Since it was first published in 1982 The American Community College has become the primary resource that faculty, administrators, trustees, and researchers look to for a comprehensive analysis of the most recent findings and up-to-date information on the American community college. Throughout this important book, Arthur M. Cohen and Florence B. Brawer describe how community colleges fit into the American educational system, the services they provide, and the effects they have on the community. This completely revised and updated edition contains information about recent changes in the community college landscape, including consolidation of faculty power, mandatory testing and placement of students, the greater prominence of developmental education, and the attention given to state-level directives regarding institutional functioning and funding. The authors also present the current information on a number of other topics, including student flow, instruction, student services, and curricular functions. In addition, The American Community College includes updated tables and graphs that reflect the most current data and incorporate new examples of the services that colleges provide. Since it was first published in 1982 The American Community College has become the primary resource that faculty, administrators, trustees, and researchers look to for a comprehensive analysis of the most recent findings and up-to-date information on the American community college. Throughout this important book, Arthur M. Cohen and Florence B. Brawer describe how community colleges fit into the American educational system, the services they provide, and the effects they have on the community. This completely revised and updated edition contains information about recent changes in the community college landscape, including consolidation of faculty power, mandatory testing and placement of students, the greater prominence of developmental education, and the attention given to state-level directives regarding institutional functioning and funding. The authors also present the current information on a number of other topics, including student flow, instruction, student services, and curricular functions. In addition, The American Community College includes updated tables and graphs that reflect the most current data and incorporate new examples of the services that colleges provide. The American Community College is a comprehensive book that will be useful to anyone concerned with the role and purpose of two-year institutions in American higher education. The descriptions and analyses of each of the institution's functions can be used by administrators who want to learn about practices that have proven successful at other colleges, curriculum planners involved in program revisions, faculty members seeking ideas for modifying their courses, trustees and officials concerned with college policies regarding curriculum and student services, and graduate students preparing for careers in these institutions. Praise for the Previous Edition "This book is essential reading for anyone who thinks deeply about community colleges. Students in leadership programs as well as professionals with many years of experiences will benefit from its rich content." David R. Pierce, president, American Association of Community Colleges "I have been using the earlier editions of this book with my graduate students for more than a decade, and they and I love it for its conciseness, accuracy, and treatment of issues in an analytical way. The book has great 'take-home' value." Joseph N. Hankin, president, SUNY/Westchester Community College "Comprehensive, scholarly, and well-written. Already a classic in its field, this third edition of The American Community College is an indispensable resource for graduate students, professors, and anyone else who wants to understand the development and unique mission of America's community colleges." George B. Vaughan, professor of higher education, North Carolina State University Arthur M. Cohen is professor of higher education at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is the author of The Shaping of American Higher Education (Jossey-Bass, 1998) Florence B. Brawer is research director of the Center for the Study of Community Colleges. Cohen and Brawer are the editor-in-chief and associate editor, respectively, of the Jossey-Bass quarterly series New Directions for Community Colleges.