This 4-year study of 12 community colleges examined the institutional policies and administrative practices that encouraged or discouraged effective faculty behaviors. The study focused on faculty and administrative subcultures and the learning environment that they help to create in these open-door institutions. The study found that different…

The concept of access is central to any discussion of issues confronting the community college. The search for creative and effective ways of pursuing access involves examining institutional practices and state policies to define access in a way that will satisfy the need for acceptable standards and quality. Issues to be addressed in searching…

Development of the concept of quality within higher education, at both government and institutional levels, is traced, focusing on differences in state and institutional approaches and concerns in the pursuit of quality. Miami-Dade Community College (Florida) illustrates one approach. Relative impact of different approaches on the public interest…

Evolution of "quality" in higher education as an institutional concept is traced, and differences between approaches at the institutional and state levels are explored. Contrasting approaches in Florida and Illinois are examined, particularly in the case of Miami-Dade Community College (Florida). Contribution of the different approaches…

A study was conducted to compare the priorities of college administrators with those of strategic external constituencies regarding the activities of the Maricopa Community Colleges and Central Arizona College. The strategic constituencies for the colleges were defined as all 90 state legislators, 21 state board members and staff, and a sample of…

Community college trustees face critical decisions on policy issues. Instead of the growth-oriented marketing approach, the alternative of planned decline under board management is suggested. Alternatives, response to decline, role of faculty in policy determination, and new resource allocations are discussed. (MLW)

Drawing from autobiographical essays prepared by students enrolled in urban community college districts in eight states, this report profiles the lives of these students with particular focus on family background; educational objectives; obligations and problems related to work and home life; and career and educational plans and goals.…

Two overlapping nationwide studies, one funded by the Ford Foundation and the other by the U.S. Department of Education, provide information covering policies, procedures, and practices that enhance or impede the academic success of minority students in universities and community colleges. Topics include understanding the problem of minority…

The roles of urban community colleges, state universities, and state government in promoting the attainment of bachelor's degrees among urban community college students were investigated in the following urban settings: Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Miami, Newark, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Tampa-St. Petersburg. In each city, the…

This case study, part of the State Structures for the Governance of Higher Education study, focuses on governance and related issues in Illinois' higher education system. The study's overall purpose was to examine differences among states in their governance structures, and to determine if differences in performance were related to governing…

Based on a 3-year case study of an open-access community college, this monograph examines the background to, causes of, and possible resolutions for the decline of literacy in open-access colleges. Chapter 1 presents a working definition of literacy; considers the nature of literacy in a community college setting; and raises issues concerning the…

Through an understanding of the historical forces that raised the community college to prominence during the past decades and that are now threatening this position, the community college trustee can contribute to the process of securing a base for future progress. The period from 1961 to 1980 saw a tripling of the number of two-year colleges and…

Factors that affect the attainment of a bachelor's degree by urban students are outlined. The demographic profile of American school children makes it clear that problems for urban colleges and universities will grow in the years ahead. There is a correlation between income and education achievement; low income students do not achieve, persist, or…

This report is the outcome of a project designed to study the literacy demands of selected academic, vocational/technical, and developmental studies programs and courses and of administrative tasks in relation to the literacy skills of minority and other community college students. Chapter I discusses the nature and value of literacy in modern…

The concept of barrier-free transfer from two-year to four-year colleges is an important element in planning for student access to the baccalaureate. While it seems clear that transfer works reasonably well for most students most of the time, evidence suggests that transfer may be a qualitatively and quantitatively different experience at the…