<p> Serving over two million students, the California Community College (CCC) system is a powerhouse in the nation for academics. Though many students attend and successfully complete this educational system, challenges for Black females are often overlooked for the mere fact that they complete at a slightly higher rate compared to their Black male counterparts. The purpose of this study is to explore how Black females within the CCC system make sense of their journey as they move towards graduation and/or transfer. To gain a better understanding of the lived experiences of Black women in the CCC, qualitative ethnographic interviews were conducted. The sample group included 15 Black female participants who are currently attending a community college in California. Four major themes emerged: support systems, educational awareness and expectations, self-awareness and foresightedness. These findings provide a new perspective that can assist in the promotion of programs, policies and resources specific to the needs of this population in order for them to be successful.</p>

<p> Many colleges and universities offer their commitment to partnering with local communities, and often do so with the goal of addressing societal needs. A growing field, such engagement between higher education institutions and community partners continues to evolve, including the purpose and rationale for this work, how engagement is accomplished, theoretical contexts, and how success is viewed by stakeholders. A qualitative case study was undertaken with the following questions at the fore: how does a self-described &ldquo;engaged&rdquo; university center function when viewed through the prism of an ethic of care? What are the characteristics of engagement efforts undertaken by staff, faculty and community partners associated with this center? What is a cultural description for the work associated with this center? The case studied was the Center for Community Research and Engagement (CCRE) at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Data collection included a combination of participant-observation, document analysis, and open-ended interviews. Overall findings point toward many aspects of an ethic of care that can be understood to be prominent characteristics of CCRE, including the dynamic of relationships, longevity, and a focus on needs and attention paid. Further, acknowledgement of care is not one-directional, with undergraduate students, and by proxy the university, recipients of care. Findings suggest that relationships are the tough work, easily overlooked because they are difficult to quantify and capture in forms other than the perceived experience between people. The challenge of funding is also an ever-present reality, and contributions by university staff is a new and novel finding given the previous focus on faculty and students. A description of CCRE necessitates an understanding of context, core center efforts, and additional cultural dynamics that include a changing university. Findings from this research contribute to the theoretical development of engagement through the consideration of Care Theory, and also deepen understanding of community-university engagement by describing the complexity of human relationships.</p>

This study illuminates the perceptions of dental school administrators and faculty of a new, non-traditional dental school and the extent to which these perceptions influence the processes of dental education within their school as well as their perceptions of crises in dental education.Using an instrumental case study approach, an intrinsic case study examines perceptions that developed a non-traditional dental school. The case study is then instrumental in examination of the influences of the new economy and networks within the theory of academic capitalism that influence the formation and operation of this new school as well as influences on perceptions of crises in dental education as defined by organized dentistry.All characteristics of the new economy (globalization, knowledge as raw material, non-Fordist manufacturing, educated/tech savvy workers) are perceived as profoundly influencing the processes of dental education at the new school. Of four networks within the theory of academic capitalism (new circuits of knowledge, interstitial organization emergence, intermediating networks, extended managerial capacity) only new circuits of knowledge are perceived to have profound influence on the formation and operation of the school.The perceptions of characteristics of the new economy and networks of the theory of academic capitalism have established a dental school decidedly distinctive in the approach to dental education with the crises in dental education perceived as real and influencing this distinct approach taken by this school in providing dental education.Salient characteristics of the new economy and networks within the theory of academic capitalism, when operationally defined, serve as powerful tools as explanatory vehicles to define the extent of their influence on the foundations and operations of this dental education institution and the extent to which these foundations and operations may influence the crises in dental education.

Today large research projects require substantial involvement of researchers from different organizations, disciplines, or cultures working in groups or teams to accomplish a common goal of producing, sharing, and disseminating scientific knowledge. This study focuses on the international research team that was launched in response to pressing calls for internationalization. This study seeks to understand the social structure of the international research team and perceptions of team members on this structure by challenging social networks and social capital fields. By bridging social networks with social capital, the study examines social structures at the individual, subgroup, and team levels and adds complexity to different levels of analysis by stressing context through qualitative research methods. The results imply that hierarchical relations do not stand separately from the horizontal relations among team members in the international research team. Therefore, the construct of group social capital should be based on a multilevel model of combined moderate closure with horizontal bridging roles in international research teams.

