Community service is a voluntary contribution to the commonweal that teaches valuable lessons about the responsibilities of citizenship in a free society. Vital services are provided through thousands of organizations created to meet needs not otherwise provided for by government. Participation in these community service projects help create a…

Community is a state of being together in which people lower their defenses and learn to accept and rejoice in differences among people. The characteristics of true community are true inclusivity; no one is exclusive or excluded. People are social creatures who desperately need each other not only for company but for meaning in their lives.…

Because of their special ties to the community, community-based organizations (CBOs) are often able to be more responsive to the needs of local or special populations than can mainstream institutions such as schools and government-funded employment services. CBOs such as Service Employment Redevelopment (SER), the National Urban League, and…

The skills needed by the principal for developing and maintaining good school/community relations are synthesized from recent research and presented in this brief document. These universal concepts are applicable to both large and small schools. The topics included are the principal's responsibility to the community, necessary political skills,…

Community colleges, because of their late arrival in the development of American education, have suffered from an image and identity problem since their inception. To deal with this problem, community colleges should position themselves as unique community-based service-oriented colleges and market a specific focus to the general public. The first…

In this day of increased competition for students, educators need to know what makes their institution exceptional or how it is perceived as providing something of value that other institutions in the local area do not. Without this information, community colleges will find it difficult to thrive and adapt in the future. Efforts to determine the…

An ERIC digest considers several approaches to community study within the social studies curriculum. Material is divided into four sections. Following an introduction, "A rationale for community study" outlines skills and concepts that can be presented through community study and presents the rationale that community study can provide…

Not for profit community college foundations play a major role in overall resource development. Because foundations are legally and organizationally independent of the college, they are able to promote the well-being of the college without the statutory limits imposed by the governing board and staff. Foundation money is not restricted to basic…

Public service in higher education is an important function of American colleges and universities. The nature and purposes of higher education can be revealed through three popular metaphors--ivory tower, social service station, and culture mart. It can best be fulfilled through ideas of value, social criticism, social problem solving, or social…

Migrant children should become acquainted with their communities, however briefly they live in them. They should learn what the community represents, the services that a community offers, and how their lives can be improved by making use of those services. Migrant students should have the opportunity for involvement in extracurricular activities…

An effective way to help develop a strong rural educational program is to establish a business partnership between the rural school and the business community. Once a relationship is set up, the advantages for both the schools and business community could prove beneficial to the entire rural community. By cooperating with the rural schools in…

Alternative scheduling provides community colleges with a means to adapt to declining enrollments and fiscal exigencies, and to respond the demand for accountability to students. Strategies such as departing from traditional semester- or quarter-length courses and developing weekend programs have been implemented at certain institutions to…

This ERIC digest presents a summary of discussions from urban educators who addressed the issue of school violence at a National Education Association meeting held May 19, 1994. These educators note that American society is steeped in violence, particularly in urban areas, where children experience frustration, helplessness, and anger, and where…

An overview is provided, examining the types of associate degrees that are awarded, the number that are awarded, the students who receive them, and the problems related to associate degree curricula. First, a list is provided of the different types of associate degrees awarded, followed by an enumeration of the vocational and non-vocational…

What has come to be recognized as the classic model of the university is changing as a result of industry's new and emerging needs for knowledge, constant technological innovation, education's place in the economy, and diminishing funding. American industry recognizes that the skills of workers at all levels will need to improve continuously in…