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Authors:Jorge Burmicky, Antonio Duran First page: 123 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore how public community college presidents draw upon data, their core values, and lived experiences to make decisions about how they can best respond to the holistic needs of their students. Method: Utilizing secondary elite focus group data with 15 community college presidents in Texas, we employed a general qualitative approach to analyze the data through a conceptual framework that integrates community college leadership and holistic student development theory. Results: Our findings revealed that community college presidents make decisions primarily through select data sources such as external survey organizations and their own core belief systems. Although community college presidents agreed on the most pressing day-to-day issues affecting community college students today, the way in which they framed their decisions and perceptions varied across individuals and institutional contexts. As such, common strategies for addressing holistic student support are presented in this study. Contributions: The residual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to impact community colleges in the short and long term. As a result, community college presidents are pressed to develop leadership competencies to enhance their decision-making process. This study offers timely implications closely tied to community college leadership and student development theory to inform how community college leaders can enact relevant, data-driven policies, and practices to support their students holistically. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-01-07T08:05:04Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521211061418
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Authors:Lyle McKinney, Andrea Backscheider Burridge, Mimi Miyoung Lee, Gerald V. Bourdeau, Melissa Miller-Waters First page: 144 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Objective: Students’ enrollment intensity during their first academic semester and year are highly influential in their success and decisions to persist in community college. Limited research, however, has focused on understanding how students navigate the decision-making process of determining their credit load or how institutional support services, such as academic advising, influence these decisions. Our objective was to advance knowledge on this topic by examining the implementation of a 15 to Finish campaign to promote full-time enrollment at a large, racially/ethnically diverse community college system in Texas. Methods: We interviewed 24 students and eight academic advisors to identify key factors that influence recommendations for, and selection of, course load. The collection and analysis of the data employed the critical qualitative inquiry method, and data were analyzed through low- and high-level coding processes using reconstructive analysis. Results: The factors influencing student decision-making fall into three major areas: (1) academic performance, (2) financial considerations and other costs, and (3) advising experiences, with academic performance framing students’ discussion. Academic advisors agreed with the importance of full-time enrollment for students’ success and recognized the importance of reducing time-to-degree, but believed many students were not academically prepared or had too many commitments to enroll in 15 credits each semester. Conclusion: Consequently, a “one-more-course” approach may be more attractive for both students and advisors. We outline recommendations that better enable community college students to make optimal credit load decisions, which in turn can increase their academic momentum and chances for degree completion. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-02-28T07:18:02Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521211061416
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Authors:Kai Zhao, Toby J. Park-Gaghan, Christine G. Mokhe, Shouping Hu First page: 171 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Objective: In 2014, Florida implemented Senate Bill 1720 (SB 1720), which drastically reshaped developmental education practices across the 28 public state colleges. Under the reform, around two-thirds of students became exempt from developmental education. Yet, many students were still required to take the placement test. If they scored below college-ready, they were assigned to developmental education courses using new accelerated strategies. This study focuses on the policy effects on these non-exempt students that received little attention in existing research but also were affected by the reform. Methods: Drawing on student-level data from two first-time-in-college cohorts who were enrolled in state colleges prior to SB 1720 and two cohorts who were enrolled after, this study uses multinomial logit models to predict non-exempt students’ first-year math and English outcomes. Results: We find that non-exempt students benefit from the policy, with significantly higher percentages of students enrolling in and completing college-level and advanced English and math courses after the reform. In addition, non-exempt English students with the lowest level of college readiness experienced the greatest gains post-reform in the completion rates in college-level and advanced English courses. While in math, non-exempt students who scored college-ready experienced the greatest increases post-reform in completion rates in college-level and advanced math courses. Conclusion: Although non-exempt students are not directly affected by the placement policy changes under SB 1720, they still benefit from the reform because of the new instructional strategies and enhanced academic advising and support services. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-01-27T05:41:54Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521211061417
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Authors:Adrian H. Huerta, Cecilia Rios-Aguilar, Daisy Ramirez First page: 193 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Objective: Community colleges, which can lead students to job opportunities and well-paying careers, are one of the main entry points to higher education for student parents. We use a conceptual framework that bridges career capital and community cultural wealth to understand student parents’ college and career trajectories. This study asks (a) How do student parents of color navigate community college' (b) How do student parents of color make educational and career decisions', and (c) What, if any, institutional resources do student parents of color utilize to learn about career planning and workforce transition resources at their campus' Method: This qualitative case study draws from individual and focus group interviews with 67 student parents of color to better understand how they tap into their cultural knowledge and lived experiences to navigate college and make career decisions. Results: Data speaks to (a) student parents’ difficulty maneuvering life as a college student and parent; and (b) the importance of students’ familial and institutional support networks as they seek college and career information. Contributions: We hope these findings will encourage community colleges to (re)consider their current practices relating to the student parent population which includes identifying and tracking student parents, implementing guided pathways with their unique needs in mind, communicating services offered to student parents, and creating a more welcoming environment for students and their families. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-01-27T05:43:34Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521211061425
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Authors:Kelly Wickersham First page: 219 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print.
Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-01-07T08:07:24Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521211061424
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Authors:Joshua Pretlow, Margaux Cameron, Deonte Jackson First page: 227 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Objectives: We explore the influence of initial enrollment at a community college on the attainment of a bachelor’s degree. Methods: Using the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study (BPS: 12/17) and propensity score analysis, we compare baccalaureate degree outcomes of recent high school graduates who reported their intention to earn a bachelor’s degree and initially enrolled at a community college to those students who began at a 4-year institution. Results: We found initial enrollment in a community college has a negative effect on bachelor’s degree attainment. Our findings are consistent across varying outcome and sample specifications. The magnitude of our findings is consistent with a recent meta-analysis. We found that almost two-thirds of our sample who started at a community college enrolled in a 4-year institution, a fact that has important implications for practice. Contributions: Given the recent research suggesting that more comprehensive programs can drastically increase community college students’ attainment (e.g., CUNY ASAP), we advocate for additional supports for bachelor’s degree-intending community college students. Since the majority of those who start their education at a community college enroll in a 4-year institution, we add to the growing call that discussions about ways to improve the success of bachelor’s degree-intending community college students must include 4-year institutions as partners. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-04-20T05:55:56Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521221087281
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Authors:Brian G. Moss, Ben Kelcey First page: 253 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Objective: Superiority experiments supply a critical lens to probe higher education interventions because they can dismantle the collective effect of a program and identify the relative contribution of the core components. However, such lines of inquiry are generally absent in higher education literature. We draw on experimental data to probe the dominant mechanisms of a simple but promising academic probation intervention. Methods: We used a 2 × 2 factorial experiment designed to unpack the effects of an academic probation intervention and identify the dominant mechanism. Within this framework, 500 academic probation students were assigned to one of four treatment conditions or a control condition. Treatment groups were assigned to receive notification of academic probation status by either certified or regular mail (factor A) that contained either a standard or embellished letter (factor B). Results: We found that students who received embellished warning letters significantly improved subsequent academic performance. The impact on performance was 0.35 grade points when notification sent by regular mail and amplified to 0.48 grade points when sent via certified mail. The routine notification communication message did not differ from the treatment as usual method regardless of mail delivery method. Conclusions: These findings suggest the availability of low-cost, scalable interventions are available and can be identified to positively impact at-risk students’ academic achievement. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-04-25T11:14:01Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521221087285
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Authors:Jennifer M. Blaney First page: 269 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Objective: Upward transfer pathways are an important mechanism for advancing gender equity in STEM. Yet, little is known about how students access lucrative STEM careers and leadership positions via community colleges. This study explores the factors that may promote computing leadership identity among upward transfer students, focusing specifically on gender differences in upward transfer computing student experiences. Methods: This study relies on longitudinal survey data from N = 1,955 computing majors across 15 universities in the United States. I used linear regression with tests of two- and three-way interaction terms to examine how factors associated with computing leadership identity might differ by upward transfer student status and gender. Results: Findings highlight how faculty mentorship, peer support, and involvement in student groups might shape leadership identity among all computing students. Other findings show that time spent working for pay is positively associated with leadership identity for non-transfers but negatively associated with leadership identity for upward transfer students. Significant three-way interactions show that parent career and sense of belonging in computing are uniquely associated with leadership identity for upward transfer women. Conclusions: This study identifies contextual factors that are uniquely associated with computing leadership identity for upward transfer students, while identifying ways in which institutions can increase upward transfer students’ access to college experiences that are positively associated with leadership identity for all students. Future directions for research are discussed, including opportunities for researchers to test the impact of specific interventions to promote leadership identity, aspirations, and behaviors for upward transfer students. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-04-25T11:12:20Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521221087283
