A STUDY OF THE. INFORMATION SOURCES UTILIZED BY STUDENTS ENROLLING IN A. CQMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THE FIRST TIME Thesis for the Degree of Ph. D. MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY John G. Thampson 1966 THESIS LIBRARY M this?“ “3“ University This is to certify that the thesis entitled A STUDY OF THE INFORMATION SOURCES I UTILIZED BY STUDENTS ENROLLING IN A COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THE FIRST TIME presented by John G. Thompson has been accepted towards fulfillment of the requirements for Ph. D. Higher Education degree in Major professor Date November 10, 1966 O~169 ”CID .a, l v.3! .I ABSTRACT A STUDY OF THE INFORMATION SOURCES UTILIZED BY STUDENTS ENROLLING IN A COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THE FIRST TIME by John G. Thompson Statement of the Problem The purpose of the study was to determine how prospective community college students obtain information about a community college. Considerable time and effort is expended by college public information and admissions staffs in an effort to inform the com— munity in general, and prospective students in particular, about educational programs and services. Too frequently the dissemina- tion of this information is carried out with very little effort made to determine the effectiveness of the communications program or its integral parts. Furthermore, a communications effort increases in effectiveness in proportion to the specificity with which it is directed to a group. Armed with the necessary data, college agencies responsible for passing on information to the community could employ a more scientific "rifle" technique rather than the traditional "shotgun" approach which scatters the desired message in all directions, with the hope that some of it will hit the target. Being able to direct messages to specific receivers is a prerequisite for administrative efficiency and economy. John G. Thompson Procedure A questionnaire was designed for the purpose of obtaining data regarding channels of communication used by new students enrolling for classes at Macomb County Community College, Warren, Michigan, in the fall of 1966. The population sample included 2,522 students-—69.3 per cent of the total number of new students registering for classes. Participants were selected on a random basis as they appeared for orientation during the entire regis- tration period. Sources of information were determined and then cross-matched with age, program, sex, course load, residence, and high school last attended. The results were analyzed on the basis of percentile rank. A structured interview was held with a college counselor in eight of Macomb County's 31 school districts for the purpose of determining how good a job the college has done in informing high school counselors about its services and programs. Major Findings Macomb County Community College students and high school counselors were the two most significant sources of information for the sample population. Students already enrolled in the college ranked just a little higher than counselors as channels of communication over-all, but counselors were selected as the best information source for enrolling students who lived within a relatively short distance of the campus. MCCC students were the most important channel of information for new students who resided around the perimeter of the college's service area. John G. Thompson High school and family friends were the third and fourth best information sources for the new students. Person-to-person channels, a concept supported by the literature, tended to receive the highest ratings throughout the study. Furthermore, the high school counselors participating in the survey indicated that they would prefer more personal contact with the Macomb College staff as a means of becoming better acquainted with the college and its programs. With the exception of newspaper articles, mass media were very ineffective as sources of information for new students. Radio and television consistently scored lowest in every category as a channel of communication. High school teachers and Macomb County Community College alumni were not as active as might be expected in passing along information about the college. Special programs (i.e., college nights) and employers scored surprisingly low as sources of information for the sample population. The largest group of the students (51.1 per cent) said they were attending Macomb for the purpose of improving certain learn— ing skills. Convenience (47.1 per cent) was a much more signifi- cant reason for attending the community college than was lack of financial resources (22.6 per cent). Almost 40 per cent of the new students enrolling at MCCC in the fall of 1966 had applied for admission to a different college; 17.8 per cent had attended another college. The data support the concept that a subgroup within a com- munity tends to rely on sources of information to varying degrees John G. Thompson according to the characteristics of that subgroup. The farther a student resides from the college campus the more he depends on informal sources of information. Students who attend one high school tend to receive more, or less, depending on the school, information from counselors than do students in another school. The younger a new community college student, the more he relies on high school counselors and friends for information. Older students also rely on personal contacts, but receive more infor- mation through formal sources (newspapers and special programs) than do younger students. Part—time students use informal communication channels more than full-time students, possibly because they tend to be older. Full-time students depended on high school counselors for infor- mation about the community college more than any other source. Enrollment in a program has a relationship to the sources of information most frequently used by new students. "Develop- mental" students and others not sure of their educational future rely primarily on high school counselors for information. Stu- dents enrolled in transfer programs utilize community college students as an information source more than any other channel of communication. Boys tend to depend on counselors for information about a community college more than do girls. In summary, the study indicates that face-to-face, personal relationships are the most important sources of information for new community college students. A STUDY OF THE INFORMATION SOURCES UTILIZED BY STUDENTS ENROLLING IN A COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOR THE FIRST TIME By John G. Thompson A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Education 1966 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many minds and hearts have been involved in the completion of this study. However, at the risk of rendering an injustice to some people who deserve credit, I would like to acknowledge a few significant contributions. Dr. Max 8. Smith, chairman of my guidance committee, has been a close friend and confidant while serving as my major advisor. Dr. Mason E. Miller was especially helpful as a member of my guidance committee, as were Dr. Max R. Raines and Dr. George R. Myers. I will be eternally grateful to Dr. John R. Dimitry whose friendship and encouragement gave me the confidence and courage to pursue a doctoral program. The topic for this dissertation was first suggested by Dr. Robert E. Turner, and the cooperation of Richard DeCosmo made collection of the data possible. Also, I am greatly indebted to Mrs. Helen Meuwissen whose devotion and expertise smoothed over many of the tribulations which arose throughout the production of this thesis. Mere words are inadequate to express a fitting tribute to my wife, Lee, for the spiritual and moral support she has given me during all these years of "school." Wise to the ways of her husband, she recognized (even before he did) his aspirations and did everything within her power to make them a reality. ii Paternally, I am grateful to Susan for exercising the intelligence and restraint to be the kind of daughter of which her father can be proud. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKmWLEImENTS o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o e i 1 LI 5 T OF TABLES o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o 0 Vi 1 LIST OF FIGIJRES o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o Viii Chapter I. A STATEMENT‘OF THE PROBLEM . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Introduction General Statement of the Problem Significance of the Study Limitations of the Study Definitions II. