York
is one of the colleges invested in support groups that enhance

developmental education in the institution. Short term programs
like English teaching present the issue of comprehensive
community colleges as 'shadow colleges' that have low
academic merit. In this regard, comprehensive community
colleges are undermined.
Conclusion
Comprehensive community colleges face a considerable
challenge when it comes to the dynamics of improving the
quality of education offered. Unfortunately, most of the control
is not in the hands of the management of the community
college. The evolving needs of students in community colleges
require and elaborate strategic plan that can only be addressed
by an all-inclusive approach to learning. The stakeholders’ in
comprehensive community colleges need to address the
circumstances that they face regularly and welcome novel ideas
that move away from the status quo and revolutionize the way
the community colleges are run. As a whole, the system needs
to address the students' individual needs so that they can be
equipped with the value that they can apply in their after school
life. This move will now uphold the mission of community
colleges in social justice and equitable wealth distribution.
For the evolving needs of the students to be met, a student
centered approach must be encouraged. This survey will include
diversified and intricate feedback from the students themselves.
In addition, alumni students, already in the workforce should
aid in providing feedback when it comes to how effective the
teaching policies and instruction are. The instruction methods
should continuously undergo reevaluation and updating to
ensure that they are responding to the emerging needs of the
versatile business world. Skills should also be modified
accordingly.
Part 2
Discuss the progress of your topic, which areas did you feel that
you needed more information
In the evolving needs of students, I lacked a distinct and
elaborate system of determining the business world's needs in

many subjects. I also had a difficult time packaging the
recommendations on how to improve a very mechanical system.
Most suggestions seem far-fetched because of the status quo.
My difficulty arose from realizing how inflexible a system like
a comprehensive community college is. In literature, opinions
about community colleges are very diverse and confuse the
audience. Most people generally have low regard for community
colleges, which is evident in their writing, even if they are
credible scholars.
The areas of my study that required more information include
the actual data on the students that attend community college,
which is unclear. In my topic, it was straightforward to identify
the needs of college institutions, but a more compelling method
of addressing the concerns is lacking. The evolving needs of
students require a great deal of research into their behavioral
tendencies, habits, and preferences. The institution's
infrastructure largely groups the students into similar characters
but does not identify and address the unique needs of students
in community colleges.
Secondly, poor planning of the community college instruction
was an issue and made it challenging to understand procedures
that went into student-focused learning. Most colleges have a
very rigid structure of governance that affects curriculum
designs and makes it difficult for students to learn instruction to
be more engaging and fun. Budgetary constraints also
undermine the quality of capacity building within the
institution. The level of progress to student-based instruction is
not possible.
Thirdly, I realized that fundamental research on community
college demographics is heavily flawed. The misrepresentation
of students attending community college made it difficult for
me to tell the students' exact needs. Very few articles paint the
actual picture of the fiscal policy that is implemented in
community colleges. Also, the budgetary funds allocated to
community colleges are hard to follow due to the complex
nature of the allocation budgets. The community college always

had debts carried over that needed to be addressed, and
maintenance and operational costs took such a considerable
budget that there is very little to work within the end.
Part 3
What have you learned that you can apply immediately,
personally, or professionally? What, if anything, is missing
from this course to get the relevant experiences you are looking
for?
I have learned that the inadequacies I see in community colleges
are not really in my control but are complicated in their
magnitude and dynamism. Therefore as a student, I must
identify my personal goals and forge meaning in them. I have
learned that the needs in that community can only drive a
community, and innovation arises from the gaps created therein.
The business community is facing new challenges in marketing
and infrastructure. Therefore I need to be adaptable in such an
economy so that I remain relevant. What this entails is an
inbuilt thirst for knowledge and an expansion of my skill set to
suit the needs of a changing world.
I have learned that most of the learning will only occur to the
extent that I push myself in understanding as well as
performance. I have learned that I have to ensure that all my
learning objectives are achieved in a good time. I have learned
that I have a personal mission to succeed regardless of the
situation I am placed in life. Professionally I have learned that
it does not only take an excellent education but also
developmental learning is keen to retention in the workforce
and for me to grow in my career. Cognitively, I need to
understand the skills and apply them to real-life situations that
will enable me to thrive.
From this cause, I would have loved to have an experience with
other students in my course, in different institutions so that we
can share notes on how inclusive or exclusive our learning
culture is. I would have loved to encounter a more evidence-
based practice of my study, as well. I firmly believe that it is
essential to share ideas in an open forum so that the

