Stephanie J. Jones

Student Participation in Dual Enrollment and College Success.

The study investigated the impact of dual enrollment participation on the academic preparation of first-year full-time college students at a large comprehensive community college and a large research university. The research design was causal-comparative and utilized descriptive and inferential statistics. Multivariate analysis of variances were used to address the specific research question of whether dual enrollment participation and course completion impacts the cumulative college grade point average and first completed year persistence rates of first-year full-time college students. The results of the study revealed that dual enrollment participation does have a statistically significant role in higher cumulative college GPA for first-year full-time college students at both institutions studied. Students that attended the community college did not have statistically significant better persistence rates, but students at the research university who had prior dual enrollment credits did have statistically significant higher persistence rates than those students who did not. The results of the study add to the literature on the academic benefits of dual enrollment participation, as well as provide college and high school administrators a better understanding of how dual enrollment participation prepares students for academic success as they transition to full-time college enrollments.

Fitting In: Community College Female Executive Leaders Share Their Experiences--A Study in West Texas.

Women who move into and work within administration in higher education face many struggles. Both the traits that are specific to most females and their leadership style can impede their rise into and within administrative ranks. In addition, higher education has traditionally been a hierarchical and patriarchal system that makes it more difficult for women to advance into administrative positions. Over the past few decades, women have been making significant increases in community college administration. Community colleges have been more accepting of women both as students and as faculty; and now, they are leading higher education in reaching gender parity in administration. Across the nation, women hold over 50 percent of the executive/administrative and managerial positions in community colleges. In contrast to the national numbers, women in West Texas are in the minority as administrators in community colleges. Using a naturalistic inquiry and case study format, this study investigated environmental factors in West Texas community colleges that contribute to the marginalization of four women in leadership roles. In addition, the study also investigated the perceived leadership style and the mentorship opportunities of these women. This research gives access to the success stories of women in community college administration. The stories of these women serve as models for other women wanting to move into the administrative ranks of community colleges.

Effects of Institutional Climate and Culture on the Perceptions of the Working Environments of Public Community Colleges.

Researchers have found that, although community colleges continue to remain gendered organizations, their climates and cultures are perceived to be more open to women than are their college and university peers. Community colleges may in fact still have the male orientation of the higher education system despite their efforts to be “gender-friendly” work environments. This study explored female noninstructional professional staff at public community colleges in the United States to determine if their perceptions of their institutions’ norms and practices supported a gender neutral and friendly working environment or if gendered norms and practices were occurring. Quantitative methods were used to analyze the data collected from 934 participants who responded to the researcher-developed survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the results. The findings of the study indicated that a majority of the participants perceived there to be demonstrated gender equality issues at their institutions and that women still were seen as social organizers of events in some instances. The results also indicated that there were some perceptional differences of the genderedness of institutional norms and practices based on position held (deans, directors, coordinators, librarians, and others), ethnicity, and age ranges of the participants. By understanding the perceptions of female noninstructional professional staff of their working environments, community colleges can evaluate their institutional norms and practices to determine if they are gender equitable and to improve their operation practices as needed.

Work and Life Balance Support of Female Midlevel Noninstructional Staff at Community Colleges

Two-year public institutions are known for their nurturing academic environments that support students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. One would assume that these nurturing and supportive environments would also go beyond the students to include employees. Family-friendly working environments support the needs of employees to balance work and life obligations without affecting career advancement opportunities. To decide whether two-year public institutions are family-friendly working environments, this quantitative study explored the perceptions of female midlevel noninstructional professional staff in various administrative positions at 215 two-year public institutions. A survey designed to obtain participant perceptions of their working environments and institutional policies pertaining to work and life balances was completed by 590 respondents. By understanding the perceptions of midlevel noninstructional professional staff, institutions can address the areas of concern by establishing formal policies that support the needs of working adults to help them balance work and life obligations without affecting future career advancement opportunities.

Attaining the First Community College Presidency

It would be unusual to read the current literature on community colleges and not find a reference to impending retirements of senior-level administrators, faculty, and staff, as well as what skills and characteristics are important for future leadership. There is limited research on attaining the first community college presidency. This study expands the limited research through the lenses of the practical experiences of sitting community colleges presidents who had less than five-years of experience in their roles. At the time of the study, there were only four individuals in the state of Texas who fit these characteristics. Through the use of qualitative inquiry, the study shares the experiences of these presidents of how they prepared for their presidential roles, their motivations for seeking a presidency, as well as their experiences in the search and hiring process.

