The goal of the study was to explore how a diverse community college board might effectively influence the college mission by focusing on the greater impact of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging as well as the environment that may result from these policy discussions. The researchers explored if and how the establishment of diverse boards…

Trans people make up about 0.53% of the population or more. Many of these individuals, particularly in the higher education classroom setting, do not feel supported and are subject to discrimination and oppression. Many faculty are not up to date on terminology or ways to be trans-inclusive in the classroom. Studies show that professional…

Interest in biology education research (BER) has been growing over the last two decades, yet few BER publications focus on community colleges, which serve a large percentage of the undergraduate student population and a majority of those students who identify with historically underserved groups. In this paper, we define community college biology…

The Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework has been shown to support instructors in the design of inclusive instructional learning environments. However, few studies have examined the effects of UDL professional development programmes for community college faculty and staff. The present study examined the effects of a four-day Universal…

This qualitative case study explored the experiences of staff and student participants in a men of color program at one California community college. The research aimed to understand how program staff creates environments conducive to exploring masculine identity among men of color. Grounded in validation theory and the multiple masculinities…

In an era where STEM expertise is desperately needed to help solve critical world challenges, ensuring the success of students in STEM, particularly those who have been historically marginalized, underserved, and/or excluded, has never been more pressing. In response to this challenge, the authors, informed by the work of the National Academies…

Community colleges have a significant role in preparing early childhood educators who will likely one day teach in inclusive classrooms. Inclusive education models educate children with disabilities alongside their non-disabled peers, promoting acceptance, decreasing discrimination, and fostering a society in which everyone lives and works…

With changing demographics, Canadian institutions of higher education are under pressure to address the challenges of student, faculty, and staff diversity. Despite growing numbers of international students at Canada's community colleges, this group has historically been underrepresented. The intersectionality of their minority-status…

The problem addressed in this study is the underrepresentation of professional staff in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at West Coast community colleges. Although DEI efforts have mainly focused on faculty, professional staff have been overlooked, potentially leading to decreased engagement and feelings of undervaluation. This…

History organizations through structural inclusion and outreach since the 1990s have been inclusive of community college faulty.

Many college leaders watched the disturbing video of George Floyd's murder at the hands of law enforcement officers in spring 2020 and the wave of protests that followed nationwide. That event prompted the question: What can colleges do to create more equitable systems of education for "all" students at our institutions? While the act of…

Following a 3-study format, this multi-methods dissertation investigates three prominent issues surrounding inclusive approaches to faculty development, instructional approaches, and student learning in the community college. The first study employs text mining techniques to examine how centers for teaching and learning at community colleges…

Since their inception in 1901, community colleges (CCs) have been a bastion of open-access education for everyone, serving as entryways to post-secondary education for countless students regardless of their sociodemographic and socioacademic backgrounds. On average, students from minoritized backgrounds (SFMBs) make up at least 50% of student…

This qualitative case study examines the lateral transfer student experience--students who transfer from one four-year institution to another--at the University of Missouri. Through the lens of transfer student capital, this study analyzed eleven lateral transfer student interviews and three institutional websites to identify a revised framework…

American community colleges are typically public 2-year higher education institutions with a history and mission of providing educational access to the people in the communities in which they are located and serve. Nationally community colleges continue to become more diverse, providing increased access especially for the socioeconomically…