John L. Hoffman

A Comparison of Senior Student Affairs Officer and Student Affairs Preparatory Program Faculty Expectations of Entry-Level Professionals' Competencies

This survey research project compared and contrasted faculty and SSAO expectations for discrete new professional competencies. Findings revealed few significant differences. This study further examined differences between expected and perceived levels of new professional competency. Significant gaps emerged for fiscal management, planning, assessment, the application of theory to practice, critical thinking, collaboration, conflict management, and written communication. Implications for faculty, practitioners, and professional organizations are discussed.

Assessment Work: Examining the Prevalence and Nature of Learning Assessment Competencies and Skills in Student Affairs Job Postings

This mixed method study explored the assessment-related skills and job duties that student affairs administrators expect from new employees as reflected in 1,759 job openings posted in 2008, of which seven job postings were specialist positions in outcomes-based assessment. The skills and du- ties required of these seven positions were primarily related to leadership, education, teamwork, and research. In the entire sample of job postings, the study found no differences in required assessment-related skills or job duties between public and private institutions or schools of various sizes. However, there were significant differences in requisite assessment skills and job duties among the various functional areas and among jobs with varying educational and experience requirements. Implications for institutions, graduate preparation programs, and professional development efforts are discussed.

Supplemental Instruction: The Effect of Demographic and Academic Preparation Variables on Community College Student Academic Achievement in STEM-Related Fields.

This study evaluated variables associated with academic preparation and student demographics as predictors of academic achievement through participation in supplemental instruction (SI) programs for community college students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields. The findings suggest a differential impact of SI outcome for students based on gender and ethnicity. Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of evaluating the influence of academic achievement and student demographic variables when considering the development of SI programs on community college campuses.

Noncognitive Variables and Student Learning in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS)

ABSTRACT The purpose of this mixed methods study was to investigate the relationship between participation in Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) at California Valley College (CVC) (one of the 113 California Community Colleges in California) and several measures of student learning. An embedded survey design was developed using William Sedlacek’s noncognitive questionnaire (NCQ), items from the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE), items based on Marcia Baxter Magolda’s epistemological reflection model of cognitive complexity, and items based on student learning outcomes for learning in EOPS. The survey had a 43.7% response rate. Students’ demographic characteristics, progress data, and grades were also collected. The survey concluded with four open-ended questions examining students’ perceptions about their learning. GPA (grade point average) as an outcome measure, and several NCQ scales were positively correlated with the Learning in EOPS Scale. Qualitative and mixed methods analyses extended statistical findings, highlighting the importance of positive outlook, positive self-concept, realistic self-appraisal, and support for learning. 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 EOPS.

Engaged Scholarship: (Re) Focusing on Our Mission

Although the mission statements of most comprehensive teaching institutions of higher education include serving as a resource for the global and local community, the tenure and promotion process typically does not recognize these community partnerships as research endeavors, even when the nature of the work is firmly grounded in sound empirical practice. This paper shares the process a faculty task force undertook to gain consensus and incorporate language on engaged scholarship within the College’s personnel document. The process took four years and included five steps: (a) establish a definition of engaged scholarship grounded in scholarly literature, (b) gather practice-oriented information regarding best practices as well as faculty perceptions of engaged scholarship practice, (c) create policy language for department personnel documents, (d) generate consensus among faculty for the policy language, and (g) submit final documents to the University Personnel committee for approval. The paper concludes with a discussion of implications for policy and practice.

Financial Aid Tipping Points: An Analysis of Aid and Academic Achievement at a California Community College.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore relationships between financial aid awards and measures of student academic achievement. Financial aid and academic records for 11,956 students attending an urban California community college were examined and analyzed using simultaneous linear regression and two-way factorial ANOVAs. Findings revealed a small inverse relationship between the amount of aid received; thus, students with higher levels of need had slightly lower levels of academic achievement. Further analysis suggests that financial aid awards were able to minimize the negative effects of low income for approximately 70% of financial aid recipients. However, significant differences in grades and the percentage of units completed emerged for the 30% students with the highest demonstrated levels of financial need, suggesting that these students have large levels of unmet need. Implications for institutional and state-level policy as well as for institutional practice are discussed.

Leadership 2.0: The Impact of Technology on Leadership Development: Leadership 2.0

Technological innovation has become a driver of educational and leadership development practices that place students at the center of learning and leadership development experiences.

Interaction Effects of Campus Racial Composition and Student Racial Identification

ABSTRACT Drawing upon a sample of 13,025 students who attended the nine majority minority colleges of the Los Angeles Community College District, this study examined the interaction effects of the racial composition of the colleges on student persistence. Special attention was given to variables that paired students’ race to the racial demography of the campus (Majority African American, Majority Latino, or No Racial Majority). Multivariate regression analyses included a range of demographic, environmental, engagement, and satisfaction variables, and a measure of student persistence. Findings revealed multiple significant and varied results according to the pairing of student race to institutional composition. The effect sizes for these variables were small but consistent with those for academic preparation as reflected in the lowest level of math, English, and English as a Second Language (ESL) courses taken, and stronger than the effects for the engagement and satisfaction scales that we utilized. Implications for policy and practice are introduced and discussed.