Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College (The First-Year Experience Monograph Series, 56) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1889271748 ISBN 13: 9781889271743

Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2000

Synopsis

Published in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges

For the past three decades, American higher education has paid increasing attention to the beginning college experience -- to ensuring that entering students make a successful transition to college. Yet, much of the extant research and practice literature focuses on the experience of first-year students entering four-year colleges and universities. Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College is one of the first volumes to take a comprehensive look at the first-year experience in the community college, examining the unique characteristics of these institutions and the students they serve, barriers to success, and strategies for ensuring that students achieve their higher education goals. Authors describe successful adaptations of faculty development initiatives, first-year seminars, common reading programs, academic and career advising, learning communities, and STEM initiatives in the community college setting.

About this title

Review:

In an effort to explain why the first year [of college] is so important, Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College: Increasing First-Year Student Engagement and Successprovidesreaders with an overall look at strategies that have proven to be both effective and impactful. Eachchapter is rooted in data and research that serves as evidence to the reader that the approachesincluded in this book have worked. . . . A helpful aspect of this book is its comprehensive approach to the subject. It covers everythingfrom orientation to learning communities to academic advising. It challenges community collegeadministrators to look critically at their infrastructure and determine if they really are success-oriented colleges. Sharing examples of successful strategies and challenges also strengthens this book.This balanced presentation shows the reality of what it takes to impact change. It also makes thebook very practical. . . .As helpful as this book is to anyone who works at a community college or wants to supportstudents entering community colleges, the strategies included are important and applicable inserving all students, all the time, not just in the first year. More information regarding strategiesthat work specifically for the first year, and why approaches during this year differ from approachesused in the second year and beyond would be a valuable addition to this book.In the end, Fulfilling the Promise of the Community Collegeprovides community college administrators,faculty, and staff with a comprehensive look into strategies that work to increase first-yearstudent engagement and, ultimately, success. It validates the work that is currently happening atsome institutions while also challenging others to do more and to scale up. Moving beyond accessand focusing on student success, it exposes the need for data-driven decisions and for top-down, all-aroundsupport. It calls for community colleges to be intentional about student success. Collegesmust define what success looks like and set goals to achieve it. This book reminds us that successdoes not, and should not, happen by chance; instead it should be purposefully designed andincorporated into the student experience from day one. (Community College Journal of Research and Practice)

About this edition

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 1889271748
• ISBN 13: 9781889271743
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 198
• Editor: Brown Thomas, King Margaret C., Stanley Patricia