In March 2008, The City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Matthew Goldstein formally launched an initiative to create the university's seventh community college. The development of the concept for this new college is informed in part by the knowledge and practices acquired through working with high school and GED students. Specifically,…

In recent decades, as pressures have mounted to raise K-12 academic standards and move more students into and through college, high schools have provided a growing array of programs that offer college-level content. Frequent claims suggest that these programs raise academic standards, prepare students for college, and shorten the time to a…

Dual enrollment is viewed by many as part of a promising college preparation strategy for a broad range of students. But as participation in dual enrollment has expanded across the country, there has been increasing attention paid to the rigor and authenticity of dual enrollment courses, particularly for those courses held on high school campuses…

Proving the value of dual enrollment to the institution has become particularly important in recent years as the recession has squeezed state budgets for higher education. Programs that are not viewed as offering benefits to the institution become vulnerable in tough economic times. In addition, to operate effectively, all dual enrollment programs…

A promising strategy for promoting successful college transition and increasing college completion rates is to help students avoid developmental coursework by preparing them for placement exams before they enroll in college. A lack of content alignment between high school exit exams and college entrance exams is one of many troubling disconnects…

This article discusses new evidence on the effectiveness of dual enrollment in increasing college achievement in New York City (NYC). After reviewing existing research on the effectiveness of dual enrollment programs, the authors discuss the results of a recent evaluation of College Now, the dual enrollment program of The City University of New…

Peer influence in academic settings can have significant positive effects on student learners. Examples of peer support of academic endeavors, most notably tutoring, date back to the colonial period of U.S. higher education and persist today. However, over the years, peer education has evolved from being a marginal endeavor in which academic…

The emergence of undergraduate students serving in peer leader or peer educator roles is relatively recent in the history of higher education. Peer leadership positions were first recorded in 1959 in the field of student services, specifically working with students entering college and living in residence halls. Beginning with the Hazen Report of…

Over the past twenty years, economic conditions, deteriorating public support, governmental and societal demands for accountability, and greater numbers of students from historically underrepresented groups have increased pressures on colleges and universities to provide a meaningful education to students while meeting ever increasing expectations…

The powerful influence of peers in human development has been widely documented, particularly within education. Throughout the history of higher education, peer interactions have been a component of scholarly explorations of student types, campus cultures, and even the cycle of student "generations." In addition, most student development theories…

Technology has become an integral part of landscape of higher education. Students are coming to college with an arsenal of technological tools at their disposal. These tools are being used for informal, everyday communication as well as for formal learning in the classroom. At the same time, higher education is experiencing an increase in peer…

The role of peers in U.S. doctoral education is a topic that has been minimally researched and has received only passing attention. Yet peers are an important part of every doctoral learning community. One possible explanation for the lack of attention given to peers in doctoral education is that pedagogically, doctoral education is generally…

The research literature in higher education is abundantly clear that each student's engagement and involvement in the college experience make a difference in the kind of education the student receives as well as the outcomes. Peer leadership programs in higher education are growing in popularity because they provide a variety of ways to…

In ten years, Alaska Pacific University has moved from a totally decentralized administration of its adult online program to a very centralized structure. Drastic changes in funding sources and student needs have compelled the university to take new approaches. As the learning landscape continues to shift for adults, online learners, and Alaska…

Eastern University has moved from a distributed model to a centralized model for administration of its adult degree programs. This move involved numerous factors and motivations but one central component in the ultimate success of that move was a significant change in the role of faculty assigned to the program. Once regarded as rather ancillary…