The purpose of this study was to understand the extent to which students' psychological sense of community was influenced by IM use using the psychological sense of community theoretical framework created by McMillan and Chavis (1986), and the student development theoretical frameworks created by Schlossberg (1989) and Astin (1984). Thus, this…

Describes the Collegium Program at Seattle University (Washington), an effort to create a sense of place and community for commuter students. Explains the context and vision of the collegium idea, the pilot project, desired outcomes (sense of belonging, student participation), and physical/programmatic elements (architectural design, personnel).…

Identifies five key issues to be addressed by college programs attempting to involve commuter students in learning: (1) development of a more commuter-friendly campus environment; (2) support of institutional mission and goals; (3) demonstration of the effectiveness of involving commuter students in learning; (4) cross-functional collaboration;…

Describes the common needs and concerns of commuter students that impact on programming efforts, identifies the goals of programs designed to promote involvement by students who commute, and highlights examples of programs being sponsored at colleges and universities which have been effective in encouraging involvement of commuter students. (KS)

Examined commuter college students' (n=326) involvement in the university community. Results refute myth that commuter college students do not want to be involved or feel a part of the university community. Claims debunking myths about commuter students is a prerequisite to providing effective services and programs for students today. (ABL)

Suggests ways to create community within individual courses in order to increase the involvement of commuter students. Describes application of these strategies in an introductory course on leadership and organizational behavior. Proposes seven principles for creating community within individual courses, including recognizing differences in…

The report covers preparatory work for a further two-year study of student affiliation and drop-out at a four-year urban commuter college, Portland State College. The principal task was the development and testing of a series of scales measuring various aspects of student affiliation. After preliminary testing, scale test items were administered…

This introductory essay reviews the literature on commuter students' needs and experiences and compares several theoretical models that can be used to create environments, cultures, and structures that enable commuter students to become deeply involved in learning. Reports data that indicate the importance of increasing students' involvement to…

Reviews the history of living-learning programs at four-year colleges, profiling several programs that include commuter students. Examples of good practice include Murray State University (Kentucky), Northwestern University (Illinois), State University of New York at Stony Brook, the University of Maryland, the University of Michigan, and Yale…

This study examined the benefits of early involvement in co-curricular activities and first-year seminars among first-year college students with respect to alcohol and other drug use, self-worth perceptions, attitudes toward social justice, engagement in the academic process, and community service involvement approximately 6 weeks into the fall…

During the fall of 1974, a questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 700 off-campus students at the main campus of the University of South Carolina who were enrolled in nine or more semester hours of course work (approximately 8 percent of the population). The goal of the study was to describe off-campus students including their…

A dean of students looks at the need to streamline services of a two-year college to make them responsive to student needs and to make them financially feasible. (CJ)

Four areas of concern to older students who commute are examined: mobility, integrating support systems, multiple life roles, and involvement in campus life. Implications for advising are discussed, and four roles for advisors are proposed. Three illustrative case studies based on interviews are provided. (Author/MSE)

Review of the research on college student persistence summarizes findings in selected areas, including student involvement in campus life, ethnicity, gender, age, on- campus versus off-campus residence, and membership in fraternities and sororities. (Author/DB)

Discusses curricular learning communities as one way of involving commuter students in learning and fostering intellectual and social connections with faculty and peers. Describes three approaches to learning communities (such as clustered courses), pedagogical strategies for involving commuter students (e.g., collaborative learning), and…