Examines national survey results on consideration given to rural colleges in state funding formulas. Reports on various modes of recognition for small size and rural environments. Gives synopsis of funding formulas for 50 states. Concludes that most states do not meet fiscal responsibility for low-cost, two-year postsecondary, rural education.…

This case study of faculty culture focused on the dynamics of a small, rural, two-year branch campus of a large state university. It reports descriptive themes concerning the isolation and rural location of the campus, its diminutive size, faculty role perspectives, and factors related to faculty role implementation. It provides a portrait of this…

This paper examines the perceptions and attitudes of the faculty of a rural community college about their institution's mission. The college serves a 19-county area in central Alabama, characterized by high rates of illiteracy, unemployment, and poverty. Surveys were completed by 74 of the 100 faculty members. Faculty generally supported their…

This examination of the impact of technology on the educational role of small academic libraries focuses on the information access aspect of technology. Librarians at 26 colleges in Illinois with enrollments of under 3,000 students responded to a survey which measured the libraries' access to databases through online searching and the use of…

A study examined the kinds of skills that minority students felt prepared them for college and helped them to succeed. All 80 minority students enrolled at Illinois' Millikin University (enrollment, 1,800 students) were interviewed for 20 to 30 minutes each. Results indicated that: (1) students reported that English composition/writing classes,…

A survey was conducted to identify the patterns of academic and administrative computer services in use--or planned for the near future--in small colleges and universities as they relate to such strategic policy areas as: (1) management/governance structure; (2) personnel-staff; (3) personnel-faculty; (4) academic computing; (5) library services;…

In 1982, Ursinus College instituted a new Freshman Advising Program (FAP), involving: a greatly expanded role for the advisor; postponement of the declaration of major; greater emphasis on student-centered developmental advising; a focus on the transition needs of freshmen; a focus on the problem of false starts and student encounters with…

Work values of faculty members in small liberal arts colleges that belonged to the Council of Independent Colleges were investigated. Questionnaires were sent to 719 faculty members and 353 usable responses were received: 215 from church-related colleges and 138 from independent colleges. Super's Work Values Inventory was used to measure 15 work…

A survey was conducted to determine: (1) what percentage of total planning time of the various personnel involved in institutional planning is allocated to the several planning functions; and (2) how planning functions are organized at small four-year public institutions. A questionnaire was mailed to the chief executive officers of 188…

Presents methods and findings of a study of finances, programs, costs, curriculum, and innovative practices at 160 small rural colleges, including comparative data on a small sample of nonrural and large community colleges. Finds small colleges receiving special consideration from funding sources and program diversity related to enrollment size.…

This study developed and tested a method to determine how well each two-year institution in a state system is in preparing students for the successful completion of four-year college study and how successful each four-year institution is in graduating students from the two-year colleges that transfer to it. The study used data provided by the…

A study explored the impact of participation in a peer mentoring program upon student retention at a small liberal arts college in the Midwest. Previous studies linked communication competence with participation in a mentoring relationship and student retention, so students' communicative adaptability scores were utilized to discover antecedent…

The needs and problems of the small college or university management information system are discussed through the experiences of a small midwestern university. It is suggested that technological advancements in software and minicomputers will improve the systems development capabilities of small institutions. (Author/BH)

Describes changes in career and community college curricula, focusing on the general education function, structure, developmental education components, technical specialization, and connections between basic education and technology. Suggests that educational partnerships and curriculum changes are agents of societal renewal. (23 citations) (MAB)

The opinions of 191 faculty members and program directors concerning specialized programs and their accreditation in small liberal arts colleges were obtained via administration of a 20-item Likert-type mail survey and site visits to 8 liberal arts colleges. Most respondents approved of current accreditation processes. (SLD)