Analyzes the demographics, motivation, and environment of the lifelong learner. Offers potential responses of community college educators to meet their needs. Calls upon community colleges to fulfill a genuine social responsibility to lessen the gap between adults with formal education and those without it. (JM)

Surveyed 372 institutions with data from the American College Testing Assessment Program's Student Profile Section (ACT SPS) on entering freshmen who needed help in deciding their majors and careers. Investigated what percentage of freshmen need such help, and established a national profile of how colleges and universities respond to student…

This book presents 17 papers on higher education, organized into four parts, which address the higher education setting, external forces, the academic community, and central issues for the 21st century. Following an introduction by the editors, the papers are: (1) "Patterns in Higher Education Development" (Philip G. Altbach); (2) "The Ten…

A position is put forth on the appropriate content of a computer literacy course and the role of computer literacy in the community college. First, various definitions of computer literacy are examined, including the programming, computer awareness, and comprehensive approaches. Next, five essential components of a computer literacy course are…

Perspectives on the context and results of the investigation conducted by the National Commission on Excellence in Education are presented. It is noted that the Commission's analysis sought to determine the extent to which colleges fail to set and maintain high standards, and the extent to which they fail to make their measures and benchmarks of…

This paper outlines Florida's efforts toward improving its present educational system through increased emphasis on essential learning outcomes. After an introductory section, which notes some of the legislative steps and planning activities undertaken in support of this goal, the paper outlines six conditions that Florida's postsecondary…

The proceedings of the twelfth Congress of the Universities of the Commonwealth (Canada) are reported. Two papers were presented at the first plenary session: "Reconciling National, International and Local Roles of Universities with the Essential Character of a University," by Charles Wilson and "The World Food Problem and the…

This book of 16 author-contributed chapters examines issues of the media and public institutions of higher education including: the media ranking of universities and their contribution to low expectations of universities; the disjunction between massive support for college and university sports events and the intellectual and presumed academic…

In 1990, President George Bush and the nation's governors adopted new goals for education, including the goal that every adult American would be literate by the year 2000. During the past two decades, community colleges have played a significant role in the promotion of adult literacy. In many ways, the resources and services provided by community…

The renewed emphasis on the community college transfer function has both positive and negative aspects. On one hand, the creation of articulation agreements, transfer centers, consortia, and national centers promises to reduce the barriers between two- and four-year colleges, enhance the mobility of minority students, and improve teaching and…

Ways that the university must shift its priorities to serve society in the information age are discussed. The book shows that the prevalent emphasis on the quest for new ideas and knowledge is too narrow, that existing knowledge must be interpreted and applied in the real world, and that universities must focus on preparing individuals to apply…

Based on a nationwide study of the fiscal and administrative factors responsible for the maintenance of exemplary linkages between Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) prime sponsors and community colleges, this monograph presents guidelines for the development of cooperative relations between CETA and Maryland's community colleges.…

The American Educational System has proven itself to be responsive to the changing educational demands of a changing society. In the 1960's, these demands were for hard, rigid, scholarly curricula, geared to science, engineering, and the pursuit of the doctorate degree. In the 1970's, the educational system also met the demands of renewed interest…

Statistical information about the services offered to disabled students over a 5-year span on college and university campuses nationwide is provided, and the results of the study and their implications for service providers are discussed. As an increased number of disabled students exercise their rights to higher education, campus service…

Institutional effectiveness can be defined as the extent to which internal priorities coincide with the priorities of the external groups that provide funding and support for the institution. If a lack of congruence exists between these priorities, a college administrator has the options of attempting to change the values of the external groups or…