In the accountability movement in higher education, the success of two-year colleges is often viewed solely by standards which apply only to four-year institutions, such as the completion of a degree program. Many two-year college students, however, enroll to prepare for employment, to develop important life skills, or to retrain for employment. Among the student satisfaction and retention measures which can be used to evaluate institutional effectiveness in two-year colleges are completion of educational goals; achievement of career goals; course grades; and student assessment of cognitive and noncognitive outcomes. In addition, post-education satisfaction and success measures can be examined, including attainment of a job related to curriculum; transfer to a four-year institution; attainment of advanced degrees; performance on certification and licensure exams; and job success. The efforts of two-year colleges to measure institutional effectiveness has drawn attention to the low-level of preparedness among entering students, leading to more comprehensive assessment and remediation programs. In addition, a growing awareness of the importance of effective instruction has led to increasing efforts in the areas of critical thinking, active learning programs, and classroom research. The diverse profile of the two-year college student calls for a curriculum with adequate remedial programs, clearly stated learning objectives, an emphasis on communication and decision making skills, and a strong multicultural component. Finally, the success of two-year college students depends on faculty who represent the diversity of the student body, and who are committed to student success and to their own self-improvement in the classroom. (PAA)