This two-part report describes a study conducted to investigate the relationship between the community college and its economic environment. Section I provides an introduction to the debate on community college mission, outlines the theoretical framework of the study, reviews the characteristics of the community colleges' economic environment, and…

Students who voluntarily withdrew from Indiana University's Bloomington campus after completing two successful years of their undergraduate curriculum were surveyed. The study attempts to ascertain the degree to which various personal, academic, and financial factors entered into the decision to terminate or interrupt their educational program,…

The Current Student Survey was administered in October 1999 to 659 students. Relationships with the instructor, other students, and the counselors were among those aspects that received the highest ratings, along with a number of items dealing with the quality of instruction and knowledge received. Student Congress and its sponsored activities…

A brief questionnaire designed to help colleges and universities assess their crisis readiness is presented. Questions address such issues as written procedures, response team composition, campus information dissemination and media relations, and community relations. Ten items every college crisis plan should include are listed. (MSE)

Student satisfaction with the environments of five commuter colleges was studied at an eastern university. A reliable instrument was developed to profile 2,392 students' perceptions of 30 aspects of the college environment. To determine how student characteristics relate to their evaluations of the college environment, eight regression analyses…

In 1990, a research study was conducted to discover which variables students identified as being significant to their academic success, first at Mt. San Antonio Community College (MSAC), then after they transferred to the California State University (CSU) or to the University of California (UC). An important goal of the study was to determine if…

A college-level integrated study skills and orientation course is described. The unique aspect of the course is that learning/teaching occurs in the context of the university environment. Learning experiences generally utilized with this approach to reading and study skills instruction are illustrated by the following projects: an organized…

Attrition at the Arkansas College, a small independent institution, was studied through a survey of former students. Respondents were asked to reflect upon their college experience in relation to personal needs, academic and financial concerns, social life, services, and college life. The College Experience Survey and the Rate of Attrition…

In November 1991, a study was conducted to assess the corporate culture and state of communication at Victor Valley College (VVC), in Victorville, California. The study was designed to determine the extent to which "trust" or "distrust" existed at VVC, and whether the lack of communication on campus was real or perceived. Study…

This study assessed student perceptions of service at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane (Australia). Data were based on open-ended discussions with 48 undergraduate focus groups during which participants were asked what they perceived to be the good and bad aspects of university life, what they did to cope with obstacles, and how…

Legal issues concerning sexual harassment are examined, and advice regarding policies and procedures are offered as an update to a publication released by the College and University Personnel Association (CUPA) in 1981. Training methods and programs and special policy considerations for higher education are also covered. Of major concern is sexual…

Problems experienced by nonresident students at Auburn University and areas in which they are receiving fewer opportunities for personal development, compared with residential students, were studied. Responses to a survey were obtained from 624 nonresident students and 223 resident students. Statistical data and a descriptive summary of the survey…

This analysis of the academic profession in 14 nations was based on responses received from an international survey of nearly 20,000 college and university faculty members from Australia, Brazil, Chile, England, West Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. Data were analyzed and…

Attrition is a consistent feature of higher education--only about half the students who start college will ever receive a degree. The attrition rates of African-American students is even higher than that of their white counterparts. Attrition in general, and especially that of high risk students, is of great concern to university administrators…

The Community College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CCSEQ) is an instrument designed to determine how community college students spend their time and what quality of effort they put into learning. Specifically, the content of the questionnaire focuses on four elements: who students are and why they are at the college; how extensively and…