Describes the reassessment of values for community college development, based upon a recent Community College Futures Assembly. Affirms five fundamental values that have guided in the past and can serve well in future decision-making: (1) People; (2) Learning; (3) Connections; (4) Opportunity; and (5) Better lives. (VWC)

Describes Spartanburg Technical College's (South Carolina) Technical Scholars Program, which funds students who train for jobs in sponsoring companies. Reports that it was established in the early 1980s as a three-year, industry-funded program, and that participating companies continue to work closely with the college to develop the curriculum and…

Reports that, based on a survey of 195 distance education students, significant differences were found between the way male and female students identified the strengths and weaknesses of the online environment. Also finds that online courses are of great value to nontraditional students, particularly female adult learners with children or family…

This study examines the retention of vocational education graduates in public higher education. Using 2,172 students who graduated vocational education programs in Area Vocational Technical Schools and enrolled as freshman (first-time young students) in public two-year and four-year colleges and universities in the 1996 fall semester, the author…

This report provides data on withdrawal and success rates and grades earned in fall 1994 at the five campuses of Pima Community College (PCC), in Arizona. Following a literature review on national course grades, descriptions are provided of the following: (1) grades and withdrawals for fall 1979, 1984, 1989, and 1994, indicating that the number of…

This report describes how the Richmond County, North Carolina, Tech Prep demonstration project developed a model program with the following objectives: (1) market the Richmond Tech Prep model in every state; (2) disseminate information to at least 3,000 new persons from other states; (3) maintain assistance to previous adopters; (4) provide…

Information is provided on tech prep education programs, which are part of a restructuring movement that combines secondary and postsecondary programs to provide technical preparation in a field such as engineering technology, agriculture, health, or business. Information on the following topics is outlined: seven essential elements of tech prep;…

The broad and highly politicized debate about the causes of rising illiteracy in the nation fall into three categories: nurture, or inadequate elementary/secondary educational institutions; nature, or arguments about genetics and the unteachability of Blacks and other minority groups; and social science, or the idea that standard literacy tests…

The current perception of faculty tenure as a guarantee of a job for life can impede the removal of teachers who do not perform up to standards. Such faculty, however, can have an extremely negative effect on overall college quality, and studies have shown that community college faculty do support post-tenure evaluation if it is responsibly…

One of the main obstacles to effective faculty evaluation is the inability to reach consensus on the evaluation's intended purpose. On one hand, faculty evaluation has a formative purpose, supporting faculty development, growth, and self-improvement, while it also has a summative purpose in that it provides data to make personnel decisions on…

The Commission to Improve Minority Education (CIME) was established in 1990 to address problems hindering the education of ethnic minorities at community colleges. This report features the CIME action agenda for the national community college system for improving recruitment, retention and transfer rates of minority students. Part I features a…

Drawing from both state and institutional data sources, this report provides personnel at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) with an in-depth analysis of assessment issues, offering both quantitative and qualitative information on assessment and student outcomes. Section 1 provides data on student transfer goal achievement, indicating that…

In 1978, the two-year colleges of general and professional education (CEGEP) of Quebec were charged with taking on a more vigorous role in the economic development of the province. To formalize this new orientation, a number of vocational education and applied research centers were created, each specializing in a particular key technology. Centers…

A study was conducted to investigate staff development needs at Chabot College and Las Positas College as perceived by members of the faculty, administration, and classified staff; to develop strategies to address the perceived needs; and to recommend short- and long-term implementation plans. A Staff Development Needs Assessment Questionnaire, an…

In an effort to more effectively disseminate information about community college programs for older adults, this directory was developed for three purposes: to make guidelines available for establishing, expanding, or revising programs; to offer a selection of successful programming models; and to provide a compendium of existing programs. Part I…