Organizational Change in the Community College: A Ripple or a Sea Change

"While change is a defining characteristic of the community college, change alone is usually neither revolutionary nor deep enough to challenge the values of the organization's members or constituents. The community college acts and changes in accord with its identity, and organizational changes elaborate that identity. The actions of the community college indicate its goals, both as a vehicle for social movement and as an individual institution. We are not then experiencing a sea change, but perhaps we are developing a clearer picture of the community college: the kind of institution it is--nontraditional, social, and educational--and its foremost characteristics--adaptability, dynamism, and malleability. As a living system, the community college acts and changes in order to express its nature and survive."--From publisher.