Governing towards democracy: Challenges and opportunities of trustees at urban community colleges

Abstract

The goal of this article is to enhance understanding and appreciation of the current and potential role of trustees in urban community colleges. In working to make sure students are successful, trustees face numerous challenges in implementing high‐impact policies and practices that center student success. This article establishes a node connecting an understudied topic (governance), and an understudied group (trustees), within an oft‐forgotten context (community colleges). The focus is on the influential role that urban community colleges play in serving educationally, economically, and ethnically marginalized populations and how the trustees must necessarily govern with these groups in mind.