Study of four-year broad access institutions (BAIs) is important given their influence on postsecondary educational opportunities and the continued importance of the bachelor's degree in earnings premiums and critical social and civic outcomes. Descriptive results add to current understanding regarding heterogeneity of four-year BAIs by…

This summer 2003 issue of New Directions for Community Colleges advances the conversation among researchers and practitioners about possible approaches to classifying two-year colleges. The 10 chapters include the following: (1) "Classifying Two-Year Colleges: Purposes, Possibilities and Pitfalls" (Alexander C. McCormick and Rebecca D.…

While there are many ways to differentiate among community colleges (size, control, student characteristics, etc.), there have been few attempts to categorize them. The Carnegie Foundation's classification system, published first in 1971 and since revised several times, categorizes research universities, comprehensive institutions, liberal arts…

To date, few studies have quantitatively examined within-group differences among charter schools. This is largely due to the lack of a workable typology with which to describe and classify schools. This study fills that gap with a two dimensional typology constructed from a sample of 1182 charter schools in five states--Arizona, California,…

A methodology developed as an alternative to conventional institutional classification structures, intended to reduce the limitations of those models, is described. Ways in which the methodology can be used for planning, administrative, and research purposes are discussed, as are the dangers in using "peer groups" for institutional…

A new typology for faculty is proposed, based on their expressed priorities toward activities in which research universities engage. Responses of 617 faculty to a survey of 66 statements about university activities were factor analyzed, and scores on eight factors obtained were used in a cluster analysis that produced three clusters of faculty.…