In developing this compendium of exemplary economic development practices among small and/or rural two-year colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges Commission on Small/Rural Community Colleges (CSMCC) sent out a call for program descriptions to all community colleges with less than 3,000 full-time employees or that were self-designated as small or rural. A sample of the best submissions were selected by committee for inclusion in this publication. Following a brief introduction and a listing of CSMCC members, the report presents one-page summaries of 89 economic development programs. The program summaries are grouped into the following categories: (1) efforts in entrepreneurship/new business development, including Bessemer State Technical College's (Alabama) business incubator program and Phillips County Community College's (Arkansas) ethanol production facility study; (2) processes for technology deployment, including Gateway Community Technical College's (Connecticut) automotive cooperative program and Clovis Community College's (New Mexico) instruction via fiber optics program; (3) industrial recruitment and retention efforts, including Alabama Aviation and Technical College's retiree recruitment program and Illinois Central College's economic development consortium; and (4) college relationships with business and industry, including Allen County Community College's (Kansas) robotic installation assistance program and Alexandria Technical College's (Minnesota) center for total quality management training. Each program summary includes the program name; name of the college, the executive officer, and the college address; the program contact person and his/her telephone number; a summary of exemplary accomplishments; a description of what was done and how it was done; resource requirements; and a list of key factors in success. (PAA)

The AACC competencies were initially developed to help provide guidance in developing community college leaders because of predictions of a leadership crisis in the two-year college sector. Since their creation, the competencies have been used to direct topics in leadership development programs and to guide future leaders about what skills are critical to master. Yet scant research exists on the use of the competencies in practice or on analysis of the competencies within the changing higher education climate. This issue provides a review of the research on the competencies in the field and posits several strategies for the future use of the competencies and potential changes to the competencies. This is the 159th volume of this Jossey-Bass quarterly report series. Essential to the professional libraries of presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other leaders in today's open-door institutions, New Directions for Community Colleges provides expert guidance in meeting the challenges of their distinctive and expanding educational mission.

Published annually since 1985, the Handbook series provides a compendium of thorough and integrative literature reviews on a diverse array of topics of interest to the higher education scholarly and policy communities. Each chapter provides a comprehensive review of research findings on a selected topic, critiques the research literature in terms of its conceptual and methodological rigor, and sets forth an agenda for future research intended to advance knowledge on the chosen topic. The Handbook focuses on twelve general areas that encompass the salient dimensions of scholarly and policy inquiries undertaken in the international higher education community. The series is fortunate to have attracted annual contributions from distinguished scholars throughout the world.