In 1990, a study was conducted to compare the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) passing rates of St. Petersburg Junior College (SPJC) students with those of other Florida community college students and students from state universities. The SPJC samples consisted of 756 students who took the CLAST for the first time in October 1989 and…

The role of community colleges (including technical and junior colleges) and the transfer of students to 4-year institutions are discussed. This issue presents three articles. The first article, "Democracy's Colleges," suggests that community colleges are the most successful institutional innovation in 20th century American higher…

A study was done of student perception of academic advising at the University of Nebraska, Omaha (UNO). The study surveyed 638 students who participated in the early registration process for the Fall 1991 semester. Of those students, 269 were men and 369 were women and 8.3 percent were members of a minority group. The study instrument was the…

Higher education enrollment is going through a transition. Between 1992 and 1998, the enrollment growth rate has been nearly flat, but the National Center for Education Statistics now projects that enrollment will increase by 1.4% annually during the next decade. Not every college and university will realize this growth. The traditional college…

Although the enrollment of minority freshmen in engineering has increased substantially during the last two decades, attrition has remained intractable. This document analyzes comparative data on the performance of institutions in retaining minority students through graduation. The objective of this effort was to identify characteristics of the…

The problems brought to the Ombudsman Office at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are considered. Many of the questions brought to the Ombudsman Office concern grades and grading practices, but nonacademic problems are also questioned. Many of the problems are the result of misinformation having been given to the student. Patronizing or rude…

A variety of community college programs and services designed to enhance minority student participation and success in higher education are described in this volume. Issues related to minority student recruitment, retention, and transfer to four-year institutions, and to minority staff professional development are explored in the following 15…

Recent Australian and New Zealand studies on college student workload are reviewed. Most of the studies have viewed workload questions in the broader context of arrangements for teaching, learning, and assessment. A Monash University, Australia, study assessed the total amount of work done by students, the distribution of study time between…

A study was conducted of student stress in a further education (FE) college in northwest England. In collaboration with the college, two questionnaires were developed, one for the teaching staff and the other for the students. Questionnaires were distributed to 69 staff and 1,100 students, with a response rate of 94 percent from staff and 84…

One philosophical issue underlying instructional evaluation arises from tension between the concepts of academic freedom and academic responsibility. Academic freedom can be cited as an argument against evaluating teaching in circumstances where evaluation genuinely encumbers the pursuit or dissemination of knowledge. Another source of tension…

This document consists of the four issues of the "IACD Quarterly" published in 1988. Articles in this volume include: (1) "Understanding Stepfamilies: A Primer for Counselors" (Jeff Edwards); (2) "Role of Counseling in Adult Development and Aging" (William Gorman); (3) "Responding to the Last Minute Undergraduate…

The feature article of this issue discusses state initiatives to address high-risk alcohol and other drug (AOD) use among college and university students. These efforts have focused mainly on networking, information sharing, and professional development. Many are based on the initiative developed by Ohio Parents for Drug Free Youth, an approach to…

The 10 issues of this organizational journal provide news columns, calls for proposals, conference information, and several major articles. Articles in this volume include: (1) "New Path, Same Goal: An Interview with Blenda Wilson" (Miller); (2) "Making a Difference: Service Learning as an Activism Catalyst and Community…

This research brief presents data on transfer students in the University of Wisconsin (UW) system, with emphasis on student access, enrollment, and outcomes. Among the findings are the following: (1) The number of transfer students enrolled in the UW system reached a 10-year high of 9,684 in fall 1996, followed by a slight decline in fall 1997;…

Issues concerning the collection and uses of data about college student retention are considered. Some of the documented findings about student retention in U.S. colleges is summarized, with attention to both national data and data for colleges belonging to the United Negro College Fund. Difficulties in obtaining useful retention data are…