The nation's community colleges play a key role in addressing the need to expand and diversify the STEM technological workforce. However, significant barriers must be overcome for the programs to meet the increasing demand for skilled employees. The programs are expensive to establish and maintain; community colleges are generally underfunded;…

With the needs of the workforce continuously changing, community colleges need to be able to adapt quickly in providing students with the skills they need to be successful in the workforce (Baird & Parayitam, 2019; Beckem & Watkins, 2012). Many employers claim that a common problem among college graduates is that they are not consistently…

The purpose of this case study was to understand how attending an undergraduate academic conference contributes to a student's sense of belonging, not only within their institution but also in the larger academic community. This research was informed by the literature on club participation in conferences and faculty/student connections. Through…

Financial aid promotes and supports students' access to and success in higher education. This is especially true at community colleges. Whether students are seeking job training, a certificate or an associate degree, many rely on consistent and meaningful sources of financial support to advance their educational aspirations. Without these…

This study examines staff development practices in community college student affairs. Nineteen interviews were conducted with supervisors in a variety of departments at community colleges. We found that supervisors frequently used multiple practices such as conducting staff meetings, attending institutional training, or viewing topical webinars…

An unconference foregrounds informal, collaborative, participant-generated exchanges of information. Originally associated with technology firms and startups, unconferences are increasingly being held on topics like professional development in education. This paper discusses an unconference convened at Santa Barbara City College on online pedagogy…

The joint virtual global learning activity brought together college students from Jordan and New York City to learn about United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UN SDG) #6 and explore the issues of water pollution and drinking water quality in both regions. The activity involved undergraduate students from Guttman Community College and…

Colleges and universities have become practiced in articulating the value of diversity in relation to their institutional missions. Though the missions of these various institutions of higher education may be distinctive, they are united by the shared goals of educating students and advancing knowledge. AAC&U's membership comprises a range of…

Teaching chemistry to nonscience majors is challenging because most students come to class with negative beliefs about chemistry. Those mindsets stem from their inaccurate prior knowledge of how chemistry relates to their daily lives. To address the issues and promote students' engagement in chemistry courses, we implemented ubiquitous biodiesel…

The Research and Planning Group for California Community Colleges (RP Group) partnered with Umoja Community leadership to conduct a study that assesses statewide efforts to support Umoja program coordinators. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the technical assistance, resources, and trainings offered by the statewide…

On the 50th anniversary of the start of the writing across the curriculum movement, the authors explore the historical foundations of the movement, consider key developments that have occurred since its emergence as one of the most enduring and successful education reform movements in North America, and reflect on potential directions for future…

Undergraduate research programs at community colleges maximize their impact through partnerships with baccalaureate-granting institutions, which provide much needed access to subject matter experts, research labs, and funding to underserved students. The program Building Infrastructure Leading to Diversity: Promoting Opportunities for Diversity in…

This paper is the first issue of the Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) Symposium Collective Works publication, devoted to summaries of the presentations that took place at the 2018 symposium. The guiding topic of the symposium, assessment of student learning, was interwoven in breakout sessions with a great variety of topics such as equity,…

Good leaders need to develop and improve their skills. That's why the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) created a set of competencies for community college leaders that has served as the foundation for informal and doctoral-level training programs. When the original competencies were revised in 2012, AACC sought input from a number…

As today's students become more technologically savvy, social, and collaborative using social media, there are new and innovative techniques educators can use in the classroom. For example, action research is a newer technique using collaborative group processes, drawing upon the experiences of the individuals to promote positive results. This…