When the COVID-19 pandemic began, it caused enrollment declines at community and technical colleges. However, it also led these schools to innovate to better support students who might otherwise be overlooked. Xueli Wang, an expert in higher education at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, highlights some actions community colleges took in her new book, “Delivering Promise: Equity-Driven Educational Change and Innovation in Community and Technical Colleges.” She discusses a few examples in the following Q&A.
The pandemic prompted these institutions to address some long-standing issues. One of their initiatives was to establish new partnerships with four-year colleges and universities. For instance, in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Technical College System and the University of Wisconsin System collaborated in 2021 to create the Universal Credit Transfer Agreement. This agreement sets a core group of courses—up to 72 credits—that can be transferred between the two systems. This change simplifies the process for students, especially those unsure of their academic goals, to move from one system to the other or simultaneously take courses in both as they explore their options.
Before the pandemic, these systems were considered distinct, with limited transfer possibilities between them. The transfer agreement emerged partly due to ongoing enrollment reductions, which hit a critical point when the pandemic resulted in a 10 percent enrollment drop for the Wisconsin Technical College System and about a 5 percent decrease for the University of Wisconsin System. This partnership was also spurred by a unified focus on supporting students’ welfare. As one educator noted, “This is the time to support students in their educational aspirations.” Previously, administrators and educators in the two systems viewed students as clients belonging to either one or the other.
Now, they regard themselves as collectively responsible for serving the students. One notable effort involves creating more comprehensive support systems to address students’ diverse challenges. These challenges can be informational, financial, or personal. A prime example is the Student Resource Center at a North Carolina community college. As with all the schools in the book, the identity remains confidential as part of research protocols. Set up by a team from various departments—financial aid, admissions, and advising—the center aims to provide students with broader access to support services. Managed by a vice president and chief student services officer, the center offers everything a student needs in one location: a library, bookstore, food pantry, financial aid guidance, course advising, and admissions and registration services.
It also has workstations for staff to assist students online or in person and direct them to needed resources. This innovation allowed the college to connect more students with nearby resources, even those who might hesitate to seek help. A standout example is the Science Pathway Program at Midwest Technical College—a fictional name for one of the schools mentioned in my book. This program embraces the concept that education is more than a transaction; it aims to develop the whole person. While preparing students for the workforce, it also teaches them to apply scientific knowledge to everyday experiences.
For instance, students learn to search for and interpret information across different courses and understand science’s impact on decision-making in areas like politics, the economy, and society. To ready students for employment, instructors collaborate with industry partners to prepare them for roles such as lab technicians. Students may also prepare for careers in quality assurance across food, agriculture, chemical manufacturing, and other industries. Academically, students take Organic Chemistry I and II, qualifying them for advanced coursework in biological, chemical, environmental, and other science majors. Upon completing the program, students can transfer to one of the state’s three public four-year institutions to pursue a bachelor’s degree or enter the workforce directly.