"Historically, community colleges have served societal and functional missions that expanded over time, with the result of trying to achieve multiple goals for multiple audiences. This volume explores the forces currently shaping community college missions and the resulting tension between stated goals, assumed goals, and achievement of those goals. In an era of increasing accountability, tighter coupling, and the need to do ever more with fewer resources, mission focus is vital to college survival. This work explores such issues as: the unspoken social contract, transfer, developmental education, noncredit education, dual enrollment, workforce development, the free college movement, and planning for the future. The topics are explored thoughtfully from both scholarly and practical perspectives, highlighting the forces that shape community college missions"--Provided by publisher