The view of higher education as a privilege, rather than a right, did not die with open admissions in the City University system. Rather, under pressures of the fiscal crisis of the 1970s, this view has regained its ascendancy as socially advantaged groups struggle to maintain their position. (Author/GC)

Discusses open-door admission policy. Whether students might be admitted to the institution but be blocked from specific programs by tightening criteria is tested by the use of Muller's IQV method designed to compare qualitative variations. Results indicate minority students at Northeastern Illinois University have access to all programs. (Author)

Argues that systematic community college reforms are required to maintain open access and meet demands for higher academic standards and fiscal accountability. Reviews the development of the access vs standards debate, considers special problems caused by the increase in federal student aid and enrollment-driven funding, and outlines six reform…

The open door of the community college too often becomes a revolving door when student needs are not met and program quality decreases. Case studies highlight instances in which community colleges' open access policies, teamed with inadequate advising and hard-sell recruitment tactics, can frustrate the goal achievement of underprepared students.…

This response to criticisms of open admissions programs in U.S. postsecondary education addresses the following issues: that there are not enough jobs for graduates; that enrollments will decline anyway; and that expanding access to education is a myth that promises social mobility but only maintains social inequalities. (JMD)

Argues that although parents have primary responsibility for education society must ensure that it is distributed fairly and provides the skills and knowledge that every American should learn. Outlines arguments for and against "open enrollment" or unrestricted choice school plans. Describes a system of conditional choices implemented in…

Access, excellence, and equity can be combined, with the help of a revised-access model for community colleges that merges the desirable elements of competitive selection and open enrollment in an effort to protect democratic values while supporting quality and commitment. (MSE)

A three-year case study of education at "Oakwood Community College," an anonymous urban institution with an open access admissions policy, is described. What is happening to the students at open-access institutions, their learning styles, their objectives, their behavior, and whether these students are serviced or taught is discussed.…

The issues of equality and excellence are examined along with the barriers to postsecondary schooling, the organization of college admissions, and the widening of access to further schooling. These factors are used in an intensive study of a single institution's (Roosevelt University's) policies and procedures. (LBH)

Considers writing instruction in open-admissions sites as central to the historical formation and continuing practice of composition studies. Interviews compositionists at open-admissions institutions, showing how they put students' acts of reading and writing at the center of their disciplinary practice, and regard the teaching of first-year…

Controlled choice is a method of desegregation that is voluntary, empowers parents and school staff, and leads to new and exciting school organization and curriculum. To move in the direction of controlled choice, substantial changes in present school organization and operation must be made. This planning guide, based upon the actual experiences…

The public junior college was conceived with an "open door" to give the disadvantaged high school graduate another chance to break the poverty cycle and the minority student an opportunity to extend his/her skills and career options. Since its inception in the early 1900's, the mission of the junior college has changed. The initial focus on…

Stressing the importance of proper management and careful integration of instructional and support programs, this monograph argues that access and selectivity in the community college can complement and temper each other. Chapter I offers a brief historical overview of the relationship between access and selectivity in American higher education,…

The report explores the inner life of the Italian university system and describes the results of increased student access to a university that remains essentially elitist. It highlights the tensions and constraints that have placed Italian higher education in a state of suspended animation between mass entry and elitist structures. It is predicted…

The Open University is playing a significant part in "compensatory" education by providing degree-level courses for large numbers of adults who for one reason or another did not go on to degree-level education after leaving school. It has attracted a large number of students from working-class backgrounds. (Author/LBH)