<p>Latinas/os represent the largest ethnic group in California and are under-represented in higher education. Latina/o student college completion rates are the lowest of any racial or ethnic group, including Whites. This study used a critical race theoretical lens to explore the experiences of 14 Latina/o community college students who were pushed out of the transfer path. Storytelling served as the foundation of this study to understand and give voice to Latina/o students' transfer path experiences. Interview data from all participants were analyzed to extract codes and develop themes within the stories. Demographic surveys were evaluated to identify student characteristics. </p><p> Findings revealed that Latina/o students were pushed out of the transfer path at four critical points: Students were pushed out as they found themselves on academic or progress probation, resulting in conditional financial aid suspensions. Some students became discouraged as they figured out the amount of courses necessary to become transfer ready. Other students attempted to transition to transferable coursework, but they were unable to pass developmental math courses. Students also reported being pushed out as they learned about the immense amount of transfer requirements, program options, and costs, which created transfer information paralysis. </p><p> Latina/o students reported feeling emotional relief after being pushed out of the transfer pathway. Earning an associate's degree or certificate was an achievable goal and students felt a sense of academic accomplishment. Students also believed that an associate's degree was a "stepping stone" on their journey through the educational pipeline. </p><p> Students noted race, class, and gender stereotyped experiences that adversely affected their transfer path experiences. Negative perceptions about their race impacted their academic performance. Erratic and limited resources-including suspension from financial aid-proved harmful to their ability to remain on the transfer path. Gender role expectations obstructed Latina women and propelled Latino men on the transfer pathway. </p><p> The findings suggest that Latina/o students were disadvantaged by community college policies and procedures. Yet, they remained committed to their educational goals. Further investigation of Latina/o student community college experiences is necessary to develop policies, procedures, and practices that will serve to strengthen their educational pathways. </p>

<p> The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, ACA) stipulates a full-time employee, defined as one who works an average at least 30 hours per week, merits a prescribed set of insurance benefits. Higher education institutions must determine whether a part-time employee meets the ACA definition of a full-time employee by calculating the average weekly working hours. Although challenges exist when defining and measuring academic instructional work, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect of various workload formulas as a means to measure the average weekly working hours of part-time faculty and to compare the results to the ACA definition of a full-time employee. The results, grounded in the Parametric Estimating Model framework, indicated that if the ACA was in effect in FY2013 several part-time faculty members met the ACA definition of full-time employee at one institution when utilizing workload formulas as a means to measure instructional work. The three common salient characteristics of these part-time faculty members include that they were either potentially loaded greater than 50% of a full-time faculty workload, reported excessive hourly-compensated work, or worked during the summer term. An organization risks the potential financial penalty of $2,000 annually for each full-time employee employed when an ACA defined full-time employee is not offered healthcare benefits. Therefore, the study recommends that the organization create methods to control and monitor hourly work and course assignments particularly of those offered in the summer term in order to avoid the risk of the ACA penalty or alternatively, provide access to healthcare coverage that meets the ACA requirements to its part-time employees. Part-time employees, including part-time faculty play a critical and important role for institutions of higher education.</p>

<p> This quantitative study examined the transfer and degree aspirations of African-American and Latino males enrolled in California community colleges. Carter's (2002) theoretical and conceptual framework on the degree aspirations of African-American and Latino students was utilized to frame this study. Using secondary data from CCSSE, t-tests, factor analyses and logistic regression analyses were completed to compare the experiences of African American and Latino males and predict their transfer and degree aspirations. Findings include that self-reported data on GPA, obtaining or updating job skills, changing careers, and institutional size were predictors of associate degree aspirations. For the outcome transfer aspirations, predictors were race, sources used to pay for their tuition, and experiences that contributed to their academic, cognitive, and technical skills at the community college. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.</p>

<p> In 2002, the Accrediting Commission of Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) revised its accreditation standards and mandated institutions to implement assessment of student learning outcomes (SLO) for all courses and programs. Effective assessment of SLO provides a mechanism for faculty to analyze, discuss, and use data to improve instruction. This process has been integral to meeting and maintaining standards required for accreditation. However, assessment should instead be aimed at improving teaching and learning and providing instructional consistency that results in a better experience for students. </p><p> Data from this qualitative study indicated key components to consider in implementing SLO assessment. The study examined faculty perceptions of a single department&rsquo;s process and provides leaders with a road map to consider for implementation of SLO assessment. The study used a qualitative, single-site case study design to address the research questions through collection of data via in-depth interviews with 11 of 13 full-time faculty members in the target department who had participated in the full assessment cycle, observation of faculty meetings, and document review. </p><p> Key factors identified by interviewees were communication, knowledge of SLO, a clear plan, training, expertise, staff to assist faculty, and time to conduct assessment and analysis. Elements that were not evident in the literature emerged and indicated that department culture and faculty characteristics should be considered when creating an implementation plan. </p><p> The main obstacle to SLO assessment was the time required for comprehensive and high-quality assessment. There was a clear disconnect between tasks, required time, and institutional deadlines. Other campus-wide barriers cited were a lack of communication from campus leadership, inadequate training, and the perception that the college did not support necessary clerical and professional staff to assist faculty with the effort. </p><p> The resources and policies that were reported to assist faculty include a faculty-driven effort, an investment in the process to include compensation for the time spent, clerical and professional staff, technology to simplify the process and an examination of faculty workload.</p>

