Discusses white American ethnic consciousness in the community college classroom. Describes the Racial/Cultural Identity Development model's five stages of white identity development, through which individuals proceed from stages of cultural unawareness to enlightenment: conformity, dissonance, resistance, introspection, and integrative awareness.…

Describes an empirical study that suggests using a cutoff score of 75 instead of the currently used score of 80 for the CPT Reading Comprehension Test (CPT-Read), which is used to place students in remedial coursework at Suffolk Community College. Also reviews the policy implications of establishing a lower cutoff score. Includes six data tables.…

Presents a case study of a 45-year-old first-generation community college student and his transition from factory worker to college student. Presents findings related to the student's stages of transition, personal contacts, work study experiences, commitment, and self-image. Excerpts from the student's journals and sample interview questions are…

A case study of the internship program at LaGuardia Community College (New York, NY) explores employer participation in work-based learning programs. Data from over 17,000 placements show how the program has shifted from occupational training to career exploration and the acquisition of generic workplace skills. (SLD)

Urges two-year colleges to refocus their mission and goals in light of their poor image and status in higher education; their largely urban location; and their nontraditional, often high-risk, student population. Argues for cohesiveness in institutional mission, and new curricula more sensitive to students' urban context, demographics, and career…

Summarizes concerns commonly expressed by incoming LaGuardia Community College freshmen (e.g., worries about parenting; fear of random violence; financial worries; fear of educational failure; and anxiety about mastering English). Reviews an instructor's efforts to empower students and build self-concept. Advocates a systemwide effort to meet…

Describes a study to identify sociodemographic, academic, and attitudinal variables that differentiate between male and female and White and Hispanic community college students with different levels of academic preparation enrolled in mathematics and science courses. (DMM)

Reports on the Minority Education Initiative included in the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges' 1990 public policy agenda. Focuses on issues related to government policies and guidelines, effective teaching environments, and institutional effectiveness. Provides an assessment of each issue and strategies for change. (DMM)

Reviews recent research on retention and achievement among Hispanic community college students, focusing on influences on persistence, transfer rates, and financial aid. Identifies needs for additional research, curricular reforms, and retention programs stressing counseling and advisement to promote the development of clear, concrete and…

Describes Laney College's Project Bridge, a basic skills program designed for underprepared community college students. Discusses the program's basic tenets (i.e., student-centered classrooms, the primacy of spoken language, and incorporation of minority group culture and international awareness). Considers the program's goals and organizational…

Presents results from a study comparing General Educational Development (GED) certificate holders and traditional high school graduates enrolled at Florida's community colleges in terms of admissions, enrollment rates, program completions, and academic success. Indicates that GED holders have lower grade point averages and graduation rates than…

Describes a study examining the perceptions of administrators, counselors, faculty, and underprepared students about the integration of underprepared students in an urban community college. Indicates that students unrealistically evaluate their academic integration and that college officials do not view academic and social integration in the same…

Discusses the impact of social/structural mobility on first-generation college students, focusing on the common need to renegotiate relations with family and friends and to acquire a new social identity with the attendant symbols (language, dress, etc.) of status-group membership. (DMM)

Describes a study conducted in 1986 at a suburban community college in the Pacific Northwest of the interaction between three student characteristics (i.e., gender, age, and socioeconomic background) and the program of study the students chose. Indicates that all three characteristics play a role in explaining the complexity surrounding program…

Describes a study of the relationship between the family background, personal characteristics, and educational goals and achievement of 424 community college office occupations students in Illinois and their decision to terminate their education with the associate degree or to transfer to a 4-year college. Finds educational goals critical in…