Community colleges are trending toward a decrease in full-time faculty and an increase in adjunct faculty. Using 2019-2020 IPEDS data from 853 community colleges, researchers explored the relationship between full-time faculty and community college student retention, and combined graduation and transfer rate. Results demonstrated that proportion…

Everett Community College (EvCC) made numerous changes to retain and support students enrolled in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education during the coronavirus pandemic. Drawing on insights from EvCC faculty and staff affiliated with a National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM scholarship grant called the "EvCC STEM…

Over the course of their work at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) the authors observed that their students had an especially hard time functioning well in groups, in the context of both video production and media studies classes. An example of the latter is Introduction to Contemporary Media (MES 152). This paper looks at…

Focusing on community college transfer students who declared a STEM major at their initial transfer to a four-year research university, this study examined the extent to which students' sociodemographic characteristics and academic factors were related to STEM persistence and attrition. This study tracked multiple cohorts of transfer students…

Using data from a south-west alliance between two-year colleges and four-year universities, this study provides insight into the needed resources at partner institutions to promote the successful transfer and retention for minoritized students in STEM. The study includes responses from over 500 students who were engaged in alliance-related…

"I want to understand how they do this, and how can I?!" exclaimed a non-traditional aged student attempting to navigate a balance of her roles as a full-time employee and college student. Her exasperation was poignant. As her psychology instructor, I suggested that she may find some answers by conducting research with non-traditional…

Opportunity youth (OY; i.e., youth ages 16--24 who are neither working nor in school) are a population who is difficult to engage and retain in educational programs, particularly in community college career and technical education (CTE) programs. OY are an important population to community colleges, as CTE programs culminating in…

This exploratory, phenomenological qualitative study explored how a single, relational micro-intervention focused on respectful conversation across difference might influence sense of belonging and level of curiosity among participating community college students. The study also explored the implications of this intervention for improving campus…

As higher education enrollment patterns have changed, so too has the focus for institutional administrators. College students have been shown to be retained at higher rates when they are engaged in supportive services on campus. The Jefferson Community School program was designed to meet the non-academic needs of the community college student…

Community colleges serve the most diverse student populations in higher education yet have some of the lowest levels of faculty diversity in higher education. Retaining community college student cohorts through transfer/graduation is a goal, yet attaining this goal has been elusive, particularly for underrepresented minority (URM) community…

Dual admission programs offer students who are not quite ready for enrollment at a four-year university joint admission to the university and a partner community college. After completing program requirements, students are automatically admitted to the university. We examine the experience of students offered dual admission to an urban,…

The gaps in graduation and retention rates between ethnic and gender groups continue to be a foremost area of focus at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC), The City University of New York (CUNY). Equity and inclusion is also a critical concern as it relates to faculty and staff. At BMCC, a college-wide initiative, Designing for Success,…

Many community colleges consider non-academic supports as a way to improve student retention and achievement. Past studies on the effects of coaching, mentoring, advising, and other non-academic supports yielded evidence for the effectiveness of these interventions to promote student outcomes. In addition, some suggested that the effects were…

Recent years have brought an increasing amount of attention to the educational experiences and outcomes for men of color. As a group, these students experience some of the lowest rates of success in community college. These inequities in education start early, fueled by racial/gender dynamics, stereotyping, and growing up in under-resourced…

Communicating grades to students often and early has shown to have a positive impact on retention. Studies have shown that students greatly benefit from the communication, but how have community colleges supported faculty in their policies and practices about communicating grades? In this study, community colleges in the Midwestern United States…