By increasing the effectiveness of the System we also improve student success. Communication, coordination, regulatory reform, and performance measurement will all play key roles in attaining this goal.

The Board of Governors has adopted Accountability Reporting for the Community Colleges (ARCC), a success measurement framework focused on four performance categories: 1) degrees, certificates, and transfer; 2) vocational, occupational, and workforce development; 3) basic skills and English as a Second Language; and 4) participation rates. These metrics will be reported at the Colleges and System Office starting in 2007 and will provide the Colleges with a workable structure for the annual evaluation of college-level performance in meeting statewide educational priorities.

Many students who enroll in classes have no intention of obtaining a degree or certificate. Instead they may be upgrading their skills, improving their English, or considering new career opportunities. Though these shortterm educational and career objectives may represent successes for the students involved, the ARCC performance framework does not capture these outcomes as successes. Additional measures of success are needed based on student outcomes and the unique role of the Colleges.

Recent budget cuts have resulted in a significant reduction in staffing at the System Office, greatly limiting analytical capacity and responsiveness to emerging needs and issues. It is imperative that adequate resources become available in the System Office for analyzing educational trends, researching best practices, and evaluating system performance.

The System Office provides leadership and technical assistance to the Community Colleges and is responsible for allocating state funding to the 72 districts and ensuring compliance with state laws and regulations. With support for its role as an advocate and facilitative leader of the Colleges, the System Office can, in turn, carry out its regulatory function without unduly burdening the Colleges.

Many statutes and regulations governing the Community Colleges are based on legitimate concerns or goals, but others may be duplicative or contradictory. This goal calls for a selective policy review of statutes, regulations, and administrative practices. Regulations should not impose unnecessary burdens on the Colleges. The Colleges should retain or develop efficiency in targeted areas critical to achieving the goals of the Plan.

Regional collaboration currently takes place in some aspects of career technical programs, but this collaboration could be expanded to include a sharing of information and best practices and to allow cost savings through combined purchases of large volume or high cost items. This strategy will also evaluate the movement of employees between districts, and between districts and the System Office. Lastly, curriculum and assessments among the Colleges could be better aligned so that students who move from college to college do not experience barriers to their educational goals.

Based on the complex and evolving array of issues facing the Community Colleges, there is a growing need for human resource development in three broad areas: leadership development, professional development, and technology. With many leaders retiring over the coming years, new leadership from within must be developed. Furthermore, faculty and staff must attain professional skills needed to evolve with the changing demands in the workplace while also serving an increasingly diverse student population. Training in the use of technology is essential for the many administrative and student service areas as well as for educational purposes.

Community Colleges are seen primarily in a transfer role, while the substantial role they play in workforce education, lifelong learning, and basic skills is often overlooked. There is a great opportunity to position the Colleges as institutions of quality higher education among the general public, public agencies, other colleges, and Legislature.

Many of the issues described in the Plan are not well understood by policy makers or the general public. The Community Colleges must maintain a common voice advocating for the Colleges as a whole and work with a coalition of civic, business, education, labor, and governmental leaders to build and foster an effective statewide policy agenda to expand access to, and funding for, higher education.

Many governmental and professional organizations share collective leadership of the Colleges, and it is important that these groups mutually identify substantive issues and solutions. The Colleges must have a well-defined, shared vision and consistent message to policymakers and the general public.