Higher Education Commons^™

Developing Honors Faculty Through Faculty Development Programs, Aaron Hanlin

Journal of the National Collegiate Honors Council Online Archive

Despite its crucial role in student success, there is scant research on how honors faculty develop teaching expertise and pedagogical authority. This essay considers the ways in which faculty development programs assist instructors by enhancing the critical skills necessary for positive student outcomes and successful honors programs. While honors scholars continue to advocate for institutional support toward faculty development, this essay provides further rationale and a specific example.

Serving Our Communities: Leveraging The Honors College Model At Two-Year Institutions, Eric Hoffman, Victoria M. Bryan, Dan Flores

National Collegiate Honors Council Monographs: Chapters

Honors colleges at two-year institutions play a uniquely important role in twenty-first century higher education by providing additional opportunities, services, and programming that support greater outcomes for the community, especially for those members of underrepresented and underserved populations. Two-year institutions may wonder how the honors college structure could be valuable, particularly when honors programs are already well established, recognized, and understood among the faculty and staff as providing opportunities for students and supported by administration. Honors colleges can give honors a seat at the table in deans councils, budgetary discussions, campus planning, and curriculum development processes, which in turn allows …

Community College Employee Perceptions Of The Four-Day Schedule As A Community College Institutional Strategy, Mitchell Holder

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

In the face of enrollment declines (American Association of Community Colleges [AACC], n.d.; Barrington, 2020; Schwartz, 2020) and state funding cuts (Lorenzo, 2018), community colleges search for institutional strategies to gain competitive advantages in student recruitment and enrollment management. The four-day schedule has been used by a number of community colleges and four-year colleges as an institutional strategy to reduce costs (Cardinale, 2013; Chen, 2020; Moltz, 2008), improve employee morale (Ellen, 2011; Toppo, 2018; Wallace, 1981), and increase productivity (Bothwell, 2019; Ellen, 2011). Some institutions have adopted the four-day schedule believing it would provide a competitive advantage in student recruitment …

Exploring The Role(S) Of Community Colleges In Addressing Wicked Problems Through Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: An Entrepreneurial Approach To Sustainability, Samantha Bryant Steidle

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

For years, scientists, policymakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs have warned of social, environmental, and economic risks throughout society. Although researchers have explored the role of baccalaureate-granting institutions in addressing wicked problems of sustainability through multi-stakeholder initiatives, the role of community colleges in addressing wicked problems of sustainability through multi-stakeholder initiatives was largely unknown. Additionally, a research gap existed regarding how the mission of community colleges is aligned with addressing wicked problems of sustainability, such as poverty, inequality, hunger, homelessness, and climate change.

This qualitative case study aimed to answer two research questions: (1) How do leaders of multi-stakeholder initiatives describe …

Community College Transfer Student Access To Nationally Competitive Awards, Cassidy L. Alvarado

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

Employing Museus’ (2014) Culturally Engaging Campus Environment framework, this mixed-method exploratory study sought to ascertain what prospective (proTSCC) and current transfer students from community colleges (TSCC) knew about nationally competitive awards and to identify factors that influenced their decision to apply. Beginning with phenomenological interviews of transfer students and alumni, their responses informed the development of an Access to Nationally Competitive Awards Scale, which was then disseminated to currently enrolled community college students who indicated intentions of transferring to a four-year institution.

Transfer students from community colleges (TSCC) make up approximately 19% of enrollment at four-year institutions, yet research has …

The Impact Of Performance Funding On Community College Degree Completion, Certificate Completion, And Transfer Rate: A Difference-In-Differences Approach, Matthew J. Okerblom

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Historically, state funding of higher education institutions has been allocated through enrollment, but there has been a recent trend towards a different model, performance funding. Performance funding is a model based on the attainment of designated metrics with the intent on improving student outcomes. The metrics used for these programs have often not aligned with the mission and characteristics of different institutions, especially that of community colleges. Although, several past performance funding models failed to improve student outcomes, much has been learned regarding program improvement. Texas implemented a performance funding model in 2013 which included a focus on community colleges …

Leveraging Guided Pathways To Improve Financial Aid Design And Delivery, Maria Luna-Torres, Melet Leafgreen, Lyle Mckinney

Journal of Student Financial Aid

To address low completion rates, postsecondary leaders are championing a “guided pathways” approach that puts students on a prescribed route towards graduation. Designing solutions to address low completion rates is complex; in addition to academic roadblocks, insufficient financial resources coupled with a complicated financial aid system can intensify barriers to completion, especially for students whose continued enrollment is highly dependent on financial aid. Without a comprehensive approach that specifically addresses financial aid funding shortages, students will continue to struggle to complete their programs of study. Opportunities exist to redesign the financial aid system so that the current guided pathways movement …

The Impact Of Employer-Sponsored Educational Assistance Benefits On Community College Student Outcomes, Henry Tran, Douglas Smith

Journal of Student Financial Aid

Studies of community college finance often focus on revenue sources from the state and local government, private foundations, and tuition. While these resources are important, an often-neglected source of revenue is employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits for students. Given the dearth of literature on the benefits of this funding source, especially for community college students, our study shines light on the topic. Specifically, this study reports on the impacts of Section 127 of the Internal Revenue Code, employer-sponsored educational assistance benefits, on degree-seeking public community college student outcomes based on a propensity score matching analytic strategy. Our results suggest that the …

Delivering Disability Accommodations At A Community College: A Case Study, Caolfionn B. Yenney, Janie Sacco Ii

College Student Affairs Leadership

This case study explores the Office of Disability Support Services (DSS) at Northern Midwestern Community College (NMCC). Like many state institutions of higher education, NMCC has undergone continued budgetary cuts, some of which have impacted their services. Additionally, NMCC faces limited support from administration and resistance from instructors to provide accommodations. Taking the position of the accommodations coordinator, this case study challenges readers to consider a student concern from an institutional, collaborative, student response, and strategic perspective.

