The Office for Community College Research and Leadership (OCCRL) founded in 1989 focuses on P-20 education and the role of community colleges in facilitating educational access and equity. This article highlights the work of OCCRL as a research center that bridges inquiry, policy, and practice in contributing to the national dialogue on relevant…

This chapter addresses transfer from a community college to a four-year institution, an important pathway for students seeking the bachelor's degree, especially students from underserved groups. The transfer pathway will be an increasingly important source of bachelor's degree holders as colleges and universities strive to meet President…

The purpose of this study was to investigate Maryland State Senators and Delegates attitude toward ten goals of the community college mission (academic transfer/general education, globalization, community service, continuing education, developmental education, open access, student services, vocational-technical training, funding, and workforce…

Immigrants will represent nearly 100 percent of net labour market growth in Canada by the year 2011. More than ever, employers recognize the need to effectively integrate immigrants into the workplace and they seek solutions to leverage the talents and contributions immigrants bring to the Canadian economy. From January to March 2009, Colleges…

An analysis is presented of the position of American community colleges in the nation's educational system. First, background is presented on the historical development of the community college; forces contributing to the rise of higher education and the emergence of junior colleges; and the expansion of the role of two-year colleges to include…

The public junior college was conceived with an "open door" to give the disadvantaged high school graduate another chance to break the poverty cycle and the minority student an opportunity to extend his/her skills and career options. Since its inception in the early 1900's, the mission of the junior college has changed. The initial focus on…

This is a report on the Los Angeles Transfer and Retention of Urban Community College Students (TRUCCS) Project, which tracks approximately 5,000 community college students from nine campuses of the Los Angeles Community College District in order to gather information on retention and persistence. The project also investigates urban community…

Although the community college is a product of the publicly subsidized move to mass higher education during the 25 years following World War II, it now faces a more stringent fiscal environment that severely challenges its comprehensive, multipurpose character. Funding in the current era of consolidation entails an examination and reconciliation…

In April 1994, a Transfer Symposium was held by the California Community Colleges to bring educational analysts and policymakers together to discuss trends and issues affecting the transfer process and other aspects of educational access. This report presents transcripts from the two panel presentations and minutes from the three discussion…

Issues facing California's community colleges are reviewed in this response to the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) report, "Missions and Functions of the California Community Colleges." The paper first asserts that the most critical question facing the community colleges in the 1980's is whether they should and can…

Assesses the community college transfer function with respect to low transfer and retention rates, the value of associate degrees, lack of congruence between students' intention to transfer and actual transfer rates, vocational programs as subbaccalaureate tracks, curriculum structure, the overproduction of bachelor's degrees, and colleges'…

Four important changes for the community colleges of California are proposed. First, legislation should be developed that establishes the basic framework for enabling community colleges to restore a level of access to community college education and training for more citizens. This would provide economic and social opportunity for more citizens,…

This is a report on the 1998 performance accountability assessment conducted by Howard Community College (HCC) (Maryland) to examine overall institutional effectiveness. Enrollment trends show that more students are attending HCC, which will require more facility space, instructors, and student support. HCC addresses this issue by offering more…

Designed for use by college administrators and staff, as well as by boards of trustees and legislators, this seven-part report outlines an approach to assessing institutional effectiveness which utilizes mission-based, student-centered indicators of success. Resources to assist practitioners in conducting such an assessment are also identified.…

Community colleges serve more than half of all entering freshmen, half of all the women seeking higher education, and more minorities than all of the 4-year colleges and universities combined. Serving this population, the leaders and policy makers of community colleges must recognize the reasons for the underrepresentation of minorities in college…