In spring 1993, Charles County Community College (CCCC) in Maryland conducted a telephone survey of students who had been enrolled at the college the previous fall but did not return for the spring semester. A total of 1,655 students were identified as non-returning by the third week of classes in spring 1993, representing 29% of the fall 1992…

This report addresses attrition of special education personnel in Kansas for those employed in the 1991-92 year who did not return for the 1992-93 year and compares these data with that of previous years. Definitions of "leavers,""movers," and "stayers" are provided. The first part of the report presents tables…

A study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) in Illinois to develop a profile of students who withdrew from courses between summer 1990 and spring 1992. For the 2-year period studied, each degree credit student who officially withdrew from a course was asked to complete a survey form, indicating withdrawal status, whether a…

This study presents a 5-year pattern of data for the Extended Opportunities Programs and Services (EOPS) program at Mendocino College, with particular focus upon the persistence and performance of the fall 1995 cohort of EOPS students. EOPS is intended to serve students with economic and/or educational challenges to achieve their highest…

This report presents 27 graphs and tables detailing trends in degrees awarded at Maryland institutions of higher education from 1987 to 1997. Highlights of trend data for degrees awarded by level note that during 1996-97, Maryland institutions awarded over 42,000 certificates and degrees at all levels, nearly one-third more than 10 years earlier;…

This report results from the 1996 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Hopwood v. Texas, which declared that race may not be taken into account for the purpose of creating a diverse student body. The report offers recommendations to Texas policymakers and educators concerning creative approaches to encourage more representative student bodies in light of…

Drawing from an analysis of the literature on student attrition and retention at community colleges, this paper presents a typology of retention strategies as a structure by which further research can advance. Introductory material explains the typology, which categorizes retention strategies according to whether their purposes are to: (1) sort…

This report presents the results of a survey of member institutions of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) concerning administration views on student retention, and student retention and attrition and campus responses to this problem. Retention Activity Reports for each responding institution (N=183) are provided.…

A study was conducted at Riverside Community College in California to evaluate by ethnic group the enrollment behavior and academic achievement of first-year students who completed assessment testing and were recommended for placement in a pre-college-level writing course. The study sample included the two cohorts of students who enrolled at the…

A study was conducted to determine the following: Do the needs of beginning and experienced technical college teachers differ? Do the professional development activities of the two groups differ? and Do the factors important to beginning teachers who leave vocational education differ from those of experienced teachers who leave? The data used in…

This report examines the long-term impact of Academic Program Improvement (API) grants made from 1980 to 1986 at the California State University (CSU), by assessing the factors that contributed to or inhibited permanent adoption of successful innovations. Questionnaires from and interviews with project directors and administrators associated with…

The first-semester orientation course at Irvine Valley College (IVC), in California, a non-required course taught by counselors, covers time management, study skills, academic policies, career and academic major exploration, and support services. In an effort to evaluate the effectiveness of the course, a study was conducted of the 1990 freshman…

In response to an Oklahoma state mandate, for the second year, a comparative study was done of the graduation rates of scholarship athletes and the student body as a whole. The study used data from the student-cohort flow system to determine whether students graduated within 6 years of enrollment (for four-year institutions) or within 3 years of…

A study was conducted at Kutztown University (Pennsylvania) to examine issues affecting women in higher education. Areas addressed in the study include aspirations for advancement, perceptions of family support, perceived institutional support, perceived barriers to advancement, and networks perceived to support faculty. Data were solicited…

Models for preparing teachers to work knowledgeably and effectively with diverse populations are needed. The primary purpose of the Learning to Teach Diverse Populations project (Houston, Texas) is to reduce the drop-out rate of new teachers assigned to inner-city schools by training student teachers in a supportive inner-city school environment.…