ABSTRACT
The 1,473 community colleges in the United States (i.e., 2-year colleges offering associate degrees) represent 39% of all institutions of higher education and enroll 53% of the country’s undergraduate student population ( 1997 Higher Education Directory, 1997; American Association of Community Colleges, 1995). The academic curricula at these 2-year colleges range from traditional liberal arts study for students intending to pursue baccalaureate degrees to technical and career programs designed to prepare students for immediate employment in the workplace. Moreover, as local institutions, community colleges are often the fi rst choice of residents seeking to upgrade job skills or pursue lifelong learning goals.
