Policy and procedure haven’t kept up with institutional practices at community colleges. With over 5.5 million college students taking online courses, 29% of college students are taking an online course. As student numbers taking online courses have increased, so have the number of faculty teaching online. The purpose of this study is to determine if and how community college, online, faculty are administratively evaluated. The Chief Academic Officer (CAO) of the members of the American Association of Community Colleges were surveyed to determine the factors considered relevant for online, asynchronous, administrative evaluation of faculty that are currently being used by community colleges and to determine the methods by which community college, online faculty are administratively evaluated. The literature review did not identify any research directly related to the administrative evaluation of community college, online faculty. A very limited amount of research on administrative evaluation of faculty was identified, but nearly all were over a decade old. The survey results indicate that a majority of community colleges do not specifically address evaluation of online faculty in policy. The results identify the criteria and methods used to evaluate online faculty and their rated importance. The most common criteria included in the evaluations were identified and their importance ranked by CAO’s. The data was analyzed by institutional size based on the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) categories and contrasted and compared with the other institutional size categories. A proposed model/method for developing a comprehensive faculty evaluation system based the survey results and best practices from the literature review is presented along with recommendations for further research.

Innovative physical training practices and concepts such as yoga, Pilates, tai chi, cardio kickboxing, cardio spinning, and step aerobics have emerged to provide college students with alternative fitness exercises. However, due to unavailable research, community college administrative and curriculum leaders may perceive nontraditional physical activity courses as unrelated to the values of physical education. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore the perceptions of chairpersons/deans and faculty in physical education regarding nontraditional physical activity courses as compared to sport-related courses offered in community college physical education programs. Educational change theories of beliefs, values, and decision-making structures provided the conceptual framework for this study. Research questions focused on participants' perceptions toward health benefits, values, and contributions to students' learning experience of nontraditional physical activity courses. An 18-item survey was distributed via e-mail to 209 chairpersons/deans and 263 full-time faculty in community college physical education programs in the western region of the United States. An independent samples t test analysis revealed participants' perceptions differed regarding cardio kickboxing, cardio spinning, and step aerobics courses providing similar health benefits as compared to sport-related courses. Participants' perceptions also differed concerning yoga courses contributing to students' learning experience. Chi-square analysis showed participants' perceptions toward yoga, Pilates, cardio spinning, and step aerobics were dependent on their campus position in physical education. The findings in this study illustrate a positive social change community colleges can offer by teaching lifetime fitness activities that contribute to an active lifestyle and sustained wellness.

The following question was investigated for each of several biographical variables: Are there significant differences in the work values, as measured by the Ohio Work Values Inventory (OWVI), and personal values (terminal and instrumental), as measured by the Rokeach Value Survey (RVS), of instructors in Oregon community colleges? Comparisons were made by job status (part-time/full-time), teaching assignment, sex, number of years teaching, age, degree held, other employment of instructor, geographic location of college, and vocational certificate held. A multivariate ANOVA (followed by univariate ANOVAs and Modified LSDs as needed) was performed separately on the OWVI scales, the RVS Terminal Values, and the RVS Instrumental Values. The initial sample included 984 Oregon community college instructors, partitioned by teaching status, teaching assignment, and geographic location. The responding sample included 212 full-time and 288 part-time faculty. The rank order of the OWVI means for instructors was: Task Satisfaction; Self Realization; Ideas/Data; Altruism; Independence; Security; Money; Control; Object Orientation; Prestige and Solitude. The rank order for RVS Terminal Values for instructors was: Health, Self Respect, Family Security; Freedom; Inner Harmony; A Sense of Accomplishment; Wisdom, Mature Love; True Friendship; A World at Peace, An Exciting Life; Equality; A World of Beauty; A Comfortable Life; Salvation; Pleasure; National Security and Social Recognition. The rank order for RVS Instrumental Values for instructors was: Honest, Responsible; Loving; Capable; Independent; Intellectual; Helpful; Broadminded; Courageous; Forgiving; Loyal (tied with Forgiving); Logical; Ambitious; Self Controlled; Polite; Clean and Obedient. When sex, teaching experience, age, highest degree held, other employment/no other employment, and college location were used as independent variables, statistically significant differences were found in each set of dependent variables, with the exception of instrumental values for teaching experience and college location, and terminal values for college location. Of 396 correlations between the OWVI scales and the RVS values, 162 were significant at the .05 level (41%). The signs of the correlations indicated a logical relation between the two instruments.

