Personnel Practices For Small Colleges

Author : James Gerald Mitchell
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 290 pages
Book Rating : 4.:/5 (182 download)

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Download or read book An Appraisal of Evening Community College Student Personnel Services in Western United States written by James Gerald Mitchell and published by . This book was released on 1969 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This investigation has as its purpose: (1) to identify present student personnel practices in evening community college programs, (2) to identify student personnel practices considered "desirable" or "undesirable" in evening community college programs, and (3) to develop student personnel service guidelines for an evening community college program. Securing and Treating of Data A questionnaire was developed to identify the present practices and the "desirable" practices for an adequate student personnel program in the community college evening program. One hundred and two community colleges in the Western United States agreed to participate in the study. Eighty-nine percent (91 colleges) returned the completed questionnaire. The data contained the number of evening community colleges practicing or desiring to practice certain student personnel functions. The data are presented in three divisions: smaller colleges--under 1,000 (evening head-count); larger colleges--over 1,000; and the totals. Findings There appeared to be general agreement on these points: (1) evening student personnel programs should be recognized by the administration, faculty, and students as a vital part of the educational process, (2) a well-formulated and clear-cut statement of philosophy and objectives should be prepared by the student personnel staff, and this philosophy and these objectives should be accepted by the faculty, and (3) a person who directs and co-ordinates the evening student personnel program should have these minimum requirements (a) a master's degree and (b) more than 24 hours in graduate guidance work. Five functions (organization, selecting and admitting new students, counseling and advising students, testing program, and student records) were found to be in operation in over 70 percent of the current programs. Seven functions (orientation for new students, extracurricular activities, health services, student discipline, placement services, follow-up services, and financial assistance) were present in less than 50 percent of the current evening programs. Guidelines were determined for each of the 12 functions identified in this investigation. These guidelines were based on the following: (1) a practice had to be in at least 40 percent of the current evening programs and (2) it was necessary for approximately 60 percent to respond that they currently had, or desired to have, the practice as part of an evening student personnel program. Recommendations Based on the responses from the questionnaire used in this study and on the guidelines developed for student personnel services in evening community colleges, this writer makes the following recommendations: (1) Guidelines similar to those presented in Chapter IV should be used when an institution makes a self-appraisal of its evening college student personnel program. (2) Guidelines similar to those presented in Chapter IV should be utilized when organizing a student personnel program for an evening community college. (3) Guidelines similar to those presented in Chapter IV should be used by student personnel specialists for clarifying and conceptualizing the purposes (functions) of evening community college student personnel services. (4) A study should be done to evaluate how students react to current evening community college student personnel services. (5) Whenever possible, regular day college personnel specialists should be employed for the evening student personnel program. This practice tends to produce better coordination of student personnel services for the total community college program. (6) The needs and goals of evening student personnel services programs should be made known to governing boards, legislators, administrators, and faculties through a well-planned interpretation and information program. This program could include authoritative spokesmen, brochures, leaflets, and other printed materials.