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE . . . .l. . . . . . . . 6 III. PROCEDURE AND METHODOLOGY USED IN THE stY O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 14 Rationale Assumptions Populations The Freshman Questionnaire Counselor Interviews Procedure IV. CHARACTERISTICS OF MACOMB COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES . . . . . . . . . 24 Community Characteristics Significant Characteristics of the County Population Population Distribution Implications for Higher Education Student Characteristics and Enrollments V. DESCRIPTION OF MACOMB COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S PUBLIC INFORMATION AND ADMISSION PROCESSES . . 38 Office of Public Information Admissions Process iv VI. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE DISTRIB— UTED TO NEW STUDENTS ENROLLING IN CLASSES AT MACOMB COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THE FALL OF 1966 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 5-5 Collecting the Data Student Participation in the Study by Program and Course Credit Hours Age Characteristics and Sex Ratio of Respondents Previous Interest in Attending a College Other than Macomb Why Do Students Attend Macomb College? Plans for Continuing Education Residency of New Students Enrolling at Macomb College High School Last Attended by New Macomb College Students Sources of Information Degree of Helpfulness of Sources of Information Kinds of Information Obtained from Sources of Information Sources of Information Cross-Matched with Residence Sources of Information Cross-Matched with High School Last Attended Sources of Information Cross-Matched with Program Sources of Information Cross-Matched with Sex Sources of Information Cross-Matched with Age Sources of Information Cross-Matched with Credit Hour Load Summary VII. A STUDY OF MACOMB COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S EFFORTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH MACOMB COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL COIJNSEI’ORS O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O VIII. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . . . . . 93 Conclusions General Recommendations Guidelines for Maintaining Effective Channels of Communication between a Community College and Prospective Students Suggestions for Further Study APPENDICES A Macomb County Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 B The Freshman Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 V C Sources of Information of New MCCC Students Cross-Matched by Residence . D Sources of Information of New MCCC Students Cross-Matched by High School Last Attended E Structured Questionnaire for Counselor Interviews SELECTED REFERENCES O vi 109 111 113 115 10. 11. 12. 13. 14° LIST OF TABLES Macomb County Population-—Past and Projected . . Characteristics of Population for Selected communities 0 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o Enrollment Figures, Macomb County Community C011€g€--1954- 1965 o o o o o o o o o o o o o o Questionnaire Respondents Listed by Program. . . Course Credit Load of Respondents to Freshman Questionnaires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Age Grouping of Respondents to the Freshman Questionnaire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reasons New Students Gave for Enrolling in Macomb County Community College Fall Semester, 1966 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Educational Plans of New Students Enrolling at Macomb County Community College in the Fall, 1966 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O Sources of Information of New Students Enrolling at Macomb County Community College, Fall semester, 1966 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 Degree of Helpfulness of Sources of Information Based on Percentage of Total Response--2,522 Kinds of Information Obtained by New Macomb College Students from Sources of Information . Sources of Information of New MCCC Students Cross-Matched by Program . . . . . . o . . . . Sources of Information of New MCCC Students Cross-Matched by Sex . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sources of Information of New MCCC Students Cross-Matched by Age . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sources of Information for New MCCC Students Cross-Matched by Credit Hour Load . . . . . . vii Page 28 29 35 56 58 59 60 64 65 67 71 73 74 76 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Macomb County . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 2. Line and Staff Organization of Macomb County comuni ty COllege O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 40 viii CHAPTER I A STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Introduction Considerable time and effort is expended by college public information and admissions staffs in an effort to inform the com- munity in general, and prospective students in particular, about educational programs and related services. In an attempt to achieve their objective these people employ a variety of communi- cation techniques. Among the techniques used are mass media agencies, printed materials (bulletins, brochures, and pamphlets), high school visitations, and community speaking engagements. Too frequently the dissemination of information by college staffs is carried out with very little effort made to determine the effec- tiveness of the communications program or its integral parts. In order to be successful in its endeavor, a communications program must be adjusted to the group of people to whom it is directed. Research can play an important part in the determination and classification of the groups with which one wants to communi- cate. A communications effort increases in effectiveness in pro- portion to the specificity with which it is directed to a group. It is an accepted practice among mass communication agencies and their consumers to conduct studies for the purpose of deter- mining readership, audience, effectiveness of advertising, and 1 2 public opinion. "If a soap manufacturer wants to make a profit he has to be sure that people buy his soap. If a broadcaster wants to make money he has to be sure that people listen to his radio or television programs, but he also must prove this fact to the soap manufacturer or the latter will not advertise over his station."1 "It is common to speak of the teenage market, the market of junior executives, the market of fashion-minded upper income "2 It seems then that a matrons, or the market of young mothers. college's public information and admissions staffs must be con- cerned about the education-consumer market. The degree to which they are successful in communicating with their public, the more effectively and efficiently they will be able to operate. The question becomes, what are the best techniques for communication with these various potential community college customers? General Statement of the Problem The purpose of this studytwusto determine how prospective community college students obtain information about a community college and its programs and services. This was accomplished by (l) circulating a questionnaire to a sample of freshmen students enrolling for classes at Macomb County Community College, for the 1Paul F. Lazarsfeld, "Audience Research," Reader in Public Opinion and Communications, (eds.) Bernard Berelson and Morris Janowitz, (Glencoe, Illinois: The Free Press, 1950), p. 337. 2Leo Bogart and Frank E. Orenstein, "Mass Media and Community Identity in an Urban Setting," Journalism Quarterly, XLII (Spring, 1965), p. 181. 