Community colleges have a natural aptitude for entrepreneurship and are best positioned to take advantage of emerging opportunities. The unique challenges of this new millennium--perhaps at the top of the list, declining state support and increasing student enrollment--prompt college leaders to embrace the critical need for creative and innovative…

Discusses the public's growing disaffection for institutions of higher education in North America and the increasing need for educational reform. Reviews conclusions from a study of effectiveness practices in over 200 two-year colleges. Argues that the colleges can and will play an important role in education reform. (AJL)

Based on a review of research and literature on student academic performance, provides an overview of the state of basic skills (developmental) instruction in the two-year college. Discusses the characteristics of successful basic skills programs. (DMM)

Public community colleges are and will continue to be open-door colleges. This admissions policy can be effective only if students are able to achieve their educational goals. Guidance and counseling services of the two-year college must contribute to the success of that endeavor. At the present time, it cannot be maintained that these services…

This syllabus is designed for a course of study offered at the University of Texas to familiarize students with the 2-year college. The body of the guide is divided into 12 work units; for each of these units an historical quotation sets the topic theme. In addition each unit has a brief outline and a list of objectives for the topic as well as a…

Showcasing 12 community college programs recognized as successful in serving the needs of at-risk students, this book reviews the impact of limited resources and a growing high-risk student population on community colleges, examines successful programs and strategies, discusses faculty selection, and reviews program evaluation criteria and…

Two concepts receiving increased emphasis in today's junior colleges are the use of current, research-based techniques of instruction and the instructional accountability of faculty members. One way to insure effective implementation of these concepts in the individual junior college--as envisioned by the Junior College Division of the Regional…

National studies indicate that remedial or developmental programs in the community college have generally been unsuccessful, resulting in inordinately high attrition rates among nontraditional, low-achieving students. A more appropriate system is individual, learner-oriented instruction. The attempt is to shift the students' orientation from…

Addresses the many issues community colleges currently face, including decreased state and federal funding, increased competition from for-profit colleges, the digital divide, and enrollment and retirement trends. Suggests that institutions interact with their environments in better, fundamentally different ways. (Contains 14 references.) (NB)

Changing the culture of a college is the first and most critical step toward successful change. The Community College of Denver (CCD) has created a culture that is sustained by a heartfelt shared belief in the primacy of student success, and that has produced remarkable improvements in student success outcomes. (PGS)

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)

Asserts that building relationships with constituents remains the best strategy for ensuring the future institutional survival of community colleges. Examines some of the conditions that community colleges will be facing in the future, such as increasing numbers of students to serve, the continuing need for remedial/developmental education, and…

This book reports on how the Community College of Denver (CCD) (Colorado) improved the success of its students under difficult conditions. CCD is an urban community college with inadequate resources that serves diverse and at-risk students. Demographic factors are discussed, such as the fact that Denver's population decreased 5% between 1980 and…

The American Association of Community Colleges commissioned this study of remedial education in community colleges as a framework for describing context, generating discussion, and encouraging improvement. The study reviews current research about open-door policies, underprepared students, faculty, and remedial programs. It also argues that…

Focusing on efforts at community colleges to demonstrate institutional effectiveness, this monograph presents findings from a survey of 147 colleges regarding accountability practices and showcases seven colleges with effective accountability programs. The first chapter, "Focusing on the Problem: Accountability and Effectiveness in the Community…