In an effort to understand and unify competing voices, which on one hand defend and seek to preserve the open-access college and on the other hand point to concomitant tensions, dilemmas, and uncertainties and call for reform, this book examines the achievements of community colleges, as well as the lingering problems that undercut those…

An unofficial history is given of the Open University in England. Its intent is to recreate the atmosphere in which the institution was conceived and organized. First the main events of 1963-1969 are summarized. Separate sections are then devoted to events in 1970 and each subsequent calendar year through 1975. Milestones are noted, and the…

A two-phase study was conducted in order (1) to develop a profile of admission standards and practices which were being used by forty public occupational education programs in Florida; and (2) to enhance the state-of-the-art encompassing admission procedures by identifying the degree of equity associated with 19 admission standards as perceived by…

As the decision in the Bakke case drew near, Chicanos addressed the question of what they and higher education could do to insure increased minority admissions into graduate and professional schools. Commonly suggested proposals of changing formal admissions criteria and direct intervention by the law and government often cause more problems than…

Research on ethnic minority participation in community college education is reviewed in eight sections. The first delineates the distinguishing features of the modern community college, such as its emphasis on occupational education, its diversity of programs, and the prevalence of non-traditional course-taking patterns. The second section…

Although the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) are rooted in the tradition of providing transfer education to Chicago's working class youth, the current administrative acceptance of a market-oriented, vocational philosophy has resulted in a decline in general education courses and has jeopardized equal access to higher education. This vocational…

The political dynamics surrounding the adoption of an open admissions policy at the City University of New York (CUNY) are discussed. Analysis of the case of CUNY also provides a basis for considering the politics of structural change in American higher education. It is suggested that when Chancellor Albert Bowker took office in 1963, he followed…

Since Coastline Community College (CCC) opened in Fall 1976, CCC has served as a model for the community-based, "college beyond walls" movement. CCC, which has no physical campus, uses 127 existing facilities throughout its service area, including public and private buildings, homes, and businesses. Besides eliminating high construction…

The three case studies in this report describe state-level efforts to address diversity and equity in postsecondary institutions in California, Maryland, and Washington. A preface provides some background on affirmative action programs, litigation history, and the roles of state coordinating agencies and institutional governing boards. The…

This book analyzes the transformation of British higher education from a closed, elite university system into an open, mass post-secondary education system. It sees the changes in British higher education as stemming from: (1) the rapid expansion in the number of students that created pressures for a shift to a mass, open post-secondary education…

A bibliography of articles by Alexander W. Astin on the social psychology of higher education is presented. Entries are presented by year, starting with 1980 and dating back to 1956. Topics that are covered include: equal access to higher education, student persistence and attrition, higher education policy, selective admissions and open…