<p> Community colleges provide access to all, yet face the challenge of improving student academic performance and completion rates. This becomes increasingly difficult when considering the increasing number of students enrolling in developmental coursework upon entering a 2-year institution. Although placement tests can determine a students' academic skills, many developmental students are at-risk for succeeding in college and have been found deficient in the area of study skills. Given that lack of skill, will, and self-regulation are strongly correlated with several negative outcomes among college students, and students with lower placement test scores report low academic success, it is important to understand how these factors influence academic success among community college students. This retrospective quantitative study was conducted to examine how the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI-2) components of skill, will, and self-regulation may influence academic success among community college students with low placement test scores. A nonexperimental correlational research design was used. This retrospective quantitative study involved use of full-time first semester developmental matriculated and nonmatriculated community college students (N = 112) to examine the effect of skill, will, and self-regulation on first semester grade point average (GPA) of students with low placement scores. The correlation between skill and GPA was not significant (<i>p</i> > .05). The correlation between self-regulation and GPA was not significant (<i>p</i> > .05). The correlations among the independent variables of skill, will, and self-regulation were significant (<i>p</i> &lt; .001). Results indicated that only the component of will was statistically significant in predicting GPA (<i>r</i> = .21, <i>p</i> = .01). The results will possibly be an influence as to how postsecondary institutional leaders address the nonacademic needs of this population with the possibility of improving academic success and graduation rates. The findings of this study indicate future research utilizing community college students is needed. Further evaluation of nonintellective factors to determine student success is also recommended.</p>

<p> The Latino student population in the California Community College System has surpassed the White student population as the largest sector. However, the academic achievement of Latino students trails behind that of White students, creating an achievement gap. The number of Latina/o trustees is also on the rise with voting demographics. However, the number of Latina/o CEO/presidential leadership is in decline. Latino policy makers can be instrumental in the creation of a diverse campus climate and growing the number of Latina/o CEOs. Diversity and role models are linked to improving educational outcomes for all students, particularly for Latino students.</p><p> This quantitative study examined the impact of demographic and political factors on the perceptions of problems and priorities of California Community College Trustees. The dependent variable was the likelihood that trustees would agree that it was their role to promote the growth of Latina/o leadership. The demographic variable of interest was ethnicity and the study examined the differences in responses among Latina/o, White and other trustees. This study explored factors that may contribute to the steady decline of Latina/o CEO leadership and those that might aid in the growth of Latina/o leadership. </p><p> This study confirmed that there are significant differences in the perceptions and priorities of Latina/o and White trustees. It was found that all trustees believed that the Latino achievement gap was a concern; however, while Latina/o and White trustees believed the gap persisted because of the growing number of remedial students and budget cuts, Latina/o trustees also believed that the gap persisted because of limited Latina/o representation and role models. The perceptions and priorities of Latina/o trustees are shaped by culture expectations and minority status, which influence their interests to help Latino students and increase the number of Latina/o leaders. White trustees do not share the same experiences but do share the interest to help Latino students because their role is to serve all students. This study confirmed that Latino trustees were more likely than White trustees to agree that it was their role to promote the growth of Latina/o CEO leadership. However, the perceptions and priorities of White trustees have a significant impact on the role of Latina/o trustees in growing Latina/o leadership. </p>

