The term "throughput" refers to the percentage of a student cohort who complete a course sequence within a set period after having begun that sequence at the same point in time. Under AB 705 the set period for observing throughput rates is described in law as "one year". While that time frame seems intuitive enough, the…

The purpose of this mixed-methods simple explanatory sequential research design study was to examine and explore the relationship between semester-length and online student success at a community college in southeast Texas. Five research questions were addressed. The first two quantitative questions asked (1) how does semester-length relate to…

This quantitative study investigated the ability of the noncognitive characteristic of grit to predict community college student success and persistence. Grit levels were measured using the eight-item Grit-S scale that was administered to students in classes of a large suburban community college. Individual-level institutional data also were…

Although cell phones are often discussed as a problem in higher education research, the literature focuses largely on disciplinary tactics or integration of phones into the curriculum. The present study provides further support for the use of positive reinforcement to minimize the negative effects of cell phones in the classroom. A…

This article follows a small piece of one community college's SEM [strategic enrollment management] journey in using its student retention data to identify opportunities to deploy re-enrollment strategies. The re-enrollment rates of new students who did not return following their first semester served as the starting point of the investigation;…

This sequential mixed method study (Creswell, 2003) compared the adjustment process of community college transfer students who began in the fall to those who began mid-year, beginning with a quantitative phase and extending to a qualitative phase of data collection in the fall semester and repeating this same sequence of data gathering with…

This practicum report evaluates student perception of the conversion to a semester academic calendar at Snead State Community College (Alabama). A survey instrument was used to record the responses of students at Snead about whether they viewed the conversion to a semester academic calendar to be a positive experience. Results of the study showed…

This document contains a report on student enrollment at the end of the 2003 winter quarter and spring semester at the College of DuPage. The report is based on results of the fiscal year survey that shows both the headcount enrollments and the full time equivalent enrollments increased statewide as compared with the same term a year prior. The…

This report examines academic calendars at Illinois' institutions of higher education and presents data for the 12 public universities on the number of instructional days as well as the number of days that instruction was not offered during the 1992-93 academic year. Data are also presented on the academic calendars of samples of Illinois public…

This study examined the relationship between intensity of study (defined as more hours per week of class within a subject matter area) and student success. The researcher identified two possible methods for increasing the intensity of study: (1) Compression Hypothesis--shortening the length of terms and increasing the amount of time per week spent…

Currently, 30 California community colleges have adopted flexible calendars, which permit up to 15 of the 175 days of legally required faculty service to be used for authorized non-instructional activities. A broad range of flex activities are authorized under Title V of the State Education Code, including staff development or in-service training,…

Cosumnes River College participated in a Flexible Calendar Pilot Project established by the California Legislature to study the feasibility of more flexible and effective nontraditional calendar and course scheduling. The college adopted a school calendar for 1976-77 which provided for two sixteen week semesters and a three week intersession…

This document reports the results of an evaluation of Cosumnes River College's pilot year of operating on a flexible school calendar which provided for two 16-week semesters and a three week January intersession. The college had previously operated on a traditional calendar of two 18-week semesters. Evaluation of the alternate calendar was…

A three-phase study was conducted at the College of the Redwoods (C/R) to determine if the college calendar should be changed, and if so, how. The first phase of the study consisted of establishing priority criteria for consideration of alternative forms of calendar organization, identification of calendar alternatives, and compilation of a list…

The question of which calendar is best for Barstow College (BC) is addressed in terms of general considerations connected with academic calendars, the intended effects of the quarter system, the issue of cost effectiveness, and the advantages and disadvantages of both calendars. First, introductory material discusses BC's conversion to a quarter…