The general purpose of this study was to investigate the question:
Is unionization disruptive of intra-institutional relationships on community college campuses ?
The introduction of faculty unions into the
college community is often perceived, even by proponents, as a process
which engenders hostility and disruption. Social conflict theory
is the...
The purpose of this study is to identify the internal support systems that contributed to the success of community college faculty teaching in a distance education setting. How do those faculty who are perceived as being successful in this setting attain such stature? What are the contributing factors? If contributing...
My study explores the impact of participation in a faculty teaching and learning community (TLC) on the professional development of community college faculty. I address the problem that, in spite of the growth of faculty development activity in the community college during the past decade, how faculty development occurs is...
The study was designed to determine how learner outcomes, one aspect of a comprehensive assessment plan at an urban community college in the Northwest, may have influenced professional practice. Research subjects were selected from a group of forty-four faculty who participated in a college sponsored professional development activity. The purpose...
As community colleges have responded to shifts in funding structures,
demands from an aging population, the emergence of for-profit competitors, the
development of globalization, and the increasing use of technology, the role of
faculty has evolved and new leadership opportunities have emerged. This study
examines informal faculty leadership at a...
The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions that community college and
university faculty have about similarities and differences in their professional roles.
The research design included a qualitative ethnographic case study methodology
with faculty participants purposively selected from two public colleges in the Pacific
Northwest: a community...
Research into community college governance has in the past centered on the formal aspects of decision-making of these institutions. These past studies often ignore the informal governance practices and policies that operate within all organizations. Staff perceptions of community
college governance have not been studied and possible disjunction between formal...
The founders of Cascadia Community College changed faculty role and duties as they designed a new college. The college founders chose which themes of learning reform would be enacted by faculty in this new setting. They determined what elements of traditional roles continued to be important and what new expectations...
Using meta-ethnography, this thesis analyzes the literature on transformational
leadership and related sources to identify the themes, patterns and connections that
describe transformational leadership. These findings were combined with findings from
an analysis of selected sources on adult learning theory and leadership training to
establish the basis for a design...
Today's community colleges are challenged to respond to rapidly changing internal and external environments. Their responses must promote highly responsive and relevant programs and services, while keeping intact the strengths of community colleges--access, student success, and a focus on teaching and learning. Further, these responses must occur in the context...
This study investigated the impact of team-teaching in coordinated-studies programs
(CSPs) on community college faculty in three instructional development domains: personal,
social, and professional. Grounded in a social-constructivist theoretical framework, this
research examined whether development occurs best experientially, in collaborative
communities of knowledgeable peers. CSPs are team-taught interdisciplinary, problem-solving
enterprises...
The intent of the study was to determine if the language related to twenty academic variables in the faculty collective bargaining agreements at selected community and technical colleges in Washington State had shifted to favor faculty influence during the decade from 1985 to 1995. Additionally, speculation on the reasons for...
Academic advising on American college and university campuses
has evolved into a professional activity supported by a growing body
of theory and research. Developmental psychology provided the
foundation for an approach to advising that emphasizes an holistic view
of the student by supplementing traditional advising functions with
career and personal...
The purpose of the study, which was conducted at Chemeketa Community
College in Salem, Oregon, was threefold:
1. to assess the attitudes and opinions of administrators, content
faculty, developmental faculty, and students concerning developmental
education needs of community college students.
2. to develop a questionnaire which could serve as a...
The primary purpose of this study was to develop guidelines for
planning a preservice preparation program which would encompass the
critical issues in community college teacher education identified in
the related literature and by national and state authorities. The
secondary purpose was to suggest a plan for a community college...
The purpose of this study was to explore the phenomenon of community colleges creating pathways to degree completion in professional-technical programs by breaking degree programs into smaller portions, referred to as "chunks." The purpose or possible advantage of chunking was that it would improve the rate of degree completion among...
More than half of students in Washington state community colleges enroll in developmental mathematics, but a relatively small percentage of these students persist to the second year. Many students place into these courses and never enroll; others enroll at some point after the first academic term, even when faced with...
The primary objective of this study was to develop a prototype
instrument of procedures and criteria to be used by community college
s for self-analysis and evaluation purposes. The study grew out of
the recognized need to assess and improve the effectiveness and pertinence
of community college philosophies, roles and...
Purpose of the Study
The basic purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and
opinions of community college personnel toward faculty involvement
in policy formulation.