<p> Higher education in the United States is facing increasing demands for accountability in response to dismal college completion rates. Seeking to increase educational effectiveness, many states reform higher education governance structures (Novak, 1996). Both states and higher education governing bodies have sought to increase college completion by improving community college to university transfers (Kisker, Wagoner &amp; Cohen, 2011). Transfer and articulation policies have been part of higher education for years, yet have rarely exceeded 33 percent (Townsend &amp; Wilson, 2002).</p><p> This study explored the cultural aspects of a new transfer policy from the perspectives of key stakeholders. It relied upon five precepts proposed by Tierney (2008) to determine the effectiveness of governance communication and decision-making. Handel's (2011) theory of a transfer affirming culture framed the findings as to the elements of transfer success at the community colleges and state university. Added to this theory was the work of Jain, Herrera, Bernal, and Solorzano (2011) which defines the requisite services for pre-transfer and post-transfer success of non-traditional students. This study was guided by the following research question: How do community college and state university faculty, administrators and staff perceive the transfer articulation policy in relation to their campus cultures?</p><p> A qualitative multi-site case study design was used to gather rich, descriptive, in-depth information (Stake, 1995). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with <i>N</i>=5, faculty and <i>N</i>=5, elite informants and <i>N</i>=1, staff. Three focus groups (<i>N</i>=3) were conducted with <i>N</i>=7 faculty, and <i>N</i>=7 staff. Data collection included <i>N</i>=7, observations of faculty meetings and analysis of documents that were pertinent to the study. The researcher analyzed transcripts, field notes and documents to corroborate major themes (Boyatzis, 1998).</p><p> Findings revealed that difficulties may exist between community college curricula and student transfer pathways as well as a cultural gap between community colleges and the state university. They also showed the politics surrounding higher education governance reform and a clash of political and academic cultures. This study may help policy makers promote state wide transfer and articulation initiatives and be instructive for faculty, administrators and staff as they create a transfer affirming culture on their campuses.</p>

<p> In 2011, with ongoing concerns over state budget shortfalls and the increasing educational cost structure, California state legislators focused their attention on measures that could lead to access, added productivity, and value in order to sustain the current educational system. One ofthe recommendations provided by the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) was to eliminate state support for course repetition in activity classes. In 2012, the Board of Governors (BOG) adopted the changes to Title 5 ofthe California Code of Regulations to limit the apportionment a community college district could collect for student attendance in credit courses that are related in content. This limitation on apportionment was intended to specifically limit student enrollment in active participatory courses such as those in the visual and performing arts.</p><p> This qualitative interview study used the Discipline-Based Art Education framework to bring forth the experiences of 13 community college visual and performing arts (VAPA) instructors. The purpose of the study was to understand how VAPA instructors experienced the elimination of course repetition, how they reconciled the requirements of their discipline with the state educational policy, and how these changes influence the teaching and promotion of access to arts learning.</p>

<p> Globalization has resulted in the need for not only competent leaders but also leaders who have high levels of cultural intelligence. Currently there is a paucity of empirical research demonstrating causes of cultural intelligence, especially in the educational setting (Haigh, 2002; Knight, 2007; Rivera, Jr., 2010). The purpose of the current investigation is to examine whether educational experience (class level) has an impact on cultural intelligence and whether there is a statistical interaction between levels of cultural exposure and educational experience (class level) on cultural intelligence scores. A causal-comparative quasi-experimental cross-sectional quantitative study was used for the current investigation to describe differences between selected independent variables of educational experience (class level) and cultural exposure (none, minimal, moderate, high) on the dependent variable of cultural intelligence scores as measured by the Cultural Intelligence Scale (CQS) (Ang et al., 2007). Main and interaction effects of the independent variables on the dependent variable indicated that differences in educational experience (class level) and/or cultural exposure level have an impact on cultural intelligence scores. The data were collected from a population consisting of business administration students at a community college in the midwestern United States. A convenience sampling technique was used, drawing from the database of students enrolled in the business administration program. Because differences in cultural intelligence scores were found between class levels in college in the additional analyses, education might impact cultural intelligence positively, and strategies to foster more educational opportunities were recommended. Differences in cultural exposure levels resulted in differences in cultural intelligence scores in both the primary and the additional analysis and additional opportunities for cultural exposure expansion were recommended. The results of this study are useful because institutions of higher education prepare students for a global environment and advance the cultural knowledge of their students. The information from this study corroborates and adds to the literature on education and cultural intelligence and may suggest that institutions of higher learning should promote augmented cultural information/exposure. </p>

<p>This qualitative study explores the transition experiences of Post-9/11 Era military veterans from active duty military service to college students for the purpose of adding to the body of knowledge about this student population. The subjects, who voluntarily offered to participate, were 15 community college student/veterans and 10 four-year institution student/veterans. Each interview was transcribed to create a written manuscript and the data was analyzed and coded. The themes which emerged from analysis of the interview transcripts were financial issues, interpersonal issues, academic issues, community issues, isolation, and inconsistency of information received from academic institutions. </p><p> Community college students reported high levels of interaction with faculty and virtually no interaction with other students, including other student/veterans, while the four-year institution students reported low levels of interaction with faculty, high levels of interaction with other student/veterans, and minimal interaction with nonveteran students. The information suggests the need and opportunity for future in-depth studies of the student/veteran transition experience. </p>