Understanding the relative impacts of part-time adjuncts in community colleges is highly policy-relevant, partly because community colleges rely on part-time faculty heavily and partly because community colleges assume a critical role in addressing the national equity agenda by disproportionately serving underrepresented groups. This study uses…

This paper presents the results of an exploratory study of a professional development-based effort at one of the nation's 14 federally designated Historically Black Colleges and Universities community colleges. Course revisions included introductory courses in its Natural Sciences department. The goal was to improve students' critical-thinking and…

Using the conceptual frameworks of validation theory and socioemotional development, this study investigated undocumented/DACAmented community college students' emotional reactions to Trump's presidential victory and whether educators and/or administrators offered positive validation after the election. The study sheds light on current practices…

The saturation of technology in learning environments can create feelings of apprehension in students who are not technologically savvy, especially for community college students who may meet basic expectations for technology use. Despite the infusion of communication technology into higher education, the effects of incorporating this technology…

This dissertation examines the role and influence of state, federal, and institutional policies in the experiences of developmental students and instructors enrolled in, or teaching at, community colleges. Through the theoretical framework of Pierre Bourdieu's relational sociology and Field Theory, I organized and examined narratives and…

A range of efforts are underway to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of advising and student supports. Among these is the Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success (iPASS) initiative. Launched in 2015, the initiative provided three years of financial, technical, and change management support to 26 two- and four-year institutions…

Financial aid plays an essential role not only in allowing many students to enroll in college but also in supporting them in attaining completion and success. Often, however, the total amount of aid does not come close to covering the cost of attendance for full-time students. As a result, the majority of students enrolled at two-year public…

Financial aid plays an essential role not only in allowing many students to enroll in college but also in supporting them in attaining completion and success. Often, however, the total amount of aid does not come close to covering the cost of attendance for full-time students. As a result, the majority of students enrolled at two-year public…

The college under study only requires instructors to use traditional resources to teach literacy content leading to a variation in the use of technology within literacy courses. In this college, technology is not being integrated well, too little or inconsistent exposure to technology depending on the instructor. The purpose of this study was to…

In 2012, more than five percent of all postsecondary students were veterans or currently serving in the military, and 43% attended a public 2-year institution (Ahern, Foster, & Head, 2012). The Collegiate Veteran Affairs Program, at a public 2-year college in the southeastern part of the United States, serves as the point of contact for…

This study examined how working-class male students perceive their experiences during the first semester at a community college in order to identify strategies they employ to overcome challenges and achieve academic success. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven working-class male students who persisted to at least a second semester…

Educational attainment and educational success have often been linked to an increase in opportunities in life and when viewed from the lens of lifelong earnings the greater an individual's educational attainment the greater the lifelong earnings. As a population, Native Americans have the highest poverty rate of all racial categories in the United…

This tool is designed to be used by Student Success Center executive directors to gather input and prepare coaches to integrate and enact an equity frame in guided pathways implementation. The tool utilizes the Community College Research Initiative's (CCRI) Coaching for Change framework to apply equity and equity-mindedness (Center for Urban…

This report examines the results of the Senior Exit Survey, which is administered annually to all graduating high school students. The fourfold purpose of the survey is to explore: (1) senior's postsecondary plans; (2) the credentials they plan to acquire; (3) the institutions they plan to attend; and (4) the fields of study they choose to pursue.…

The purpose of this report is to assess the collective impact of North Carolina Community Colleges on the state economy and the benefits generated by the colleges for students, society, and taxpayers. The results of this study show that North Carolina Community Colleges create a positive net impact on the state economy and generate a positive…