This paper examines the institutional determinants of federal loan status for a recent cohort of college students. We first set out how institutions influence loan accumulations and repayment rates, with particular focus on for-profit colleges. We then test a set of hypotheses about loan status and repayment using national data on loans, defaults,…

This paper builds upon the edict for self-determination in El Plan de Santa Barbara: a Chicano plan for higher education (1969), which calls for "strategic use of education," by placing value on needs of the community (La Causa, p. 9). For me, this passage translates into valuing needs of community-college students entering my classes…

Mississippi's community and junior colleges comprise the nation's oldest two-year system. Throughout history, Mississippi has prided itself on bridging the gap between dreams and reality through increased access to higher education. In the early 1990s, through advancements made possible through telecommunications systems, educators and leaders…

For 21st century workers, success is rapidly being redefined. A high school education is no longer sufficient for high-wage employment, and the path to a postsecondary credential of value can be a convoluted one. Each transition -- from secondary to postsecondary education, from postsecondary education to the workforce, or from adult basic…

This essay captures one instructor's experience implementing, revising and re-implementing ePortfolio practices over several years at LaGuardia Community College, CUNY. It outlines and analyzes the strategies that have worked best in rendering more visible the learning process to students generally inexperienced in academic pursuits, namely (1)…

Access to post-secondary education, specifically in the technical, two-year institution area, is a topic of growing interest in the country. Funding agencies, such as NSF, via the Advanced Technological Education Program (ATE), are supporting initiatives and research aimed at increasing the number of technicians and engineers and improving…

An emerging trend today is the increased enrollment of international students at community colleges. International students look to American community colleges as a stepping stone to achieving an education that might otherwise be beyond their reach. They are attracted to the community college by the lower tuition costs, opportunities for…

This dissertation empirically tested Tinto's student integration theory through structural equation modeling using a national sample of 2,847 first-time entering community college students. Tinto theorized that the more academically and socially integrated a student is to the college environment, the more likely the student will persist through…

How satisfied are students with the service they receive--and how important is it to them? This report documents significant strides that colleges and universities have made in recent years to improve service quality and their overall campus climate, yet also finds that campuses still have room for improvement. A few highlights: (1) While progress…

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), with funding from The Atlantic Philanthropies, created the Plus 50 Initiative (2008-2012). This initiative was designed to build the capacity of community colleges nationwide to develop programming that engages the plus 50 learner. This report contains: (1) An overview of the Plus 50…

The phrase "survival of the fittest" is coming to fruition in higher education today. Less than strategic financial moves have no place in post-secondary education. Facing the realities of our current economy is dictating major changes in how colleges are "doing business." These changes present enormous challenges to community…

The effectiveness of an Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program designed to allow incumbent employees in healthcare agencies to pursue nursing licensure was evaluated. The program offering drew upon resources from a partnership comprised of personnel from a college, two participating health care agencies, and the local workforce board. This…

Social justice education within the community college setting has not been an academic focus to date; yet, community colleges remain an environment for a diverse student population due to their low cost, open access, and variety of course delivery methods. Rural community colleges, however, may pose an interesting challenge to those wishing to…

Two-year colleges are an important part of the higher education system in the United States but there are concerns as to how attendance at these institutions affects educational attainment and labor market outcomes. This paper uses data from a nationally representative survey to examine the impact of students beginning their college career at a…

Adopting a qualitative case study methodology, the present study illuminates how two multilingual students enrolled in a U.S. community college ESL class negotiated the sociocultural norms valued in their multiple communities to make investment in learning English in college. Drawing on Gee's theory of Discourse and identity (1996) and Norton's…