A procedure used to select students for a nursing program in a community college was evaluated, and attention was directed to the cost effectiveness of the program and the implications for the community of an open-door policy. The selection criteria were based on high school grades in chemistry and biology; scores on the Aptitude Test for Allied…

This three-part concept paper was the result of a colloquium, during which 35 community college educators met in Traverse City, Michigan, to discuss issues related to access, assessment, and developmental education and to develop concept papers and recommendations for each topic. First, introductory material describes the colloquium and its…

The open admissions policy at the City University of New York (CUNY) and the effect of fiscal crisis in New York are considered. One of the important changes that occurred after the fiscal crisis in 1975 was that entry to CUNY's senior colleges became more difficult. Another change was the implementation in 1977 of a more stringent and precisely…

Issues in community college basic skills instruction are reviewed and two model programs are outlined in this paper. First, concerns about student illiteracy, lack of academic preparation, and failure to complete courses are discussed, and public demands for educational accountability are examined. Next, the relationship between the "open…

The dilemma of maintaining academic standards as well as open access policies is discussed in this paper with respect to the causes of and possible solutions to the problem. Trends leading to the standards/open access dilemma are first considered, including the dominant belief in the 1950's that education served to select and groom the most…

The effectiveness of open admissions and delivery of educational services at a distance in serving adult learners enrolled at Athabasca University, Alberta, Canada, was studied in 1979-80 through an analysis of demographic and geographic information on 2,491 students. Information was gathered on the following characteristics: sex, age, number of…

Describes a national study of community college funding conditions at the state level, which ascertained whether individual institutions had implemented or were considering enrollment limitations resulting from budget shortfalls. Although a majority of states reported declining state support and increasing enrollments, few college leaders reported…

School choice policies allow parents to exercise an active role in selecting the school or educational program their children attend. This report reviews development of school choice policies at the national and state levels. Rationales for school choice programs and key components of these programs are noted. Eight types of school choice programs…

A program officer at the Ford Foundation traces her experiences as student and "young trustee" at Vassar, graduate student at Columbia University during the early '70s, and teacher at Staten Island Community College. The challenge of diversity that she encountered in the '70s is seen as still prevalent today. (MLW)

This paper presents findings of a study that analyzed participation patterns and the movement of students and state funds in Ohio during the 1993-94 school year, the first year during which Ohio's interdistrict open-enrollment law was fully implemented. The theoretical framework for the study was drawn from economics and business theories of…

A study and analysis was done of the contributions that open-admissions at City University of New York (CUNY) have made to the development and growth of a college educated class of men and women, especially minorities. In particular the analysis examined the marital, education, and economic contexts in which the children of participants in…

This study examined the student characteristics of Athabasca University (AU), Alberta, Canada, a distance and open university, and asked whether AU serves the student clientele that its mission proposes and to what the AU graduates attribute success. Established to make it possible for people to earn a university education regardless of where they…

This document examines the implementation and early effects of Minnesota's open-enrollment option, which allows families to apply to enroll their children in a public school in any nonresident school district in the state. During 1989-90, surveys were mailed to 2,663 participating families, 1,966 secondary school students, and all 432 district…

Characteristics and perceptions of participants in the Senior Citizen Tuition Waiver Program at the University of South Florida (USF) were studied, along with factors important to continuation in the program. Questionnaires were mailed to senior citizens (over 60 years old) using the waiver on all four USF campuses during the first two quarters of…

Existing choice plans, which allow parents and students to choose among a variety of schools, vary dramatically in size, shape, and purpose. Different types of choice programs have different impacts, especially on low-income and minority group students; and it is not yet clear how school choice programs should be structured to assure that those…