About CCCR

The University of Missouri-Columbia’s College of Education Announces the Creation of the Center for Community College Research

In October 2006, the College of Education at the University of Missouri-Columbia (MU) announced the creation of the Center for Community College Research (CCCR). The Center’s mission is to encourage, conduct, and disseminate research about the community college. Of particular interest to the Center is (1) the impact of national, state, and institutional credit-transfer systems upon community college students, (2) the effects of government and institution policies on baccalaureate attainment through initial attendance at the community college, and (3) best practices facilitating community college students who wish to and do transfer to four-year colleges, particularly in the state of Missouri.

Housed in the College of Education’s Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (ELPA), the Center can draw upon MU faculty expertise in several units and centers, including the Truman School of Public Affairs, the Rural Policy Research Institute, and the Missouri P-20 Education Research Center, as well as that of selected faculty from MU’s Colleges and Schools. Through the creation of an advisory board, community college practitioners across the state and nation will also provide expertise and advice about Center activities and research.

As a true interdisciplinary effort, the Center welcomes research partnerships with the three other University of Missouri campuses as well as with other institutions nationally. To facilitate its work, this diverse network of scholars and practitioners seeks grant and foundation funding for its research and practice-oriented activities. Results of its research and other activities will be disseminated among policy makers, practitioners and researchers within Missouri and across the country.

Barbara K. Townsend, director of the Center and professor of higher and continuing education in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis (ELPA) said this collaboration “symbolizes MU’s commitment to the importance of community colleges in baccalaureate attainment.”

Terry Barnes, the associate director for the Center, and also assistant provost for community college partnerships and assistant professor of practice in ELPA added, “As a former community college president and career-long practitioner in community colleges, I am particularly pleased to join Dr. Barbara Townsend in this very important work. I also appreciate the University of Missouri-Columbia’s support to provide such a valuable platform for community college research.” Barnes is the former president of Mineral Area College, a two-year public comprehensive community college located in the Ozark Mountains of eastern Missouri.