3 first time in the fall of 1966; (2) analyzing the data obtained from these questionnaires; and (3) interviewing a sample popula- tion of counselors in the Macomb County Community College service area to determine the effectiveness of the college's efforts to communicate with local high schools. Significance of the Study With the appropriate information it would be possible to determine which channels of communication being used by a college are the most effective. The proper data would also indicate which kinds of communication techniques need to be emphasized more, and, very likely, which techniques are not worth the time and effort being devoted to them. Specifically, knowledge of how different types of people obtain information about college programs and ser- vices would be of infinite value when special kinds of information need to be transmitted. For instance, it seems that certain kinds of communication techniques would be more appropriate for inform- ing people, prospective students, about an automotive technician program than for a nursing program. The problem becomes even more significant when you consider the diversity of community college programs and the publics which they serve. Furthermore, the demand for community college programs and facilities is exceeding the abilities of administrators and instructors to satisfy the need. Anything which is conducive to efficient operation will help sat- isfy the demand. Armed with the necessary data those college agencies responsible for passing on information to the community could employ a more scientific "rifle" technique rather than the 4 traditional "shotgun" approach which scatters the desired message in all directions, with the hope that some of it will hit the target. Limitations of the Study This study primarily involved those students and high schools located within the Macomb County Community College service area. This study was confined to full-time and part-time students enrolling in classes at Macomb County Community College for the first time in the fall of 1966. Macomb County Community College is a relatively new institution established in 1962 and formed around a nucleus of students and faculty from South Macomb Community College. Only a representative sampling of eight high school counselors from the Macomb County Community College service area, representing approximately 25 per cent of the 31 high schools were interviewed for the purposes of this study. Definitions Prospective students -- those people who have an interest in taking courses at Macomb County Community College. Part-time students -- those individuals enrolled in credit or noncredit courses which meet the equivalent of 11 semester hours or less. Full-time students -- those individuals enrolled in credit or noncredit courses which meet for the equivalent of 12 semester hours or more. 5 Source of information -- any way that information about Macomb County Community College is transmitted to prospective students, i.e., newspapers, radio, alumni, high school counselors, synonymous with channels of communication. Course -- a specific limited educational experience offered by Macomb County Community College. Service area -- Macomb County, Michigan. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE There appears to be a paradox concerning the problem of determining channels of communication utilized by college students to obtain information about a particular college, prior to the time they enroll for classes in their freshman year. Almost every public information officer collects data, in some manner or form, which gives an indication of how prospective students obtain information about their particular college. Yet, very little scholarly study or writing has been published which discusses the problem. Con- siderable time and effort have been directed toward determining the attitudes of enrolling students and their image of a certain insti— tution, but systematic, scholarly investigation is lacking concern- ing their sources of information. What data has been collected re- lates primarily to four-year colleges or universities. Very little has been published concerning the channels of information used by prospective community college students. Two specific studies which pertain to a college's effort to obtain data about the effectiveness of its attempts to communicate with the public are a doctoral thesis written by Norman B. Sigband, "An Inquiry into the Effect on the Community of Communications Dis~ tributed by a Public Junior College," at the University of Chicago, 6 7 and a "Survey of Enrolling Freshmen" administered by Theodore Pearce, director of public relations for Michigan College of Mining and Technology, Houghton. Sigband circulated specially prepared news bulletins with information about Morton Junior College, Cicero, Illinois, to an experimental group of citizens (N = 1,000) residing within the college's service area. Then he mailed a questionnaire to the experimental group and a control group (N = 1,000) designed to determine attitudes about the college. His hypothesis was that peo- ple who are informed about a college tend to have a more positive point of view about it. The results of the survey support this contention. Relative to sources of information, Sigband's ques- tionnaire results show that more than 70 per cent of both groups participating in the study said they learned more about the college from the local newspaper than from any other source. In an article "A Survey of Enrolling Freshmen," published in the College Public Relations Journal, Pearce describes a ques- tionnaire distributed annually to incoming Michigan College of Tech- nology students to determine how they obtain information about the college.2 The questionnaire consists of three sections: (1) Why did you choose to attend Michigan Tech?; (2) Where have you most often heard about the college?; and (3) Where, to the best of your knowledge, did you first hear about the college? Pearce claims that 1Norman B. Sigband, "An Inquiry into the Effect on the Com- munity of Communications Distributed by a Public Junior College," (unpublished Ph. D. dissertation, College of Education, University of Chicago), p. 37. 2Theodore Pearce, "A Survey of Enrolling Freshmen," College Public Relations Journal, VI (July, 1954), p. 23. 8 information obtained from the questionnaires has been instrumental in recruiting students for the college. However, he did not report any data pertaining to where the students got their information. Describing a study of community leaders to determine their attitudes of higher education in comparison to the general public, Donald F. Scannell, director of college relations, Ferris State College, Big Rapids, Michigan, in an article prepared for public- ation in Collegg:and University, states: "Asked the frequency with which they used six sources of information about college and uni- versities,very few respondents in either group said 'very often' for any source."3 Scannell's data also indicates that magazines and newspapers were cited as sources of information most often by community leaders, while the general public tended to rely more on just newspapers. In a written report outlining a course offered by Lansing Community College specifically for women, Kay Eyde states that a survey of 87 of the 92 participants in the first class indicated that the largest number of them, 37, found out about the course through the newspaper. The next largest group, 33, were first in- formed about the course via a television program, and 20 heard about the class from friends.4 Personal interaction, according to a study reported by Malcolm S. Knowles in the Handbook of Adult Education in the United 3Donald F. Scannell, "Mass Media Use, Information and Opinions Concerning Higher Education." Article prepared for pub- lication in College and University, June, 1966, p. 4. 4Kay Eyde, "Now and Later Course for Women." Summary report of a new course offered by Lansing Community College, June, 1966. 9 States, was rated as the most effective means of creating public understanding by a group of 310 educators.5 In the study, which was conducted in April, 1959, 75 Adult Education Association members said face-to-face promotion had the greatest effect, 49 gave the most credit to promotional literature and publicity, and 35 said conferences and meetings were the most successful in promoting public understanding. Many communication experts have written about the various factors inherent in the communications process, especially as they relate to the reading and listening habits of people. David K. Berlo has designed a communications model6 which illustrates that as the communications skills, attitudes, knowledge and social cul- tunfl.levels of the sender and receiver are comparable, communication will tend to be more effective. He also implies that different channels of communication have various degrees of effect on both senders and receivers. As a guidepost for establishing effective communication, Stephen E. Fitzgerald, Communicating Ideas to the Public, states: "Listening comprehension exceeds reading com- prehension in general. There is a relationship between intelligence and listening-reading com- prehension. The lower intelligence groups show a greater differential in favor of listening. Word of mouth...is the most effective communication technique." 5Malcolm S. Knowles, (ed.), Handbook of Adult Education in the Uhited States, (Chicago: Adult Education Association of the U.S.A., 1960), p. 130. 