This study was designed to investigate and analyze whether a community college foster economic growth in its service area and, more specifically, to analyze the economic development contributions of one rural Mississippi community college to its service area. The population under study consisted of business owners in the community college’s area, local elected officials, a targeted community college president and administrators, economic development planners, and the Mississippi Development Authority. 100 questionnaires were distributed; 48% of them were returned. Data were collected, arranged, and analyzed using descriptive, comparative, and correlational statistical tools. Additionally, a 5-point Likert scale was used to measure the community college’s economic contribution statements. Demographic information was collected. The following information was revealed: (a) 35% of the respondents were elected officials, 20% were community college board members, and 21% were administrators; (b) 73% of those responding were Caucasian; and (c) 40% of those responding had 21 years or more of academic experience. Results revealed that respondents believed that this particular community college made significant contributions to the overall economic development of its service area. Based upon research findings, the researcher recommends the following: (a) continued elaboration between lawmakers and community college leaders, (b) identification of the economic needs of their regions by community college leaders, (c) community colleges’ employment of an Economic Development Recruiter, and (d) the maintenance of business incubators. Additionally, the researcher recommends that more research is needed to determine how college administrators can increase enrollment and retrain displaced workers who are now students.

Social media is reshaping the way college students communicate within their college community, and higher education has recently begun to embrace social media. The most frequently used social networking site is Facebook, and its usage has increased tremendously among college students, impacting the students both positively and negatively. The purpose of this research was to explore the perceptions of community college students regarding the use of social media and social networking sites and the effect of that use on learning, GPA, and graduation as well any differences in perceptions based on students demographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender, class status, race/ethnicity, and living situation). A 15-item survey was used to collect data from 87 students at one rural community college. The study found that most students use social media often, with their most common social media interaction partners being their close friends and family and the least being professors. In addition, 63.2% agreed that social networking sites were an effective tool for e-learning. Most students took a mixture of online and face-toace classes, preferred Facebook and Instagram, and felt social networking sites had become either less as important or only as important as they were last year. Other results showed that 51% agreed that social networking sites help them get educational materials, 39% agreed that social networking sites have supported their progress to graduate, 37% agreed that social networking sites have positively affected learning, and 32% agreed that social networking sites affected their GPA. The study found that Facebook was preferred by students who were 25 and older, Caucasian, and/or living with their spouse. Students who lived with parents used Instagram more than Facebook, and students who lived with their children took more online courses.

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The purpose of the study was to investigate students’ perceptions about the need for more student training on making the transition from community college enrollment to employment. The hypothesis was that community college students would perceive that additional career counseling services would help them transition successfully into the world of work. Examination of students’ thoughts about career counseling services assisted in finding factors that facilitate and impede students’ desires for career counseling services including career courses. A researcher-developed pen and paper self-report survey instrument was administered to students enrolled in English courses at Meridian Community College during the 2009 fall semester. Out of the 1242 students enrolled in English classes, 359 chose to participate in the study. Descriptive characteristics of study participants and study participant preferences related to career counseling services are reported as frequencies and percentages. Data from this study indicated that there is a need for further student training in career transition from the community college to employment. The perception of freshmen, sophomores, and non-degree students who participated in this study is that there is a need for a course in basic career seeking skills in order to help students find employment after graduation. Logistic regression analysis findings predicted that a model did exist that could determine whether a community college student will seek career counseling services based on a combination of gender, ethnic group, and internet use for employment. Results from this study indicate that the majority of community college students who responded perceive that more career counseling services would assist them in their transition into the world of work after graduation.