Suicide Prevention Strategies In Tennessee Community Colleges: A Case Study, Sandra Perley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for college students; annually approximately 1,100 students in institutions of higher education die by suicide. However, most research related to college student suicide was conducted using the sample of 4-year institutions. Community colleges have seldom been included in the sample of suicide research studies. This qualitative case study research explored the student suicide prevention strategies in the 13 community colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents higher education system. Data were collected from surveys, institutional web sites, and interviews with institutional personnel.

Approximately half of the institutions offer suicide prevention information to …

Still Happening, Yet Still Problematic: The 21st Century Du Bois And Washington Debate, Donald Mitchell Jr., Adriana Almanza, Adriel A. Hilton, Barbara Spraggins

Donald Mitchell Jr., Ph.D.

Pre- And Post-Matriculation Correlates Of Student Retention Within A Community College Setting, Pamela E. Goodman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In the 1990s, due in part to declining enrollment numbers and prolonged budget constraints, student retention became a primary focus in higher education. Aligned with the nationwide interest, this longitudinal, archival study focused on the correlates of student retention at Walters State Community College, located in Morristown, Tennessee. The population involved 17,497 students enrolled from the fall semester of 1992 through the fall semester of 1997. Four sets of variables were investigated--demographic variables, pre-matriculation variables, post-matriculation variables related to grades, and post-matriculation variables related to enrollment. The data were collected through the use of a computer program written to access …

Perceptions Of The Appropriateness Of The 1998 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award Education Criteria For Assessing Virginia Community Colleges, Dixon B. Joyce

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were: (a) To determine whether full-time teaching faculty and full-time administrators perceive the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA) 1998 Education Criteria for Performance Excellence (ECPE) to be appropriate for assessing Virginia community colleges, and (b) To determine if differences in perceptions exist regarding demographic variables among full-time teaching faculty and among full-time administrators in the use of these criteria to assess Virginia community colleges. Data were collected from a random sample of 129 full-time teaching faculty and 57 full-time administrators using the seven categories and 18 items of the 1998 ECPE. Demographic factors included …

A Study Of Faculty Development At Fourteen Community Colleges In The Tennessee Board Of Regents System, James C. Lefler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of and need for faculty development in the 14 community colleges in the Tennessee Board of Regents System. The study examined the status of faculty development, importance of scholarship, perceived needs, preferred faculty development topics, and methods of instruction. A review of demographic characteristics was conducted to develop a profile of TBR community college faculty and to assess the relationship between these demographic variables and the need for and selection of faculty development topics. Data collection was conducted using the Faculty Development Questionnaire . A selective random sample was drawn …

A Measurement Of Total Quality Management In Selected North Carolina Community Colleges, Gene C. Couch

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many of the colleges in the North Carolina Community College System have embarked on a "quality" journey to continuously improve the educational programs and services that they provide to their communities. The primary focus of this study was to determine the level of Total Quality Management (TQM) principles implemented in selected North Carolina community colleges and to determine if there was a difference in the perception of its implementation between administrators and faculty. Additionally, this study examined the influence of the following variables on the implementation of TQM in selected North Carolina community colleges: personal factors (age, gender, ethnicity, and …

Articulation Practices Of Two- And Four-Year Public Colleges In Tennessee, Amy L. Freeman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study had two purposes. The first was to identify present articulation practices within Tennessee public colleges. The second was to select recommendations for ideal articulation practice that might lead to improved transfer/articulation among two- and four-year public colleges in Tennessee. A survey instrument was sent to persons identified as chief articulation officers within Tennessee public colleges. They were asked to evaluate identified articulation practices according to present practice and according to ideal practice. Results were used to determine which transfer and articulation practices were currently used in Tennessee public colleges, which transfer and articulation practices ideally should be used …

Common Transitional And First-Year Experiences Of Newly Appointed Community College Deans: A Qualitative Analysis, Joseph B. Olson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to identify common transitional and first year experiences of newly appointed community college deans. A population of deans from the states of North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas was identified. Through the use of qualitative research techniques, personalized accounts were collected from a sample of eleven deans. Through a qualitative analysis of these personalized accounts, thirteen themes were developed. These themes identified common issues and backgrounds encountered and shared by the eleven deans. These themes reveal that: (1) prior community college administrative experience was a prerequisite to the deanship, (2) there were no …

Young Women Who Marry Early And Attend The Community College: Factors Which Influence The Completion Of Associate Degrees, Donald K. Bartholomay

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate, through in-depth interviews, those factors which served to motivate early marriage women in the attainment of associate degrees and to identify characteristics of early marriage women who were successful in completing associate degrees. The details obtained from these interviews were interpreted and their meanings used to generate propositions and implications about the completion of associate degrees by this group of students. In-depth interviews were conducted with 28 early marriage women (informants) who either completed associate degrees or were within 12 semester hours of completing an associate degree. In addition, 15 in-depth interviews …

The Relationship Between The Attitudes Of Directors And Instructors And Student Ratings In Remedial And Developmental Studies In Tennessee's Community Colleges, Carolyn H. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between the attitudes of remedial and developmental directors and instructors and student ratings. A population of 230 full-time directors and instructors and 3,269 remedial students were surveyed in the Fall of 1990. The return rate was 95% for the directors and instructors with the student rate dependent upon instructors administering the instruments. Two instruments were developed--one to measure the attitudes of directors and instructors and one for student ratings of instructors. Seven null hypotheses were formulated; 5 were retained and 2 rejected, at the.05 level of significance. Factor …