A study was conducted in fall 1980 at Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC) to develop a greater understanding of the mental health/counseling needs of students. Specifically, the study sought to determine which stress-inducing conditions (stressors) had the greatest effect on students and the kinds of interventions and strategies that might be…

Despite the growing number of older students (age 50 or over) attending two-year institutions, counseling services relevant to their needs are often overlooked. These needs are especially acute because they often stem from the disengagement of long established social roles, such as the loss of a job through retirement, the loss of loved ones…

Cites references from the ERIC junior college collection which relate to retention and persistence in the community college and includes a bibliography of doctoral dissertations on the subject. (AYC)

Miami-Dade Community College began in 1960 and now has 5 campuses and about 20 outreach centers. For the 1993-94 school year (the latest on which there are complete figures), 76,787 students were enrolled at Miami-Dade; another 43,391 took non-credit courses. Over the past 25 years, as the community has changed, obviously the college has reflected…

A study was conducted at Southwest College (SC), in Texas, to ascertain students' attitudes toward campus safety and the college's responsiveness to student needs. The study also sought to determine if students considered safety issues when choosing a campus, if they perceived a need for a safety organization, and if they encountered non-safety…

In spring 1984, a study was conducted at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) to investigate the needs of the more mature students attending the college. Telephone interviews were conducted with 143 students aged 60 to 64 (pre-seniors) and 155 students aged 65 or over (senior citizens), representing 81.7% and 91.2%, respectively, of the older…

Women who had been out of the educational system for some time and who had returned to a variety of college situations were interviewed in depth regarding their reasons for returning and the degree to which the colleges were meeting their needs as returning students. From the interview data, discussions with women's reentry program staff, and a…

Four reports are presented detailing procedures for improving the employability of students enrolled in the Los Angeles Community College District's Skill Training Improvement Programs (STIP II). Each report was submitted by one of the four STIP II programs: Los Angeles Southwest College's program for computer programming; the programs for…

Discusses the importance of creating a learning community in the classroom to help stimulate community college student success. Urges teachers to examine teaching methods and modify content and delivery to meet the complex needs of each new community. Urges instructors to encourage cooperation among students and respect diverse talents and ways of…

Gathered information about the severity and frequency of community college student problems, through a survey of 65 public community college counselors. Most reported an increase in severity of personal problems (family, alcohol, self-worth), career (goals, job market), and educational problems (lack of skills, time management). Reports other…

This project was conducted to determine factors that contribute to the academic success or lack thereof of educationally disadvantaged vocational students and to develop a plan that will enhance success of persistent nonachieving students in the future. Educationally disadvantaged students at Mountain View Community College (Texas) were divided…

In fall 1983, a survey was mailed to approximately 1,100 students enrolled at the University of Kansas (KU) who had previously been enrolled at Johnson County Community College (JCCC) to determine their perceptions of their educational experiences at both institutions and to develop a profile of the demographic and academic characteristics of…

Surveys of 70 male and 80 female community college students about their attitudes toward abortion, sexual behavior, and life problems support abortion rights. Antiabortion students were more religious, less sexually active, and less likely to know someone who had an abortion. Many students currently experienced serious problems. (SLD)

Reviews the literature on the reasons that students drop out of college. Offers a plan for freshman retention that asks students about their goals at registration, provides them with a six-hour orientation emphasizing academic excellence, teams them with a faculty mentor, and includes a mandatory for-credit seminar on attending college. (DMM)

After discussing several issues related to the disproportionately large number of minority students who initiate baccalaureate studies at two-year colleges, this paper urges minority community colleges to strengthen the college transfer function. The paper first summarizes the problems and characteristics of today's community college transfer…