year colleges. However, the criterion items suggested by the State studies are nearly identical with those given by the administrators of public 2-year colleges. In the survey of leadership opinions and published studies, ten items were considered of major importance. These items, reviewed briefly below with an indication of the relative importance of each, include enrollment, financial support, community interest, unmet student needs, accessibility of students, assessed valuation, total population, number of high school graduates within 25 miles, proximity, and available buildings for use temporarily. Enrollment Enrollment was considered an essential criterion by public and private administrators and in the majority of State studies. For public 2-year colleges, a suggested starting enrollment of 100-300 students was the preferred minimum of 48 out of 70 that gave a specified figure. The preferred potential enrollment was 400-600 for public 2-year colleges as expressed by administrators of these institutions. The State studies recommended 300-400 as minimum enrollment. For private 2-year colleges, 200-300 minimum starting enrollment received the greatest preference. In the private colleges, 200–400 potential and 400-600 potential enrollments received almost equal preference. There were many different methods suggested for measuring potential enrollment. Financial Support Although this general term was not commonly found in State studies, it was considered an essential criterion by both public and private administrators. For the public 2-year colleges, $600 per student per year was the perferred minimum. No yearly minimum was secured for private 2-year colleges. Public 2-year colleges agreed that student fees should be kept low with the maximum onethird of the total cost. Other sources including State and locality should provide the balance. No general pattern was discernible except that the pattern should be the one most appropriate for each State. For private 2-year colleges, the median was at a minimum student fee between 60 and 70 percent of the total cost. Other sources, such as gifts, donations, and endowments, should provide the rest. In general, church-related 2-year colleges had lower minimum percentages from the student than had the non-church-related. Churchrelated schools appeared to favor a set denominational contribution per student ($200 a year suggested). Community Interest Both public and private 2-year college administrators believed this to be a very important criterion. A variety of measuring devices were suggested, especially for public 2-year colleges. In 10 State studies, local initiative was believed essential. This initiative may be considered a tangible evidence of interest. Unmet Student Needs This was considered a very important criterion. Both public and private 2-year college administrators believed it was necessary to know the unmet student needs and suggested a survey or a study should be conducted for this purpose. The private colleges said that the role of the institution must be related to the unmet needs. None of the State studies considered unmet student needs as a specific criterion, although many did so by inference. Accessibility to Students Accessibility was considered an important criterion for public 2-year colleges. Two measures of accessibility were suggested: a 30-mile maximum each way, and the other, 1-hour travel each way. Accessibility appeared less important to the private colleges and was not specifically mentioned as a criterion in any State study. Assessed Valuation This was considered a desirable criterion item for public 2-year colleges, being closely related to adequate support. A dollar minimum is not realistic without taking into account the peculiar tax and financial patterns of each State. Assessed valuation appears to be of no value as a criterion for private colleges except as an index of the wealth of the area. It should be mentioned that no other items except potential enrollment and community interest received more attention. Number of High School Graduates Within 25 Miles Both public and private 2-year college administrators considered this a useful criterion. For public 2-year colleges, this minimum was closely related to the potential enrollment. No minimum can be set for the entire country, for the patterns of college attendance vary 560450 0-60- -5 greatly. Of those expressing opinions, two-thirds of those interested in public 2-year colleges chose a minimum high school graduation figure under 1,000. Two-thirds of those interested in private 2-year colleges chose a minimum of over 1,000. In statewide studies, more attention was given to high school enrollments than to high school graduates. Total Population Both public and private 2-year college administrators considered total population a desirable criterion item. For the public 2-year colleges, there were two minimums suggested. One was 25,000 to 50,000, and the other was 100,000 to 200,000. The minimum would appear to be related to the predominant population distribution pattern within the State. For the private 2-year colleges, 70 percent of those giving a specific estimate chose a minimum population of over 100,000 within 25 miles. In statewide studies, there were only three specific references to total population, although two others stated that the population should be "large enough to justify" the establishment of a 2-year college. Proximity From the viewpoint of 2-year college administrators, proximity was believed to have some importance as a criterion. The largest group of respondents included many factors, such as population density and curricula offerings, for consideration along with proximity. Preference was given to considering proximity only in similar institutions offering similar programs. Nine State studies gave considerable attention to this item, but only one stipulated a specific mileage requirement. Available Buildings for Use Temporarily This criterion item was not included in any of the State studies. Some administrators said it had some slight importance as a criterion. The respondents believed that the use of temporary buildings was a last resort if no other means could be found. The responses received included many suggestions of other items to include in the list of criteria. Such items as educational leadership, adequately trained faculty, understanding of the role of the 2-year colleges, and guidance and placement services certainly do contribute to the success of a 2-year college. These items were not discussed in this chapter because they were mentioned infrequently and because they did not possess the quality of specificity found in the basic criteria. Informed opinion indicates that there are certain basic criteria that are necessary to meet before consideration can validly be given to establishing a 2-year college. After these are met, however, there remain still other factors to be considered in the implementation of an institution. These implementation factors are very important and merit extensive study at a later date. CHAPTER IV Some Proposed Criteria and Guidelines for Action THE HE MAJOR PURPOSE of this study has been to contribute to an understanding of the necessary condition or conditions under which a 2-year college can be established with a reasonable assurance of success. The search for these conditions has included an examination of State laws, published State regulations, statewide studies of higher education, and a considerable sample of informed opinion. Before making particular observations about criteria pertinent to the establishment of public and private 2-year colleges, certain general conclusions may be drawn from the data gathered in the study and from the experiences and observations of the authors. Foremost, continued improvement of status of 2-year colleges demands that they be planned on sound, objective grounds and not allowed to develop in a haphazard manner. The public or private agency which has responsibility for the establishment of any 2-year college should be aware of the consequences of failure to operate an institution effectively once it is begun. When failure occurs, it usually is occasioned by allowing an institution to start without a reasonable assurance of sufficient enrollment, adequate financing, or other pertinent requirements. Four general principles stand out clearly as a guide for proposed criteria: An agency which is considering or promoting a new 2-year college, therefore, should set up for itself specific criteria which can be used to judge the feasibility of establishing a 2-year college in a specific area. The criteria selected should be reviewed periodically by the responsible agency which may be a State department of education, State board of higher education, or an educational board of a church. This review should be related to changing social and economic conditions. |