Rapidly changing trends in society have contributed to increasing enrollments in community colleges. Increased enrollment has resulted in an emphasis on the effectiveness of community colleges. Despite limited funding, community colleges are challenged to provide educational access and equity to meet developmental needs of diverse student populations who have many different objectives, concerns, social interests, academic skills, and life experiences. This quantitative causal-comparative study assessed holistic wellness characteristics of traditional and non-traditional students attending selected rural community colleges in a state in the southeastern region of the United States. This study examined differences between mean scores assessing holistic wellness in traditional and non-traditional student populations based on the Five Factor Wellness Adult Inventory (5F-Wel-A). A total of 307 community college students participated in the study. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 54 with a mean age of 25. Demographic data collected from students included age, gender, cultural background, marital status, employment status, and educational status. Total Wellness results found no statistical significance between mean scores for traditional and non-traditional students, gender of traditional and non-traditional students, or cultural backgrounds of traditional and non-traditional students. No statistical significance was found between mean scores for traditional and non-traditional student populations in the dependent variable sub-groups of Creative Self, Coping Self, Social Self, Essential Self, and Physical Self. Based on gender, statistically significant differences were found in mean scores of three dependent variable sub-groups, including Social Self, Essential Self, and Creative Self among female students with females having higher levels of wellness in those sub-groups than male students. Statistically significant differences between mean scores in the Physical Self sub-group were found for male students with males having higher levels of wellness in that sub-group than female students; however, no statistically significant differences in mean scores were found for the Coping Self sub-group based on gender of traditional and non-traditional students. Based on cultural background, significant statistical differences in mean scores were found in the Essential Self sub-group among African American students, with African American students reporting higher levels of wellness than Caucasian students.

Prior research has determined that there are still gender barriers that women must overcome to reach administrative positions in many employment settings. Gender barriers to leadership positions have been and continue to be a sensitive matter that must be addressed by community college administrators. This exploratory quantitative research study examined rural community college administrators’ perceptions about gender barriers and explored administrators’ perceptions about management styles based on gender. The study population included 596 community college administrators in the United States. Of those, 128 community college administrators chose to participate in this study and completed a 42-item researcher designed survey instrument that was administered electronically. The instrument included 7 perception items about the participants’ current administrative supervisor’s characteristics, 7 perception items about the most important characteristics of effective administrators, 15 perception items about gender characteristics related to barriers to becoming a community college administrator, and 13 demographic characteristic questions. Findings from the study indicate that males and females have similar perceptions about the administrative leadership characteristics of their supervisors and similar perceptions about gender barriers to administrative leadership positions in community colleges. However, data collected showed a statistically significant difference between male and female perceptions about the importance of the following administrative leadership characteristics needed to be an effective leader: straightorward, inspiring, forward-looking, intelligent, and fair-minded.

Community colleges across the country have continued to expand since the inception of Joliet<br />Junior College in 1901. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC, 2010) reported that there are 1,173 community colleges in America, of which 987 are public institutions of higher learning. Additional statistics indicate that there are almost twelve million students enrolled in the community college system (AACC, 2010). Over the years many changes have occurred that affect who attends community college, no change more<br />significant than the focus on meeting the needs of a diverse population. Many unique characteristics, such as being of minority status, being financially disadvantaged, and being a first- generation American make up this diverse new student population. Another unique characteristic of the new student population is being of non-traditional age, which is defined as 25 years old or older (Bean & Metzner, 1985; Cohen & Brawer, 1989; Crosta, Calcagno, Jenkins, & Bailey 2006). Little empirical research has been conducted examining this new population of non-traditional students\' ability to complete their goals when selecting to attend community college, especially in the state of Virginia (Sorey, 2006). Through quantitative methodology, utilizing a cross-sectional design, the purpose of this study was to identify non-academic social and emotional factors that are related to the ability of nontraditional<br />students to persist towards their academic goals within the Virginia Community College System (VCCS). This study included a sample of 1694 students. Their responses to an<br />electronic survey questionnaire of non-traditional students within the VCCS were analyzed to provide descriptive data, correlations, and mean differences. The findings indicate that<br />participants in this study are dealing with multiple non-academic social and emotional factors<br />that may require readjustment in their lives. Further participants in this study perceived<br />themselves as being stressed. Finally, 12.9% of participants endorsed a moderate level of<br />psychological distress and 4.2% of participants endorsed a serious level of psychological distress. The positive correlation between perceived stress and psychological distress supports the need of additional resources, for non-traditional students at the community college level within the Commonwealth of Virginia. / Ph. D.