| The economic and social pressures facing higher education in the 21st century drive the need for transformation in higher education. According to Drucker (1999a), Keller (1999), Kesler (1996), and McClenney et al. (1999), these pressures stem from changes in demographics, shifts in funding sources, fast-paced technology changes, and the need for developmental education. These pressures will bring about substantive changes in the educational delivery systems of the 1990s, resulting in a major transformation during the 21st century at many community colleges.; Much has been written on the need for community colleges to adopt strategic planning as a means to transform the institution. In recent years, few community colleges have begun to abandon traditional educational delivery systems and embrace systems that are more responsive to the needs of the 21st century student. The League for Innovation has recognized 12 Vanguard Learning Colleges as leaders in the educational transformation effort at community colleges.; This study is designed to examine strategic planning models at the 12 Vanguard Learning Colleges to determine the impact of strategic planning on the transformation of the institutions to Learning Colleges. The 12 Vanguard Learning Colleges were selected as the population for this study because of their commitment to strategic planning, as well as their commitment to becoming Learning Colleges.; This study utilizes multiple qualitative and quantitative methodologies to analyze the extent of strategic planning and the level of implementation of the Learning College at the 12 Vanguard Learning Colleges. Data sources included surveys, interviews, and documentary evidence. Three Vanguard Learning Colleges were selected for more in-depth study.; The findings of this study suggest that community colleges that use literature-based strategic planning as a vehicle for change are more likely to transform the institution to a Learning College. Further, the transformation process is a lengthy and difficult process requiring exceptional managerial skills from the Chief Executive Officer. These findings also suggest that implementing the strategic plan is the greatest challenge. Institutional transformation requires leadership that can develop strategies to manage cultural changes and develop strategic thinking within the institution. This researcher recommends further study in exploring best practices in change management in higher education. |
