Funded grant projects all involve some form of evaluation, and Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grants are no exception. Program evaluation serves as a critical component not only for evaluating if a project has met its intended and desired outcomes, but the evaluation process is also a central feature of the grant application itself.…

In 2007, Tulsa Community College (TCC) joined the national Achieving the Dream (ATD) network, which is dedicated to developing data-informed interventions to increase persistence and completion among community college students. TCC's participation in the national initiative set it down a path for positive institutional change, but it was the…

Research has shown that community college and other low income students have the most need regarding the financial aid process. Community college students are less likely to complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) than students at public and private four-year and for-profit institutions. Surveys have shown that the complexity…

This paper provides a brief overview of the status of retention and completion efforts among community colleges in the United States. This article identifies a number of successful strategies utilized in on-ground institutions that may translate well to online programs. In light of these successes, the article questions whether the costly current…

The purpose of this study was to analyze what leaders of Advanced Technological Education (ATE) programs funded by the National Science Foundation believe are their most important needs for research information. Data was collected through a Delphi process, and results were analyzed through frameworks associated with program improvement initiatives…

Community colleges across the country are experimenting with strategies to raise faculty and staff awareness of the need for change and to engage them in the redesign process. This article describes the major forces driving the need for transformation, the organizational stress that sometimes results, and successful strategies for bridging the old…

Describes a study of the use of part-time faculty at community colleges nationwide, focusing on strategies used for managing part-timers. Discusses six recommendations stemming from the study's overall finding that colleges must take steps to improve the utilization and integration of part-time faculty. (18 citations) (MAB)

Describes an evaluation of the Maricopa Community College District Honors Program, summarizing survey responses from honors faculty, alumni, and current students, who all had generally favorable attitudes toward the program. Suggests that increasing recruitment and retention efforts, eliminating concurrent classes, and making more honors classes…

Drawing from a study of exemplary community college programs, offers recommendations for increasing support for at-risk students through preenrollment activities, orientation programs, elimination of late registration, basic skills assessment, improved financial aid, expanded mentoring programs, and increased problem solving and literacy…