improvements can be made where necessary. I have also learned
that personal dedication to a course always produces results, no
matter how challenging the course is. I am grateful to my
instructor for all the positive and negative feedback and look
forward to applying my skill set in the real world. When all is
said and done, I am grateful to be part of such a great endeavor.
References
Beach, J. M. (2011). Gateway to opportunity? A history of the
community college in the United States. Sterling, Va: Stylus
Pub.
Floyd,. (2013). Applied and workforce baccalaureates: New
directions for community colleges, number 158. San Francisco,
Calif: Jossey-Bass.
Fugle, G. N., & Falk, D. R. (2015). Laying Down Arms to Heal
the Creation-Evolution Divide. La Vergne: Wipf and Stock
Publishers.
Gaulee, U. (2018). Global adaptations of community college
infrastructure.
Gavazzi, S. M., Gee, E. G., & Magrath, C. P. (2018). Land-
grant universities for the future: Higher education for the public
good.
Hovliaras, C. A. (2012). Savvy Success : Achieving
Professional Excellence And Career Satisfaction In The Dental
Hyg. Authorhouse.
Latiner, R. R., & Valeau, E. J. (2019). Handbook of
Comparative Studies on Community Colleges and Global
Counterparts. Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Maneva-Sleimann, B., & Asian Development Bank,. (2015). The
role of community colleges in skills development: Lessons from

the Canadian experience for developing Asia.
O'Banion, T. (2019). 13 ideas that are transforming the
community college world.
Remington, N., & Remington, R. (2012). Alternative Pathways
to the Baccalaureate: Do Community Colleges Offer a Viable
Solution
to the Nation's Knowledge Deficit?. Sterling: Stylus Pub.
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distribution.
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distribution.
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distribution.
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distribution.
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distribution.
Copyright American Psychological Association. Not for further
distribution.
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distribution.

Copyright American Psychological Association. Not for further
distribution.
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distribution.
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distribution.
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distribution.
Copyright American Psychological Association. Not for further
distribution.

BUDGETING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Evolving Needs of Community College Students
Evolving needs and concerns
It is paramount for the funding in community colleges to be
tailor-made to the new age of technology.
The use of artificial intelligence in manufacturing and even in
business has made it very difficult for some skills to survive the
job market, especially those replaceable by machines and
robots.
In addressing this challenge over the next ten to twenty years,
curriculums should incorporate artificial intelligence even in
their learning.
Community colleges should ensure that they can adapt to the
new needs of the business world, and the teaching models
should always be updated (Remington & Remington, 2012)
Example: Flexibility in learning is also a vital part when
designing the curriculum for the next twenty years. Flexibility

addresses the needs of models like distance learning. Flexibility
is essential to the learner because, as time goes on, the students
have to define a model within which they can work and study.
Besides, it accommodates students who are not physically able
to attend the class or have other location challenges. The
curriculum needs to accommodate all these needs of the student
so that learning becomes more appealing to the students.
Education delivery models have to adapt to these needs of the
students.
2
Trends in funding and resource allocation
Community college funding in the FY12 have seen very similar
trends in revenue streams and expenditure in both LCCC and
San Joaquin Delta Community College District.
Significant cuts have emerged in 2012 right from state
apportionments, to local sub funds.
For example, SanJuan Delta Community college district saw a
variance of 31.5%over the FY2011-FY2013
There has also been a decline in student enrollment which
results in a decrease in tuition revenue(Bers, 2015).
Resource allocation has mostly focused on maximizing learning
opportunities.
Uncertainty surrounded most of the state revenue
Budget cuts and staff reduction measures had to be taken in

SanJuaquin Delta community college.
Funding reductions grossly affect expenditures in various
student programs
Clearly new ways of working with reduced funds is necessary to
harness the emerging debts accrued in community colleges.
3
…trends
There has been a significant rise in maintenance carry over from
previous years.
Maintenance and upgrades of equipment also take a significant
portion of the expenditure.
Most auxiliary services provide revenue that is injected in
student affairs
A decline in investment has resulted to a reduction in faculty
staff, although implementation has been systematic.
Post employment benefits also play a significant role
Trends clearly show that there is need for innovation and new
strategies to meet the fiscal needs of the institutions.