Examination of Factors that Predict Academic Adjustment and Success of Community College Transfer Students in STEM at 4-Year Institutions

ABSTRACT There are a limited number of individuals who possess the skills to fulfill the workforce demand in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in the United States. Therefore, community colleges and 4-year institutions must be able to identify academic and social factors that impact students’ participation in the areas of STEM. These institutions must also explore the possibility that these factors contribute to the high rate of students switching out of STEM fields. This study’s purpose was to develop a better understanding of the perceptions of community college transfer students who continue at a 4-year institution to determine academic and social factors that influenced their academic success in STEM. To collect the quantitative data, the Laanan-Transfer Students’ Questionnaire was utilized. The results of this study reveal that Academic Adjustment was predicted by father’s highest level of education, interaction with faculty at the community college and university, and perception as a transfer student at the university. The cumulative grade point average (GPA), was predicted by the highest level of education of the father, associate degree obtained at the community college, community college transfer GPA, general courses from the community college, transfer credit hours, and university course learning. Overall, the findings indicate that community colleges and 4-year institutions should encourage students to be connecting more in class and after class—not only with their peers, but also with faculty. Findings also suggest that students should become more involved academically and socially to enhance their academic and social adjustment at a 4-year institution.

Environment Barriers and their Effects on the Perception of Women on the Tenure Track

Fewer women attain tenure and reach the rank of professor than their male counterparts. The extant literature is rich in descriptions of barriers that women encounter while on the tenure track. This study was designed to focus on the environment of one large, public, high research university to determine the types of environmental barriers that exist that affect women. Of interest to the researchers was whether the barriers identified can be attributed to the culture and climate of academe in general or are institution centric. To examine these barriers, this study was guided by one research question, framed by the perceptions and experiences of women on the tenure track at the study institution, which focused on the identification of environmental barriers that women encountered. This mixed method study identified environment barriers that were categorized into the four areas of work environment, assistance, policy, and genderedness and socialization. The results of the study support the national research discussions that the tenure process is flawed and ambiguous, and further emphasize that though the barriers are known to exist, universities continue to be slow to address them. The findings of the study need to be analyzed with caution due to it being conducted at one university, but the response rate of the participants supports that women seeking tenure at this institution want to discuss their perceptions and experiences of the process.

Identification of Institutional Genderedness through Organizational Operations: An Analysis of Community College Working Environments

Though the number of women employed in the workforce has increased, there continues to be an inequity in employment of women in the highest ranks of community colleges. Guided by gendered organizational theory, the study looked at both overt and covert knowledge of genderedness at community colleges. As one might infer, institutional genderedness may reveal itself inconspicuously through detailed analysis of the culture of an institution. The purpose of the study was to determine if community colleges are gendered institutions based on the perceptions of women in non-faculty professional staff positions at these institutions. A mixed methods design was used to analyze the data collected from 934 participants. Community colleges appear to be gender-neutral environments with equal opportunities for both sexes. However, the perceptions of the women in the study indicated a marked disagreement about the practice of gender neutrality in the workplace, indicating that genderedness exists in these institutions.

Are Community College Presidencies Wise Career Moves

This study surveyed executive administrators of community colleges that had experienced a presidential transition between 2006 and 2009. Its purpose was to determine their perceptions of career risk associated with the community college position of president. The study compared the perceptional changes to a prior study on the same subject by Johnson and Jones (2006). Of interest to the researchers was whether the role of president has become more risky in the past three years. Results of the recent study show an increase in the number of presidents leaving their jobs under pressure. Future comparable jobs seem to be available for most who want them. Consistent with these facts, the majority of executive officers surveyed believed the community college president position is indeed risky. They cited high expectations, evolving job responsibilities, lack of financial resources, board relations, and competing constituencies as reasons.

An Instrumental Case Study Analysis of Anticipatory Leadership Practices in Community Colleges

ABSTRACT This qualitative instrumental case study explored the experiences and perceptions of seven community college leaders of their use of anticipatory leadership. Two research questions guided this study: (a) How do community colleges use anticipatory leadership to respond to internal and external changes? (b) How do community college leaders use anticipatory leadership principles for problem solving? The themes that emerged to address question one were engagement with others is required to respond to change effectively, data analysis and currency of knowledge are required to identify gaps and to respond to them, leaders must be willing to take calculated risks, and leaders must communicate effectively in order for change to occur. The themes that emerged to address question two were analysis of data is instrumental to identifying and closing the gaps in institutions, leading to better informed decisions; and anticipatory leadership reduces the need to use reactionary leadership practices. The findings of the study are that the participants identified and supported that anticipatory leadership practices are effective for responding to change. The anticipatory leadership practices highlighted as needed by the participants included the need for leaders who are engaged, have the skills and ability to utilize data to make decisions, are current in their higher education knowledge, take calculated risks when needed, and can communicate effectively. These skills are needed for community college leaders to be able to be proactive versus reactionary in their decision-making, as well as effective with their gap analysis identification, trend predictions, decision-making, and problem solving.