<p> This qualitative exploratory research study investigated the experiences of first-generation community college students who met specific momentum points toward transferring to a four-year university. The study participants completed 30 units and attended three consecutive semesters of college. In addition, the participants completed transferable levels of English and mathematics and maintained a GPA of 2.0 or higher. Four challenge themes and five discovery themes emerged from the data analysis. The study participants faced the following challenges: (a) managing expenses, (b) feeling alone, (c) overcoming obstacles, and (d) maintaining motivation.</p><p> Study participants made the following discoveries: (a) how to pay for college, (b) accessing college resources, (c) how to overcome obstacles, (d) the drive to complete college, and (e) hope for the future. The findings of this study inform community college policy and practice, and they highlight the need for inclusion of first-generation student status to inform equity policies and plans to address equity, disparities and disproportionate impact. Practices such as increasing face-to-face processes for students as they start college, supporting involvement of families in the college orientation process, providing early alert programs to make students aware of their need to seek assistance, and</p>

<p>This exploratory qualitative study investigated the experiences of California community college undocumented students and their career development processes and issues. Twelve undocumented students from multiple backgrounds participated in semi-structured interviews. It was evident from the students' backgrounds that being undocumented was not just a Latino issue. Students identified career development barriers such as financial hardship, lack of support, and limitations in career related opportunities. Though these barriers were initially disruptive to the participants' career development, the same barriers eventually became an important part of the participants' identity as undocumented students. Making progress despite the barriers created learning experiences that enabled the students to garner support and ultimately forge forward. The idea of hope was a critical component of this process. While a faint sense of hope allowed participants to enter the community college, as they faced these barriers their sense of hope and resiliency was strengthened. An emerging theory of undocumented students' career development was presented as a result of the findings. </p>

<p> This qualitative case study utilizing in-depth interviews examined academic advisers' perceptions of training and professional development resources at a Midwestern U.S. community college. In addition, the study examined the availability and accessibility of training and professional development resources at the community college. The study sought to gain a better understanding of influences that shaped academic advisers' perceptions. Four themes emerged from the interviews: Educational Experiences, Adviser Participation, New Advising Resources, and Funding. Findings of the study indicated that perceptions of training and professional development varied. However, there was a consensus among advisers that training and professional development opportunities existed on- and off-campus. However, there were divergent perspectives regarding availability, accessibility, and advisers' ability to participate. The findings also indicated that advisers' ability to participate and obtaining new advising resources were tied to funding. The findings of the study can be used by advising managers, administrators, and policymakers to improve advising practice, better serve a changing student population, and fulfill institutional goals and missions.</p>

<p> The purpose for this dissertation is to explore how students who have borrowed to attend a large, urban community college develop their value proposition for postsecondary education. Nearly half of all students in the United States begin their postsecondary education at community colleges. In the aftermath of the Great Recession when unemployment rates were unusually high, enrollment at community colleges increased dramatically, especially amongst minority students. This study focuses on three central questions: how do community college students describe their demand for higher education? Secondly, how do these students describe the economic and social benefits of college? And thirdly, to what extent do students understand the costs of college and their sources of financial aid? The study modifies Perna's Multi-Level Conceptual Model of Student Enrollment based upon the findings derived from qualitative interviews with twenty, currently community college students during the 2012 fall semester to determine how community college students define their value proposition. This value proposition was found to be comprised of the student's demand for higher education through academic preparation, availability of financial resources and the student's aspirations. Additionally, the value proposition was comprised of the expected benefits as expressed in monetary and non-monetary expectations as well as cost considerations. These combined enrollment factors were used to determine what criteria formed the basis for the student's borrowing decision and the use of the loan proceeds. The student interviews were analyzed through the lens of the multi-level conceptual framework and an interview with the institution's lending officer was used to interpret the student responses. The choice to attend community college was found to be more circumstantial than deliberate. The increasingly nontraditional students who do enroll in these institutions often have to balance employment and family obligations in pursuit of their aspirations. While these students pursued college with the expectation of higher earnings upon completion, many had an altruistic purpose in serving others. Finally, there exists a significant knowledge gap with regard to financial literacy exists among students which is exacerbated by the complexity of the financial aid process and the limited institutional resources available to support the nontraditional students attending community colleges.</p>

