Looking back over the 14-year history of Oakton Community College (OCC) with its cluster system of organization, this paper examines the distinctions between discipline-oriented organization and the cluster system, and discusses the current rationale for OCC's maintenance of this approach. First introductory material describes how the president…

The unit of faculty-student grouping at Oakton Community College (Illinois) is the learning cluster. Four learning clusters, led by appointed deans, serve 4700 students. The basis for assignment of faculty and students to a cluster is not homogeneity, but variety and balance. (Author/NHM)

This report from the President of Oakton Community College (OCC) to the Board of Trustees presents and supports a recommendation to retain the college's interdisciplinary cluster system. Following introductory comments, the report discusses reasons for establishing a cluster college at the present, highlighting the benefits of this systems for…

The "cluster college arrangement" is discussed in this model for reorganization of the College of DuPage. The basic idea is to provide, within the framework of the parent institution, several educational communities small enough to enable students and faculty members to work closely toward reasonable educational goals. The following…

Oakton Community College (Illinois) opened in 1970 with the proviso to have five or six groupings of professionals directly concerned with the learning process. To meet stated goals, two basic departures from the usual academic practice were (1) to hire a minimum of line administrators, and (2) to abandon subject area departments and organization.…

This paper provides a brief overview of Oakton Community College's (OCC) cluster organization, which is believed to foster offering of true interdisciplinary education. OCC is organized into four learning clusters, each of 30 full-time and 40 part-time faculty, 1,500 students, and headed by a dean. Each cluster is semi-autonomous; authority is…

As part of a reorganization study underway at Oakton Community College, this report presents the pros and cons of retaining the college's interdisciplinary learning clusters or moving to discipline-based divisions. Following introductory material, the report explains the methodology by which two representatives from each campus cluster, one…

Cluster colleges organize campuses to capture all the advantages of the small college (local administration, identifiable students and faculty, a sense of community) while maintaining many of the advantages of the large institution (economy, financial security, efficiency, staff expertise). This article identifies advantages and problems, and…

The cluster dean's primary responsibility is to lead, supervise, and evaluate the faculty and staff within the learning cluster. He also participates in long-range planning and formulating educational policy. This article examines the cluster dean's relationships with faculty and department chairmen, and identifies advantages of the cluster…

Report on the advantages and disadvantages of the interdisciplinary cluster system at Oakton Community College (Illinois) after five years. Reviews effects on students, faculty, administrators, and curriculum. (RT)

Explores institutional efforts to bring balance to past over-emphasis on rational and cognitive processes by underscoring the value of human feelings. Discusses specific community college programs exemplifying innovative approaches to institutional organization, human development education and staff development. (AC)

This report describes the organizational plan of Los Angeles Mission College (LAMC). LAMC has chosen a structure stemming from the cluster concept, involving semi-autonomous clusters, each small in size. These characteristics enhance student-faculty-administrator relations and permit each instructional unit to participate directly in its own…

Both theory and organizational structure support the isolation of teaching faculty and counseling staff in most institutions of higher learning. At Oakton Community College (Illinois), a student-centered philosophy which contends that cognitive and affective growth are intimately related has lead to the integration of teachers and counselors. (NHM)

This paper reviews the student-centered cluster college concept of organization employed at Oakton Community College (Illinois) and compares this approach to traditional organization by academic department or division. The advantages offered by the division structure include intradisciplinary interchange among teachers, coordinated budget…

This bibliographic essay cites books and ERIC documents which discuss organizational change in the community colleges. Specifically referenced are cluster colleges, management by objectives, and multiunit community colleges. (NHM)