LINKING STRATEGIC GOALS TO THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE BUDGET

Five years ago, Parkland College was faced with a challenge: how to link its strategic goals to the budget development and budget reallocation through an open, participatory, consensus‐based planning process. The strategic goals were developed collaboratively by community leaders, faculty, and staff using environmental scanning of key data and institutional performance indicators. After the strategic plan was approved by the college senate and the board of trustees, it was used to develop college and unit operational plans, which drive budgetary priorities and initiatives. In the last 6 years, the college has seen a decrease in the number of administrative positions, an increase in full‐time faculty teaching positions, an increase in the number of credit hours taught by full‐time faculty, an increase in instructional equipment purchases, and completion of a campus computer network integrating data communications, e‐mail, and Internet access. Instructional technology, methods and delivery of instruction, classroom assessment, and institutional effectiveness have become top college priorities. The process has earned the enthusiastic endorsement and respect of the faculty, staff, administration, and the board of trustees. The process also has built trust and cooperation and has facilitated the development of shared governance. This article discusses the impact and lessons learned from implementing such a process.     

Student Development Among Community College Participants in Study Abroad Programs

For decades, institutions of higher education have provided study abroad opportunities for college students wishing to increase and expand their intellectual and social skills. While many universities around the country have supported successful international exchange and study abroad programs, there is little research on community college study abroad programs and their impact on student development. Therefore, this article examines specific vectors that impact student development before and after study abroad participation in nine community colleges using Chickering's Theory of Student Development and SAS statistical methods.     

INTRODUCTION TO SPECIAL ISSUE

The annual Community College Futures Assembly is an edutaining experience. This special issue highlights the lessons learned from the institutions that were competitively selected to present at the 2001 Assembly. The theme of the 2001 Assembly was the merger of education, entertainment, and information as driven by digital technologies. Educating attendees was the major purpose of the keynote address and the presentations of the Bellwether Award finalists. Entertainment was available throughout the Assembly through stimulating presentations, enthusiastic camaraderie, and great meals. Information was conveyed to all attendees to spread throughout their home institutions and communities. This introduction focuses on the experience of attending the 2001 Community College Futures Assembly. Over 250 community college trustees, presidents, vice presidents, deans, faculty members, and other decision makers representing 31 states and Canada attended the Assembly, which was held in Orlando, Florida. The Assembly is sponsored annually by the Institute of Higher Education (IHE) of the University of Florida (UF) and cosponsored by numerous organizations identified in this article. The Assembly has provided quality learning experiences since 1995, and it is proud to be an independent national policy forum recognized by the Association of Community College Trustees for its Trustee Education Recognition Program.     

The Relationship Between the Employment of Part-Time Faculty and Student Degree and/or Certificate Completion in Two-Year Community Colleges

Prior research studies associated the employment of part-time faculty with student degree and/or certificate completion (Benjamin, 2002; Ehrenberg & Zhang, 2005; Jacoby, 2006; Leslie & Gappa, 2002; Umbach, 2008; Umbach & Wawrzynski, 2005). To date, institutional-level data have been utilized to investigate whether such employment adversely associated with student degree and/or certificate completion in two-year community colleges. Little research, however, has been conducted to study such association utilizing both student and institutional-level data (e.g., Eagan & Jaeger, 2009; Jacoby, 2006). In this study, we draw data from Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and The Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS: 04/09), and employ a multilevel logistic regression model to investigate whether the proportion of part-time faculty is negatively associated with individual student’s likelihood of degree and/or certificate completion. Analytical results indicate the proportion of part-time faculty in community colleges is not negatively associated with student’s likelihood of degree and/ or certificate completion.     

Effect of Audio-Analgesia on Gross Motor Performance Involving Acute Fatigue

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to study the effect of selected sounds (audio-analgesia) on an all-out 60-sec. ride on the bicycle ergometer. Sixteen subjects were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. Sounds were (a) fast march music, (b) slow music, (c) white sound with a mambo background, and (d) no sound. No significant differences were found among the experimental variables.     

Cardiovascular and Ventilatory Responses during Formalized T'ai Chi Chuan Exercise

Abstract

T'ai Chi Chuan (TCC) is a widely practiced Chinese martial art said to physically develop balance and coordination as well as enhance emotional and mental health. TCC consists of a series of postures combined into a sequential movement providing a smooth, continuous, low-intensity activity. The purpose of this study was to examine the ventilatory and cardiovascular responses to the Long Form of Yang's style TCC. In addition, the subjects' TCC responses were compared to their ventilatory and cardiovascular responses during cycle ergometry at an oxygen consumption (VO₂) equivalent to the mean TCC VO₂ Six experienced (M = 8.3 yrs) male TCC practitioners served as subjects with data collected during the Cloud Hand movement of the TCC exercise. Significantly (p < .05) lower responses for ventilatory frequency (Vf) (11.3 and 15.7 breaths min^?1), ventilatory equivalent (VE!VO₂) (23.47 and 27.41), and the ratio of dead space ventilation to tidal volume (VD!VT) (20 and 27%) were found in TCC in comparison to cycle ergometry. The percentage of minute ventilation used for alveolar ventilation was significantly higher during TCC (p < .03) than cycle ergometry, with mean values of 81.1% and 73.1%, respectively. Cardiac output, stroke volume, and heart rate were not significantly different between TCC exercise and cycle ergometry at the same oxygen consumption. We concluded that, during TCC, expert practitioners show significantly different ventilatory responses leading to more efficient use of the ventilatory volume than would be expected from comparable levels of exertion on a cycle ergometer.     

A Comparative Study of Selected Handball Techniques

Abstract

This study compared the effectiveness of the two most commonly used handball arm-hand actions in relation to (a) handball velocity, (b) time required to execute each stroke and (c) distance the striking hand travels during the propulsive phase of each stroke. Handball velocity was measured with the Hale Reaction-Performance Timer. The data for the remaining variables were obtained through cinematographical analysis. Eleven experienced handball players at Springfield College were selected as subjects. Velocity results indicated that significant differences existed between the flexion-extension and straight arm techniques. Differences between the two stroking techniques for execution time and hand distance traveled were found, although the data for these two variables were not scrutinized statistically.     

Waste in Education

Most students learn less and forget more than they should, an unnecessary waste of time and money. Dr. Dale accurately identifies some typical instructional weaknesses and clearly suggests remedies.     

Success on the decks: working-class boys,education and turning the tables on perceptions of failure

Although working-class boys' disengagement with education continues to be a major public concern, the focus of educational research has been on anti-school, hyper-masculine so-called laddish masculinities and their salience within learner identities. What tend to be forgotten are the areas in which low-achieving boys actively engage and succeed in their learning and what these successes mean for their identity construction. This article shows how learning practices manifest themselves in extracurricular peer subcultures by presenting the findings of two related musical activities, DJ-ing and MC-ing. In this music-making, secondary school boys in the Northeast of England showed themselves to be capable of high levels of engagement, enthusiasm and success despite generally being considered low achieving and highly disaffected. This small case study based on semistructured interviews aimed to explore how boys aged 14–16 years enact their passion through creative agency and expressive cultural processes.