This digest addresses one of the most recognized, yet unofficial, special populations on college campuses nationwide-- college student athletes. It is proposed that misconceptions and stereotypical viewpoints have hindered the development of effective counseling interventions with this population. Although college counseling centers are available,…

This digest addresses two aspects of managing bereavement on campus: 1) the need for effective counseling practices to help students manage grief, whether due to a death on campus or due to the death of a loved one, and 2) the need for institutional procedures to respond to the death of a campus community member. Administrators and faculty in…

This document reviews research on the factors affecting the retention of adult students, discusses the relevance of some attrition models for adults, and presents strategies for helping adults adapt to the university and for adapting the university to adults. Reviewing factors affecting retention, the digest says that student characteristics,…

This digest provides a review of current literature relating to sexual minorities and the ongoing dialogue surrounding multiculturalism and inclusiveness on community college campuses. A 1998 study conducted on the six San Francisco community college campuses indicated that more than 1 in 3 of 484 community college students surveyed had engaged in…

This digest compares long range planning with strategic planning in the community college, focusing on examples of colleges' strategic planning processes and on the future of strategic planning. Long range planning tends to be static, focusing on developing a plan based on what has already happened, while strategic planning emphasizes process over…

This report examines the importance of learning communities within institutions of higher education. It identifies two important dimensions of learning communities: (1) primary membership, which differentiates based on the characteristic that group members hold in common; these include learning organizations, faculty learning communities, and…

The properties of institutional culture are identified, and the way cultural perspectives have been used to describe life in colleges and universities are examined. Seven sections cover the following: cultural perspectives (the warrant for the report, organizational rationality, the remaining sections); culture defined and described (toward a…

The use and abuse of alcohol on college campuses is reviewed briefly and administrative responses are described. Campus initiatives include policy formation and enforcement, treatment programs, and prevention activities. Issues related to institutional liability are outlined, and important factors that bear on policy formation are detailed, such…

The summer 2001 issue of New Directions for Community Colleges evaluates recent research and policy discussions about transfer students and addresses the critical issues facing students moving through the educational pipeline. Chapters include: (1) "Transfer Student Adjustment" (Frankie Santos Laanan); (2) "Institutional Responses…

Pressures that have negatively affected the work environments of colleges are identified, and research concerning the work experience of faculty and administrators is reviewed. The effect of the extrinsic and intrinsic elements on faculty members' work is considered, including their power and autonomy, their relationships to the institution, and…

The makeup of student bodies in higher education has become more diverse, but students tend to be clustered in segments of the postsecondary system and in various levels and fields. Many campuses do not effectively integrate students who are different. Institutions that are successful in this area tend to: (1) focus on student success and provide…

This edition of New Directions for Community Colleges offers community college educators alternative models, approaches, and perspectives to consider in working with ethnic minority students. The volume addresses issues of assessment, career and educational goals, learning enhancement, success courses, mentoring programs, campus climate,…

Stresses experienced by college students at different educational levels are considered, along with ways that colleges can help reduce destructive forms of stress. After discussing how stress and coping are related, problems in defining stress and coping are considered, and models are proposed for understanding stress. Following an overview on the…

Indices and manifestations of quality in undergraduate education are considered and a four-part framework is developed. Context indices represent institutional characteristics that remain relatively stable over time (e.g., expenditures per student and size of student body), while input indices reflect characteristics of entering students (e.g.,…

The literature concerning burnout is reviewed, and specific ways that burnout can be minimized or eliminated in colleges are suggested. Burnout may occur with individuals who work with other people and who give much more than they get in return. Symptoms may include lack of enthusiasm for work, a sense of helplessness, and frustration. Physical…