Robert O. Riggs

Tenure and promotion: A study of practices by institutional type

Abstract A survey sent to research, doctorate-granting, comprehensive, and liberal arts institutions across the U.S. provides information on how evaluation criteria for academic librarians vary among different types of institutions. Job performance is almost universally considered; doctorate-granting and comprehensive universities are more likely to require evidence of publication than are either research or liberal arts institutions. Knowledge of the differences among institutions may help librarians in making career decisions.

Institutional Expenditure Patterns and the Facilitation of Mission

The authors examine the relationship between institutional spending patterns and performance funding standards at the 14 public community colleges in Tennessee, the first state to implement performance funding standards for its community colleges. Performance standard scores and data on expenditures by category were analyzed to determine the percent of revenue spent by function in relationship to individual and aggregated performance standard scores for the colleges. The analyses revealed a relationship between expenditure categories and performance standard scores, with higher scoring colleges spending a greater portion of funds on academic support and instruction than lower scoring colleges.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT OF FEMALE STUDENTS: IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRACTICES

This article addresses the problem of sexual harassment as it relates to the community college context. The authors discuss the incidence and types of sexual harassment that have been reported on campuses of institutions of higher education and conclude that the most prevalent form of sexual harassment involves male professors harassing female students. They discuss the unique characteristics of the female community college student, indicating that many of these students are new to the higher education experience and, as a consequence, may be particularly vulnerable and susceptible to sexual harassment. The authors also explore the transient nature of community college students and how this characteristic may affect the culture of community colleges. The legal basis and definition of sexual harassment are discussed along with the elements of effective community college sexual harassment policies and procedures. Examples of effective community college policies and procedures are presented. Finally, the lea...

INVESTMENT POLICY FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATIONS: ARE COMMODITY FUTURES PRUDENT?

Community colleges have been especially hard hit by the decrease in financial resources. Because the prospect of gaining additional funding from governmental sources and students is remote, community colleges need to reassess the sources of private funding for non‐governmental foundations. They especially need to reassess the return on these investments as most of these foundations are ultraconservative in their investment policy. This article introduces several basic risk‐reward techniques to assist fund managers in this reassessment.

THE STATE POSTSECONDARY REVIEW PROGRAM: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

The Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations of the U.S. Senate began a series of hearings in 1990 that uncovered an alarming pattern of waste, fraud, and abuse in the Title IV federal student aid programs. To create a stronger and more coordinated evaluation of institutions desiring to participate in these programs, Congress enacted the new Program Integrity Triad, which significantly increases the gatekeep‐ing functions of each member of the triad and establishes a specific set of responsibilities for accrediting agencies, the states, and the Secretary of Education. Under this program, states are directed to set up agencies known as State Postsecondary Review Entities (SPRE) to assist the U.S. Department of Education in reviewing institutions of higher education referred by the Secretary to determine continued participation in federal financial aid programs. The diverse ways in which students use community colleges will make it difficult, at best, to apply the quantifiable standards for withdrawal, grad...

The Community College Governing Board: Its Involvement with Accreditation and Academic Program Review.

This study surveyed chairs of community college governing boards in an effort to assess their knowledge of and involvement with regional and discipline specific accreditation processes. The results of the study indicated that, on the whole, board chairs believed that accreditation activities are important to the academic quality of their institutions, and only a small percentage viewed accreditation activities as too costly. The preponderance of board chairs indicated that their entire boards were aware of and participated in accreditation activities. However, only a small percentage of the respondents indicated board members receive formal orientation in ways to use accreditation processes to enhance the management of their institutions. While not conclusive, the study data strongly suggest that involvement with accreditation activities strengthens board members’ abilities to participate in the shaping of the future of their institutions. Findings from this study may have significance for community colle...