The financial aid process extends beyond once a student submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application. Scholars have found that the financial aid process can be cumbersome, especially for minoritized students. What is unclear in the literature are the additional hurdles students encounter to obtain financial aid. I…

In this chapter, the authors highlight the importance of student affairs in community colleges, define the role and responsibilities of midlevel leaders, and highlight their potential impact with respect to student success at community colleges. Best practices for supporting student affairs midlevel leaders and recommendations are offered.

By using a reconstructionist and critical theory approach, a review of student development theories demonstrates the problematic nature of such ideas as they continue to be used to shape student affairs practice in community colleges.

The coeditors for this volume synthesize key propositions from the volume chapters and offer recommendations for community colleges to employ college impact theories in student affairs practice.

In this chapter, the author draws on this volume's chapters to identify prominent issues and challenges facing student affairs professionals. Suggestions for practice are provided that support the work of professionals to create quality educational environments.

The purpose of this chapter is to explore the integration of the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners (ACPA/NASPA, 2010) on community college campuses. The competencies provide specific skill sets for a broad range of student affairs practice areas that should be met by professionals throughout their careers.…

The role of the mid-level manager as an organizer, communicator, and problem-solver in student affairs has been examined within the literature, but current discussion generally excludes the perspective of managers at community colleges. This chapter focuses on the importance of managerial identity and roles, particularly as it is enacted within a…

Student affairs and student services practices are concepts that can replace traditional models of student development, now emphasizing student identity, student voice, and emancipatory advocacy. A new identity is suggested to replace the title for student affairs professionals and student affairs programs in community colleges: student success…

Student success, accountability, and educational outcomes have been strongly emphasized in U.S. community colleges in recent years. For those individuals serving in community college student affairs, intentional commitment to standards and competencies in professional practice is essential in order to achieve institutional expectations and to meet…

The unique nature and mission of community colleges directly shapes the role and function of a senior student affairs officer (SSAO). Broadly, the community college mission is shaped by a vision of fulfilling several commitments to local communities. This includes admitting all applicants through an open access admissions policy and providing…

Recruitment, socialization, and development of new professionals are critical to the ongoing success, continuous improvement, and advancement of community colleges. The varied experiences and preparation of student services professionals create a complexity of needs that provide challenges to effectively and efficiently help them transition and…

This chapter examines the roles, reasons, facilitators, and challenges of chief executive, academic, and student affairs officers in internationalizing the community college student experience.

Student affairs and information technology have opportunities to partner in order to increase student satisfaction and retention rates and to assist institutions to comply with federal educational regulations. This chapter contains four examples of emerging best practices and future initiatives including: (a) the admissions pipeline, (b)…

Community colleges have historically been a major gateway to higher education for many students. Students enroll in community college programs and courses for multiple reasons: closeness to home, financial issues, job retraining, remedial work, plans to transfer to a four-year institution, and a love of learning. These divergent goals make…

Student affairs practitioners must reconceptualize traditional support services in order to use the resources allocated to them more effectively, meet the needs of today's students, and increase their value to community colleges. This chapter identifies student affairs programs that are vital to the community college's mission, describes best…