ABSTRACT Community colleges are a unique part of the American higher education system that promote access and opportunities for many students who might not otherwise attend a college or university. The purpose of this article is to address community colleges in three parts: their historical relevance, their organisational mission and structure and their present issues. As these institutions have expanded, their institutional missions have become broader due to political and economic interests. With an egalitarian focus and a low-cost market position, community colleges face many issues related to the facilities, the coursework offerings, the instructors and the open admissions policies that make their role in higher education so different than traditional colleges and universities. As community colleges look toward the future and seek to address outstanding challenges, the institutions will need to continue adapting to stay relevant and meet the needs of local communities across the country.

中文翻译：

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美国社区学院：历史、政策和问题

摘要 社区学院是美国高等教育系统的一个独特部分，它为许多可能无法就读学院或大学的学生提供入学机会和机会。本文的目的是从三个部分阐述社区学院：它们的历史意义、它们的组织使命和结构以及它们目前的问题。随着这些机构的扩大，由于政治和经济利益，它们的机构使命也变得更加广泛。由于注重平等和低成本的市场地位，社区学院面临着许多与设施、课程设置、教师和开放招生政策相关的问题，这使得它们在高等教育中的作用与传统学院和大学大不相同。