Non-traditional students who are in their first year of college in online open-enrollment institutions have high drop-out rates. These students tend to benefit the most from student engagement. This qualitative study examined the success of a student-engagement based retention initiative known as the lab instructor model from the student…

Describes techniques for motivating "new students," many of whom are economically, socially, and academically disadvantaged, and for improving their literacy skills.

Notes difficulties encountered teaching history in an open university. Describes methodology used in a twentieth-century history course, combining current events with the course content. Using a major continuing news story as the basis for a semester project, students are asked to consider multiple scenarios and to predict outcomes of current…

The City University of New York (CUNY) instituted an open admissions policy in 1970 which provides all New York City high school graduates with an opportunity to attend college. Given the wide academic range of students now attending CUNY, compensatory models are being developed and evaluated in order to effectively deal with skill deficiencies.…

Focuses on the changes caused in community colleges by open access policies and the resultant influx of underprepared students. Recommends that community colleges accept a decline in student enrollment in exchange for improvement in student achievement. (DMM)

Discusses need for and effectiveness of remedial education at the college level. An understanding of the type of student involved, a faculty that cares, and enough funds to function are ingredients for successfully helping undereducated college students. (Author)

A series of studies was conducted to determine the reading and study skills needs of nontraditional students in the Indiana University-South Bend open enrollment program. An investigation of reading level conducted with 61 students in introductory English classes determined that 20% were at the remedial level in reading and more than 44% were at…

Argues that open enrollment policies have debased the community college and led to an abandonment of merit, standards, and competency. Suggests their new mission be to serve only those adults who qualify and can benefit from college-level work, abandoning those vocational, remedial, and recreational responsibilities which community colleges have…

Argues that older, nontraditional students, rather than ill-prepared recent high school graduates, are currently the primary beneficiaries of community college open admissions. Feels this shift refutes many of the criticisms currently launched against open admissions. Finds open enrollment policies necessary to the concept of lifelong learning.…

The experiences of a professor with a liberal arts background who began his teaching career at an open enrollment, working class, urban institution are described. Most of his students are commuters, hold down part-time or full-time jobs, and support families. (MLW)

In response to burgeoning nontraditional student enrollments in freshman composition at the University of New Orleans, the entire English faculty has begun to teach all levels of composition courses. Benefits from this development have included student appreciation, an improvement in faculty morale, and a tightening of academic standards. (DF)

A Coordinator of Performing Arts at Western Piedmont Community College in North Carolina describes the challenges and rewards posed by an open-door educational philosophy in which community service is as important as artistic excellence. The college's mission is to serve the special needs of the community, which primarily consists of state…

In 1973 The Board of Regents of The University of Wisconsin system created the Guest Student Program. In effect, the program opened the doors of the University to all Wisconsin residents aged 62 and over. There were 52 men and 47 women in the final sample, with a mean age of 74.89. The following types of interventions were initiated to aid Guest…

One faculty member's selective, subjective, and partial perceptions of counselling adult students in the Open University are offered. Consideration is given to problems of the counselee, skills, role conflicts, motivation, emotional adjustment, identity and personal development, and implications for the advisory service. (LBH)

Describes an open admissions program, a public university's nontraditional population, and their unique academic needs. Provides a political science briefing book assignment in which students research and write about one country. Claims the book is effective in helping students to organize and focus their thoughts and to improve their research and…