Michigan State University Extension
Diversity and Pluralism - 11180265
12/95/
ERIC TITLE NUMBER: ED300096 AUTHOR: Richardson, Richard C., Jr.
TITLE: Solving the Access/Quality Puzzle in Two-Year
Colleges.
YEAR PUBLISHED: 1988
NOTE: 12 p.; Paper delivered as a keynote address at the
Ohio Conference on Access and Success (Columbus, OH,
October
19, 1988).
ABSTRACT: The concept of barrier-free transfer from
two-year to four-year colleges is an important element in
planning for student access to the baccalaureate. While it
seems clear that transfer works reasonably well for most
students most of the time, evidence suggests that transfer
may be a qualitatively and quantitatively different
experience at the relatively small number of two-year
institutions attended by most minority students. Two-year
colleges can provide open access and accept that many of
their poorly prepared students will not qualify to transfer
or graduate, or they can achieve good completion rates by
restricting access to their high-demand programs to
traditionally prepared majority and minority students. A
third alternative involves assessing the preparation of
entering students and providing them with learning
strategies and support services necessary to gain
college-level content and literacy skills. Changing
demographics suggest that institutions must strive for both
access and high achievement for all students. In a growing
number of states, it is a priority for all postsecondary
institutions to work toward the elimination of race and
ethnicity as influences on both participation and
graduation rates. This goal can be fostered through active
recruitment of first-generation underprepared students,
collaboration with high schools, early identification of
gaps in academic preparation, intrusive advising and
mentoring, tutorial services, and career guidance. A
definition of educational quality that accommodates the
growing diversity of America's college-going population
must also emphasize teaching and support strategies to
promote comparable achievement among all races and ethnic
groups. (AJL)
KEY DESCRIPTORS: Academic-Standards; Admission-Criteria;
Community-Colleges; Educationally-Disadvantaged;
Educational
Quality; Educational-Trends; Open-Enrollment; Student
Characteristics; Student-Personnel-Services; Two-Year
Colleges
KEY DESCRIPTORS: *Academic-Achievement; *Access-to
Education; *College-Transfer-Students; *Cultural-Pluralism;
*Minority-Groups; *Transfer-Policy
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