Procedures
The statistical and subjective data for this study were obtained
from two major sources. (1) A statistical questionnaire was
developed to identify...
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The study examined administrator and faculty perceptions
toward staff development needs and ascertained the
differences which exist between the reported staff development
needs of full-time community college instructors within
the state of Oregon.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
The three objectives identified for this study were:
1....
The purpose of this study was to develop a valid and reliable
instrument to measure the organizational climate of the community
college as perceived by community college administrators, faculty, and
classified staff.
There were three phases in this study. The first was to develop a
pool of test items based...
Community colleges have long been thought of as the "people's
college." For some thirty years, Oregonians have looked to their 16 community
colleges as the less expensive, more accessible route to a college education.
Oregon's community colleges have traditionally had the broad mission of
providing comprehensive educational opportunities to all...
The central purpose of this study was to determine various
views of the professional competencies required by community
college student financial aid administrators. Respondents in the
study included a student financial aid recipient, a student financial
aid administrator and a president from forty-five selected community
colleges. The major tasks were:...
From 1990 to 2000, Oregon community colleges experienced a shift in their revenue sources from primarily local taxes to primarily state funding. Additionally during this time Oregon approved term limits for state officials and legislators. In preparation for the 2001-2003 biennial Legislative session, the community colleges pursued new approaches to...
Purposes of the Study: The study had several purposes, the major one being to identify common professional education competencies essential to adequate performance by administrators of vocational education at the community college level. Other purposes of the study were to: (1) determine if significant differences existed in vocational administration competencies...
Community colleges are experiencing a decline in state allocated funding. Traditionally, college administrators look for ways to cut expenditures and raise tuition and fees to make up for the shortfall. Using available land resources to generate a revenue stream may provide revenue for community colleges.
The purpose of this study...
This study examined the role perceptions of trustees
in the locally controlled Oregon community college system
and the state controlled Washington community college
system. Authorities in the literature were consulted to
define the "ideal trustee role" and the study determined
which governance system was most effective in fostering
this "ideal...
Although the career choice decision for women is
recognized as a complex process, there is little
understanding about how the influencing factors affect
the choices of disadvantaged women returning to community
colleges. This study was concerned with understanding
how certain factors influenced the career choices of this
population.
A random...
The purpose of this study was to compare how elected and appointed board
trustees provide oversight for the community colleges they serve. The rationale for
this study was that little examination of board governance processes at community
colleges had occurred and, as a result, board members may lack the understanding...
The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experience of students to discern the impact of their interaction with the food pantry. This knowledge may, in turn, influence future food pantry methods and wider policy, both at PNW College and more broadly. Not only does student hunger have...
The community college baccalaureate movement has shown strong growth across the country as a strategy to meet workforce shortages. A variety of forces are driving the movement including (a) employer demand for higher credentials; (b) geographical access to education; (c) lower cost education; (d) a trained workforce to compete in...
Purpose of the Study:
The purpose of this study was to develop and field
test a model for context evaluation of objectives used
in competency-based curricula at the community college
level.
The study:
1. Developed a decision and information matrix that
identified objectives which should be considered
for deletion from...
This dissertation addresses the problem of how best to share purchasing specifications among the community colleges of the State of Oregon. In order for Oregon's community college administrators who are responsible for the acquisition of goods and services for vocational and other programs to perform successfully, it requires the development...
The purpose of this research study was to enhance understanding of successful conflict management by community college Presidents through highlighting and describing conflict experiences with the faculty union or the board of trustees in a community college context. The following questions guided the research: (a) How do community college Presidents...
The purpose of this study is to determine factors that encourage second
generation Latina/os to obtain a community college education. A critical qualitative
ethnography focused on "Testimonio" was used in conducting this study. The key
findings were formulated around three critical research questions. In relation to each
research question, three...
Strategic planning is a frequently used method for defining appropriate institutional responses to changing internal and external conditions. Numerous efforts have been made to adopt strategic planning styles that were originally developed in manufacturing businesses to the purposes of higher education. Despite theses efforts, community colleges have not yet developed...
The community college, now over 100 years old, began with the singular mission of preparing students for transfer to the university. Throughout the 20th century, the community college has expanded its missions to serve increasingly complex and comprehensive community needs. Through a textual analysis of community engagement within seven seminal...