This study examines the spatial distribution of educational attainment and then builds upon current predictive frameworks for understanding patterns of educational attainment by applying a spatial econometric method of analysis. The research from this study enables a new approach to the policy discussion on how to improve educational attainment for the states and nation; a dialogue where states are viewed not as independent, isolated observations but as a part of a larger system or cluster of observations. This research utilized data from the U.S Census Bureau, American Community Survey of 2009 and examined the percent of the workforce population with a baccalaureate or higher degree. Exploratory spatial data analysis was conducted to study the spatial distribution of educational attainment. Based on initial results, both classic linear regression and spatial autoregressive models were used. The findings from this study indicate that educational attainment is spatially dependent and furthermore, the consideration of the spatial context through spatial autoregressive models can provide greater insight and understanding into educational attainment. This research was able to distinguish significant geographic location effects on educational attainment from funding, economic and industry effects. In particular, spatial concentration of educational attainment was proven to be significant. Several important policy implications were derived from these findings. These policies relate to the following issues: a) allocation of funds to postsecondary education, b) consideration and promotion of industry, and c) acknowledging spillover effects from adjacent states.

Academic librarianship is a profession in the midst of change. Embedded within multiple social spheres, academic librarians are adapting to changes in higher education, the sociotechnical environment of information, and the system of professions. This research investigates the ways in which academic librarians publicly present the ways in which they are aligning themselves in the face of academic capitalism. Using a qualitative approach of document analysis of research library strategic plans, this study explores the ways in which academic librarians express their perceptions of changes in higher education, of changes in the sociotechnical environment of information, and of changing professional jurisdiction and relationships. The theoretical framework, based on Abbott's System of the Professions and Linked Ecologies. The study analyzes strategic plans from 75 American research universities from the membership of the Association of Research Libraries and the Association of American Universities. Academic librarians were found to be re-establishing claims to existing jurisdictions while also making new claims. They described their roles in 4 ways: Supporting, Collaborating, Competing, and Leading. These relationships demonstrate attempts to demonstrate centrality to the campus by strengthening institutional prestige and quality by strengthening the library itself, by contributing to the academic activities of faculty and students through supportive and collaborative activities, and by leading change in academia by leading changes in the system of scholarly communication. They also exhibited entrepreneurial behaviors by seeking to connecting to external sources of income, particularly through grant-seeking and private fundraising. There was also evidence that academic librarians perceived impacts of changes in the sociotechncial environment on their instructional roles, and on the ways they provide and manage scholarly research collections. Finally, there was some evidence of linkages between higher education and information environments, with mass digitization and search as hinge issues and librarian activities in publishing a scholarly communications as avatar activities.

<p> As retention becomes more of a key issue for community colleges, it is important that these institutions create an environment that is easy to navigate if they are to retain a greater percentage of their students. This study investigates the impact of the Student Support Services (SSS) program on the retention of students at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College. Moreover, the study will look at and compare the performance of both SSS students and non-SSS students who entered the college during 2003-2007. A total of 250 students were involved in the quantitative analysis. Utilizing a mixed methods approach to determine if a statistically significant relationship existed between participation in the SSS program and non-participation semester hours, credit hours, GPA, and graduation. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate whether significant relationships existed between the independent variable(s) and the dependent variable(s). The implications of a relationship or lack thereof were considered as to their impact on future research, policy and practice pertaining to SSS. Findings and recommendations would therefore ultimately benefit the students at the college.</p>

