Communication and learning skills, along with technological literacy, are becoming curricular objectives rather than hoped for by-products of a higher education experience. The author discusses the slow reponse of colleges and universities to these changing social expectations and articulates some particular opportunities and challenges for community colleges. Those challenges are defined as aspects of mission (including lifelong learning) and purpose (comprehensiveness and access). The author illustrates these considerations with a sample reformulated mission statement and discusses the need for community college leaders to contemplate a revamped curriculum suitable for the information age that is based on general education.
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