Close to half of all community college students leave before obtaining their stated goals. In order to determine what student characteristics increase community college student retention, with a heightened interest on the predictive nature of taking a student success course, a post-facto quasi-experimental study was conducted to determine whether…

To address the achievement or opportunity gap of underrepresented populations in community colleges, this qualitative field methods study investigated five California community college programs that have demonstrated progress in improving (or show significant potential to improve) student achievement. This research found that promising practices…

This article illustrates how organizational theory can be used to support the development of authentic assessment practice among community college faculty, as well as guide research on implementation of assessment efforts. While many factors make implementing assessment difficult, the link between accreditation and assessment is a key element in…

This causal-comparative study researched the effects of dual enrollment and Huskins Bill course experience on traditional-age North Carolina community college students. The study examined course effects on academic success and graduation rate using quantitative statistical measures including parametric and nonparametric means comparisons. The…

This study explored the civic engagement of current two- and four-year students to explore whether differences exist between the groups and what may explain the differences. Using binary logistic regression and Ordinary Least Squares regression it was found that community-based engagement was lower for two- than four-year students, though…

Donations made to the American nonprofit sector have grown exponentially in the past 10 years to an estimated $298.4 billion dollars in 2011 (Giving USA Foundation, 2012). Although consultants offer many different solutions as to how organizations can best capitalize on the e-philanthropy trend, communication theory may offer some of the most…

Excessive course attrition is costly to both the student and the institution. While most institutions have systems to quantify and report the numbers, far less attention is typically paid to each student's reason(s) for withdrawal. In this case study, text analytics was used to analyze a large set of open-ended written comments in which…

Philanthropists, researchers, policymakers, and practitioners are increasingly focused on a college completion crisis in the United States. Collectively and independently, they have called for increasing the number of adults with postsecondary certificates and degrees as a national imperative. Using the 2007 administration of the Community College…

This study used the lens of Resource Dependency Theory to examine the mindsets of nine community college presidents in California as they responded to the decline in state funding. The literature indicated that community colleges are pursing alternative sources of funding and emphasized presidents' roles in leading and engaging in many…

The purpose of this study is to provide evidence that students may be doing comparison shopping when it comes to community college placement in English and mathematics courses. Comparisons may occur because of the difference in the placement process across campuses and the variation in the levels of developmental education offered. The…

This qualitative study investigated ethnic/racial diversity in the community college faculty search process. The researcher interviewed 12 participants--administrators and faculty members at three community colleges in a large district in the southwestern United States--who served on faculty search committees from 2006-2009. Analysis of the…

One fundamental aspect of engagement in higher education is faculty-student interaction (FSI). FSI has been associated with student success and persistence in both four- and two-year institutions. Due to limited research concerning diverse students, understanding student engagement in higher education is based on White, traditional-age students…

The empirical reporting practices of developmental education and community college researchers who published in the "Community College Journal of Research and Practice" ("CCJRP") and the "Journal of Developmental Education" ("JDE") from 2002 to 2011 were investigated. Of the 1,165 articles available, 181…

This study examined the demographic factors that predict intention to integrate technology into instruction by community college adjunct faculty. Regression model findings indicated that the demographic characteristics of years of teaching experience, teaching discipline, hours of preparation time, and years of experience using computers were…

The purpose of this article is to be a tool for community college leaders, as well as campus members, to positively and effectively utilize framing on their campuses. The fictional case of Maggie Pascal at Midwestern Community College illustrates the process of framing the change of a new partnership with Wind Energy Corporation to internal…