Suggests that groups, or clusters, of industries form partnerships with community colleges in order to positively impact economic development. Asserts that a cluster-oriented community college system requires innovation, specialized resources and expertise, knowledge of trends, and links to industry. Offers suggestions for developing such a…

Analyzes the impact of the U.S. Patriot Act on educational institutions, particularly in the area of information technology security. Warns that the Act could impact distance learning and campus Internet service providers, and that lawsuits are being filed against universities for having lax cybersecurity. Makes suggestions for dealing with these…

Suggests ways for community colleges, workforce boards, economic development corporations, and school systems to work together to address the challenges of attracting, training, and retaining a quality workforce. Presents the examples of the Enterprise Center and the Information Technology Center, and other partnerships, in Marion County, Florida.…

Describes the Student Health Services and Wellness Program at Santa Barbara City College, California. The program is funded by student health fees, and offers mental health services, health education, and academic services. The program also presents professional development seminars, offers program development consultations, and offers services in…

Discusses ways in which colleges are making creative use of their existing computer and media technologies to promote healthier student choices through social norms campaigns and engaging web sites. Describes a campus AIDS project the utilized the web, as well as describing a study conducted by the author. (Contains five references.) (NB)

Describes the workplace model offered by the Wellness Councils of America (WLECOA) and suggests ways for applying the model to the community college. Wellness is measured in social, physical, occupational, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual terms. Also describes the wellness program at Blue Ridge Community College, North Carolina. (Contains…

Describes a study conducted in Florida after five students were murdered by a serial killer. The study examined emotional and physical consequences of living with anxiety and fear for an entire term. Students who were 24 and younger and lived in the zone where the murders were committed were more seriously impacted, and had lower GPAs. (Contains…

Examines the ethical questions involved in intervening when a student has emotional difficulties. Particularly asks how adjunct faculty can be prepared to handle these situations, given their busy schedules and minimal institutional involvement. Describes the student assistance program (SAP), a committee that offers guidance to faculty and…

Describes focus groups and studies conducted in an effort to identify and define community college teaching excellence. One of the most compelling findings suggested that both teachers and students perform at a higher level when held to higher expectations. (Contains 24 references.) (NB)

Describes how Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD), California, the major provider of nursing graduates to the Sacramento area, addressed the issue of the nursing shortage crisis. LRCCD faced the dual issues of student/faculty ratio restrictions of 10/1 and funding that accommodated a 40/1 ratio. Describes LRCCD's new off-campus,…

As community colleges begin their journey to become more learning centered, they can capitalize on some of the experiences that such institutions have accumulated in a 100-year history of constantly coping with change. This article presents 10 observations about the challenges and 10 observations about the opportunities community colleges face as…

As economic conditions worsen and enrollments surge, community colleges make two basic moves. They increase class size, add more sections, hire more part-time instructors, boost tuition, and create more parking spaces to accommodate more students. Then they slash spending by cutting things before people--travel, staff development funds, equipment…

Among the principal assumptions that have governed enrollment management in community colleges for the past two decades is that the community college sector serves a distinctly older population than do other sectors of the post-secondary system. When the noted community college researcher, Arthur Cohen of the University of California-Los Angeles,…

More than ever there are both leadership shortages and the temptation to cut training budgets. Senior administrators and faculty are retiring at an alarming rate, and the trend is expected to continue. For a decade, prominent business journals have focused on a crisis of leadership in the corporate sector. This article describes executive…

For many industries, the economic crunch of the past few years has brought about an increased focus on controlling expenses, gaining process efficiencies and finding a competitive advantage in an overcrowded market. While community colleges are not immune to these challenges, they are limited in how they are able to respond. Unlike other areas of…