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Key Issues
Distance
Finding qualified university faculty members who either live in the local region or who are available and willing to regularly travel to the campus, particularly if the college is located in a rural area at a distance from the nearest university population center, can be a significant challenge for the four-year University Center. Distance education delivery systems help overcome this problem to some extent, but may not always be an ideal option with certain programs or students.
Physical Facilities/Resources
Four-year degree programs offered through a University Center may be limited by the need for specialized laboratory requirements or comprehensive library resources required in some fields. Inter-Library loan systems and the availability of Internet information resources have helped overcome some challenges of inadequate resources to support upper-division coursework. In some locales universities have also used their own funding sources to build and operate facilities co-located on the community college campus.
Academic Culture
Community colleges and universities entering into a University Center partnership need to recognize the potential for a clash of academic cultures. They need to place a high priority on maintaining the supportive environment typical of community colleges while offering a more "rigorous and challenging university experience." One University Center resolved this potential conflict of philosophies and environments by creating a support network and advisory committee specifically for issues that might arise within the University Center program. Such a support network may help address the fact that community college staff must be aware of the University Center program requirements, and that university staff must acclimate to the community college culture.
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