Traditionally, these imperatives have put community colleges in a tough spot. There is a natural tension between their institutional commitments to open-access for all students, and their characteristically low graduation rates.

This challenge has made it particularly gratifying for us to partner with Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count. Since 2008, we have been working with ATD – which has received significant funding from Lumina Foundation for Education and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – to help community colleges stay true to their role while improving their outcomes. What began as a 26-college pilot program in 2004 has blossomed into a network of 130 such institutions spread over 24 states and the District of Columbia.

The success of this initiative receives some much-deserved credit and recognition in this Sept. 6th cover story in Community College Week. By highlighting the practices some “leader colleges” have employed to boost their graduation rates, the article provides ample food for thought for institutions struggling with similar challenges.

TV is a powerful cultural influence. The Love Boat, for instance, is credited with practically inventing the modern cruise ship industry. In the late ’80s, law schools experienced a massive increase of students, which at least one law school dean attributed to the then-popular show L.A. Law—this despite the fact the show hardly put the legal field in a positive light. Even Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor says that her early interest in the law came from watching Perry Mason.

So what are community colleges to do? They can hope no one watches the show (a distinct possibility given NBC’s ratings these days).  Here are a few more proactive ideas, based on my time in local TV that might help community colleges manage the impact of Community:

• NBC is a major network comprised of local affiliates in every community.  These local stations are run by managers who must maintain a connection with the community as part of their job.  Reach out to these people. Invite them onto your campus.  Let them see what a community college looks like today.

• As part of this outreach, suggest that the news department produce a report about the “real” community college.

• If the NBC station is especially interested in your story, see if you could explore a partnership with the station.  Invite the news anchors to guest lecture or teach a writing or English class.  Ask the sales manager to provide an overview of the TV industry to marketing students.

• The station will be looking for local advertisers for the program (most likely a local car dealer).  Find out who the local advertisers will be and invite them on your campus and educate them about your value.

Community debuts on September 17, and I will be giving you my own review and more perspective on the show and its impact then.

- Adam Shapiro, Vice President, Public Affairs