The purpose of this study was to identify those retention-associated variables which best account for persistence and nonpersistence among new full-time students in a community college. The major research question for the study was: Within a community college, what differentiates new full-time students who leave and those who stay? Do factors identified in previous studies which helped to explain persistence and nonpersistence in four-year colleges and universities and those colleges that serve large numbers of residential students hold the same power for explaining this phenomenon in community colleges? Of the 607 new full-time students who enrolled Fall Term, 1987, 552 were sent questionnaires at the end of the fourth week of Fall Term, 1987. Data within the persister and nonpersister groups were examined using chi-square and ANOVA. Discriminant analysis was used to study simultaneously the differences between persisters and nonpersisters with respect to several variables. The results of the study found statistically significant differences between persistence and nonpersistence and several community college students' background and environmental characteristics, and social and academic integration into a community college. This study also found among new full-time students who attend a community college, institutional and goal commitment contributed the most to group discrimination between persisters and nonpersisters. Future research of persisters and nonpersisters in community colleges was recommended. Implications for higher education practices was also suggested.

The purpose of this study was to determine faculty participation in and approval of professional growth and renewal activities in the Dallas County Community College District. The population consisted of 526 full-time faculty employed by the district. The DCCCD Survey instrument, which was used in the study, included activities grouped into seven categories: career development, leaves, international activities, instructional renewal, grants, reward, and a miscellaneous category. Faculty members identified participation in activities; they also identified their approval or disapproval of all activities on a five point Likert-type scale. The population was grouped by teaching field, age, years-of-experience and campus for statistical analyses. A Chi-square test of goodness of fit was conducted to determine if significant differences existed between expected and observed participation among groups in each of the seven categories. An analysis of variance was completed to determine significant differences of opinion. The findings of the study indicated significant differences between expected and observed participation in the following categories: international and instructional activities when faculty were grouped by teaching fields; reward activities among years-of-experience groups. Significant differences of opinion were reported in all but the miscellaneous category when faculty were grouped by teaching field. Other significant differences were reported in career development among age groups, in leaves and grants among years-of-experience groups and in career development, reward and the miscellaneous category among campus groups. Based on the findings in the study, the following recommendations were made. The career development program should be broadened to appeal to faculty. Leaves and travel funds must be provided for faculty. International and instructional activities must be expanded to include appropriate activities for all teaching fields. Further study should be conducted in specific areas of professional growth to determine if these activities influence the effectiveness of faculty.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine whether a significant correlation exists between a locally-elected supervisor’s perceptions about their local community college and their education level and the level of local tax support provided to the community college in their area. There were 3 research hypotheses established. A self-developed survey was used to gather supervisor perceptions in the following areas: 1) community college courses, programs, and workforce training services, 2) job attainment of students after attending the local community college, and 3) how well the local community college manages its resources. Additional information was gathered for inclusion in the research analysis in the areas of a supervisors’ educational level and the last time a supervisor visited the campus of the local community college. The study showed that, of the 5 predictor variables analyzed, only 1 was statistically significant. A supervisor’s perception on how well a community college does in promoting the courses, programs, and workforce training services has a statistically significant relationship to the amount of millage supported by that supervisor for allocation to the local community college. The remaining predictor variables of job attainment of students after attending the local community college, how well the local community college manages its current resources, a supervisor’s education level, and the last visit a supervisor made to the local community college all showed not to be statically significant in predicting the financial level at which a supervisor may support the local community college.

Graduation rates in community colleges in academic programs are declining, which negatively impacts funding for these institutions. Enrollment processes of community colleges, and the ease of transferring credit hours, deter students from meeting criteria for graduation. The objective of this study is to determine the effect that residential housing has on graduation rates among community college students in Mississippi. The study used a quantitative, cross-sectional research design to look at graduation rates over a 2-year period of time to study graduation rates of residential and commuter students controlling for other demographic characteristics. A higher percentage of commuter students (18%) graduated within normal time than did residential students (11%). Graduation rates of 150% of time was approximately the same (35%). Subsequently, more residential students (54%) than commuter students (49%) graduated at 200% time.

Since the inception of AmeriCorps programs, reading, education and civic engagement has been emphasized in a large portion of the United States. Members enlist to serve schools and communities for 1 year, possibly 2. Upon completion of a member’s year(s) of service an education award is given which can be used to attend a community college, university or repay student loans. This study showed how AmeriCorps/America Reads programs partnered with community colleges and universities which recruited members to volunteer at school sites and community centers tutoring students in classrooms to improve reading, grades, engage in community service activities, use education award to attend college or pay off student loans, and increase employment in education. Mississippi was the main focus of this study. Minnesota and New York America Reads programs were also discussed in comparison. Findings indicated whether involvement in AmeriCorps/America Reads programs enhanced members’ decision to enroll or re-enroll in higher education, pursue a career in education and continue to volunteer in community service.

