Student objectives do not always coincide with curricular labels that reflect statutory language or the public's agenda for community colleges. Studies show that nearly half of the students enrolled in so-called transfer curricula may have no intention of transferring, and that sizeable percentages of students enrolled in occupational courses go on to baccalaureate-granting institutions. The fact that these classes carry transfer credit or are classified as job training classes is a function of college accreditation, staffing, and financing, having little to do with the perceptions or intentions of the students who are enrolled. Consequently, college effectiveness may be misrepresented by research findings which seem to show low transfer and job placement rates. New measures of institutional functioning are needed to differentiate curriculum content, which could be more accurately represented by labels such as Liberal Arts (including Science, Social Science, Humanities, and Fine and Performing Arts) and Skills (including Basic, Recreational, and Occupational Skills) from student intent. Student intent can be measured separately, using categories such as to prepare for transfer; prepare for a new occupation; gain skills to retrain, remain current, or advance in a current occupation; or satisfy personal interests. Categorizing the curriculum according to content would promote understanding of the colleges' role in providing general education, basic skills training, recreational skills, and occupational education for their communities. (EJV)