New Article Published I Community College Daily
In his latest national column for Community College Daily, Dr. Mordecai Brownlee challenges higher education leaders to rethink the very nature of strategy.
What if strategy is not merely a roadmap for institutional success, but a moral decision?
In When Strategy Becomes a Moral Act, Dr. Brownlee invites educators, trustees, policymakers, and executive leaders to reflect on their “why.” At a time when institutions face enrollment pressures, fiscal constraints, political scrutiny, and shifting workforce demands, he argues that the most consequential decisions are not technical—they are ethical.
Strategy determines:
Who has access to opportunity
Which programs are prioritized
How resources are allocated
Whether institutions choose courage over comfort
For Dr. Brownlee, strategic planning is never neutral. It either advances upward mobility—or it maintains the status quo. It either expands belonging—or unintentionally reinforces barriers. It either serves communities—or protects systems.
This article continues Dr. Brownlee’s national conversation around purpose-driven leadership, institutional courage, and the responsibility community colleges carry as engines of economic mobility.
Higher education does not simply respond to change. It shapes the future. And strategy—when grounded in mission—is one of the most powerful tools leaders possess to do so.
Read the full article at Community College Daily:
👉 https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/02/when-strategy-becomes-a-moral-act/
New Article Published I NASPA Leadership Exchange
The conversation about the future of community colleges is evolving, and it requires more nuance than a single narrative.
Rural and urban institutions face very different realities. Yet the core mission remains the same: expanding access, strengthening workforce pathways, and advancing long-term economic mobility for learners and communities.
NASPA Leadership Exchange recently published a new article I co-authored with Dr. Leah Barrett, President of Northeast Community College titled, 👉 “Future Trends and Opportunities.”
In this piece, we explore how community colleges fulfill their mission in distinct ways across local contexts, while remaining deeply aligned in purpose.
Specifically, we examine:
🌾 How rural community colleges serve as workforce and economic anchors through deep industry partnerships, applied learning, and regional collaboration
🏙️ How metropolitan community colleges address access, equity, and basic needs while supporting diverse, first-generation learners at scale
🧩 Why workforce development, short-term credentials, and work-based learning are no longer optional, but ethical and moral imperatives
🧠 How addressing basic needs like food, housing, transportation, and mental health is foundational to student persistence and completion
🎓 Why dual and concurrent enrollment pathways are becoming essential strategies for early access, credential momentum, and long-term mobility
Read the article here: https://www.leadershipexchange-digital.com/leadershipexchange/library/item/2026winter/4308655/
New Article Published | Community College Daily
Dr. Mordecai’s latest article, “Why Community Colleges Can’t Be Fixed — They Must Be Rebuilt,” has been published in Community College Daily, the national publication of the American Association of Community Colleges.
In this piece, President Brownlee argues that incremental reform is no longer sufficient for community colleges facing seismic shifts in demographics, workforce demands, public trust, and funding structures. Instead, he calls for a fundamental rebuilding of institutional models—grounded in workforce alignment, equity as a moral obligation, and community colleges’ role as essential economic infrastructure.
Drawing on national research and his experience as a college president, Dr. Mordecai challenges leaders to move beyond surface-level fixes and toward bold, systems-level redesign that delivers real outcomes for students, families, and communities.
🔗 Read the full article:
https://www.ccdaily.com/2026/01/why-community-colleges-cant-be-fixed-they-must-be-rebuilt/
New Chapter Published I CampusWorks
2026 will demand courage — not comfort.
Dr. Mordecai was honored to contribute to Courageous Leadership: The Power of Brave Hearts and Bold Action to Spark Change in Higher Education, a national collection of presidents and change-makers telling the truth about what leadership requires in this moment.
In his chapter, “The Mission-Driven President,” he shares how they’ve aligned systems, strategy, and culture at the Community College of Aurora so every decision serves students and economic mobility.
The power is not in the person.
The power is in the mission.
You can read the chapter here: https://www.campusworksinc.com/the-mission-driven-college-president/
Brand New Article From Dr. Mordecai
New article now live in Community College Daily: Preparing Colleges for What Comes Next.
2025 pushed community colleges into one of the most transformative years in modern history. From federal policy shifts to financial aid disruptions and increasing expectations from learners and employers, our sector has been called to lead with clarity, courage, and intentionality.
In this article, Dr. Mordecai outlines what presidents, trustees, faculty, and leaders must focus on as we enter 2026:
Mission-centered innovation
Integrated pathways that drive economic mobility
Workforce alignment as a national imperative
Systems that turn disruption into long-term resilience
This moment demands alignment, strategy, and bold leadership across our institutions.
Read the full article here: https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/12/preparing-community-colleges-for-what-comes-next/
Brand New Article From Dr. Mordecai!
The future of higher education is shifting — quickly.
Dr. Mordecai’s latest article in Community College Daily explores why America is entering the era of the Workforce Campus and what leaders must do to meet this moment of transformation.
👇 Read the full article
https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/11/from-work-colleges-to-workforce-campuses/
Let’s keep leading with purpose.
Dr. Mordecai is Now a Columnist for Community College Daily!
🚨 The next workforce crisis is already unfolding.
America is facing a growing gap between available jobs and the skilled workers needed to fill them. As the number of high school graduates declines and industries evolve faster than ever, community colleges stand at the center of the solution — reskilling adults, aligning pathways, and redefining what access to opportunity looks like.
In Dr. Mordecai’s latest column for Community College Daily, he explores why this challenge is accelerating and how institutions can lead with innovation, courage, and purpose.
Read “Bracing for Impact”
👉 https://www.ccdaily.com/2025/10/bracing-for-impact/
Brand New Article From Dr. Mordecai
The world of higher education is changing fast—and leaders who don’t adapt will be left behind.
In Dr. Mordecai’s latest article for Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, he challenges colleges and universities to stop being “one-trick ponies.” Survival—and impact—requires innovation, agility, and boldness. In this piece, he unpacks:
Why traditional models of higher ed are no longer enough
How institutions can evolve to meet learner and workforce demands
The urgent call for leaders to either adapt… or step aside
READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://www.diverseeducation.com/opinion/article/15751885/no-more-onetrick-ponies-adapt-evolve-or-step-aside
