Now in its eighth year, the Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges (MPPWCC) examines the extent to which diversity and inclusion are ingrained in the workplace culture of two-year community and technical colleges. Diverse: Issues In Higher Education works with the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) on the annual MPPWCC project.
Institutional leaders answer the MPPWCC web-based survey, which examines workplace diversity, staffing practices and work environment. For example, one section assesses the structural diversity of the institution and relevant departments in terms of race, gender, sexual orientation and disability status. Categories such as family friendliness, salary/benefits and professional development opportunities help determine the list.
There are more than 1,100 community colleges in the U.S. which educate more than 12 million students per year. This year’s list of the Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges includes some familiar names and some first timers. Each institution seeks out and values diverse faculty, staff and administrators who are committed to meeting students’ needs and working with them to achieve their goals. In alphabetical order, here are this year’s Most Promising Places to Work in Community Colleges:
Clarendon College
Located in Texas, Clarendon College certainly felt the impact of the pandemic. Enrollment dropped and several people left their positions, but President Tex Buckhaults says there have been some stellar recent hires. “Much of what we’ve accomplished over the past 18 months has been hiring good people, letting them do their jobs and providing the support they need to be successful,” says Buckhaults. “We’ve had several retirements. To me, a good sign is when people work until they’ve put in 30-plus years.”