6David M. Berlo, The Process of Communication, (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1960), p. 72. 7Stephen E. Fitzgerald, Communicating Ideas to the Public, (New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1950), p. 93. 10 Describing data collected by Joseph T. Klapper during an extensive investigation into the effectiveness of the different media for the Public Library Inquiry, a project sponsored by the Social Science Research Council, Fitzgerald says, "Aural-plus- visual presentation results in a better retention of simple and brief material than use of either method alone."8 Then, in summarizing what he believes to be a general theory of communication, he states: "What evidence we have indicates that the media are in general likely to be effective in this order... face-to-face contacts, including personal contacts and speech; oral—plus-visual presentation, such as television and the motion picture; radio and print." 9 Attempting to provide some insights into how audiences make use of media, Theodore Peterson, et. al., The Mass Media and Modern Society, explain: "...mass communication involves a selection of c1asses--groups or special publics, which of course might be quite large numerically--within the masses. The media and their audience come together through a process of mutual selection. The media tend to select their audiences by means of content. For their part, the audiences tend to select among and within the media, also on the basis of content. The audience attracted to one medium may be quite different from that attracted to another."1 Supporting this theory, Wilbur Schramm and David M. White, "Age, Education, Economic Status: Factors in Newspaper Reading," observe the existence of differences in the way persons attend and 81bid, p. 99. 9Ibid., p. 103. 10Theodore Peterson, Jay W. JenSen, and William L. Rivers, The Mass Media and Modern Society, (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1965), p. 125. ll perceive mass media.11 Malsolm S. MacLean, Jr., "Mass Media Audiences: City, Small City, Village, and Farm," also comments on the differences of audiences: "Do men and women, old and young, rich and poor, well—educated and poorly educated each attend to the media in proportion to their numbers in the population? Generally the data indicates they do not."12 Apparently, some other factor(s) other than mere numbers determines the degree to which people attend to various media. Otto N. Larsen and Richard J. Hill in their article "Mass Media and Interpersonal Communication in the Diffusion of a News Event," explain: "There does appear to be a tendency...for females to learn from radio to a greater extent than do males, while the men show a greater tendency to be informed through interpersonal channels."13 They also state: "Several studies of the media of communication have suggested that interpersonal contacts not only achieve greater audience coverage than do formal mass media, but they also possess certain psychological advantages which make them especially effective in communication."14 llWilbur Schramm and David M. White, "Age, Education, Economic Status: Factors in Newspaper Reading, " Journalism Quarterly, XXVI (June, 1949), p. 149. 12 Malcolm S. MacLean, Jr., "Mass Media Audiences: City, Small City, Village, and Farm," Journalism Quarterly, XXIX (Summer, 1952), p. 276. 13Otto N. Larsen and Richard J. Hill, "Mass Media and Interpersonal Communication in the Diffusion of a News Event," American Sociological Review, XIX (August, 1954), p. 428. 14Ibid. 12 Schramm and Merritt Ludwig, "The Weekly Newspaper and Its Readers," discovered that women read a weekly newspaper more intensively than do men. They also indicate, in contrast, that men's readership of local editorials, legals, farm news, classi- fied advertising and sports in a weekly newspaper seems to be significantly higher than women's.15 Another article coauthored by Schramm, "Patterns in Children's Reading of Newspapers," states, "One of the interesting correlates of newspaper reading...brighter students are much more likely to read the newspaper than are slower ones."16 Further implications for the use of media as information sources are uncovered by Jaye Niefeld, "Which Medium Sold More Flowers," a study which shows that outdoor posters proved nearly one-third more effective than radio in selling flowers. Newspapers and TV, according to the article, were nearly equal, holding a poor third at about half the sales impact of radio."17 It is apparent that people utilize mass media and other information sources to different degrees depending on a number of variables, among which are sex, level of education, age, residence, etc. But, "How much do we know about how people get 15Wilbur Schramm and Merritt Ludwig, "The WEekly Newspaper and Its Readers," Journalism Quarterly, XXVIII (Summer, 1951), p. 303. 16Wilbur Schramm, Jack Lyle, and Edwin B. Parker, "Patterns in Children's Reading of Newspapers," Journalism Quarterly, XXXVII (Winter, 1960), p. 97. 17Jaye s. Niefeld, "Which Medium Sold More Flowers," Media/Scope, IV (November, 1960), p. 97. 13 their information, and what media get ideas across most effectively and efficiently? That is part of our unfinished business."18 Consequently, anyone desiring to communicate with prospective community college students will need to know which channels of information are used by this particular population. "Given this particular message to get across, and this particular audience, and this particular objective, and given certain reasonable limitations on time and budget and manpower-~then what medium or combination of media is likely to do the best job?"19 Once sources of information have been identified for the population in general, communication can be made more effective by isolating certain variables which are characteristic of community college students and cross-matching them with channels of communication. One can then direct messages to those elements of the pOpulation which would benefit most from the information, or at least have the greatest interest in it. When institutions such as community colleges are striving to pro- vide services to masses of students with what are generally con- sidered to be inadequate staffs and facilities the ability to communicate with pr05pective students is crucial. Therefore, the degree to which sources of information can be identified with the characteristics of community college students, the more effective and efficient one can be in communicating with them. 18Fitzgerald, p. 81. 19Fitzgerald, p. 91-92. CHAPTER III PROCEDURE AND METHODOLOGY USED IN THE STUDY Rationale The literature contains numerous references to the relationship between the characteristics of various publics and their sources of information, or channels of communication. These references indicate that people, depending on their age, sex, education level, residence, etc. , tend to use different channels 0f communication for obtaining information. If broad general categories of people utilize different channels of communication, then the same concept must apply to specific subgroups--namely, students enrolling in community college classes for the first time. Functioning as a specific social unit within the total Population of the community, new community college students should have specific characteristics which influence how they obtain information about activities and events which are of special con— cern to them. Anyone desiring to communicate with prospective Community college students will have to know specifically what 1:hcese channels of communications are and how they are used. Otherwise, intuition and experience will be the only resources a*Vailable for making decisions about the dissemination of infor- mation to prospective students. This mode of operation is one that harassed community college administrators can hardly afford. 14 15 Once sources of information have been identified for community college students in general, attempts to communicate with them can be far more effective and efficient. Efforts to communicate with specific elements within the prospective student population can be more precise. By isolating certain variables which are characteristic of community college students and cross-matching them with their channels of communication, one will be able to direct information about specific programs through those channels which this partic- ular element of the community frequents the most often. Armed with these data, messages can be aimed at the prospective come munity college student rather than scattered in all directions with the hope that ultimately the desired results will be achieved. A definitive study of prospective community college students and their channels of communication, if successful, would be of infinite value in planning effective and efficient college public information and admissions programs. Assumptions This study, which was undertaken for the purpose of identifying the channels of communication used by prospective community college students, is based on the following assumptions: 1. There are channels of communication (sources of informa— tion) which are unique to enrolling freshmen community college students. 