Date of Award

1992

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Program

Higher Education Administration PhD

First Advisor

Bernard M. Lall

Second Advisor

Kenneth Riley

Third Advisor

John Youngberg

Abstract

Problem. Throughout the Caribbean Union College (CUC) constituency thousands of youth are unemployed and unemployable. They do not possess marketable skills. At present no church-operated educational institutions exist in the constituency to provide relevant education for 50%-60% of its young people.

Methods. The survey method of research was used to compare the self-perceived educational needs of non-college-bound youth with the perceptions of board members/administrators, faculty/staff, alumni, students, parents/guardians, and other-adult SDAs of those needs in the CUC constituency. The population and sample were 93,140 and 1,903 respectively. A 56-item questionnaire was used. Chi-square was applied. The confidence level was set at.05. Community colleges catalogs were perused. Site-visits were made to community colleges in the U.S.A. and the Caribbean Union.

Results. Findings from the survey revealed that there was the widespread perception that a comprehensive curricula at CUC which included diploma programs of a technical/vocational nature would help to meet the educational needs of the non-college-bound youth. A flexible admissions policy was advocated.

Findings from community colleges catalogs and site-visits corroborated. They revealed that the community college "can best be summed up as a program for all" --designed to serve diverse populations of youth and adults. The occupational function, however, receives most attention from administrators. The focus is theassociate degree. Given its unique function, the community college has its own complex administrative structure.

Conclusions. A community college-type program will facilitate CUC's extending educational opportunity to the non-college-bound youth of its constituency. The focus of development must shift from the liberal arts to one which includes the technical/vocational. A flexible admissions policy must be introduced. Thus, the hitherto unemployed and unemployable youth would be fitted with marketable skills. Such transformed youth could provide for their own and their families' well-being, and also assist in the advancement of their churches, societies, and nations.

Subject Area

Caribbean Union College

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.32597/dissertations/361/

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