This study examined the differences in engagement among entering African American male students at two community colleges in the State of Texas. Three research questions provided the foundation for this study: (1) Is there a significant difference in the engagement levels among first-year male community college students by age group, (2) From the African American male students’ perspective, what are the specific educational programs and institutional practices that supported their retention and persistence during the first semester of enrollment in a two-year institution; and (3) In the case of the African American male students, what organizational and institutional factors influenced their decision to enroll for a second semester at a two-year institution? The series of research questions developed for this study were tested using survey research, casestudy analysis, and qualitative research. The descriptive analyses were conducted using a sample of the data collected from the 22 institutions selected to participate in the Survey of Entering Students Engagement (SENSE) pilot survey. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to compile the frequency statistics and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for the 781 African American male study respondents. The effect size (Eta-Squared) was also calculated to identify relative magnitude of the difference between means that were found in the ANOVA results. The researcher also conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews with first-year African American male students who enrolled in a community college. The results of this study indicated there were statistically significant differences among first-year African American male community college students by age group. The results also showed that African American male students who were involved in campus-based initiatives at their community college had higher levels of satisfaction during their first academic term. Finally, several of the focus group and individual interview participants indicated their participation in gender-specific programs influenced their decision to enroll for a second semester at a two-year institution. / text

In 2006, the first college tuition and fee inflation chart was produced to illustrate the rate of increase of tuition and fees for colleges and universities in the U.S. This chart was created to highlight the decreasing affordability of higher education in America, and consequently, decreased access and participation of higher education. Currently, there are four authors who have produced five college tuition and fee inflation charts, as one author produced two charts in different years (Blumenstyk, 2008; Callan, 2006a; Callan, 2008; Wang, 2008; Wellman, 2006). The five basic charts are predicated on data which pertain to but do not differentiate between public and private two- and four-year graduate and undergraduate institutions of higher learning. The publication of charts that do not differentiate between higher education sectors has effectively masked important institutional distinctions from the public. This study focused on the rate of increase of tuition and fees for the 50 Texas community colleges. Moreover, this study used the entire population data, not just sample data as depicted in the current charts using descriptive quantitative data from 1993 to 2008. This greater analysis of historical data allows community college leaders to describe their affordability challenges more accurately and, therefore, more effectively. / text

The major purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the business and higher education partnership program in one Texas community college. Secondary purposes were to describe and analyze (a) the premise of business and higher education partnerships; (b) the planning, organization, and administrative structure in a selected community college; (c) the educational benefits received by both businesses and their employees who are involved in cooperative partnerships in general and at this community college; (d) the future challenges and opportunities for partnerships at other levels of American higher education; and (e) the needed research to evaluate business and higher education partnerships. The five chapters comprising the study include an introduction, a review of literature, the methods and procedures, a presentation and analysis of data, and the summary, conclusions, interpretation, and recommendations of the study.