Community College Leadership Commons^™

Going Online: Decision Processes Of Community College Students Enrolling In Online Degree Programs, Michael Hill, Cassandra M. D. Hart

Benerd College Faculty Articles

This paper examines the decision-making process of students who enroll online at two California community colleges to learn how fully-online students gather information about potential institutions and programs, which alternatives were considered, and which sources were most useful to them in choosing programs. We draw on interviews with 25 students intending to attend fully online; interviews were conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings suggest that students are aware of the availability of online classes and make the choice to attend at a given institution based on convenience, finances, and familiarity with the college. The students that we interviewed …

Online Student Performance Under Synchronous And Asynchronous Instruction In California Community Colleges, Cassandra M. D. Hart, Rachel Baker, Michael Hill, Di Xu

Benerd College Faculty Articles

The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in both an increased use of online courses in general and an increased the use of newer forms of online instruction like synchronous instruction. These changes create an urgent need for updated research on how students perform in these courses relative to face-to-face alternatives. Our paper uses data on student course enrollments in the California Community Colleges system from 2015–16 through 2021–22 to explore how the relative performance of students in asynchronous and synchronous courses compared to face-to-face courses has changed over time and how performance differs across various student subgroups (e.g., by race/ethnicity and financial …

The Teacher Shortage Crisis: How Workplace Relationships Influence Retention, Attrition, And The Education Labor Market, Jeremy Brooks

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study took a closer look at how high school teachers perceive the ongoing teacher shortage, with particular attention to how workplace conditions and the broader school climate impact whether they choose to stay in the profession. Special focus was given to teachers in their first five years, a group especially vulnerable to early attrition. As the conversation around teacher turnover grows louder, this research seeks to better understand what’s driving teachers’ decisions from their own perspectives, not just policy data or administrative assumptions.

The study used a basic qualitative research design, relying on one-on-one, in-depth interviews to gather insights …

Understanding Institutional Factors That Hinder Black Students’ Ability To Persist At Community Colleges, Tadael Emiru

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Community colleges face a significant challenge with high attrition rates, which disproportionately impact Black students compared to other student groups. Hope Community Colleges reflect this trend, with a notable percentage of students dropping out before achieving their academic goals. The implications of this high dropout rate extend beyond individual students, affecting the local, state, and national economies.

Although existing research primarily focuses on students’ personal characteristics that influence their ability to stay in college, there is a noticeable gap in understanding the institutional factors that negatively affect student persistence, particularly for Black students in community colleges. This study sought to …

Understanding Latina/O/X Puente Alumni Student Experiences With Sense Of Belonging And Validation, Stephanie Teresa Razo

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The primary focus of this study was on how the Puente Project helps Latina/o/x community college students feel supported and validated. Additionally, it focused on how community and familial efforts can influence students’ experiences, and how the Puente Project leverages those forms of capital. Examining the lived experiences of Latina/o/x Puente community college alumni contributed to the study of retention and graduation initiatives for Latina/o/x students in the California Community College system. For this study, the participants chosen already completed the Puente program at a California Central Valley community college, transferred to a four-year institution, and either graduated with—or are …

Exploring Latinx Students’ Perceptions And Experiences Of Servingness Through Platica At A Hispanic-Serving Community College, Pedro Reynoso Valdez

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The main focus of this study centers on the overarching question, What does it mean to serve Latinx students at a Hispanic serving community college (HSCC)? This recurring question, both in research and in practice, has brought critical attention and dialog regarding the concept and practice of servingness; specifically, it has shed light on how Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), including HSCCs, conceptualize and enact their respective HSI identity. However, oftentimes, missing from this conversation are the perceptions and experiences of Latinx students themselves enrolled at HSCCs. As a result, there has been a call for more research that incorporates Latinx students’ …

Identifying Success Strategies For Hmong American Students In Higher Education, Jason Xiong

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Hmong Americans' postsecondary completion rates remain low when compared to other Asian ethnic groups. As the Hmong population continues to grow, so does the need for intervention to increase the total number of postsecondary graduates. Many Hmong Americans are first-generation college students and continue to face challenges and barriers that prevent them from being successful in higher education. “Forty-seven and a half percent of Hmong adults (25 years or older) reported having attended college, but not earning a degree” (National Commission on Asian American and Pacific Islander Research in Education, 2011). Without a college degree, Hmong Americans face limited resources …

Student Loan Debt And First-Generation Community College Students, Sandra A. Fuentes

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The rising costs of college attendance and changes in financial aid packages leave students with little option other than to incur a debt of some amount. Unfortunately, colleges often fail to provide adequate financial literacy and student loan information so prospective students planning to attend college can make informed decisions. Student loans may seem attractive in the short term because, unlike other loans, repayment does not begin immediately. However, the accrual of student loan debt leads to long-term financial consequences, including the opportunity to build economic wealth after graduation. Utilizing a basic qualitative research design, I explored first-generation community college …

Con Ilusión Y Ganas: Advancing The Transfer Rates Of Latino Male Scholars, Abraham Madrigal Barajas