<p> There remains limited research on the gap between the participation and persistence to graduation rates for American Indian students in higher education. It is pertinent to explore the experiences of these students who did not persist to graduation to be able to gain a better understanding of the factors involved in this gap. The primary purpose of this qualitative study was to gain a greater understanding of why twenty American Indian college students who were high-achieving and received the Gates Millennium scholarship (AIGMS) did not persist to graduation. To achieve this greater understanding from an Indigenous perspective, it was important to utilize existing theoretical frameworks developed by Native scholars that employed critical, culturally sensitive lenses for the analysis. Through the lenses of Tribal Critical Race Theory, Cultural Models of Education and the Family Education Model, the research questions were developed with a critical focus on the institutional influence of the participants&rsquo; experiences. This study employed a phenomenological qualitative approach guided by an Indigenous research paradigm.</p><p> The findings of this research inquiry were broken down into five main sections. The first section discussed the pre-collegiate experiences of AIGMS. This set of findings emerged throughout the interviews as participants shared their experiences in college, they often referred back to influential moments with their families and tribal communities leading up to college. The second section highlighted the conditions that impeded AIGMS&rsquo; success in institutions of higher education. What emerged as the major factors of AIGMS&rsquo; non persistence within higher education was GMSP&rsquo;s inflexible deferment policy and missing structures on campus to represent participants&rsquo; Native and Gates scholar identities, such as space for AIGMS to practice their cultural spirituality and direct support on campus for being a Gates scholar. The third section reveals the push-pull factors influential to AIGMS&rsquo; experiences on campus and back home in their tribal communities. The main push factor from the institution was the lack of support they felt from key institutional agents, such as from a multicultural center director, financial aid officer or academic advisor. The fourth section describes the impact of the campus racial climate on AIGMS&rsquo; experiences on their respective campuses. Some AIGMS assumed that being awarded this prestigious scholarship would be acknowledged either through their faculty or staff on campus. Instead they described examples of exclusion, lack of belonging, marginalization, isolation and invisibility on campus. The final section described the experiences of AIGMS who returned to higher education, including those who have found success in tribal colleges as well as those who have since completed their degrees without funding from GSMP. This finding is of particular importance because it demonstrates that the loss of financial aid affected the type of institution AIGMS&rsquo; returned. </p><p> Principally, AIGMS were thoughtful and rational about their decision to defer from higher education, taking into account the factors pulling them from outside the institution &ndash; such as family/medical/health issues. They were also impacted by their experiences within their institutions that pushed them out from within &ndash; such as experiences with invisibility and marginalization on campus. Faculty, institutional agents and their peers played into these experiences. The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program and institutions&rsquo; lack of cultural understanding of how to serve these AIGMS led to a disconnection with these students. These AIGMS&rsquo; experiences with push and pull factors places more responsibility on the institution and the scholarship program for their non-persistence.</p>

<p> This quantitative study examined the degree aspirations of first year, first time, Latina/o college students, using Tara Yosso&rsquo;s (2005) Community Cultural Wealth Model as a framework. Secondary data was obtained from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program&rsquo;s (CIRP) 2015 The Freshman Survey to complete t-test and linear regression analyses exploring gender differences in degree aspirations between Latina and Latino students as well as predictors of degree aspirations. Findings include academic self-concept, pluralistic orientation, neighborhood racial composition, and age as significant predictors of degree aspirations. The survey items that make up the CIRP constructs for academic self-concept and pluralistic orientation were also indicative of the importance of navigational, aspirational, and linguistic capitals as predictors of degree aspirations.</p><p>

<p> A well-designed, academically-centered, transitional program can narrow the college readiness gap and provide essential tools for underprepared students to be successful. The Summer Bridge Program offered innovative solutions for academic preparedness using a cohort model and many 21^st century student success strategies. The free five-week credit-bearing residential Summer Bridge Program focused on developing underprepared students academically and socially. This study examined the students&rsquo; summer, fall, and spring grade point averages, retention rate, credit hours earned during the first year, and graduation rate. In addition, the academic performance of first-generation compared with non-first generation Summer Bridge Program participants who benefited from the same success strategies were assessed. Finally, an assessment of the programs and services that were most valuable and contributed to student success for the Summer Bridge Program participants was conducted based on feedback from students and perceptions of program leaders. The Summer Bridge Program participants excelled at or above the pace of non-participants during the first year of college. A key component to academic success was providing programs and services that prepared students to succeed in college. Evidenced-based transition programs will be the tool colleges and universities utilize to increase completion, retention, and success rates for under prepared students. The Summer Bridge Program is a proven model of success that has positively impacted enrollment, retention, and graduation rates in higher education.</p>