The purpose of this study is to explore experiences of professional growth for mid-career community college faculty. The research question that guided the study is: How do community college faculty members experience professional growth at mid- career? The research design included an interpretive social science methodology and phenomenological method. Nine...
Over the past twenty years, the national three-year graduation rate for community college students has ranged from 44% to roughly 31% in 2013 (NCES, 2013). As a way to address such low graduation rates, colleges have implemented a myriad of services and programs (i.e., tutoring, mentoring, etc.). Another intervention is...
The purpose of this study was to assess the congruence of perceptions of academic advising between students and advisers. Seventeen tasks involved in developmental academic advising were identified from a review of current academic advising literature. These criteria became the basis of a questionnaire that asked students whether their adviser...
Multicultural curriculum, as a facet of multicultural education is not a new topic in higher education. Although there are many theories that describe multicultural curriculum (Banks, 1997b; Bennett, 2007), and a multitude of ideas and suggestions for best practices, several studies show there is not overwhelming faculty support for or...
Branch campuses play an important part in postsecondary degree attainment by providing place-bound students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds in different geographical regions access to education that is convenient. Their heterogeneousness structures, including enrollment size, communities, and populations served, are not accurately reflected in the majority of the research. Currently, there...
This phenomenological study explores what it means to teach part-time in community colleges in the United States. The increasing use of part-time faculty in community colleges and the concomitant emergence of a two-tiered faculty are discussed.
The study examines the nature of part-time work in the United States, thus providing...
The purpose of this study is to describe the factors and issues surrounding development of one community college baccalaureate degree program, the three-year Bachelor of Manufacturing Technology at Westark College in Arkansas. This study probes three primary movements at play in the Westark baccalaureate program, which was developed to respond...
The purpose of this multi-case study was to describe how library deans and directors at large comprehensive community colleges strategically advocate for and support instructional and technological innovation despite the reality of limited resources and the stress caused by recurring funding crises in higher education. It further sought to examine...
The purpose of the study was to determine if online courses that were faculty peer reviewed based on five factors of quality instruction resulted in increased levels of student satisfaction and higher rates of student retention when compared with nonreviewed courses in a post-secondary context. The five factors of quality...
Background: Social interaction among peers on a campus of higher education has long been considered an important part of the college student experience, in particular for the first-term students transitioning into college life. Students who socially connect with peers on campus tend to persist at higher rates, while other benefits...
Community colleges serve various populations as part of their missions. Many community colleges serve the people who live in rural communities and are challenged with fewer financial resources. The term rural is not easily defined, and many variables need to be considered when creating academic programming for rural populations. There...
Background: Previous studies suggested that the professional identity of community college faculty is less than clearly articulated. Lack of clarity with regard to professional identity may have impacts in a number of areas, including recruitment, professional development, and the overall reputation of community colleges.
Purpose: To examine how community college...
The diversity of attitudes held by California community college faculty about Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) was studied. In twelve semi-structured interviews, faculty informants explained how their work has changed as a result of increased standardization and accountability measures, how they value those changes, and how they expect the profession to...
This research was conducted to compare the performance of
community college students to four -year institutional students both
of which were enrolled in one of three different programs of general
college chemistry for nonscience majors during the 1967 -68 academic
year. The three programs were defined as follows:
Program A...
The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not a
significant difference existed between Oregon community college
transfer students and native students at Oregon State University with
respect to academic achievement, persistence, and graduation.
Two groups of students were selected for observation. The
first included all of the...
This investigation has as its purpose: (1) to identify present
student personnel practices in evening community college programs,
(2) to identify student personnel practices considered "desirable" or
"undesirable" in evening community college programs, and (3) to
develop student personnel service guidelines for an evening community
college program.
Securing and Treating...
The major problem examined in this study was that of
determining whether or not there is any relationship between
student ratings of instruction in the community college
university transfer area and the professional teacher-training
backgrounds of instructors. In addition, several
other factors which may influence ratings and which might
interact...
The major purpose of this study was to develop and
test a procedural model for assessing work group effectiveness in a community college. The model required a
process to identify differences and commonalities among
work groups perceived to be effective and those perceived
to be less effective. In addition, this...
This study investigated the design of a new type of
postsecondary educational institution for Venezuela that
would meet the vocational education and training needs of
postsecondary students and the skilled labor demands of the
nation. Venezuela's educational system was analyzed to
delineate a center for a suitable two-year vocational
technical...