4
Revenue streams and expenditure allocations
Federal and State appropriations
Local appropriations
Tuition and fees
Bond interests and redemptions
Capital projects fund
Measure L bond fund
Bookstore funds from book sales
Food service fund
Associated student trust fund
Student financial aid fund
Grants
Funding can either be restricted or not restricted. Restricted
budgets have a very specific in expenditure while un restricted
budgets have room for miscellinous issues that may arise.
5
Expenditure allocations

Instruction and learning opportunities which include the
curriculum and personnel.
Administration includes the staff , both teaching and non
teaching staff.
Public service which provide extra revenue
Academic Support(Beach, 2011)
Student services like student affairs and customer care
Institutional Support
Plant operations and Maintenance
Scholarships
Expenditure allocations depend on the continuous,emerging
needs identified by the committee involved in budgeting.
6
Additional expenditure
Supplies and utilities for example fuel and rental expenses
New equipment
Upgrades
Improvement of facilities
Healthcare

Sports
Co curricular activities
Some of the best ways manage resources is through
conservation.
7
auxiliary services that support student services
Student affairs include welfare unions that address student
needs(Gaulee, 2018).
Food service management
Bookstore
Student recruitment and retainment programs
Retail venues
Training Arenas
Auxilliary services are a great way of earning additional
revenue.

8
Budget allocations of LCCC FY2013
Pie charts depicting the future budget allocations for the
comprehensive community college.
The future budget allocations are based on the strategic plans
that the school has focused on based on the emerging needs of
the comprehensive community college.
10
KEY
1.Instruction and maximizing learning opportunity
2.Co curricular activities
3.Instituitional Effectiveness
4.Resource management
5.Increased collaboration

San Joaquin Delta College Mission
The mission of San Joaquin Delta College is to provide
excellent post-secondary education that serves the needs of
students, the College District and the community through
continuing, transfer, career and technical education, and
economic development. To achieve this objective, the faculty
and staff are committed to providing comprehensive
instructional programs, student services and public services that
are high quality.
Budget Allocation FY2011
San Joaquin Delta College
Bond Budget Reconciliation
Measure L Bond, Refunded and State Funds
as of 06/30/11

13
Budget allocation proposal for the next 20years
In the next twenty years, rigidity in budget allocations may cost
the community colleges more than they can afford.
14
Conclusion
Budget allocations have been showing a decline due to the
ripple effect from decreased revenue streams
It is important for community colleges to identify new ways of
approaching the deficits
Over the next twenty years, the community college fiscal
policies need to be reinvented and reorganized to suit the
evolving needs of the marketplace
Community colleges need to be continuously updated by
revising their curriculum often and ensuring that the students
get the maximum return on investment.

Politics are becoming a huge part in deciding state funds and
this should be minimized, although this is majorly an issue of
leadership.
15
REFERENCES
Beach, J. M. (2011). Gateway to opportunity? A history of the
community college in the United States. Sterling, Va: Stylus
Pub.
Bers, T. H., Head, R. B., & Palmer, J. C. (2015). Budget and
Finance in the American Community College: New Directions
for Community Colleges, Number 168. Hoboken: Jossey-Bass
[Imprint]
Gaulee, U. (2018). Global adaptations of community college
infrastructure.
O'Banion, T. (2019). 13 ideas that are transforming the
community college world.
Remington, N., & Remington, R. (2012). Alternative Pathways
to the Baccalaureate: Do Community Colleges Offer a Viable