This annotated bibliography presents additionalinformation related to community college faculty,including attitudes and perceptions, professionaldevelopment, faculty evaluation, and recruitment.

NEW DIRECTIONS FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES, no. 118, Summer 2002 © Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 117

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Sources and Information: CommunityCollege Faculty

Michael Fleming

The sources presented in this chapter are recent documents from the ERICdatabase and issues related to community college faculty.1 The recent liter-ature tends to focus on four areas: faculty attitudes and perceptions, pro-fessional development, faculty evaluation, and faculty recruitment. But first,this chapter will note a few general sources that look at the overall demo-graphics and profiles of community college faculty.

General Sources

Cohen, A. M., and Outcalt, C. L. “A Profile of the Community CollegeProfessoriate.” A report submitted to the small research grants program ofthe Spencer Foundation. Los Angeles: Center for the Study of CommunityColleges, 2001. (ED454930)

This study focuses on the nature and formation of a professional iden-tity for the community college professoriate. Survey data show that facultydiffer significantly on a wide variety of measures according to their personaland professional characteristics, including their instructional practices, lev-els of professional involvement, and use of professional reference groups.Some groups, most notably full-timers and doctorate seekers, demonstratehigher degrees of commitment to teaching, to their profession, and to theirinstitutions. However, these same groups also report closer ties with four-year colleges and universities, a finding that contradicts the notion thatcommunity college instruction has developed as a professional practice suigeneris. The authors conclude that the community college professoriate has

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become increasingly differentiated at the same time as the community col-lege mission has grown ever more complex; however, it is not clear that theinstitutional mission and instructor practice have developed with closeregard for each other.

Huber, M. T. Community College Faculty Attitudes and Trends, 1997(R309A60001; NCPI-4–03). Stanford, Calif.: National Center for Postsec-ondary Improvement, 1998. (ED428796)

Huber highlights the status and working conditions of faculty inAmerican community colleges and compares their responses to surveyquestions with those of faculty at research universities, graduate collegesand universities, and baccalaureate colleges. The report is organizedaround defining themes of academic life. The study provides a profile ofthe 5,151 respondents, including their demographic characteristics, edu-cation, current employment situation, and past careers. Results focus onfaculty emphasis on teaching and learning, faculty views of students, sat-isfaction in teaching, faculty rewards in working at a teaching institution,evaluation of faculty roles, and the goals of community college education.The status of part-time faculty, faculty working conditions, faculty schol-arship, governance, educational access and standards, and the role ofhigher education in society are also discussed.

Palmer, J. C., and Zimbler, L. J. Instructional Faculty and Staff in Public 2-Year Colleges. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, Office ofEducational Research and Improvement, 2000. (ED442518)

Data drawn from the 1993 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty isused to compare the backgrounds, teaching methods, and careers of instruc-tional faculty and staff at public two-year colleges. Differences by age (underthirty-five vs. fifty-five to sixty-four), years of experience (under ten yearsvs. twenty or more years), and primary teaching field are examined. Resultsindicate gradual changes in the nature of the community college instruc-tional enterprise, with no watershed change apparent in teaching methodsas the new generation of teachers replaces those who began in the 1960sand early 1970s.

Snyder, T. D., and Hoffman, C. M. Digest of Education Statistics, 2000.Washington, D.C.: National Center for Education Statistics, 2001.(ED455275)

This publication provides a compilation of statistical information cov-ering the broad field of U.S. education from kindergarten through graduateschool. Data are drawn from both government and private sources. Theinformation provided includes the number of schools and colleges, teach-ers, enrollments, graduates, educational finances, federal funds for educa-tion, employment and income of graduates, libraries, and internationaleducation. Supplemental information on population trends, attitudes toward

SOURCES AND INFORMATION: COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY 119

education, education characteristics of the labor force, government finances,and economic trends are also provided. The publication includes data onfaculty demographics, salaries, perceptions, and other information. Thereport is available online at [http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2001/digest/].

Faculty Attitudes and Perceptions

Faculty attitudes, perceptions, and satisfaction regarding community col-leges, teaching, and community college students continue to interestresearchers. Numerous studies, including those in the preceding chaptersof this volume, have recently been conducted on faculty satisfaction,sources of stress, involvement in governance, instructional innovation, andattitudes about evaluation.

Brewer, D. J. “How Do Community College Faculty View InstitutionalMission? An Analysis of National Survey Data.” Community CollegeResearch Center report. New York: Columbia University, 1999. (ED440695)

Brewer presents the results of a national survey of 1,725 communitycollege faculty at 92 institutions. The respondents are asked about theirviews of institutional missions and future directions of their institutions.Some argue that multiple offerings improve educational opportunities forstudents, while others suggest that multiple missions and activities lead toa lack of clear purpose and less effective institutions. Many faculty are notsupportive of community colleges continuing to expand noncredit activi-ties along with increased basic and remedial course offerings. The margin-alization of these activities, with respect to traditional academic andvocational missions, may lead to increasing disputes over appropriateresource allocation. Survey results lend support to the idea that facultyoperate as independent islands with relatively little intercommunication.The report concludes by saying that given changing student demographics,the demand for noncredit activities will likely grow and colleges should findways to integrate faculty into these efforts.