2. Channels of communication frequented by prOSpective community college students can be determined by studying students enrolling in classes for the first time. l6 3. Identifying channels of communication used by new students will provide meaningful data for making decisions in determining the most effective and efficient means of trans- mitting messages to prospective community college students. 4. An instrument can be devised for determining channels of communication used by freshmen community college students prior to the time they applied for admission. 5. Channels of communication for enrolling freshmen can be cross-matched with the characteristics, age, sex, educational pro- gram, course load, residence and high school last attended to pro- vide data which will make it possible to pinpoint the direction of messages designed for prospective community college students. 6. A structured interview of a sample population of high school counselors in a particular community college service area can be used to determine the effectiveness of that college's past attempts to communicate with prospective students. 'Populations A questionnaire was distributed to all of the students enrolling in classes at Macomb County Community College, Warren, Michigan, for the first time,in the fall of 1966. Based on pro- jected enrollment figures approximately 4,000 students were to be included in this phase of the study. The questionnaire was administered as the first step in the registration process. A structured interview was administered to one of the counselors responsible for college advising in eight of Macomb County's 31 senior high schools. School districts included in the survey were selected on the basis of location and size. 17 For the most part the population of Macomb County resides in the south-central and southern portions of the county. (See Appendix A.) Therefore, only one of the high schools was selected from the northern section, three were chosen from the central part, and four represented the south end of the county. Six of Macomb County's public school districts were represented in the survey along with two of the eight parochial (Catholic) high schools. Approximately 25 per cent of the county's students were represented in the study. The Freshman Questionnaire A questionnaire (Appendix B) was designed for the purpose of discovering characteristics of freshmen students enrolling at Macomb County Community College (MCCC) for the first time and their sources of information-~channels of communication. The questionnaire consisted of 13 sections lettered from A through M. Upon completion of this survey instrument each student had indi- cated his program, hours of credit, source(s) of information, effectiveness of his source(s) of information, kind of infor- mation he received through his source(s) of information, city of residence, high school last attended, sex, age, whether he had ever applied for admission to or attended another college, why he decided to attend MCCC, and his plans in regard to future atten- dance at the college. Responses to every section of the ques- tionnaire, except where students were requested to indicate their city of residence and last high school attended, could be indicated by checking one or more items. In order to encourage frankness the respondents were asked not to sign their name. 18 In Section A students were asked to indicate the program for which they were enrolling. For convenience some of the pro- grams were combined into one category. For instance, one item was identified as "Regular Senior College Transfer" to cover the various pre-professional and liberal arts programs. "Vocational-Technical" was used to identify the numerous industrial technology course offerings. There was one item marked as "Other" for those respondents who were not sure where they fit into the list of programs as they were presented on the questionnaire. After the student finished his questionnaire, it was checked by the person administering it to make sure the student had indicated the right program. Section B indicated the number of credit hours the person filling out the questionnaire would be taking in the fall semes- ter. The hours had been divided into blocks covering intervals four, eight, eleven, sixteen,and seventeen and up. Each respondent was asked to check one of them. Section C asked the student to identify where he obtained most of his information about the college prior to the time he applied for admission. He was requested to check all of the appropriate items from the following list: MCCC alumni, newspaper articles, high school counselor, high school teacher, high school friends, family friends, radio, television, MCCC students, employer, Special programs and/or other. When checking "other," the respondent was asked to identify the source. Section D of the questionnaire was designed to provide information about the extent to which each of the sources of 19 information items listed in Section D were of assistance to the person filling out the questionnaire: very helpful, helpful, some help, or no help at all. In this way it would be possible to determine which channels of communication are the most effective in providing students with the information they need. Section E was stated as an open-ended question asking the enrolling student to state the name of the high school he last attended. Once the names of high schools were identified one could determine which channels of communication were most frequently used for any given secondary school. Section F, another open-ended question, asked respondents to give the name of the city or township where they live. As in Section E, once place of residence became known it would be possible to discover which channels of communication were the most effective for that particular geographical area. Section G provided information about what kinds of infor- mation the respondent received through certain channels of com- munication. Using the items listed as sources of information in Section C, students were asked to indicate the kinds of infor- mation they obtained from each source: general information about MCCC, information about specific courses, information about regis- tration, information about MCCC students and/or information about MCCC teachers. They also had the option of checking "none" for any or all of the media. Knowing what sort of information stu- dents get from various kinds of media would help determine which channels of communication should be used to transmit specific types of messages. 20 Section H identified the person filling out the questionnaire by sex. Section I provided the person responding to the question- naire with an opportunity to list his age, not specifically, but according to age group: 16-18, 19-21, etc. Section J provided information regarding the number of enrolling students who had attended college somewhere else prior to coming to Macomb. If this group proved to be substantially large, the public information and admissions personnel of the college would have to consider establishing some special means of communicating with other colleges. Section K indicated the number of enrolling students who had applied for admission to some other institution prior to enrolling at Macomb. If large numbers are attending MCCC as a second choice, then an effort will have to be made to communicate with prospective students who say they are planning to enroll in some college other than Macomb. Normally, once a prospective student indicates a preference for one college, other institutions have difficulty in communicating with him. Again, if this population is large, then special efforts may have to be taken to inform him about community college programs and services. Section L asked the student to indicate the reasons he was attending Macomb County Community College. The items which could be checked as answers were designed so as not to be negative. For instance, he was not asked to indicate that he could not get admitted to another college; this