Summarizes criticisms of the community college in a list of six ways in which two-year colleges promote the socio-economic status quo. Reviews the writings of Clark, Jencks and Riesman, Cohen, Astin, Karabel, and Zwerling--all university-based critics. Suggests that two-year college educators analyze and profit from these criticisms. (GB)

Describes the Kansas Community College Research Consortium (KCCRC), focusing on motivations for organizing a research consortium to meet accountability demands, the KCCRC's organization and operating procedures, determination of objectives and dissemination of results, strengths and weaknesses, and examples of KCCRC studies. (DMM)

Describes the Los Rios Community College District's district-coordinated institutional research model. Considers the coordination of centralized and campus-based research, types of research conducted, quality control, the district research council, setting research agendas, program implementation and monitoring, information dissemination, and the…

Describes Santa Barbara City College's decentralized research program, considering the roles of the president, vice presidents, deans, institutional research committee members, and data-processing director. Explains how the research agenda is determined, projects monitored, results/implications identified, and findings disseminated. Highlights…

Presents the research model used in the Allan Hancock Joint Community College District, which operates through a part-time institutional researcher guided by an institutional research committee. Discusses the committee's role and the use of research results in policymaking and other areas. Provides examples of research. (DMM)

Describes the centralized research model used by Miami-Dade Community College. Explains that the district's central office assumes responsibility for conducting all phases of the institutional research program (e.g., determining the research agenda, carrying out projects, monitoring projects, and disseminating results). Highlights strengths and…

Discusses the growth of the assessment movement, reviews the different measures of student performance being requested by state agencies, and describes institutional responses to state mandates. Offers guidelines for implementing an effective assessment program. (DMM)

Presents an overview of the centralized research model employed at Rancho Santiago College, demonstrating that, although research is coordinated in a single office, the goal of broad-based staff involvement in research is enhanced through flexible staffing of the research office and integration of the research function into college governance.…

Describes Maryland's community college research model, whereby State Board for Community Colleges staff work cooperatively with a voluntary statewide organization composed of institutional researchers from each college. Explains agenda setting, procedures, responsibilities, project monitoring, identification and dissemination of…

Describes two state-mandated programs for institutional accountability in New Jersey (i.e., Basic Skills Assessment Program and College Outcomes Evaluation Program), which function through cooperation between the state's higher education agency and its colleges and universities. Highlights research objectives, procedures, responsibilities,…