NEEDS ASSESSMENT PROJECTS IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES: THE IMPACTS OF ACADEMIC PLANNING METHODS

This research study is an exploratory survey of needs assessment practices in public community colleges. Key findings indicate that nearly 79% of community colleges responding to the survey conducted at least one institution‐wide needs assessment project during 1976‐1979 to assist them in planning academic programs. Similarities between respondents to initial and follow‐up mailings, and between the sample and the total population of community colleges, suggest that institution‐wide needs assessment projects have been conducted in the majority of public community colleges in the United States. Presidents reported a variety of impacts for their community colleges as a result of needs assessment projects. Considerable improvements in institutional planning and management and increases in awareness of and participation in college governance processes were reported. Effects on enrollment, allocation of resources, and interinstitutional relationships were much less evident. Analyses further showed that three project characteristics influenced positive outcomes of needs assessments; official recommendation of projects by governing boards; existence of mechanisms in the project to evaluate the effectiveness of the method and procedure used; and the number of institution‐wide needs assessment projects completed by the institution.