Community-college students, like students anywhere, begin to form their impressions of an institution the instant they set foot on its campus. And often what they find during those first few weeks can determine whether they come back for more, or turn heel and leave. Findings from a new study may offer some clues as to why those who leave do so,…

Economic storms historically have prompted more adults to seek shelter in the classroom. But this time around, two-year colleges and private for-profit institutions are especially optimistic about attracting more students--and many of those older students will probably take courses online, according to one of the authors of a recent survey. The…

High-school seniors have only until May 1 to decide where they will go to college. While it is still too soon to tell if widespread predictions that seniors will flock to lower-cost institutions were accurate, two new surveys and conversations with guidance counselors suggest that the economic situation is indeed playing a large role in students'…

All the tutoring in the world cannot save students who run short of the money they need to pay for college. This year's Community College Survey of Student Engagement affirms as much. In the survey, known as Cessie, nearly half (45 percent) of respondents cited a lack of finances as a hardship that would likely cause them to withdraw from classes…

This article reports on the findings from the 2007 Community College Survey of Student Engagement. The survey determined the services that students need but are not receiving in their first four weeks of college. It finds that many new community-college students receive little or no attention from advisers in their first four weeks of class. The…

Community colleges in nearly half of the states will probably face midyear reductions in their appropriations, according to a survey of members of the National Council of State Directors of Community Colleges. The study paints a bleak picture of a widening fiscal crisis among state governments, which started in the most recent budget year and is…

At the top echelon of higher education, boards have to pay to play when hiring a president. "The Chronicle"'s latest survey of executive compensation shows what might be described as the minimum pay now required at the top institutions. At public research universities, the minimum compensation among the big players is roughly $450,000. In the…

This article reports on a new national survey showing that state spending on higher education is continuing to rise throughout most of the nation and growing faster in much of the South. Total state general-fund appropriations for higher education are up by 7 percent, to $72.18-billion, in the current 2006-2007 fiscal year, according to an annual…

For years administrators at J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, in Richmond, Virginia, had a hunch that students were not taking full advantage of the college's advising services. Still, they were disappointed two years ago, when the Community College Survey of Student Engagement revealed that their students rarely used career services and…

Data for administrators in 61 secondary administrative positions are given for universities, four-year colleges, public two-year colleges, and all institutions as a group. (MSE)

The first decline in state appropriations for higher education in 33 years is largely a result of the recession. Regionally, the East is faring worst. Many states are giving priority to community colleges and student aid. Data and rankings for each state are presented, including figures for major institutions. (MSE)

A national survey of faculty at colleges of all sizes indicates that professors are increasingly optimistic about their profession but are deeply troubled by the attitudes and academic credentials of their students and the quality of academic administration. (MSE)

Issues related to minorities and higher education were reported at a federally sponsored conference. Research described is related to: black students and black colleges; community colleges and minority students; faculty hiring and affirmative action; campus presidents and minority enrollments; and Supreme Court decisions and affirmative action.…

Data on each state's fiscal 1996-97 appropriations to postsecondary education are presented, giving dollar amounts and two-year changes for individual institutions and other categories, such as aid to private colleges and allocations for vocational education, community colleges, technical colleges, and student financial aid. States are also ranked…

Findings in "The Diverted Dream: Community Colleges and the Promise of Educational Opportunity in America, 1990-1985," a book based on interviews with 90 community college educators, are described. The authors suggest that two year colleges have allowed liberal arts transfer programs to deteriorate, and that they may become "virtual…