<p> This study examined selected community stakeholders' perception of the current leadership at their local community educational learning center during an organizational transformation and cultural change process. The transition from a community college to an educational learning center, mandated in 2006 by the Accredition Commission and agreed on by the Chancellor's office, was facilitated by a community college of another district. This process appeared to produce mixed reactions from various educational learning center constituency groups. During the transformational process, opinions how the institutional leadership addressed the task of developing a trusting and meaningful relationship with community stakeholders surfaced. Based on the survey responses gathered from selected community stakeholders from various community-based organizations, this study identified prevalent perceptions regarding the current educational learning center's leadership. </p><p> Previously, there has been no research examining how community stakeholders feel about the current leadership, state take-over, and partnership phenomena born out of a college district losing its accreditation. Therefore, while researching how satisfied selected community stakeholders were with the current leadership under these unique circumstances, this study also offered an in-depth look at college operations, accreditation expectations, and community relations. The majority of stakeholders surveyed were generally concerned about the current type of leadership at their local educational learning center, and the manner in which the state take-over and partnership impacted the subject community college district stakeholders during the organizational transformation and cultural change process. </p><p> While focusing on a transformational leadership theoretical framework, this dissertation revealed that generally, stakeholders had opinions that indicated they were not completely satisfied with the manner in which the organizational transformation and cultural change process is being conducted. The results of this study showed that community stakeholders were primarily dissatisfied with the type of leadership strategy facilitated during the transformational process; the manner in which communication is facilitated to the community and the quality of course program offerings. Opinions varied regarding campus services, facilities access and conditions. In the final chapter of this dissertation recommendations are offered to improve public and community relations under the unique circumstances of an organizational transformation and cultural change process of an urban community college.</p>

<p>The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship between student learning and participation in Equal Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&amp;S) at Irvine Valley College (IVC). An embedded survey design was developed using William Sedlacek's non-cognitive questionnaire (NCQ), items from the Community College Survey of Engagement (CCSSE), items based on Marcia Baxter Magolda's model of cognitive complexity, and items based on student learning outcomes for learning in EOP&amp;S. Students' demographic characteristics, progress data, and grades were also collected. The survey concluded with four open-ended questions examining students' perceptions about their learning. Though there were limited findings related to grades as an outcome measure, several NCQ scales were associated with the learning in EOP&amp;S outcome measure. Qualitative and mixed methods analyses extended statistical findings highlighting the importance of positive outlook and positive self-concept. Finally, the study found that students' academic and social involvement played a noteworthy role in students' development, especially as related to cognitive complexity and learning in EOP&amp;S. </p>

<p> Studies indicate that transfer is a daunting and culturally difficult process for Latin@ students which may explain the overwhelmingly low transfer rate in such population (Bradley, 2013; Campaign for College Opportunity, 2013; Fry, 2011). This is compounded by the fact that administrators and educators have failed to recognize Latin@ students' unique needs and barriers by amalgamating them into the overall student population (Rend&oacute;n Linares &amp; Mu&ntilde;oz, 2011). This study sought to address the aforementioned problems by investigating successful Latin@ transfer students' identity negotiation and visualization of comfortable spaces at universities before and after transfer. The study focused on students who participated in a community college educational services program and asked whether the program facilitated students' transfer to four-year institutions. Using identity negotiation theory as a framework, the findings revealed that Latin@ transfer students faced unpredictable environments, described the university as a whole new world, and experienced cultural shock. Additionally, they felt insecurity due to the professors, academics, peers, formal language, and their identity as Latin@s. The students reported feeling disconnected, especially from White staff and faculty and other students. However, students started feeling comfortable as they connected with other Latin@s and saw the university as a place for professional and academic positive identification and escape. After time, students felt included because they connected with personalized counselors, felt validation from professors and counselors, and joined Latin@ or major-based clubs. Furthermore, the university provided comfortable spaces where students could connect with other Latin@s and people in their majors, and escape from their hectic worlds. The findings suggest that students who attended the educational services program and were actively involved in workshops and events that the programs provided were better prepared for transfer to four-year institutions. Recommendations are made to support the creation and enforcement of educational services programs. Other recommendations include the following: the promotion of culturally-specific educational services programs and professional relationship development and networking for Latin@ transfer students; advertisement of culturally-specific comfortable spaces where Latin@ students can meet other Latin@s, learn about their majors, and rest; and increasing cultural competency training for students, administrators, and educators.</p>