The purpose of the study was to examine the relationship between the academic performance of students in technical studies and their grades in remedial courses of study. Data were gathered from students in the Law Enforcement Technology program from the 2013-2014 academic year at a rural community college. This study examined the statistical correlation of the grades of those students who completed Beginning English and Beginning Algebra with those same students who also completed CRJ 1313 Introduction to Criminal Justice and CRJ 1323 Police Administration and Organization. The study utilized a Pearson Product Moment Coefficient of Correlation (Pearson r), and calculations were conducted on the basis of the grades of 45 students in a rural community college in Mississippi who have completed Introduction to Criminal Justice, Police Administration and Organization, Beginning Algebra, and Beginning English during the Academic Year of 2013–2014. Multiple correlations of grades were calculated in Introduction to Criminal Justice, Police Administration and Organization as dependent variables, and in Beginning Algebra and Beginning English as independent variables.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the role of studentaculty interaction in retaining nontraditional community college students. There are a large and growing number of nontraditional students, especially at the community college level. Being labeled as nontraditional typically implies that there are multiple competitors for the time and resources of these students. Often, nontraditional students are less connected to their institutions, and exploring the relationships between faculty and student is a way to meet them where they are: in the classroom. As a result of the label nontraditional being difficult to define, the researcher used seven characteristics to provide a variety of contexts for the interviews. The study included 10 students age 24 or older who had completed 12-36 hours and attended a community college in the southeastern United States. They were asked to participate in 30-minute, one-on-one interviews regarding their interactions with faculty and the role of these interactions on their decisions to persist. Findings suggest that continuity decisions are largely based internally. However, 20% of the participants attributed their decisions to continue to interactions with their instructors. Attributes that contributed to making the instructors more approachable were openness, being oneself, and speaking to students as peers, rather than subordinates. Throughout the interviews, the participants admitted to seeing themselves differently than traditional students, but they did not feel like their instructors treated them differently. They assumed the responsibility of initiating contact, but they also appreciated initiation and acknowledgement by the instructors. Formal interaction did not appear to be as important as casual interaction. Even students who appear to be doing well can benefit from interaction, leading the researcher to conclude that interaction can be beneficial as both a preventative and a prescriptive measure. Educating both faculty and nontraditional students on the seemingly untapped value of interaction can help increase the retention rates at the community college level.

In line with the national trend, Mississippi faces the same challenge that fewer students are completing college degrees. In response to the national call for more degrees, many states have implemented dual enrollment programs to try to decrease the transition anxiety between high school and college, which could possibly lead to more college degrees. This study will add to the very limited body of quantitative research relating to the relationship between students participating in dual enrollment and college degree completion at rural Mississippi community colleges. With an increased focus on a higher number of college graduates, this study could provide information for rural community colleges in Mississippi in regards to retention of dual enrollment participants through obtaining a degree. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not there was a significant difference in the number of students completing an Associate’s degree when comparing students who participated in a dual enrollment program to students who did not participate in a dual enrollment program at a rural Mississippi community college. The sample was comprised of 320 students - 160 students who participated in dual enrollment and a comparative group of 160 students who did not participate in dual enrollment - from across the district of the target community college. Participants included students who were enrolled at the target community college in the fall and spring semesters of 2010 and 2011. A Chi-square test for independence was used for all four research questions to analyze the two categorical variables. Results of the study indicate that there is a significant relationship between the participation in dual enrollment and the completion of a degree, AA and AAS, at the target community college. Findings indicate that students who participate in the dual enrollment program are much less likely to complete their degree at the target community college. There is a need to further investigate dual enrollment as it pertains to completion of a degree at a rural Mississippi community college.

As more students cross the threshold of higher education in Mississippi community and junior colleges, an increase in legal disputes inevitably will occur. Two important skills can help college administrators anticipate legal issues that may occur on their own campuses. The first is the ability of administrators to scan the broad legal environment. The second is their growing awareness of legal issues in all aspects of their own enterprise. In order to prevent causes of action from being initiated in a complaint, proceeding to discovery, and then possibly leading to trial, college administrators must recognize the importance of knowing what the law is and how to spot a potential legal issue before it grows and becomes more problematic. This study utilized a survey instrument to ascertain the levels of legal knowledge, including constitutional legal issues and federal statutory legal matters, held by full-time administrators at Mississippi’s public two-year colleges. The study examined whether there were significant differences in knowledge based on personal characteristics of the administrators, such as educational attainment and years of higher education experience. Additional differences based on whether the administrators had or had not received legal training were measured. The results of this research suggest that community and junior college administrators do not demonstrate a high degree of knowledge of higher education law.

Research studies show that there is a skills gap in American society today. This research study examined employability perceptions of community college students at a rural community college in Mississippi. Students were asked to complete an online survey that questioned the degree of importance placed on several employability skills, as well as their self-perceived competence levels at performing those skills. Likert-scale response set type questions were used to provide responses on importance and competence levels. After sending the survey invitation, 100 usable surveys were returned and analyzed for this research study. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney procedures, and Spearman Rho correlations. As an overall group students rated each of the employability skills as being important. Likewise, as a group, students indicated that they at least possessed all of the skills listed in the survey. The study found that no statistically significant difference existed between the two groups (academic and career technical) on skills perceived to be of greatest importance in today’s workplace. As it relates to competence levels, the study found that career technical students reported a higher competence level with two of the skills: problem solving and project management. Finally the study found that significant positive relationships existed between academic and career technical students regarding their competence at performing the skills and those employability skills perceived to be of greatest importance.