Community colleges--Florida

The purpose of the multi-site case study was to gain an understanding of the impact on human resources that public community colleges in the State of Florida experience when the institutions expanded their degree offerings to include Community College Baccalaureate degrees. The researcher was able to identify that there were changes in human resources in the areas of compensation plans, job descriptions, and credentialing of faculty members. The researcher determined the other impacts on human resources, such as changes to the organizational structure, and to the culture of the organization, in a positive way. Qualitative research methods were used that included personal, one on one interviews, observations, and review of documents. The sample for the study consisted of 2 of the 27 community colleges in the State of Florida that have offered baccalaureate degrees at their institutions. The conclusion of this study resulted in additional literature being available for community colleges, policy makers, and other decision makers interested in understanding the challenges faced by community colleges seeking to be successful in offering baccalaureate degrees at their institutions.

The community college system has been charged with providing open access to education for those who would otherwise be unable to obtain higher education, and with maintaining high educational standards at the same time. In an attempt to reconcile these disparate goals, the State of Florida legislated, beginning in 1985, entry-level testing and placement into remedial courses for those scoring below legislated cut-off scores. Remedial education, if effective, should result in increased student success. When the student success rates of a pre-legislation cohort are compared to students from a post-legislation cohort, they have not increased. Instead, declines are seen in graduation, retention in good academic standing, and the number leaving the college in good academic standing. These declines were not greater for minorities than for white students. The "cooling-out" function of community colleges is enhanced by the process.

The purpose of this study was to investigate trends in foreign
language programs in commmity/junior colleges in Florida. Most of the
data were obtained by sending questionnaires to each of the twenty-eight
commnunity/junior colleges in Florida. One questionnaire was sent to each
academic dean and one to the chairperson of each department of foreign
languages. Complete data were obtained from sixteen cnmmnunity colleges.
The findings were the following: foreign language enrollment as
percentage of the total enrollment was decreasing in fourteen out of the
sixteen participating colleges. Spanish was the dominant language with
56 percent of the total foreign language enrollment; French was second,
German third, Italian fourth, and Russian fifth. French and German enrollments were declining, Spanish, Russian, and Italian enrollments were increasing.
A study of course offerings showed that transfer needs of students
seemed to be met but that only fifty percent of the sixteen colleges
offered vocational courses, courses in continuing education, and community education in foreign languages. The study included a survey of the qualifications
and teaching load of foreign language instructors. These
instructors seemed to be academically well-qualified and experienced.
The recommendations were the following: foreign language departments
in each commnunity college should assess the foreign language related
needs of the student population as well as those of the surrounding
community. Since transfer needs seemed to be already met, more vocational
courses and courses in commnunity education and continuing education should
be developed. These programs would have to be "sold" and not merely
offered to students and members of the community. A promising development
was the growing involvement in international education of community
colleges in Florida as well as in the rest of the United States.

The purpose of this study was to determine the current
status of the distributive education and the cooperative
education prog rams in selected junior/community colleges in
South Florida. Conclusions: The concept of cooperative distributive education and
cooperative education is hanging by a thread in South Florida.
The study indicated that on many campuses were it not for the
initiative and hard work of often one or two individuals,
either program would c ease to exist in a moment. If dramatic
action is not initiated quickly on the State level these
programs will continue to be subject to the whims of circumstance. In fact it would not be at all surprising for this
invaluable educational resource to be lost virtually overnight.
In general, the degree of adherence to the recommended
program criteria was found to be quite low. This might
mistakenly be interpreted as a failure on the part of the
individual coordinator, or of poor program organization, but
this would be totally inaccurate and unjust. The standards by
which the programs were measured are attainable , but exceedingly
high. It is doubtful that there are any other programs on
the junior/community college campuses that ask as much of their
instructional staff as that asked of the distributive education and cooperative education teacher/coordinators. As the author
traveled from campus to campus it became increasingly apparent
that a relative handful of dedicated men and women were
accomplishing a truly enormous amount with little or no assistance
or support. With increased financial and administrative
assistance there is no doubt that the distributive education
and cooperative education programs in South Florida's
junior/community colleges are prepared to offer their
students vocational education of the very highest quality.

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of property
insurance programs and other tax funded insurances for the
Community Junior Colleges of the State of Florida. Data was collected through the use of a questionnaire completed
by the chief business officer of each of the twenty-eight community
junior colleges. The major findings were:
1. There has been no standardized insurance program for the
community junior colleges in Florida.
2. There has been no standardized method of purchasing insurance
for these same colleges.
3. Insurance carriers provided a multiplicity of services.
4. Insured perils are divided into three categories; direct
damage, third party damage, and personal damage.
5. Florida's community junior colleges experienced a 14.13 per
cent cost-loss ratio during the five years studied.
Based on the findings of this study, a prototype insurance program
should be developed for the entire community junior college system.
A state operated insurance-broker arrangement or a state-supported self-insurance
program for all properties and contents is deemed feasible based upon the cost-loss ratio determined for the period of the study.
The establishment of such a program should provide considerable economies
in insurance premiums for the twenty-eight District Boards of Trustees.

The purpose of this study was to determine effectiveness of the recruitment
methods, programs available, and retention methods and procedures
used for the disadvantaged youth in Florida Public Community Junior
Colleges.
In order to identify and compare evidence related to this purpose
a survey questionnaire was sent to the counseling department in each college.
The questionnaire was constructed to obtain data from these areas:
(1) methods of recruitment, (2) identification of ethnic and economic
categories included in disadvantagement, (3) methods of selection of students,
(4) material aid given by college to disadvantaged students, (4)
extent and effectiveness of vocational and occupational programs, (6) the
present status of student retention, and (7) follow up programs on dropouts.
The questionnaire was sent to five Florida Community Junior Colleges
for their reaction and response. Three of the five respondents
mentioned an imbalance in emphasis between recruitment and programs and
between programs and retention. After consultation with an advisor,
several more questions on programs were added to correct imbalance and
add other pertinent information to the study.
The questionnaire was sent to the 28 Florida Community Colleges
and seven of their satellite campuses. Community Junior Colleges surveyed
were identified by the 1971-72 edition of the American Association
of Community Junior College's Directory. Of the 23 out of 35 questionnaires
which were filled out by the community junior colleges, 18 were
reported by major campuses and 5 were from satellite campuses, representing
64.3% of the total surveyed. Every questionnaire that was returned
was utilized in the statistical analysis, and is reflected in the above
percentage of those surveyed.
Chapter II shows an analysis of data for the entire study and a
preliminary discussion of recruitment and retention. The statistical
treatment of the findings for recruitment and retention is given in
detail.
Chapter III reflects a preliminary discussion of programs, and the
analysis of results of the programs now in operation for disadvantaged
students.
Chapter IV records final findings and implications.
Major Conclusions and Implications: The Florida community colleges in fact have both diverse offerings
and student populations. Documentation of the commitment to serve in
general is more evident than research to determine specific opportunity
for the disadvantaged. Special training programs are geared to the
academic offering of the college with conservative emphasis on remediation.
There seems to be an unwillingness to admit a need for institutional
change, especially as programs relate to retention.