The central purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship of
locus of control and academic success in selected medical office assisting students.
The instrument for locus of control assessment was the Adult Nowicki-Strickland
Internal-External Scale (ANSIES). Structured interviews were used to elicit
personal responses for the purpose of...
The purpose of this study is to examine the events and activities that
triggered strategic and large-scale changes in four community college based
Small Business Development Centers. A review of the literature in
organizational theory and community college education was used to form
an integrated conceptual scheme which could be...
Organizational culture is broadly recognized as a significant force in organizational
action. Since the phenomenon of culture has real impact on organizations, our understanding
of that impact is vital to organizational health. While academic settings provide a rich
environment for studying culture, relatively little research on culture has occurred in...
This purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the role of the community
college chief academic officer and to describe how CAOs define successful
performance. It examined (a) experience candidates brought to the position; (b) job
duties and responsibilities; (c) knowledge, skills, and abilities required; (d) challenges
and barriers;...
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate areas of consensus and differences among Oregon community college
faculty, administrators, and their business community on the desired role of the community college and the perceived current role in economic development as defined by selected economic development activities.
Methods and Procedures:...
Critics of higher education urge educators to transform their institutions so as to align them with the needs of the twenty-first-century learner. However, colleges desiring to survive in a rapidly changing external environment often discover they must first find a way to make
fundamental changes in their institutional culture. Some...
Research examining disparity between baccalaureate completion among "native" and community college transfer students has gained attention in recent years. Current and prior research has identified important pre-college and demographic characteristics with a positive relationship to baccalaureate completion. Yet few studies have focused on the influence of nonacademic and academic environmental...
Today's office worker is being expected to operate computers in order to
increase office productivity. While learning the new technology is a positive
challenge for most people, some students experience a negative computer
attitude when faced with computer training. This study sought to determine if
there were significant differences about...
The purpose of this study was to better understand the perceptions of employers and graduates regarding the applied baccalaureate degree when conferred by community colleges. By better understanding the perceptions of employers and graduates, community colleges considering offering applied baccalaureate degrees will have some context within which to begin communicating...
Background: Legislators and higher education policy makers increasingly are turning to policy initiatives to incentivize institutions of higher education to transform policies and practices in the name of student success, with success typically defined as retention and graduation rates. One such policy receiving increased attention amongst states is outcomes-based funding,...
Higher education is being asked to address issues of quality, accountability, and transparency. Accreditation is one tool higher education institutions use to address these concerns. The purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the impact of the new accreditation standards adopted by the Northwest Commission for Colleges and Universities...
Community colleges today are experiencing monumental shifts in their operating
environments. Some of these changes are known, but many of them are not. They
include shifts in curriculum, funding, and societal expectation to name a few. Through
the constructs of high quality work environment and organizational fluidity theory, this
research...
The educational system in the Yemen Arab Republic
(YAR) is in desperate need of reform to accommodate recent
changes in the structure of the economy and society of the
YAR. At present, there is only one university, the University
of Sana'a, within the country. In this study, the organization
of...
The Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) was created in 1972 by the Air Force to serve Air Force enlisted personnel with educational opportunity. No study exists identifying and assessing the mission of this college. Various mission sources iterate the different goals of CCAF. These sources and other indicators...
The era of "customer satisfaction" brings students to colleges who are increasingly identifying themselves as customers. Competition among a growing number of institutions and learning organizations is sharpening the desire of institutions to deliver high quality service in order to attract and retain students. Some examples of interactions where service...
Using qualitative methodology and a case study format, this study examines from the inside-out the organizational impact of significant change in leadership at a mature community college during the initial period of that change. The study describes and characterizes the nature of change in the organization during the periods of...
The purpose of this study was to describe the presidential search process at a
newly created community college and to learn how that process reflected the
emerging organizational culture. A single research question guided the inquiry: How
did the presidential search process at a newly created community college reflect the...
This study presented an in-depth exploration of international student perceptions of a coordinated studies program (CSP) at Seattle Central Community College. In conducting this research project, a phenomenological research methodology was used. Qualitative data were collected through participant observations, focus group, document review and individual in-depth interviews with nine students....
The study established how community college leaders establish connections
with other community leaders. Connections that form broad and inclusive networks
can be used to develop positive social capital in communities. Results showed that
new community college leaders follow a pattern of community engagement
including the identification of other leaders, making...
