This document includes: (1) a special report by the Office of the Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education on the system's equity plan, "Excellence and Equity: A Plan for Building Community in Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education"; (2) an opinion piece titled, "The Problem of Black Students…

A study was conducted at San Jose City College (SJCC) of the factors that contributed to the academic success of a sample of students enrolled in fall 1990. Successful students were defined as those receiving a letter grade of A, B, C, or CR (credit) in Math 310, Learning Skills 340, and English 321. A randomly selected group of 39 students who…

This paper addresses issues related to school location, staff turnover, and educational improvement through community involvement. A study involving second-year teachers in Australia indicates that teacher satisfaction was related to satisfying relationships with fellow staff and with students who were cooperative and enthusiastic about learning.…

The broad area of teacher satisfaction is an important component in career decisions about teaching. Some sources of satisfaction are the joy of helping students learn, the sense of efficacy, positive relationships with colleagues, satisfactory working conditions, the leadership style of principals, and the prestige and esteem associated with…

A research project investigated 2,313 persons who attended Del Mar College (Texas) during fall 1990 but did not enroll for spring 1991. Four sets of data were collected: (1) limited demographic information on the total student body; (2) demographic information drawn from school records to describe all nonreturnees; (3) demographic information…

This paper examines factors which may impact on recruitment and retention of members of the African-American teaching pool. Data were gathered through questionnaires and interviews administered to prospective and beginning teachers (N=41) to determine background characteristics, reasons for entering the teaching profession, experiences in teacher…

This journal issue discusses student attrition and the major recurring themes regarding students withdrawing from college. It is revealed that less than 15 percent of student departures are as a result of academic dismissal, with the remaining students leaving voluntarily, even when their academic performance is clearly acceptable. The following…

This review examines the psychological variables that influence academic performance, by exploring the psychosocial development of students and the individual differences that emerge in childhood and impact upon a student's later self-concept. Areas discussed include identity and achievement issues, gender differences in identity achievement, the…

This report responds to Colorado Senate Bill 92-155 by describing the policy changes, new policies and practices, and incentives established to accomplish the legislative purpose, namely, to reduce the average length of time that undergraduate students take to complete their degrees. The report summarizes governing board reports and the actions…

The development of students should be the primary mission of higher education. The consequences of significant attrition in many universities are not trivial. This study identified relevant variables and appropriate methodologies for enhancing undergraduate retention at one university. By employing records analyses, system definition, and a…

The literature shows clearly that rural administrators find it extremely difficult to locate and hire qualified teachers who fit in with the school and community and will stay in the job. The "ideal" rural teacher is certified to teach more than one subject or grade level, can teach students with a wide range of abilities in the same classroom, is…

This study examined the impact of work and family roles on the probability of students in early adulthood completing the associate or baccalaureate degree. It also looked at the effect of gender on degree completion and differences between adult associate and baccalaureate degree seekers. The study used data from the National Longitudinal Study of…

Research may be divided into two types, "empowering" research and "academic" research. Empowering research seeks to determine how a particular individual or organization can produce a desired result, while academic research is concerned with why a particular condition exists. While academic research might ask "Why do students drop out of school?"…

In an effort to evaluate the academic persistence and performance of all 271 fall 1989 first-time college students and first-time transfer students at Mendocino College (MC), the students' academic histories were analyzed for 4 sequential semesters from fall 1989 through spring 1991. In addition, students who persisted were compared with students…

The eight general session, exemplary practice, and roundtable papers contained in this conference proceedings report focus on various aspects of institutional effectiveness and student outcomes. The volume includes: (1) "Effectiveness and Student Success in Community Colleges: Practices, Realities, and Imperatives," by Peter Ewell; (2) "Rhetoric…