<p> California community colleges are under pressure to increase core student attainment outcomes such as graduation rates, transfer rates, and certificate completion rates. This study examined whether, or how, the allocation of institutional expenditures for instructional, student support, administrative, and total educational and general activities influenced the student success outcomes and indicators of student progress and attainment rate (SPAR), percentage of students who earned at least 30 units (thirty-unit completion), and persistence rate (persistence) at California's community college districts. </p><p> This quantitative, explanatory, non-experimental study employed Astin's I-E-O model (Astin, 1977, 1993) as a conceptual framework, and examined through bivariate analyses, the relationships between (a) two input variables of socioeconomic status (SES) and district type (multi-college or single college); (b) eight mediating variables of various institutional expenditure categories and ratio metrics; and (c) three student success related outcome variables of SPAR, thirty-unit completion, and persistence. By understanding these relationships more completely, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers may be better able to develop strategies to improve student success outcomes within available financial resources, whether funding levels are decreasing, static, or growing. </p><p> The key findings revolved around SES being the dominant influencing factor in the attainment of each student success outcome of interest. Further, the relative level of SES seemed to drive the volume, cost, and distribution of programs and services from a district's finite budget, as low SES districts spent comparatively more than high SES districts on administrative functions and student support activities, and spent comparatively less on direct classroom instruction. Meanwhile, high SES districts did the inverse and spent comparatively less than low SES districts on administrative functions and student support activities and spent comparatively more on direct classroom instruction. Finally, institutional resource allocations of major topline expenditure measures for administrative, student support, and instructional were significantly different for low SES and high SES districts. Yet, because of the significant impact of SES on the outcomes, the differences did not make clear whether, or to what degree, the expenditure allocations for administrative, student support, and instructional activities directly influenced SPAR, thirty-unit completion, or persistence.</p>

<p> In recent years, concerns over the future of community college leadership have intensified because of the looming retirements of college presidents who started their careers in the 1960s and 1970s. With senior administrative turnovers continuing to rise at the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Academic Officer levels, community colleges are looking for ways to prepare for leadership transition and succession in order to continue to operate effectively. Although the middle managerial position is often used as a stepping stone for senior administrative positions, little is known about the mid-level administrators and their roles. With little research on mid-level administrators, their roles, and the processes in which they develop their leadership skills, community colleges are not equipped with resources to tap into this potential and abundant leadership pool successfully.</p><p> The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of mid-level administrators in California community colleges, the challenges they face in their positions, and more importantly, to explore the learning process that mid-level administrators engage in to cultivate their leadership skills to address those challenges. The study was guided by the following research questions: (1) What are the leadership and managerial challenges that California community college mid-level administrators face in their positions? (2) How do community college mid-level administrators develop and cultivate their leadership skills to address leadership and managerial challenges in California community college settings? (3) What leadership skills, knowledge, and competencies do mid-level administrators believe they need in order to be effective in their position as well as their career overall? And (4) What leadership development resources and support do mid-level administrators feel they would need in order to advance to the next administrative level position? </p><p> The research methodology was a qualitative approach to understanding their leadership experiences. Data were collected by means of one-on-one interviews and a brief questionnaire. Data were collected from 12 participants who currently work as deans or directors in community colleges in southern California.</p><p> Findings revealed that challenges to the mid-level administrators include managing employees, campus politics, and an increasing workload. The findings also highlighted the importance of leadership mentoring and training for mid-level administrators so they can be effective in their current position and to prepare them for career advancement. Recommendations for policy and practice include adding new language in accreditation standards to focus on effective leadership and implementing ongoing managerial and leadership trainings for mid-level administrators.</p>

<p> The present study evaluated the effectiveness of two instructional approaches for remedial reading courses at a community college. The instructional approaches were strategic reading and traditional, textbook-based instruction. The two research questions that guided the quantitative, quasi-experimental study were: (a) what is the effect of strategic-reading instruction on the reading performance of community college students in a developmental reading course and (b) what is the effect of traditional, textbook-based instruction on the reading performance of community college students in a developmental reading course? The sample consisted of 64 participants. Two groups of students participated in the study: (a) the experimental group (<i>n</i> = 32), who received the strategic-reading instruction, and (b) the control group (<i>n</i> = 32), who received the traditional, textbook-based instruction. Students took the Nelson-Denny Reading test as a pretest and posttest to determine the effectiveness. The null hypotheses for H1 and H2 were rejected because the results of the paired <i>t</i>-test indicated strategic-reading instruction and traditional, textbook-based instruction have a statistically significant positive effect on students&rsquo; performance on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test Form G. Further, the one-way ANOVA test showed there is not a statistically significant difference between the difference scores of the students who received strategic-reading instruction and the students who received traditional, textbook-based instruction. The findings show that both methods of instruction are equally appropriate for the remedial reading course.</p>