ABSTRACT
A moment’s reflection will reveal that the professional group one attempts to emulate will have a substantial, if perhaps indirect, effect on one’s teaching practice, professional involvement—both on- and off-campus, and perhaps even on one’s level of satisfaction. This chapter explores the use of reference groups by community college faculty. One would expect that doctoral seekers, with their sustained interaction with university faculty, would profess strong use of these faculty as professional reference groups. Four-year colleges and universities figured large in respondents’ professional aspirations as well. A substantial minority of the entire sample reported that they expected to find a teaching position at a four-year college or university attractive five years after completing the survey. To assess respondents’ view of the role of the community colleges further, instructors were given another opportunity to express their views on the relative importance of potential benefits of a two-year college education.