Fugate, A. L., and Amey, M. “Career Stages of Community College Faculty:A Qualitative Analysis of Their Career Paths, Roles, and Development.”Community College Review, 2000, 28(1), 1–22. (EJ611809)

Qualitative interviews with twenty-two community college facultymembers yield information about their perceptions of their career paths,early-stage career roles, and the role played by faculty development. Resultssuggest that the majority of faculty choose the community college becauseof its emphasis on teaching. Faculty also report that their roles and careergoals change over time, generally from a focus on research to instruction ofstudents, student development, and achievement. Based on the findings, theauthors propose recommendations to enhance faculty recruitment, reten-tion, and development.

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Townsend, B., and LaPaglia, N. “Are We Marginalized Within Academe?Perceptions of Two-Year College Faculty.” Community College Review, 2000,28(1),41–48. (EJ611811)

A sample of 311 faculty at seven community colleges answer surveyquestions that elicit faculty ratings of statements about four-year-institution faculty attitudes toward two-year-college faculty and about their own per-ceptions of their status within academe.

Respondents with prior full-time faculty experience at four-year insti-tutions are more likely to agree than those without such experience thatfour-year faculty consider two-year faculty to be on the margins of highereducation. Members of neither group consider themselves to be in a mar-ginal position. The authors discuss the implications of the data and makerecommendations for future research.

Valadez, J. R., and Anthony, J. S. “Job Satisfaction and Commitment of Two-Year College Part-Time Faculty.” Community College Journal of Research andPractice, 2001 25(2), 97–108. (EJ623666)

The authors analyze survey data from 6,811 two-year-college part-timefaculty about their job satisfaction and commitment, collected from the1992–1993 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty. Findings indicate thatpart-time community college faculty are satisfied with their instructionalroles but are concerned with issues regarding salary, benefits, and long-termjob security. The study also includes perceptions and demographic infor-mation about age, ethnicity, and educational level of part-time faculty.

Professional Development

Faculty members are constantly questioned and evaluated on topics such asstudent achievement and the quality of instruction. One way communitycolleges are tackling the issues is through the use of professional develop-ment programs for faculty. Some of the programs community colleges areutilizing include training manuals, instruction seminars, and mentor pro-grams for new faculty. The following sources identify and address a few ofthe typical and growing issues for professional development programs.

Carreiro, J., Guffey, J. S., and Rampp, L. C. “A Paradigm for the Training ofPart-Time Teachers in Community Colleges.” Unpublished doctoral dis-sertation, Arkansas State University, 1999. (ED436194)

The authors identify and survey seventy-seven community collegesfrom twenty-seven states that have staff development programs for part-timeteachers. They analyze specific aspects and common components includedin these programs and also provide information on overall student enroll-ment and the number of part-time faculty members at each community col-lege. Conclusions from the study present a paradigm or suggested designthat should be contained in any effective staff development program fortraining part-time adjunct teachers in community colleges.

SOURCES AND INFORMATION: COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY 121

Grubb, N. W. Honored but Invisible: An Inside Look at Teaching in CommunityColleges. New York: Routledge, 1999. (ED435430)

This study of teaching in community colleges is based on classroomobservation and interviews of 257 instructors and 60 administrators at thirty-two community colleges across the country. It emphasizes the collectivenature of teaching, the influence of peer networks, and the culture and incen-tives that exist within the community colleges. The author makes recom-mendations for improving the teaching culture of community colleges, suchas revised personnel practices, greater administrative commitment to teach-ing, and the development of in-service education and staff development.

Murray, J. P. “Faculty Development in a National Sample of CommunityColleges.” Community College Review, 1999, 27(3), 47–64. (EJ602056)

Murray defines the activities that distinguish successful faculty devel-opment programs and describes a survey completed in 1998 by facultydevelopment officers at 130 randomly selected community colleges. Thearticle profiles those responsible for faculty development, summarizes the extent to which each development activity is used, and articulates theneed for concerted faculty development efforts at community colleges.Findings include suggestions and recommendations for instructional work-shops, technical training of faculty, and research opportunities.

Faculty Evaluation

Another way in which community colleges are addressing the question ofensuring high-quality instruction is by utilizing new techniques to evaluatefaculty. In the past, schools relied more on students and administrators, butnow community colleges often incorporate faculty into the evaluating pro-cess based on the belief that doing so will lead to a more thorough, fair, andeffective evaluation process and ultimately increase the quality of instruc-tion and faculty responsibility for student learning.

