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ABSTRACTS, SUMMER 2000 (Volume 28, no. 1)

Career Stages of Community College Faculty: A Qualitative Analysis of their Career Paths, Roles, and Development

Fugate and Amey (pp. 1-22)

Twenty-two faculty at a Midwestern community college were interviewed to elicit their perceptions of their career paths, their early-stage career roles, and the role played by faculty development in their early careers. Based on the interview data, the majority did not foresee their career path and chose the community college because of its emphasis on teaching. Participants indicated that their career roles changed over time from an emphasis totally on teaching to one that included supplemental activities and that research was encouraged in their work. Many perceived faculty development activities as having a significant impact on their careers. The authors make recommendations for faculty recruitment, retention, and development.

Community College Faculty Recruitment: Predictors of Applicant Attraction to Faculty Positions
Winter and Kjorlien (pp. 23-40)
Each of 176 MBA program students provided biographical data and rated his or her reactions to one of four different simulated position ads for a community college business faculty position. Ads varied based on job location within a state (relocation required or not required) and recruiter background (like or unlike the participant's). Stepwise multiple regression of the data revealed four significant predictors of participants' ratings of simulated positions: applicant's current job satisfaction, spouse's contribution to household income, recruiter's background, and job location. The authors make recommendations for faculty recruitment at community colleges based on the findings.

Are We Marginalized within Academe? Perceptions of Two-Year College Faculty

Townsend and LaPaglia (pp. 41-48)

A sample of 311 faculty at seven community colleges completed survey questions that elicited their ratings of statements about four-year faculty attitudes toward two-year college faculty and about their own perceptions of their status within academe. Respondents with prior full-time faculty experience at a four-year institution were more likely to agree than those without such experience that four-year faculty consider two-year faculty to be on the margins of higher education. Neither group considered themselves to be in a marginal position. The authors discuss the implications of the data and make recommendations for future research.

Editors' Choice: Valuing Diversity: Student-Teacher Relationships that Enhance Achievement

Jacobson (pp. 49-66)

Based on experience as a developmental writing teacher, the author describes strategies for promoting student success within diverse groups of learners. After discussing how teachers can innocently contribute to student failure, the author describes specific ways to develop a valuing teacher-student relationship that promotes success: Getting to know students and providing structures such as individual conferences and meaningful evaluation systems can help learners to feel valued as individuals, to understand the basic knowledge they lack, and to affirm their abilities. Examples of student reactions to these strategies are included.

ERIC Review: An Examination of Non-Liberal-Arts Course Transferability in California

Striplin (pp. 67-78)

Course catalogs and class schedules were examined from all 26 community colleges in California to determine the extent of non-liberal-arts course transferability by subject area to the California State University and to the University of California. When results were compared with a similar 1991 study, the data indicated that all of the subject areas, and particularly agriculture, experienced an increase in transferability to the California State University. In contrast, for the University of California, most of the subject areas remained stable with small increases or decreases in transferability. The author recommends periodic replication of this study to detect and confirm trends in course transferability.

Published by the Department of Adult & Higher Education

College of Education - NC State University

Box 7801, Raleigh, NC 27695

919.515.6248 PHONE - 919.515.4039 FAX



ABSTRACTS, SUMMER 2000 (Volume 28, no. 1) Career Stages of Community College Faculty: A Qualitative Analysis of their Career Paths, Roles, and Development Fugate and Amey (pp. 1-22) Twenty-two faculty at a Midwestern community college were interviewed to elicit their perceptions of their career paths, their early-stage career roles, and the role played by faculty development in their early careers. Based on the interview data, the majority did not foresee their career path and chose the community college because of its emphasis on teaching. Participants indicated that their career roles changed over time from an emphasis totally on teaching to one that included supplemental activities and that research was encouraged in their work. Many perceived faculty development activities as having a significant impact on their careers. The authors make recommendations for faculty recruitment, retention, and development. Community College Faculty Recruitment: Predictors of Applicant Attraction to Faculty Positions Winter and Kjorlien (pp. 23-40) Each of 176 MBA program students provided biographical data and rated his or her reactions to one of four different simulated position ads for a community college business faculty position. Ads varied based on job location within a state (relocation required or not required) and recruiter background (like or unlike the participant's). Stepwise multiple regression of the data revealed four significant predictors of participants' ratings of simulated positions: applicant's current job satisfaction, spouse's contribution to household income, recruiter's background, and job location. The authors make recommendations for faculty recruitment at community colleges based on the findings. Are We Marginalized within Academe? Perceptions of Two-Year College Faculty Townsend and LaPaglia (pp. 41-48) A sample of 311 faculty at seven community colleges completed survey questions that elicited their ratings of statements about four-year faculty attitudes toward two-year college faculty and about their own perceptions of their status within academe. Respondents with prior full-time faculty experience at a four-year institution were more likely to agree than those without such experience that four-year faculty consider two-year faculty to be on the margins of higher education. Neither group considered themselves to be in a marginal position. The authors discuss the implications of the data and make recommendations for future research. Editors' Choice: Valuing Diversity: Student-Teacher Relationships that Enhance Achievement Jacobson (pp. 49-66) Based on experience as a developmental writing teacher, the author describes strategies for promoting student success within diverse groups of learners. After discussing how teachers can innocently contribute to student failure, the author describes specific ways to develop a valuing teacher-student relationship that promotes success: Getting to know students and providing structures such as individual conferences and meaningful evaluation systems can help learners to feel valued as individuals, to understand the basic knowledge they lack, and to affirm their abilities. Examples of student reactions to these strategies are included. ERIC Review: An Examination of Non-Liberal-Arts Course Transferability in California Striplin (pp. 67-78) Course catalogs and class schedules were examined from all 26 community colleges in California to determine the extent of non-liberal-arts course transferability by subject area to the California State University and to the University of California. When results were compared with a similar 1991 study, the data indicated that all of the subject areas, and particularly agriculture, experienced an increase in transferability to the California State University. In contrast, for the University of California, most of the subject areas remained stable with small increases or decreases in transferability. The author recommends periodic replication of this study to detect and confirm trends in course transferability.

Published by the Department of Adult & Higher Education College of Education - NC State University Box 7801, Raleigh, NC 27695 919.515.6248 PHONE - 919.515.4039 FAX