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Authors:Thai-Huy Nguyen, Rose Ann E. Gutierrez, Jalen Smith First page: 292 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Research Question: The vast amount of material available on-line has prompted researchers to understand how undergraduate students sort and select, or evaluate, the results that emerge from their searches. Since students depend on on-line material to facilitate their learning of course material, understanding the basis of their process is imperative to how institutions develop more equitable and far-reaching strategies for student success. Given this context, this study asks the following question: When students are faced with several choices that emerge from their on-line search, what are the criteria used to evaluate and select resources that support learning of course content' Methods: To answer the research question, we drew on interview data from 12 students enrolled in a community college district, who offered insights on how they evaluated on-line resources for their science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Results: We find that trust and utility were the prominent criteria by which on-line resources were evaluated. Students were skeptical of the accuracy of content in a given resource and used several dimensions of trust to direct their assessment. Students also evaluated with purpose, to search for and sort resources that reflected their goals and preferred conditions for engagement, or what we consider as utility. Conclusion: Understanding how students sort and evaluate on-line resources offers insights into a learning environment increasingly defined by the internet and informs how institutions and instructors might better incorporate these resources into their curriculum and academic supports. Our findings reveal implications for institutional leadership, faculty, and student services. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-04-20T05:58:35Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521221087286
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Authors:Hobart L. Harmon, Larry J. Bergeron, Jerry D. Johnson First page: 316 Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Objective: This project analyzed recent doctoral dissertations addressing the role of community colleges in rural development for the purpose of identifying themes in the reported results and offering recommendations for future research. Methods: A meta-synthesis approach was utilized with 20 doctoral dissertations from the time period 2009 to 2020 investigating the role of community colleges in rural community development, rural economic development, rural workforce development, and collaboration with other entities relative to rural development. Results: Themes derived from the analysis and synthesis are presented, with discussion of the representative studies for each. Building on the results of the thematic analysis, the review offers recommendations for practical steps that rural community colleges can take to contribute to the communities they serve. Additionally, we offer suggestions for a research agenda to produce further insights and understandings that can strengthen and enhance the roles of community colleges in rural development across America. Contributions: Collectively, the reported themes and suggested research agenda speak to both the important role that rural community colleges can play in rural development and to the need for ongoing work in this area of the literature. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2022-04-25T09:46:17Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521221087280
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Authors:Amanda N. Nix, Tamara Bertrand Jones, Hollie Daniels, Pei Hu, Shouping Hu Abstract: Community College Review, Ahead of Print. Research Question: A sizable portion of college students experience food and housing insecurity, which poses a roadblock to fully and successfully engaging in higher education. In light of these complex challenges, we ask: How do Florida College System (FCS) institutions meet the basic needs of their students' Methods: To answer the question at hand, we conducted an embedded single case study of the FCS. Between 2014 and 2019, researchers traveled to 21 Florida colleges on one or more occasions to speak with college presidents, administrators, faculty members, advisors, academic support staff, and students. In total, we gathered data from 1,379 people through 213 focus group sessions and 20 individual interviews. Results: From these data emerged evidence of the extensive services and support programs provided by FCS institutions, ranging from food and housing assistance to clothing, transportation, and childcare. Such initiatives aim to meet the chronic, daily needs of students and their families, as well as acute needs that arise out of local disasters and crises. Contributions: The findings of this study contribute to the literature on the mission of community colleges. While these support programs address needs traditionally considered non-academic, participants suggest that they are essential to fostering student success. By meeting students’ physiological and safety needs, institutions can better accomplish their academic goals of remediation, transfer, vocational training, and contract education, particularly among students who have been traditionally excluded from higher education. The findings also highlight the importance of acknowledging the needs of students’ families when providing support. Citation: Community College Review PubDate: 2021-10-16T06:01:36Z DOI: 10.1177/00915521211047674
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