The Metamorphosis of Community Colleges.

According to the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, by 1975 the community-college system boasted half the total enrollment in higher education. These dramatic numbers were due primarily to the infusion of adults, who flocked to area institutions offering two-year degrees, located in major population centers, and catering to working students. Many of these students were returnees to education who had been in the workplace and who therefore had specific vocational goals in mind. The Carnegie Commission reported that one-third of the community- college students were taking vocational courses, from advertising to wildlife management.

Flexible, Community-Oriented Programs.

Community colleges were able to tailor their programs to local community business and industry needs. Corning, New York, for example, boasted a special program in glassmaking, complementing the Corning glassworks nearby. An even closer tie with industry, however, was found at the...