Expert advice and effective strategies for community college leaders who endeavor to embed equity and social justice in institutional policies, practices, and structures

Pamela Eddy and Kim VanDerLinden offer discerning guidance for advancing social justice and addressing persistent opportunity gaps in US higher education in A Blueprint for Equity-Driven Community College Leadership. Eddy and VanDerLinden argue that, given the diverse population of students that community colleges serve, these institutions are uniquely positioned to enact impactful equity-informed agendas that can promote social change, remedy inequitable and unjust structures and systems, and build opportunities for all students to be successful. They encourage presidents, provosts, directors, and faculty at community colleges to seize the chance afforded by COVID-19 upheavals to address urgent issues of equity on campus.

Drawing from interviews and surveys of longtime community college leaders as well as literature on community college leadership and social justice initiatives, Eddy and VanDerLinden outline a three-part model that can strengthen collaboration among institutional leaders and create resilient, equitable communities of practice. They advise stakeholders to increase self-awareness through reflective exercises and examination of personal bias. Their model directs leaders to develop contextual competency by evaluating external forces that influence focus in institutions of higher education, including employer and community needs; state and national campaigns and calls for graduates; and backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) measures.

This insightful work gives community college leaders across all positions and titles an introduction to strategies to promote organization-level change.