Free Highlights
THE DIVERSE PROFESSORIATE
Although the number of scholars from minority groups has increased markedly in the past decade, some experts expected the numbers would be even higher by now.
Jacqueline R. Scott, an associate professor of philosophy at Loyola U. Chicago, sees applications to race theory in her study of Nietzsche. She is one of only a few black, female philosophy professors. (Photograph by Ralf-Finn Hestoft)
Selected Articles (For Chronicle Subscribers)
PRESERVING ANCIENT CULTURES: Some colleges are working to keep American Indian languages from becoming a lost part of history.
DATABASE: The race and ethnicity of faculty members at 1,300 colleges, with the total percentage of minority professors at each campus.
THE SPELLINGS REPORT, ONE YEAR LATER: The recommendations of the commission assembled by the education secretary are apparently encouraging colleges to document their performance.
IN BRIEF: A new state law will make it easier for community-college students in New Jersey to pursue degrees at the state's four-year institutions, and other news from the states.
Community Colleges Supplement
PROFILES IN INNOVATION
Two-year colleges are experimenting with supplemental instructors, databases to aid local businesses, e-portfolios to help students focus on their work, life skills for the disabled, and efforts to improve faculty diversity.
Waell Y. Abed (above, center), a "supplemental instructor" at Tidewater Community College,
leads small-group study sessions for students from classes that have high failure rates. (Photograph by Tom Cogill)
MONEY TALKS
Fund raising is now high on the agenda for many community colleges.
GRADUATES' GIVING
Community colleges are waking up to the potential of alumni donations and contacts.
THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY
Short, flexible study-abroad packages help two-year-college students in challenging circumstances.
BRAINY BARGAIN
Honors programs provide rich educations at affordable prices.
A TASTE OF TEACHING
Internships offer a path to community-college careers.
A PROFILE OF PRESIDENTS
Data on who the chief executives are and how they go about their jobs.
Commentary
IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM ...
Kent A. Farnsworth outlines four lessons that community colleges can learn from their for-profit competitors.
(Illustration by Jon Krause)
QUIET STORMS
Community colleges are often considered far removed from controversies over academic freedom. But that, says Ann H. Franke, is a misconception.
WHY THEY FEEL INDEBTED
An administrator and an adjunct faculty member describe the differences community colleges made in their lives.
IDLE ENGINES
Donald C. Summers wonders why community colleges have been so slow to get their fund raising in gear.
ROOMS OF THEIR OWN
Richard A. Donovan bemoans how unstable living situations can undermine the work of talented students.
CLICKS INTO CHAOS
Too many community-college Web sites are mazes rather than informative gateways for prospective students and their parents, says Clifford Adelman.
MAKING THE LEAP
Joseph R. Ferrari offers tips on how faculty members at community colleges can move to four-year institutions, and why those baccalaureate colleges should welcome them.
INFERIORITY COMPLEX
You do community-college students no favor by underestimating them, says T. Allen Culpepper.
REVELATIONS
Bob Blaisdell loves getting to know his students through their writing.
BACK TO BASICS
Three community-college presidents describe how students' need for remediation has affected their campuses.
DISASTROUS FINANCING
Community colleges are primed to train first responders for crises. So where's the Homeland Security support for such programs?
ASPIRATIONS ON EXHIBIT
Four-year institutions don't have a monopoly on ambitious arts programs.
HEAD COUNT
What community-college presidents earn
BY ANY MEASURE
Views and characteristics of community-college professors
Commentary
THE LIMITS OF UNLIMITED ENROLLMENT
If community colleges open access to everyone, asks George B. Vaughan, are they satisfactory to anyone?
BUILDING EXPECTATIONS
Community colleges aren't high schools, and they aren't strip malls. So why, Gail O. Mellow wonders, do they look like them?
PRINCIPLE SAVINGS
Up-to-date training of trustees on ethics and best practices is a worthwhile investment, says Narcisa A. Polonio.
FAST TRACK TO STUMBLING
Dual enrollment for high-school students doesn't serve them, their high school, or their community college well, says Carol P. Dougan.
SELF-STUDY
Community colleges need to examine where they're getting in the way of their students' success, write Vanessa Smith Morest and Thomas Bailey.
MIND THE GAP
Higher-ed systems should better coordinate transfers between two-and four-year institutions, says Deborah M. DiCroce.
HOBBY COURSES
Whether they're into spelunking or Renaissance music, professors incorporate outside interests into their teaching.
B.A.? NO WAY
Baccalaureate programs undermine community colleges' mission, says Judith S. Eaton.
PART-TIME VALUES
Community colleges should teach students equality, the dignity of work, and the importance of education, writes Sandra Schroeder. Treating adjunct faculty members better would be a mighty good start.
HOOKY? HOOEY
Bob Blaisdell takes attendance -- and takes offense that he's required to.
SEARCHING AND FINDINGS
Research and community-college teaching are not incompatible, says Howard Tinberg.
PURPOSE AND PRESTIGE
The identity and stature of America's 1,200 community and technical colleges are in flux.
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT
With state support diminishing, many two-year colleges are striving to diversify their sources of income. Includes tables on salaries of chief executives of the largest community colleges; a sampling of capital campaigns; and selected federal grants to the colleges.
Commentary
THE VALUE IN VARIETY
Diversity and innovation must be priorities in filling presidential
vacancies, says George B. Vaughan.
MISSION CONTROL
Equity, access, balanced academic and occupational offerings, and teaching are keys to the future, write W. Norton Grubb and Marvin Lazerson.
PRAISEWORTHY
Community colleges hate to blow their own horn -- but they should anyway, says Rob Jenkins.
RISING ABOVE
M. Garrett Bauman marvels at the students who transcend chaos, poverty, and violence to better themselves.
CLASS PRIDE
Textbooks and classrooms can be the vehicles from fear and deference to confidence and assertiveness, writes Roland Merullo.
SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL
Two-year colleges' merits are evident in four-year colleges' complaints, says Robert M. Kahn.
NO GIFT OF THE GAB
In her search for a fourth teaching job, Dana A. Zimbleman gets to the interview stage, but then falters.
THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES: 6 VIEWS
By the Numbers: Data on community colleges
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