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

California Community Colleges (CCC) are the largest post-secondary higher education systems in the nation, with an enrollment of over 2 million at a given year. They are also the most affordable and accessible for students after completing K-12 education. With California having the largest Latinx residents (39%), they overwhelmingly makeup 45% of the student population enrolled in CCC. Although Latinx students are pursuing higher education and enrolling in high numbers in CCC’s, they still fall short when it comes to student success outcomes, particularly transfer, when compared with their peers. Only 10 % of Latinx students transfer in two years, …

¡Con Ganas Todo Se Puede! Journeys Of First-Generation Latina Nontraditional Community College Student-Mothers / ¡Con Ganas Todo Se Puede! Viajes De Madres Latinas No Tradicional Que Son Estudiantes Primera-Generacion En Colegio Comunitario, Myra Gardea-Hernández

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Nontraditional college student enrollment in the United States is rapidly growing and is predicted to continue to increase. Similarly, female students are currently the majority student population on college campuses. Although numerous studies document college student experiences, few focus on first-generation Latinas who are student-mothers at community colleges. The purpose of this study was to explore the educational experiences of first-generation Latina nontraditional student-mothers enrolled at a community college in California to identify the ways in which grit (ganas) and mindsets influenced their success. This inquiry followed Moustakas’s (1994) transcendental phenomenology research process. Individual interviews of five Latinas were analyzed …

Exploring The Impact Of A Corequisite Model On Academic Performance In Precalculus: Who Benefits When?, Savita Bhagi

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

With AB 705 being enforced in all California community colleges since Fall 2019, colleges have devised corequisite courses in almost all English and mathematics gateway courses. Some quantitative and qualitative studies have shown positive results of corequisite courses in English, and some math courses such as statistics, but there is limited quantitative research on the effects of the corequisite model on student academic performance in STEM math courses, like college algebra and precalculus. Many mathematics department faculty members believe that the corequisite model, especially in STEM math courses, may not work in community colleges due to the population consisting of …

The Pathways Program: Understanding The Effectiveness Of A Structured And Support Based Standalone Dual Credit Program, Pablo Ortega

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Since the 1970s’, dual credit programs have helped high school students earn college credit and gain college readiness skills. However, the standalone branch of dual credit programs lacks structured advising, educational planning, and student support. As a result, participants of the standalone dual credit option experience frustration and significant difficulties in their dual credit experience. This study adds to the literature by evaluating the effectiveness of a standalone dual credit program designed with Guided Pathways-style support services.

Through quantitative analysis, this study compared two groups of standalone dual credit students. Both groups participated in standalone dual credit programs at the …

Faculty Adaptation To Emerging Instructional Technologies In Higher Education, Marilyn Murrillo

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examined how and why faculty adopt podcasting as an instructional technology tool in their teaching. Podcasting is an instructional technology tool being used for teaching and learning in higher education. Faculty may record lectures with audio, video, and/or PowerPoint slides to instruct students on class material. Students may access podcasts at their convenience through various devices, including mobile devices and computers. Research has shown that students who use podcasts to study for tests tend to perform more successfully on tests. This study was a qualitative multiple case study of seven California community college faculty using podcasting as an …

We (She, Me, Her) Are Not In Communication: An Autoethnography Of A Black College Administrator, Tanya Anderson

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

I’m a first generation, previously low income, Christian, African American administrator at a California community college who struggled and felt alone throughout my journey. This autoethnography helped me make peace within my broken pieces. Within this dissertation, I highlight the impacts and hindrances within my education, family and career experiences. The purpose of this study is to offer the reader an insider view of how I ultimately became an administrator and with this information provide scholarship on how to more successfully integrate African American female leaders into higher education. The bonus chapter provides young women lessons learned along the way …

A Study Of Cost Differential Between Comparative Day And Evening Programs At A Selected Community College, Robert Stewart Fritz

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to utilize costing procedures developed by the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education to compare per-student credit hour cost for disciplines taught in both.the day and evening.

Procedures: (1) A structure to identify and categorize similar patterns of activity based upon the work performed by the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education provide·d the foundation for the study. (2) Allocation of direct costs "ms .made to each discipline defined through the initial identification of activities. (3) Services rendered to the categories of evening and day collegiate programs were examined, with allocation of costs …

The Development Of A Five-Year Budget For The San Joaquin Delta Community College District, Lawrence Albert Dericco

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The specific problem of this study was to develop a five-year budget for the San Joaquin Delta Community College District. The choice of a five-year budget was made by the administration after studying the advantages and disadvantages of. shorter and longer term budgets. A term of less than five years did not meet the objectives of the college for the building and educational programs. A ten-year budget would necessarily be less accurate, since the longer the projection, the more vague and theoretical it becomes.

The purposes of this study were to: (1) review the literature pertaining to long-range budgeting, (2) …

A Comparison Of The Engineering Curricula Of The Junior College And The University Lower Division, Harry Louis Fischer

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study is an attempt to assemble the engineering curricula of all the junior colleges and many of the four year colleges and universities of California, and to determine to what extent the junior college engineering curricula are similar to the lower division curricular of these dour year institutions.

"Short-Term" Business Courses For California Junior Colleges, Wayne Edward Johnson

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was: (1) to determine whether or not there is a place for "short-term" courses in the junior college business curriculum, (2) to set forth some guiding principles for the development of such courses, and (3) to record information that might be of assistance to business educators, curriculum planners, and administrators interested in exploring the possible incorporation of short-term courses in their curricula.