Miller, R. I., Finley, C., and Vancko, C. S. Evaluating, Improving, and JudgingFaculty Performance in Two-Year Colleges. Westport, Conn.: Bergin andGarvey, 2000. (ED439758)

This book provides a comprehensive picture of how community col-lege faculty can be effectively evaluated in order to improve instruction attwo-year institutions. The authors look at ways to prepare instructors forthe next century and outline future needs that will significantly affectthoughts and plans concerning the improvement of community college fac-ulty performance. Appendices provide valuable supplementary materials forcommunity college faculty and administration.

Redmon, K. D. “ERIC Review. Faculty Evaluation in Community Colleges:A Response to Competing Values.” Community College Review, 1999, 27(1),57–71. (EJ590044)

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The author reviews the literature related to evaluation of communitycollege faculty within the context of “competing values” between adminis-trators and faculty. Examples of competing values include differing opin-ions on productivity, student needs, and achievement. Two evaluationapproaches emerge from the literature: (1) a “procedural approach,” whichcombines self-evaluations with ongoing appraisals made by peers, adminis-trators, and students to accumulate a body of evidence that is used for bothformative and summative appraisals, and (2) a “developmental approach,”where faculty create teaching portfolios, dossiers, and self-evaluations thatdescribe teaching strengths and accomplishments while participating in fac-ulty development programs. The author suggests that a combined modelmay be the best solution for appraising faculty performance.

Faculty Recruitment

Research has shown that the faculty at most community colleges are “gray-ing” and nearing retirement (approximately three-fourths of full-time com-munity college faculty will retire within the next twenty years). Theseinstitutions are addressing this issue by seeking new strategies to attractand recruit new faculty by using outside consultants, existing faculty, andinformation surveys. Recruiting diverse faculty as well as instructors withprofessional expertise and experience is still a concern of most communitycolleges.

Brewster, D. “The Use of Part-Time Faculty in the Community College.”Inquiry, 2000, 5(1), 66–76. (EJ610224)

The author examines the problem of increasing reliance on part-timefaculty and discusses various issues relating to the employment of part-time faculty. Brewster prioritizes six practices in handling and preparingpart-time faculty: recruitment, selection, orientation, staff development,evaluation, and integration. The author maintains that effective communi-cation is the required common element in all six processes and suggestsbuilding a sense of belonging in part-time faculty as a way to improve jobperformance and satisfaction.

Manzo, K. K. “Faculty Lounge: Community College Faculty.” Black Issuesin Higher Education, 2000, 17(13), 54–57. (EJ614991)

Manzo suggests that many scholars of color are drawn to communitycolleges because of the emphasis on teaching and the more diverse studentpopulation present on most campuses. The author discusses concernsrelated to locating, recruiting, and keeping faculty of color, as well as thedifficulty of community college faculty in finding time for research. A listof the top fifty community colleges with the highest number and percent-age of African-American faculty for the fall of 1997 is provided.

SOURCES AND INFORMATION: COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY 123

Murray, J. P. “Interviewing to Hire Competent Community CollegeFaculty.” Community College Review, 1999, 27(1), 41–56. (EJ90043)

This article focuses on improving the interview process as a critical stepin hiring new faculty who will prove to be effective in the community col-lege environment. Murray defines the necessary considerations for preplan-ning, establishing an interview protocol, and developing interview questionsbased upon a review of the literature and suggests garnering and utilizinginput from faculty on relevant questions to be asked during interviews.

Rifkin, T. “Public Community College Faculty. New Expeditions: Chartingthe Second Century of Community Colleges.” Issues paper no. 4. AACCreport. Washington D.C.: American Association of Community Colleges,2000. (ED439739)

This paper addresses the graying of faculty, faculty recruitment andretention, roles and responsibilities, evaluation, professionalism, and issuesrelated to part-time faculty. According to the author, the student body oftoday’s community colleges is tremendously diverse, making the recruit-ment and retention of new faculty even more complicated. The secondaryschool, the traditional community college faculty source of teachers, is notas dependable as in the past. As approximately three-fourths of full-timecommunity college faculty will retire within the next twenty years, com-munity colleges will have to recruit from a pool of applicants who will bestserve the ever-increasing diverse population.

Note

1. Most ERIC documents (publications with ED number) can be viewed on microficheat over nine hundred libraries worldwide. In addition, most may be ordered on micro-fiche or on paper from the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS) by calling(800) 443-ERIC. Journal articles are not available from EDRS, but they can be acquiredthrough regular library channels or purchased from one of the following article repro-duction services: Carl Uncover: [http://www.carl.org/uncover], uncover@carl.org, (800)787-7979; UMI: orders@infostore.com, (800) 248-0360; or IDI: tga@isinet.com, (800)523-1850.

MICHAEL FLEMING is a doctoral student in the Graduate School of Education andInformation Studies at the University of California–Los Angeles.