The gap between institutional ambition, resources, and performance is what prompted Richard Alfred and his authors to develop this book. It is written at a time when community colleges are facing problems with increasing demand and limited resources that have forced them to search for efficiency and new ways of supporting growth. The purpose of Community Colleges on the Horizon is to open up a new way of thinking about institutional growth and development and leadership and management based on the concept of abundance-elevating dynamics in institutions that lead to extraordinary performance and outcomes that surpass expectations. The authors describe different circumstances colleges will find themselves in as a function of their leadership, their resources (both tangible and intangible), and the capabilities of their staff. This book is not for the complacent; it is not for those who are unwilling to look openly at their institutions. It will be most useful for those who believe their institution can and should do better, for those who prefer action to words, for those who are unafraid to challenge convention, for those who are ready to pursue opportunity and change, and, ultimately, for those who believe that their institution has unexploited potential.
