Introduction

To meet the needs of a quickly expanding student body while continuing to support the focused goals of many students, some community college districts have chosen to build and maintain learning centers. Other districts continue to develop centralized full-service campuses as quickly as they can fund the space. Unlike the private sector, community colleges do not have the resources to lease space for learning centers in corporate office complexes where their students are located, and unlike universities, they do not receive research grants to fund large expansions. Community colleges must rely upon state or local funding to support critical needs within the community. Thus, funding limits the growth models for community colleges.

The study described in this article reviews two districts that are in close proximity to one another. Both districts have large growth rates for their regions, causing their boards to adopt new facility development plans. The study reviews the demographics of the student populations, including the economic industry of the areas served, ethnicity, age, and transfer rates, to evaluate the pressures that exist for each district. One district, Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD), and its Board of  

Debra L. Smith. 2007. Learning Centers Versus Campus Development: Growing Pains for Community Colleges. Planning for Higher Education. 35(3): 34–44.