There has been substantial discussion, research, and debate about the role of academic freedom within higher education, primarily centered on the university model. Not as well documented or understood is the issue of academic freedom within colleges and institutes in Canada. In this paper, we examine the current state of academic freedom in…

This study examines the influence that field of study and level of post-secondary education have on the earnings of recent graduates in Ontario. Graduates of trades, community college, and university programs are compared. Results suggest that graduates of applied and technical programs obtain higher earnings within two years of graduation than…

Using data from several introductory-level courses at one Canadian university, community college transfer students were compared to transfer students from other universities and to non-transfer students on a number of measures of academic success. The three groups did not differ significantly in terms of course withdrawal rates, and final course…

In 2002 a new Ontario college charter signaled a new era for higher education in Ontario. The charter was presumed to usher in a new way of doing higher education, one that provided greater freedom for Ontario colleges and presumably greater access for communities to higher education. Coupled with the Post-Secondary Choice and Excellence Act of…

There is no formal mandate for or tradition of inter-sectoral collaboration between community colleges and universities in Ontario. Following a regulatory change introduced by the College of Nurses of Ontario in 1998, all Registered Nurse educational preparation was restructured to the baccalaureate degree level through province-wide adoption of a…

This paper documents the development of a unique institution in Canadian higher education, the university college in British Columbia. From its roots as a comprehensive community college, the university college was confronted with numerous legislative and policy changes which culminated in its current claim to be called a regional university. In…

This investigation seeks to develop data to help understand the direction being taken in university programming in Manitoba over a 35-year period in terms of the perception of alleged growth of the labour market orientation of universities. The impact of the political party in power is examined, as are features of the post-secondary program…

This paper discusses the role of the colleges in applied research in the context of Canada's capability for innovation in a globally competitive arena. The analysis focuses upon issues around an expanded mandate related to applied research. To explore the state of readiness of the college sector, it draws upon the results of a survey distributed…

Results of a Canada-wide and a Quebec based study of students with a variety of disabilities in Canadian postsecondary education are presented. Study 1 involved 156 professionals. They represent 80% of the population of professionals who provide on-campus disability support services. Results indicate that (1) 8% of postsecondary institutions…

This qualitative investigation identified a condition of frenetic change experienced by two colleges in British Columbia, Canada, accompanying their change from community colleges to university colleges. Explored how economic globalization influenced the formation and functioning of these institutions. (EV)

Surveyed 146 community college students who had entered Canada after their twelfth birthday. For over half, college was the point of entry into the Canadian educational system. Analyzed degrees and types of needs, as well as degrees and sources of support. The most striking finding was students' perception of a low degree of support from the…

This multiple case study of seven colleges examined institutional life and organizational context. It determined that community colleges in both Canada and the United States exhibited educational and work behaviors in the 1990s consistent with the globalization process; education was oriented to the marketplace, and the needs of business and…

Interviewed Canadian university students who had transferred from a community college. Found that while most support transfer as a viable and even preferable route to a university degree, problems occur at each of the stages of transfer. Obstacles include difficulty obtaining useful information, problems understanding transfer policies and…

Examined government legislation and institutional collective agreements between colleges and faculty in two countries, Canada and the United States, for impediments to shared governance in community colleges. Concluded that except in one legal jurisdiction, shared governance is either impeded legally or not supported by government legislation. (EV)

The community college as it has developed in Britsh Columbia is examined with special attention to the social and historical context, the forces which lead to its establishment, and the particular form of institution which emerged. How the college attains its objectives and major problems and issues for the future are discussed. (JMF)