could be determined by the reply to Section K. However, he was able to say that he was attending 21 Macomb because of the convenience of living at home or to improve certain skills before transferring to a four-year college. If the reasons for attending MCCC could be identified, messages to prospective students could be structured to appeal to these special needs. Section M provided information about the extent of time the student extected to attend classes at Macomb. Again, once the special needs of students were identified, messages could be directed toward providing information which indicated a means of satisfying these needs. The data collected via the student questionnaires was computed and analyzed according to the following procedures: There was an individual tabulation of all questions and their responses. The results were expressed as a percentage either of the total number of students filling out the question- naire, or according to the number of respondents identified with a specific category. Sourcescflfinformation, Section C of the questionnaire, were cross-tabulated with Sections A, type of program; 8, course load; E, high school last attended; F, residence; H, sex; and I, age; with the results expressed in percentile groupings. The results, as indicated in percentages, formed the basis for making conclusions and recommendations relative to maintaining efficient and effective lines of communication between Macomb County Community College and prospective students. 22 Counselor Interviews In order to determine the success of the college's past efforts to communicate with local high school students, a structured interview was conducted involving a counselor from approximately 25 per cent (8) of the county's 31 high schools. These people should be a prime source of information for pro- spective teenage college students. If they are to be effective in the responsibility of providing students with information about college opportunities, they must be informed themselves. Keeping them up to date is the responsibility of the college. Those high school counselors selected for the study were asked to give their opinions about Macomb County Community College's communications program, as it related to the local high schools, and how it could be improved. They were also asked to give their impression as to how good a job Macomb College was doing in providing educational programs for the community it serves. The general responses and attidudes reflected in the interview data would be summarized as the basis for recommending improvements in the college's efforts to communicate with local high school counselors and their students. Procedure The following procedure was followed in conducting the study: A search of the literature was made as a means of deter— mining what has been written in the area of communication channels used by prospective community college students. 23 A questionnaire was designed for the purpose of obtaining data regarding channels of communication used by enrolling freshman students. A pre-study was conducted utilizing students enrolled in summer school classes at Macomb County Community College. The pre-study was staged for the purpose of finding out how well the instrument would work with the students. Approximately 200 people were included in the pre-study° The questionnaire was then distributed to 2,522 students, 69.3 per cent, enrolling for classes at Macomb County Community College for the first time,ththe fall of 1966. The students were asked to complete the questionnaire as the first step in their registration process. A structured interview was conducted among a representative sample of high school counselors (eight) in the Macomb County Community College service area to determine the effectiveness of the college's past efforts to communicate with local high school personnel. Finally, the results were analyzed, relationships indicated, conclusions drawn, and recommendations made regarding future planning. CHAPTER IV CHARACTERISTICS OF MACOMB COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND THE COMMUNITY IT SERVES The problems related to rapid growth are of vital concern to most urban community colleges-~Macomb County Community College is not an exception. Where growth, and consequently change, are manifested, efficient communication becomes of paramount impor- tance because awkward or ineffective operation cannot be tolerated when there is a pressing demand for facilities and services. If one wishes to communicate with the college's publics it is neces- sary to understand the characteristics of the community. This studytmnsdesigned to investigate the modes of securing information used by new community college students in a highly urbanized, rapidly growing metropolitan area. The character of the community must be considered when evaluating the data. The following information is presented to give the reader a "feel" for the growth and development of Macomb County Community College and its service area. Two reports written by members of the college's division of research and development have been extremely helpful in providing this information. They are 24 25 Edward J. Erskine's Macomb Occupational Education Survey1 and the 2 Macomb County Community College Masterplan, which was prepared by Charles D. Eisenman. Community Characteristics Macomb County's 481 square miles are located in the south- eastern section of Michigan (see Plate I), an area in which 60 percent of the state's residents live. The county is bounded on the north by portions of St. Clair and Lapeer counties, on the west by Oakland County, on the south by Wayne County and 30 miles of Lake St. Clair on the east. The major part of the southern border of Macomb County is adjacent to the City of Detroit in wayne County. Macomb County is consequently a part of the greater metropolitan Detroit area; and with the completion of an inter- state highway system now under construction in the county, the City of Detroit will be within a 30-minute drive of most of Macomb County. The fertile soil of the county, with proper artificial drainage, is suitable both for agriculture and urban development. The pattern of development in Macomb over the last half century has been the conversion of agricultural and vacant land to urban uses. According to the 1965 Land Use Survey published by the Macomb County Planning Commission, as of 1965 27 per cent of the 1Edward J. Erskine, Macomb Occupational Education Survey (Warren: Macomb Association of School Administrators, Michigan Department of Education and Macomb County Community College,l966). 2Charles D. Eisenman, "Masterplan for Macomb County Community College," a report prepared by the Division of Research and Development, September, 1966. M A C O M B C O U N T Y Total Square Miles Miles, North to South Miles, East to West: North End South End #4 481 30 1e 11 519,468 Population, 1965 State Equalized Valuation, 1965 3 $1,624,111,935 Jeffrey Meuwissen, Operations and Capital Outlay Budget Iflfiquests, Fiscal Year,yl966-67, A Report Submitted to the Macomb COLunty Community College Board of Trustees (Warren, Mich.: p. 3. 1966), 27 county land was "developed," whereas 73 per cent remained vacant or in agricultural use. Forty-seven per cent of the land is agri- cultural and 26 per cent is vacant.4 The 73 per cent of the county land which is not yet developed or urbanized provides ample space for continued urbanization of the county, and present indi- cations are that urbanization of the county will continue at a phenomenal rate over the next twenty years. Urbanization patterns in the county are clearly from south to north as each year urbani- zation pushes to the north converting formerly vacant and agricul- tural lands into residential, commercial, industrial, and public or semi-public service functions. Of the 27 per cent of the county land developed as of 1965, 40 per cent is residential, 4 per cent is commercial, 11 per cent is industrial, and 45 per cent is public and semi-public. The most dramatic development of Macomb County has occurred in the past three decades in population, economic activities, investments in schools and civic buildings, and local and county service. Phenomenal growth in population has created a formidable labor and consumer force in the county, affecting commerce, busi- ness, industry and public services. Table 1 shows the population growth of Macomb County--past and projected. Since 1930 when the population of Macomb County was approx- imately 81,700, the population has increased to 519,464 in 1965-- an increase of 535 per cent. By 1985 the county population is expected to be 861,025, for an increase over the next 20 years of 4Macomb County Planning Commission, Land Use Survey, 1965 (Mount Clemens, Michigan: January 21, 1966), p. l. 28 TABLE 15.