Fundraising in the 21st century is becoming an increasingly important component of rural community colleges' (RCCs) overall funding strategies. Alumni represent a significant population of potential college supporters. The problem facing rural community colleges involves fiscal viability through developing innovative fundraising practices and identifying emerging sources of additional revenue. The...
The purpose of this research study was to describe and improve understanding of the meaning of institutionalized sustainability and the role that a college president plays in institutionalizing sustainability on a community college campus. The following questions guided the research: (a) What does it mean to have sustainability “institutionalized” at...
The purpose of this study was to document a community college faculty development process through which the faculty learned to reconstruct their curriculum around significant learning outcomes and authentic assessment strategies. The following questions focused the inquiry: 1. What kind of organizational support systems were necessary for the faculty to...
The purpose of this study was to discern the nature of legislators' perceptions about community colleges' abilities to generate revenues through alternative funding sources and the resultant effects on state allocations to these colleges. Selected community college-related staff members and legislative staff members in Idaho and Oregon were asked to...
The two-fold purpose of this study was to identify critically important factors that affect the
meaningful assessment of student learning outcomes and study why they were critically
important. A three-round Delphi process was used in both a pilot project and in a full study to
solicit the opinions of individuals...
The purpose of this qualitative study was to research the experience of six Hispanic students who were interviewed in depth regarding their persistence in school and success at a community college. The students reported on their educational experiences prior to college and how that related to attendance at the college;...
The field of threat assessment and management in higher education is in the early stages of development. In particular, little is noted in the research literature about the practices of threat assessment teams in this environment. To fill this knowledge gap, a random national sample of 15% (n = 148)...
An interpretative philosophical framework was applied to a case study to document the particular experiences and perspectives of ten women engineering transfer students
who once attended a community college and are currently enrolled in one of two university
professional engineering programs. This study is important because women still do not...
This exploratory, narrative study investigated two research questions. One, how do executive leaders at community colleges describe how their cognitive schema and sensemaking approach informed their understanding of a crisis that their organization faced. Two, how do executive leaders at community colleges describe what leadership traits, behaviors, and competencies they...
Student engagement with faculty is positively associated with increases in the retention and graduation rates of students enrolled in institutions of higher education. Although a considerable amount of research has focused on understanding the engagement experiences of students enrolled at four-year colleges and universities, little emphasis has been placed on...
At the intersection of higher education and politics, there is demand for an easily understood measure of student success. Graduation rate is the current measure of choice, but the definition of graduation rate excludes many categories of students and types of success particularly applicable to community colleges. The purpose of...
Considerable research has been done on women and leadership styles, and while most have found very little to no difference in leadership style between men and women, there has been conflict with individual gender roles and organizational roles (Eagly & Johnson, 1990; Eddy & Cox, 2008; Kanter, 1997). These studies...
Research on higher education during the period 1990 to 2013 has suggested that U.S. higher education institutions were significantly impacted by a number of global forces, including an increase in the movement of goods, information, and people across borders. During the same period, a measurable increase occurred in the number...
The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether
there were significant differences between Oregon community
college collegiate freshmen and Oregon State University freshmen in
terms of interest, values, and manifest needs.
The study was limited to a representative sample of the freshman
population in the lower-division collegiate program...
This study was undertaken to: 1) determine the
relationship between community college counselor role
congruence and job satisfaction and 2) to consider
factors that contribute to or depreciate counselor role
congruence and job satisfaction.
The subjects consisted of four groups that were
compared in terms of their perceptions of community...
The purpose of this investigation was to examine the influence of selected historical, fiscal, and organizational factors on enrollment patterns in Oregon Community Colleges during the academic years 1978-79, 1981-82, and 1984-85. Oregon was selected insofar as it is one of the few remaining states which observes the principle of...
The emergence of modularized curriculum in community college career and technical education (CTE) programs has received substantial attention over the last decade, with researchers suggesting that this type of curriculum redesign may assist with student retention and success. The purpose of this study was to describe advisory committee member involvement...
Numerous managerial and organizational theorists have worked to
develop a set of concepts and theories that encapsulate the key elements of
leadership. Contemporary research links leadership to such matters as gender and
organizational mission or focus. The present study was undertaken in response to
a new approach to leadership theory...