A major reason for the paucity of usable data on the contributions and effectiveness of community colleges is that the definitions on which the data are based are imprecise. Colleges' contributions might be better understood if their functions were reconceptualized. The collegiate dimension of community colleges (i.e, that portion of the…

An overview is provided of recent efforts to review and redefine the associate degree, with special focus on a workshop sponsored by the Center for the Study of Community Colleges (CSCC) and the Miami-Dade Community College District (MDCCD) which attempted to sharpen the focus of the inquiry into the definition of the associate degree. First,…

These four consecutive issues of the quarterly newsletter, "Board Focus," distributed by the Community College League of California, are dated spring, summer and fall 1997, and spring 1998. The spring 1997 issue discusses the "town vs. gown" conflict, which entails trustees balancing their obligations to operate the college on…

When a college conducts an accreditation self-study, it is best to begin by addressing basic philosophical questions about the college's mission and goals. American River College in Sacramento, California, began its process by responding to the following questions: (1) Can we be all things to all people? (2) Does open door mean open curriculum?…

This bulletin describes the Dallas Community College District's (DCCD's) efforts to develop a common learning core curriculum. Introductory material discusses the creation of Committees for Common Learning to decide on standards and requirements for all students who enroll in degree programs at any of the seven district colleges and to design an…

The Grossmont and Cuyamaca Community College Districts (GCCCD) Grapevine is a triannual newsletter free for retirees of the Colleges. Volume 6 of the bulletin includes the establishment of an on-line newsletter; self-sufficiency aims of a new district plan at Cuyamaca College; and a discussion of a dispute between GCCCD's chancellor and faculty…

The articles in this issue of Learning Quarterly, published by the Centre for Curriculum, Transfer, and Technology (British Columbia), discuss the relationship between assessment and learning. Assessment can be used for three purposes in education: (1) to evaluate and credential (grade); (2) to determine institutional effectiveness; and (3) to…

This report, from the Faculty Association of Community and Technical Colleges (FACTC) in Washington, focuses on various distance learning courses offered by the state's two-year colleges. The report contains 16 articles from faculty members and students, including: (1) "The Emperor's New Tutor: A Confession" (Sydney Wallace Stegall); (2)…

This journal, designed as a forum for the exchange of ideas among research and planning professionals, offers articles of research studies and practices. After Timothy Lightfield highlights upcoming professional association events, Janice S. Ancarrow's article, "The National Vocational Education Data Reporting and Accounting System (VEDS): Its…

This issue describes an enrollment pattern emerging in higher education--students who are matriculated at, or have graduated from, a four-year college who then transfer to a two-year school, a process labeled "reverse transfer." The following articles are included: (1) "What Do We Know about Reverse Transfer Students?" (Barbara K. Townsend and…

The articles in this collection recommend ways of bringing greater direction and focus to community college general education and thereby enhancing the fulfillment of collegiate missions and augmenting student learning. The sourcebook contains: (1) "Toward a Second Wave of Reform," by Jerry G. Gaff, which reviews the general education reforms of…

Members of the Council of Universities and Colleges present recommendations and practical strategies in the area of curriculum development in this monograph. Louis Bender discusses strategies for curriculum revision. James Wattenbarger and Sandra Scaggs relate organization theory to the process of curriculum change. Raymond Schultz and Carl Webb…

This annual collection of articles on teaching and learning in Utah's 2-year colleges begins with an examination by Don A. Carpenter of the slow growth and acceptance of the comprehensive concept of the community college prevalent in other states. Next, Arvo Van Alstyne discusses "Educational Purposes and Priorities" and argues for a…

This document contains the 2000-2001 issues of Mt. San Antonio College's (Mt. SAC's) "Insights on the College." The first issue, "Mt. SAC Progress Report on Partnership for Excellence Goals," is a report on the self-assessment of the Partnership for Excellence (PFE) program conducted by Mt. SAC. The PFE program addresses the…

Work-based learning (WBL) differs from work experiences gained in regular youth jobs because WBL is intentionally structured to promote learning by linking work with school. Five main purposes of WBL have been identified: enhancing students' motivation and academic achievement; increasing personal and social competence related to work in general;…