Rural Community Colleges and Economic Development: Leaders Perspectives on Collaboration

1
Rural Community Colleges and Economic
Development Leaders Perspectives on
Collaboration

• Kevin Pennington
• Mitchell Williams
• Western Carolina University
• Cullowhee, NC

2
Challenges Facing Rural Areas

• Low population density
• Low per capita income
• Low levels of educational achievement
• Fewer employment opportunities
• Limited educational opportunities
• High rates of poverty and illiteracy

3
Economic development the mission of the rural
community college

• Part of the mission of the rural community
  college is to improve the economic climate in its
  service region through the development of the
  educational skills of its students.
• Economic development concerns programs,
  policies, and activities that seek to improve the
  economic well-being (including job creation and
  retention) and quality of life in a region or
  community.

4
A community colleges influence on economic
development

• Just the presence of a community college can have
  a positive impact on the economic climate in a
  rural county.

• A 2001 study indicated that establishing a
  community college can contribute 8 to 11 toward
  a countys economic development.

5
The role of the rural community college in
economic development

• Serving as a catalyst for cooperation
• Allocating resources
• Evaluating training needs
• Focus on workforce development
• Upgrading the skills of current workers
• Offering a politically neutral location

6
Collaboration in economic development

• Economic development in rural areas is a complex
  challenge that often requires collaboration with
  other stakeholders
• State County economic develop. agencies,
• Chambers of commerce,
• Major employers,
• Local governments county commissioners,
• Other institutions of higher education

7
Partnerships Can Be Useful

• Enhance grant funding opportunities
• Meet the publics expectation of cooperation
• Over-come fiscal constraints
• Meet increased demands for services
• Maximize potential benefits
• Reduce duplication

8
Recent study on collaboration in economic
development

• The purpose was to better understand rural
  community college presidents perceptions of the
  partnerships their institutions enter into for
  economic development purposes and to determine if
  other institutions of higher education are - - or
  can be - - important partners in rural economic
  development.

9
Recent study on collaboration in economic
development

• Rural community college leaders were asked
• their perceptions of the importance of
  collaboration or partnering in economic
  development activities,
• their perceptions of what organizations or
  entities make ideal partners for economic
  development,
• how important it is to collaborate with other
  institutions of higher education to meet their
  economic development mission.

10
Findings Economic development and rural
community colleges

• A large majority of respondents indicated
• economic development was an important part of the
  mission of the rural community college (98)
• their institution was currently involved in
  economic development activities (96)
• A smaller majority indicated
• their institution always collaborates or partners
  with other organizations in economic development
  projects or activities (55)

11
Partnering with Other Institutions of Higher
Education

• Importance of partnering with other institutions
• of higher education on economic development
• Response
• Very important 58 48
• Important 34 28
• Somewhat important 26 22
• Not important 2 2

12
Most Valuable Higher Education Partners

• Most valuable potential higher education partner
  by institutional type
• ranked
• 1st or 2nd
• Public University 115
• Other Community College 98
• Private 4-year 23
• Private 2-year 4

13
Most Important Potential Partners

• Most important potential partner for rural
  community colleges in meeting their economic
  development mission.
• Response
• Private sector entities 61 51
• Public agencies 52 43
• Institution of higher educ. 7 6

14
Discussion

• Economic development is an important part of the
  mission of the rural community college.
• Rural community college leaders want to
  collaborate more with both community-based
  organizations and institutions of higher
  education to fulfill that mission.

15
Discussion

• More collaboration with institutions of higher
  education is seen as desirable, but public and
  private (non-education) entities are seen as the
  best (most valuable) partners.
• Institutions from different sectors of higher
  education have the most difficulty in forming
  partnerships for economic development because of
  differing missions and goals.

16
Questions for Discussion

• Can institutions from different sectors of higher
  education collaborate on economic development
  activities?
• Why wouldnt universities want to collaborate
  with community colleges on rural economic
  development activities?
• Why wouldnt rural community colleges want to
  collaborate?

17
For more information

• Please refer to
• Pennington, K., Williams, M.R. (2004). Rural
  community colleges and economic development
  Leaders perceptions on collaboration. Journal
  of Applied Research in the Community College,
  11(2), 33-43.