--Macomb County population-—past and projected. A_Numerical Percent Year Population Increase Increase 1930 81,700 1940 107,600 26,000 39% 1950 185,000 77,300 72% 1960 405,800 220,800 119% 1970 625,950 220,150 54% 1980 855,000 240,500 39% 1990* 977,500 122,500 14% 2000 1,100,000 122,500 13% 2010 1,218,500 118,500 11% 2020 1,337,000 118,500 10% *Data for 1930 to 1980 based on Macomb County Planning Commission's figures; data after 1980 based on figures prepared by the United Community Services of Metropolitan Detroit. approximately 65 per cent. The greatest per cent of increase occurred in the 1950-1960 decade, whereas the greatest numerical growth is expected in the 1970—1980 decade. There is little doubt that the county population will continue to increase numerically although the per cent of increase will decline. Significant Characteristics of the County Population Table 2 compares certain features of Macomb County's population with the population characteristics of the larger communities of which Macomb County is a part. The data indicate that Macomb County is younger, more fertile, wealthier, more industrialized and urbanized than the larger parent communities. Youth, family size, and fertility ratio indicate that Macomb's 5Eisenman, p. 3. 29 TABLE 26.--Characteristics of population for selected communities, 1960 Median age 24.8 29.4 28.3 29.5 Population per household 3.78 3.44 3.42 3.3 Fertility ratio 656 519 534 Percent under age 5 15.9 12.4 12.4 11.3 Percent of persons 25 and older completed high school 41.8 40.9 40.9 41.1 Median school years completed, persons 25 years and older 11.0 10.8 10.8 10.6 Percent urban population 87.4 94.7 73.4 69.9 Median family income $7,091 $6,825 $6,256 $5,660 *Detroit Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area--consists of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. (U.S. Census Bureau definition.) population will continue to grow at higher than national rates. The relationship which exists within the Detroit area between the educational attainment of the adult population and family income differs significantly from the relationship which prevails statewide and nationally. Population Distribution Past county growth by regions indicates that 72 per cent of the 1950-1960 total population resided between Eight Mile Road, 6Erskine, p. 9.. 30 the southern boundary of the county, and Fourteen Mile Road.7 Estimated projections of regional population growth to 1980 predict that 75 per cent of the increase will take place between Twelve Mile and Twenty-six Mile roads.8 The northern limits of the county extend along Thirty-two Mile Road. The Macomb County Profile (see Appendix A) indicates the urbanized area of the county in 1965, the rapidly urbanizing tran- sitional area, and the rural area. This map also identifies sig- nificant economic and cultural centers in the county. Urbanization of the central and north areas will develop most rapidly along the industrial corridors (M-53 and M-97) and major highways (US-23, M-53, M-94, M-97). Arterial road development and water line and sewer installations will cause some leapfrogging in the pattern of residential construction. Implications for Higher Education "Macomb County is the most populous political unit in the United States which neither supports nor houses a four-year institution of higher learning. Yet Macomb's population and personal income exceed those of four of the fifty states. Rapid population growth caused by exceptionally high rates of industrialization and urbanization in the past 25 years have resulted in serious shortages of libraries, museums, and other cultural centers as well as of hospitals and special- ized medical services. Provision for essential public services including recreation, health, sewers and water lines lag seriously behind present needs. Most of the county's public school districts are laboring under the handicap of rapid and sizeable enrollment 7Macomb County Planning Commission, Macomb County 1960-1980 Population Projection, (Mount Clemens, Mich.: Jan., 1962), EL 15. 8Erskine, p. 15. 31 "increases. The effect of these conditions is an intense competition for a critically short supply of public funds needed to capitalize the improvement of public services."9 Macomb County Community College's service area is ideal for the location of a community college, especially as it relates to the needs an institution of higher education can provide. The area is growing rapidly, highly industrial, urban in character, and vigorous in its efforts to upgrade itself and its population. Although the automobile manufacturing industry and associ- ated specialized satellite industries provide the major portion of job opportunities, other manufacturing, busineSs and profes- sional activities are on the increase. As the population spreads outward from the central Detroit metropolitan core, more and more reliance is being placed on retail and wholesale business, and professional and nonprofessional services. "The diversification of Macomb's economy and its growing sophistication create heavy demands for pro- fessional, technical, and highly skilled workers. The local need for these workers is expected to TS twenty per cent greater than the national need." Occupational and vocational opportunities are also needed to staff local government agencies for health, public safety, recreation, education, and municipal utilities. Development of Macomb County Community College The origin of Macomb County Community College goes back to September 1954, when the Van Dyke Public School System received 9Eisenman, p. 23. lolbid. 32 approval from the Michigan State Department of Public Instruction to begin operation of community college classes for 84 students in the Lincoln High School building in Warren, Michigan. Eight years later in 1962 when enrollments in South Macomb Community College operated by the Van Dyke Public School System reached almost 3500, it became evident that a broader base of financial support was necessary. Consequently, in the spring of 1962, the School Board Association of Macomb County and the Office of the County Superintendent of Schools proposed that a countywide community college district be formed. The subsequent campaign supported by the school districts in the county as well as by the staff and students of South Macomb Community College along with interested citizens resulted in voter approval of (l) the formation of a countywide community college district, and (2) the establishment of a one-mill tax for twenty years to support the district. In the same election August 7, 1962, the voters elected a six-member Board of Trustees. On September 5, 1962, the Board of Trustees for the newly- created Macomb County Community College District agreed to assume responsibility for the operation of South Macomb Community College as of July 1, 1963; and in October 1963 the Board named the col- lege Macomb County Community College.11 The County District, just one year after its inception, inherited a student body of approxi- mately 3500 students and a faculty of 40 full-time and 120 part- time instructors. But until completion of facilities on the 11Progress Report of the Board of Trustees, (Warren, Mich.: Macomb County Community College, 1966), p. 2. 33 South Campus, classes continued to be held primarily in the late afternoon and evening in high schools and churches throughout the county as well as at Selfridge Air Force Base. Even with the com- pletion of three instructional buildings on the South Campus in September of 1965 and two additional classroom buildings in February 1966, a significant portion of the college program is still offered in extensions scattered throughout the county. In the 1965—66 school year, for example, approximately 25 per cent of the head count enrollment met in off-campus facilities. Although such extension services have been necessary for the col- lege in fulfilling its responsibility to the community, the use of these extensions is being reduced and may be phased out completely by 1975 when the college will have completed facilities on both the South and Center campuses sufficient to handle the total enrollment of the district in locations convenient to the majority of the Macomb County population. On February 25, 1963, just seven months after the MacoMb County Community College District was established, the Board of Trustees purchased the South Campus site (originally 70 acres, but ultimately enlarged to 140 acres) located at Twelve Mile and Bunert roads in Warren.12 Since 70 per cent of the county popula- tion resides south of Fourteen Mile Road in an area which com- prises 13 per cent of the total county land area, the site chosen for the South Campus is readily accessible to a majority of the county population. On November 24, 1963, the Board purchased the 12Ibid., p. 3. 