Are applied and workforce baccalaureate degrees offered by community colleges a natural extension of their mission to provide relevant educational programs to their constituents? Or is this emerging emphasis on offering baccalaureate degrees a radical deviation from the tried-and-true mission of comprehensive community colleges? In short, is this movement more evolutionary or revolutionary?

This issue does not take sides, but provides a deeper understanding of this movement from the perspectives of practitioners and scholars alike. The opportunities and challenges associated with...