Higher Education Commons^™

How Does Performance Funding Impact The Open Access Mission Of Community Colleges In Massachusetts?, Walter T. Brooks

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this case study of four community colleges was to determine if the Massachusetts Performance Funding Formula (MAPFF) has negatively impacted access in two threats to access: 1) decreased affordability; and 2) restriction of admissions, enrollment, and recruitment in fiscal years 2014, 2015, and 2016. Participating senior administrators provided their perceptions of how the Massachusetts Performance Funding Formula impacted student access and their institutions. Access was negatively impacted by decreased affordability due to significant increases to tuition and fees the students pay. Access was also negatively impacted by a reduction and elimination of programs, courses, and sections.

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 …

The Challenges Facing Women Leaders In Mid-Level Positions At Urban Community Colleges, Kia L. Hardy

Educational Leadership & Workforce Development Theses & Dissertations

Although women lead at higher rates overall at community colleges, they continue to lead at lower rates in senior-level positions compared to men within those institutions. Women serve as presidents in 36% of community colleges (ACE, 2017). Additionally, community college presidents are currently retiring at rapid rates, and this turnover in leadership is expected to continue (Phillipe, 2016; Shults, 2001; Tekle, 2012). As community colleges face current and future reductions in senior-level leadership, women in mid-level leadership roles should be considered to fill the leadership gap.

Previous studies have examined the leadership challenges faced by women leaders, but there has …

Perspectives Of Campus Safety: Viewpoints Of Community College Faculty And Staff Members, David E. Dibelka Jr.

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

There is research available on campus safety perspectives and issues, but these studies are primarily from the student perspective. Of the few studies that show campus safety perspectives from the faculty and staff viewpoint, fewer of these studies reflect these perspectives as they occur on community college campuses. The purpose of the study was to examine the perspectives of faculty and staff members on campus safety. For the study, twenty faculty and staff members were interviewed about their perceptions of campus safety.

The results of the study were that although the participants generally felt safe on their campuses, they were …

Community College Library Personnel Value Conflicts With Library Services That Target And Track Segments Of Student Populations, Alicia Virtue

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify and describe potential value conflicts and operational concerns perceived by community college library personnel who participated in the development and implementation of newly formed partnerships between academic libraries and student services to build equity-focused student success programs enacted by the California legislature through categorical funding. An additional purpose of this study was to identify and describe actions necessary for the successful implementation of these partnerships.

Methodology: The target population was California community college library personnel who were directly involved in the new library-student equity partnerships. A total of 15 participants from …

The Transition Experiences Of High Achieving High School Students From Secondary Education To College : A Case Study, Lori Christine Lachowsky

CUP Ed.D. Dissertations

This qualitative multiple case study explored the experiences of eight students as they transitioned from high school to college. Eight students from an urban high school in the southern United States agreed to participate in this study. Participants were high-achieving students, 18 years of age, who participated in a teacher preparation class and took the MSLQ for a class project during the last semester of their senior year of high school. The researcher collected and triangulated data to ensure reliability: archival MSLQ scores from the participants’ senior year, open-ended interviews after the participants’ first year of college, document review of …

Necessary Resilience: Experiences Of African American Men Athletes In Community Colleges, Julian Springer

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Research has shown that African American men have the lowest enrollment and completion rates within higher education. While community colleges’ athletic programs may offer access points for students, experiences of African American men who are student athletes enrolled in community colleges has gone under researched. As such, this study explores the experiences of eight African American men student athletes at community colleges. Specifically, this qualitative case study aimed to better understand how these men experienced barriers and support on their campus, as well as their perceptions of their campus climates. Findings suggest that participants felt academically underprepared in their classrooms, …

The Role Of Higher Education In Rural Economic Development: A Program Evaluation Of The Colorado Rural Jump-Start Program, Maureen T. Stepp

Higher Education: Doctoral Research Projects

Since the financial crisis of 2008 and the subsequent recession, some urban and metro areas have experienced economic recovery, but not all geographic areas are recovering at the same pace. Federal, state, and local programs developed to help rural communities with their economic development efforts have failed to make much of a difference. In 2015, as a potential solution, Colorado spearheaded an initiative to incentivize economic development in rural communities. The Rural Jump-Start (RJS) Zone Act provides tax relief to new businesses and employees of those businesses, with the idea that because of these benefits, more businesses would retain, start, …