Examines possible strategies that department chairs can use to better manage scarce resources. Strategies such as addressing issues of human resource management jointly with fiscal issues and relying more heavily on academic program planning at the departmental level were found to be effective. Conversely, reduced program offerings and longer work…

Explores the definition and relevance of faculty scholarship in the community college. Examines positive and negative attitudes toward various scholarship criteria in the faculty-reward (promotion, tenure, salary increase, and release time) systems, and discusses concerns about scholarship as an additional facet of faculty evaluation. (25…

Explores the beliefs and values of women in two-year college departmental chair positions. Finds that dominant beliefs are related to educational philosophies and program outcomes, while secondary beliefs and values are related to student-centered issues, suggesting that women in chair positions have a traditional view of themselves as internal…

Attempts to answer questions concerning academic success, as measured by time-to-degree, of community college students who transfer to senior institutions. Discusses barriers students encounter, the impact of personal characteristics on adjustment, the use of student support services to overcome those barriers, and the extent of integration into…

Asserts that effective cooperative learning maximizes comprehension and teamwork skills by holding students individually accountable in their efforts to help the team. Describes the Peer and Self-Evaluation System (PSES), which provides students with confidential feedback regarding personal strengths and limitations. Contains 10 references. (VWC)

Measures persistence rate differences between two-year-degree and four-year-degree students, using a longitudinal retention study that analyzed academic and demographic variables in the student database. Identifies first-semester hours and grade point average as significant dropout predictors. Concludes that associate degree students have better…

Discusses Sax's book (co-authored by Marisol Arredondo), Student Attitudes Toward Affirmative Action in Higher Education, which analyzed data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) and the Freshman Survey by the Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA. (15 citations) (EMH)

Reexamines the origins of America's community colleges to include the leadership contributions of local residents, members of civic associations, and elected school trustees. These new histories will emphasize the influence of broad national forces such as industrialization and egalitarianism in stimulating student demand and public support for…

Reviews community college leadership from the 1960s to the 1990s, using a synopsis of leadership principles and a 1997 survey of community college administrators. Explores the integration of past lessons with future challenges and proposes that leaders become cognizant of "breakpoints"--changes that redefine the community college environment. (11…

Redefines the "three R's" in higher education as research, reflection, and reinvestment. Explores these three aspects of contemporary education using an art historian's approach, focusing on the Renaissance period and its artists, scientists, and scholars. (EMH)

Investigates the impact of developmental coursework on student retention and grade point average. Describes a six-year longitudinal study of 625 students who tested into developmental courses in English, mathematics, and reading. Results indicated that developmental students can succeed in a community college setting, particularly if they take…

Describes a six-part study conducted at Macomb Community College (Michigan) regarding its financial aid department's quality of service. Results showed that people calling the department for help are handled less efficiently than those who come in person, and that managers, staff, and students need to be better informed regarding financial aid.…

Discusses a study conducted to assess the effect of computer-based instruction on academic achievement of adult learners and student attitudes surrounding this type of teaching. Results showed statistically greater gains for students in a computer-based, rather than a traditional, class, as well as positive student attitudes toward using computers…

Discusses TopClass, a Web-based tool and delivery system used for online courses, and its use at Schoolcraft College in Michigan. TopClass offers many benefits, including a self-contained management system, secured access, user-friendly instructions for coursework area creation, e-mail, bulletin boards, a secured testing mechanism and student…

Describes a study conducted to determine the reasons behind the high rate of student attrition at Mountain Empire Community College in Virginia. Work demands and family conflicts were found to be the primary causes of drop out, conclusions that led to the formation of a task force and a student retention plan to improve persistence. (KC)