Lyle McKinney

The Relationship Between FAFSA Filing and Persistence Among First-Year Community College Students

In 2007-2008, approximately 42% of community college students who were eligible to receive Pell grant funding did not file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Using data from the Beginning Postsecondary Student Study, this study examined the relationship between FAFSA filing status and persistence from the fall to spring semesters among first-year community college students. Results indicate that when controlling for other relevant predictors of persistence, filing a FAFSA was associated with higher odds of within-year persistence among all students and was particularly strong for the restricted sample of students enrolled part time. The implications of these findings are discussed in light of the national completion agenda and recent calls to improve the utilization of financial aid among community college students.

Examining an Evolution: A Case Study of Organizational Change Accompanying the Community College Baccalaureate

This study examined the nature and degree of organizational change that occurs when community colleges offer their own baccalaureate degree programs. Utilizing qualitative research methodology, we investigated how executive administrators at two Florida colleges managed this momentous change process and how this transformation has affected their colleges’ day-to-day operations. Our findings shed light on several important themes that emerged in interviews with the administrators: justifying the need for the degree, acquiring state approval and regional accreditation, modifying existing college policies and services, meeting challenges that are inherent in this transition, and developing strategies for leading this institutional transformation. Our goal was to provide a better understanding of this multifaceted organizational change process to help community college stakeholders make educated decisions regarding the introduction of 4-year degree programs at their institutions.

The Role of Community College Financial Aid Counselors in Helping Students Understand and Utilize Financial Aid

Financial aid counselors are a primary source of information that many students rely upon to understand financial aid and how to pay for college. However, little is known about financial aid counselors at Americas community colleges and their interactions with the students they serve. Using original survey data, this study examined the role these counselors play in helping community college students understand and make use of financial aid. The majority of counselors in the sample reported the counselor-to-student ratio at their college was one counselor for every 1,000 students (or higher), suggesting these counselors do not have the time or resources to meet the needs of every student who needs their advice. Counselors also identified common pitfalls their students experience during the financial aid process. These findings serve as the basis for recommendations intended to improve the utilization of financial aid among community college students.

Community College Students' Assessments of the Costs and Benefits of Borrowing to Finance Higher Education

Objective: The purpose of this study was to understand how community college students assess the risks and rewards of using personal loans to achieve their higher education goals. Method: Interviews were conducted with 12 federal loan borrowers attending a large, urban community college in Texas during the Spring 2013 semester. Results: Findings from thematic analysis of the data revealed that although these students typically viewed borrowing as a last resort, they believed that loans had contributed to their academic momentum and success. However, these borrowers had many misconceptions about debt management and loan repayment. Many of the students expressed a willingness to borrow US

Evaluability Assessment: Laying the Foundation for Effective Evaluation of a Community College Retention Program

100,000 or more to achieve their educational goals. Collectively, our results suggest that community college students often borrow out of necessity to address immediate liquidity constraints without the requisite information needed to adequately assess the long-term implications of this financial decision. Contributions: Our findings serve as the basis for recommended changes to federal loan policies and financial aid counseling practices that could better protect community college borrowers, and help these students more accurately assess the costs and benefits of using loans.

A National Survey of Community College Baccalaureate Institutions

Before devoting institutional dollars to a full-scale program evaluation that may be costly and time intensive, a preevaluation strategy known as evaluability assessment can be used to determine whether a program meets the minimal preconditions necessary for the results of a full-scale evaluation to be meaningful and useful to college decisionmakers. The aim of this study was to familiarize institutional researchers and program evaluators at community colleges with evaluability assessment and its merit as a component of effective evaluation practices. In presenting an evaluability assessment of a community college retention program targeting African-American males, the goal was to illustrate a real-world application of this strategy that can serve as a helpful resource for institutional researchers seeking to improve the effectiveness of evaluation efforts at their respective institutions.

Stretching Every Dollar: The Impact of Personal Financial Stress on the Enrollment Behaviors of Working and Nonworking Community College Students

This study utilized original survey data and a national sample of community college baccalaureate (CCB) institutions to examine how offering baccalaureate programs impacts these colleges and the students they serve. An increasing number of these colleges plan to offer their baccalaureate programs online, and programs in technology are projected to experience the greatest growth. The data suggest that student needs, and not institutional revenue or prestige, are the primary motivation for offering bachelors degrees. The challenges experienced when establishing the CCB programs were more likely to come from external than internal factors. Collectively, thousands of students have already graduated from these programs. Results from this study can be used by policymakers and college administrators to make data-driven decisions regarding baccalaureate programming at the community college.

Utilizing Course Evaluation Data to Improve Student Learning and Success in Developmental Math Courses

ABSTRACT Using 1,400 survey responses collected from two large urban community college systems in Texas, this study examined how students’ financial habits, stress, and well-being influenced their enrollment behaviors. Working students, compared to their nonworking peers, reported significantly lower levels of overall financial well-being. After controlling for other relevant predictors of persistence, regression results showed that students with lower financial well-being and higher financial stress were more likely to doubt their ability to complete college. Results for the restricted sample of working students revealed a strong relationship between a student’s financial well-being and stress. These students also reported having to reduce their semester course load and/or stopping out for a semester in order to work more hours to pay for expenses. These findings suggest that initiatives aimed at helping students improve their financial literacy and money management skills may be an effective, yet underutilized, way to improve retention rates at community colleges.

How Community Colleges Can Help Prevent Financial Hardship Among Student Borrowers

The thoughtful utilization of student course evaluation data has been documented in the literature as a way to significantly improve student learning outcomes and the overall quality of instruction. However, at many community colleges, course evaluations continue to be used only for summative purposes or as a generic measure of instructor performance. Using developmental math courses as an example, in this article we explain how the effective use of course evaluation data can be utilized to improve pedagogy and, in turn, student success. Our recommendations are aimed at helping community colleges increase students’ academic engagement and the number of students who earn a credential.

Sutin, S. E., Derrico, D., Raby R. L., & Valeau, E. J. (Eds.). (2011). Increasing Effectiveness of the Community College Financial Model: A Global Perspective for The Global Economy

The utilization of loans by community college students is a contentious issue. In this article we broadly examine issues related to borrowing by community college students, giving attention to how loans can help, as well as hinder, borrowers at these institutions. Despite increased rhetoric about the perceived student loan crisis, caution is warranted before jettisoning student loans as a tool for access and completion at community colleges. Instead, we suggest that a more nuanced approach, aimed at helping students understand and manage their loans, is in the best interest of students and the college. Our recommendations are intended to help community colleges increase the number of borrowers who earn a credential and reduce the number who default.