34 Center Campus site (originally 111 acres, but ultimately enlarged to 210 acres) located on Hall Road (M59) between Mt. Clemens and Utica.13 Eventually, as the population of the county continues to expand to the north, the purchase of land for a North Campus site will be given serious consideration; and upon such time as popula- tion growth in the northern townships and villages warrants it, construction of facilities will commence. At present, September 1966, the District has purchased sites for both the South and Center campuses. Five instructional build- ings and a heating plant have been completed on the South Campus and construction has begun on a three-building technical complex. Construction is to begin within a month or two on the first phase of buildings on the Center Campus and these are to be completed by September of 1968. Student Characteristics and Enrollments Perhaps the growth of Macomb County Community College is most evident in the dramatic increases in student enrollments. Table 3 shows enrollment figures for the college from its begin- ning in 1954 up to and including the 1965-66 school year. The relatively small initial head-count enrollment of 84 students in 1954 more than tripled in the second year. In subsequent years the percentage of yearly enrollment increases ranged from 11.2 per cent in 1962 to 71.2 per cent in 1959. The median percentage of annual increase was 44.7 per cent. By September 1963, when 13Ibid., p. 7. 35 TABLE 314.-—Enrollment figures, Macomb County Community College-- 1954-1965. HC HC FTE FTE FTE Change Year HC* Incr. Percent FTE** Incr. Percent Percent in FTE Incr. Incr. Percent 1954 87 59 67.8 1955 247 160 183.9 136 77 127.1 55.1 -12.7 1956 345 98 39.6 235 99 72.8 68.1 +13.0 1957 600 255 73.9 331 96 40.9 55.2 -l2.9 1958 804 204 34.0 549 218 65.9 68.3 +13.1 1959 1.274 470 58.5 813 264 48.1 63.8 -4.5 1960 2,027 1,557 122.2 1,180 367 45.1 58.2 -5.6 1961 3,035 1,008 49.7 1,883 703 59.6 62.0 +3.8 1962 3,497 462 15.2 2,168 285 15.1 61.9 -.1 1963 3,846 349 10. 2,455 287 13.2 63.8 +1.8 1964 5,350 1,504 39.1 3,186 731 29.7 59.5 -4.3 1965 7,051 1,701 31.8 4,755 1,569 49.2 67.4 +7.9 *Head Count **Full-time Equated the County District assumed lege, head count enrollment continue to supply evidence responsibility for operating the col- reached 4,147. Enrollments since 1963 that more and more members of the com- munity are seeking the services of Macomb County Community College. The enrollment for 1964-65, for example, was 5,350 head count, an increase of 39.1 per cent over the preceding year; and in 1965 7,051 students enrolled, an increase of 31.8 per cent. The 14Eisenman, p. 4. 36 phenomenal growth of the student population at the college is even more remarkable when one considers that until September 1965 the college had no facilities of its own for offering daytime classes. The vast majority of course offerings were available only between 4 and 11 p.m. on weekdays and on Saturday mornings in rented facilities. In September 1965, however, with the completion of the first three instructional buildings on the South Campus, a full-scale day program was inaugurated, but the enrollments in the day pro- gram immediately exceeded the capacity of the buildings. Conse- quently, two church buildings had to be rented to absorb the daytime overflow. Late afternoon and evening enrollments necessi- tated the continued use of rented public school facilities in addition to the on-campus buildings. Finally, in February 1966, with the completion of two additional classroom buildings on the South Campus, all daytime classes, with the exception of most industrial technology courses, were offered on the South Campus. The late afternoon and evening programs still rely on the use of public school facilities to serve the number of enrolled students, but, as mentioned before, the use of such off-campus facilities will be gradually reduced until their use is eliminated by 1975 when it is anticipated that South and Center Campus facilities will be sufficient and convenient for students wishing to enroll. A final characteristic of the student population at the col- lege is the percentage of freshmen (30 credit hours or less) and sophomores (more than 30 credit hours) in the student body. In both 1964 and 1965 the freshmen constituted approximately 37 86 per cent of the student body, the sophomores about 10 per cent and the remaining 4 per cent were unclassified. It is expected the freshmen will continue to constitute the majority of the student population of Macomb County Community College. Macomb County Community College reflects the characteristics of the community it serves; both are young, vigorous and growing at a phenomenal rate. In the future, as in the past, the ultimate success of both the college and the community will depend on the development and maturity of each of the individual units. This dependency creates a critical demand for open and effective chan- nels of communication between the two entities. If the college is to be able to meet the needs of the community it serves, thus assuring its own growth and prosperity, it must be able to com- municate effectively with its clientele. This studytwusdesigned to investigate implications for communication with new and prospective students in an urban area. CHAPTER V DESCRIPTION OF MACOMB COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S PUBLIC INFORMATION AND ADMISSION PROCESSES The purpose of this chapter is to outline the activities of the two divisions of Macomb County Community College which have primary responsibility for communicating with prospective students. Describing the functions and responsibilities of the Office of Public Information and the Admissions Office will give one an idea of the operational implications and problems facing a rapidly growing suburban community college as it attempts to communicate with its clientele. Office of Public Information The Office of Public Information at Macomb County Community College (MCCC) functions organizationally as an adjunct of the Division of Research and Development. This mode of organization is different from the traditional concept where the "public relations" officer answers directly to the president of the col- lege. Considerations unique to the growth and development of the institution have been instrumental in the development of this situation at MOOC. The Director of Research and Development, a position created July 1, 1965, had been serving the college as Assistant to the President. He included among his responsibilities 38 39 those activities carried out by the Coordinator of Public Information. When the duties of the Assistant to the President were redefined and organized as research and development, public information was included among the new division's functions (see Chart I). "The terms 'research' and 'development,' as they are used to describe the divisional mission, are comprehensive, including the defining, popularizing and securing acceptance of the major goals and objectives of the college. This implies constant interaction between the institution and its various social, educational, cultural, political and economic publics. It is obvious that physical plant planning and fund raising become inert unless based on valid research communicated effectively enough to enlist support for institutional needs. Furthermore, separating the fund-raising function from physical plant planning and public relations leaves fund raising without a meaningful purpose or an organized means of communication. These areas are inter- dependent in defining needs and in achieving institutional goals." "Specifically, the role of the Office of Public Information at Macomb County Community College is to interpret the goals and purposes of the institution to its various publics."2 This task is carried on primarily by two professional staff members, the Coordinator of Public Information and the Publications Super- visor. The position of Coordinator of Public Information was established November 1, 1963; a Publications Supervisor was added to the department July 1, 1965. 1John R. 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