Why Should Community College Faculty Write Grant Proposals?

Community colleges have seen dramatic enrollment increases (Kasper, 2002 Kasper , H. ( 2002 ). The changing role of community colleges . Occupational Outlook Quarterly , Winter 2002–03 , p. 19 . [Google Scholar]), and some are now offering 4-year degrees (Evelyn, 2003 Evelyn , J. ( 2003 , April 11 ). Making waves in Miami . The Chronicle of Higher Education , 49 ( 31 ), p. A34 . [Google Scholar]). They are eligible for more grants than in the past, and community college funding from state and federal appropriations is shrinking (Lawrence & Marino, 2003 Lawrence , S. & Marino , L. ( 2003 , September ). Update on funding for higher and graduate educational institutions . New York : The Foundation Center .[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]). For these reasons, it is imperative that community college faculty become involved in grant proposal preparation and submission. They will also gain professionally from participating in grant development activities.     

IMPACT OF TENNESSEE'S REMEDIAL/DEVELOPMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM ON THE ACADEMIC PROGRESS OF MINORITY STUDENTS

This paper examines the impact of a state‐wide mandatory testing and placement program operating in Tennessee's community college system as it relates to retention and academic progress of minority students. Utilizing the Board of Regents' data base, the records of 5,139 first‐time 1986 freshmen enrollees at Tennessee's ten public community colleges were examined and tracked through three successive academic quarters. Analysis suggests that of this group, only 22% were actually enrolled in college level programs, as the balance (78%) were in the developmental studies program. The constriction of college placement for minorities is especially severe, since developmental program requirements must be satisfied before they can proceed to earn college level credits. Of the 5,139 first time freshmen, only 56 black students were enrolled in college level courses, and of these, only 26 remained enrolled in Regents' institutions after three quarters. Analysis of attrition by ACT cohort suggests that attrition is higher for those enrolled in developmental studies programs, and 13% higher for minorities than for white students. These findings suggest that public officials may wish to assess if the testing and placement program as it is currently operating is achieving stated goals of improved retention and graduation of minority students     

The Career Pathway Model: Small Steps to Big Leaps

Palm Beach Community College realigned its curriculum to allow student to seamlessly process through career pathways. Students can start in clock-hour-based instruction and transfer that learning into credit-based associate in science degrees. Along this pathway, students can use exit points to employment with recognized certificates.     

The Accessibility and Usability of College Websites: Is your Website Presenting Barriers to Potential Students?

Thirty community college websites were evaluated for compliance with federal web accessibility standards found in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d). Two typical sites were tested for usability by individuals with visual impairments, individuals with reading-related learning disabilities (LD), and a control group of individuals without disabilities. Ten additional sites were selected for Simulated Target Group usability testing. Testing revealed that less than 1% of pages evaluated met Section 508 web accessibility standards. Over half of the users found the online admissions application process frustrating, and less than a third of all users could complete the online application without assistance. The Simulated Target Group usability testing encountered similar usability issues across the additional 10 community college websites examined. All four evaluation techniques found that community college websites fared poorly in both accessibility and usability. However, many of the issues could be addressed without significant effort.     

Promoting Academic Persistence Among Racial/Ethnic Minority and European American Freshman and Sophomore Undergraduates: Implications for College Counselors

Factors influencing persistence decisions among 346 racial/ethnic minority and 813 European American freshman and sophomore undergraduates were explored. Gender and racial/ethnic differences were found in centrality and public regard of racial/ethnic identity. Perceptions of the university environment and self‐beliefs predicted persistence decisions for everyone. Suggestions for college counselors working with students exhibiting risk factors for academic persistence are presented.     

Supervising a social science undergraduate dissertation: staff experiences and perceptions

This article reports on a research project that investigated the experiences and perceptions of staff supervising final year social science undergraduates enrolled on a dissertation module in a post-1992 UK university. Using data from semi-structured interviews, the article explores staffs perspectives of the supervision process, the different approaches taken by staff to supervision and the challenges they face in supporting students through the dissertation journey. The paper offers a picture of the dissertation supervisors’ experiences and, it is hoped, will encourage other supervisors to interrogate their own supervision in light of the practice of colleagues.     

The ‘messy’ business of academic developers leading other academic developers: critical reflection on a curriculum realignment exercise

Little has been written about academic developers (ADs) working in teams leading other ADs. This paper chronicles the experience of a group of ADs in one Australian university working on a curriculum realignment exercise. Unexpectedly the dominant theme in participants’ reflections was group dynamics, not the process. We were confronted by unstated assumptions about ADs working collaboratively and shocked to realise that ADs, like academics, resist change. Our interpretation of that ‘resistance’ was a salutary reminder of the extent to which academic development work reflects broader social, political, and institutional contexts and discourses. Parallels between this context and ADs working with academics are drawn.     

Teaching managing diversity via feminist theory

This paper explores a project to design and mount a unit on ‘managing diversity’. For its conceptual framework the unit draws on feminist theories of struggles for equity and social justice and the various policy approaches that workplace equality agents have correspondingly developed. Despite the emphasis on feminist theory, the paper makes no attempt to compare gender equity initiatives with strategies for managing diversity. Rather, some of the tensions are identified between the culturalist aims of the Managing Diversity movement and the redistributive goals that generated affirmative action and equal employment opportunities strategies; and it is suggested how an analysis of those tensions may promote increased student understanding of the topic. Secondly, it is assessed how a unit may juxtapose industrial relations and human resource management concepts to the benefit of curricula in both.In planning a new unit, moreover, it is not only the content which needs to be considered, but also the students' prior learning experience and the politics of persuading one's colleagues of the proposal's worth. Thus an account of these more pragmatic issues is integrated into the discussion.