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African American men have among the worst high school completion rates of any population in the United States. The consequences of dropping out of school are serious and include high levels of unemployment and incarceration. Attempts at recruiting these men to return to complete a high school credential have not been broadly successful, and the current study was designed to identify the best ideas and practices of recruiting African American men into high-school equivalency completion programs. Using a snowball-generated sample of eight adult education program directors, interviews were conducted to identify strategies and approaches for recruiting African American men. Ultimately, program directors comments resulted in three broad categories of successful recruitment: using personal relationships that connect with men where they are, strategically using social media and online resources that are directly targeted toward these men, and utilizing the relationships and support networks of African American church communities. Responding program directors also stressed the need to meet these men at the physical and psychological places where they are, recognizing that these points of contact can and will change as the men age and face different personal circumstances. The findings provide key information for high-school equivalency program directors as they construct purposeful recruitment plans that also include measures for assessing the effectiveness of their recruitment campaigns.

New faculty orientation programs can serve as an important introduction to an academic community. They can create expectations, provide exposure to technical assistance, and welcome faculty members to new communities. The current study explored new faculty orientation programs, cataloging their activities to identify the most common practices in research-centered universities. Findings revealed a strong reliance on one-day programs that often host a variety of speakers from different offices, yet they rarely were found to have any sort of outcomes based approach to their design. To be effective, these programs should possibly incorporate longer activities that might last an entire semester or academic year. Further, these programs might include virtual as well as in-person opportunities to learn about the institution, the students they serve, and the offices and other tools that the institution provides to help faculty be successful. Further study on the effectiveness of different models is also recommended.

The effective use of financial resources is critical for all educational institutions, especially those K-12 schools that rely on public funding for their main operating revenue. As public entities and state governments increasingly struggle to find the revenue necessary to operate prisons, fund Medicaid/Medicare, improve an aging infrastructure, support social welfare programs, and recover from the Great Recession, educational institutions are finding themselves directly competing with other public agencies for scarce resources. These factors resulted in 29 states reducing funding for public education (Evans, Schwab & Wagner, 2019; Leachman, Masterson, & Figueroa, 2017). In the face of fierce competition, educational leaders must learn how to effectively compete for scarce funds in order to provide the necessary resources that will allow their schools to flourish.

The purpose for conducting the study was to explore and describe the use of alumni societies and associations in community colleges, particularly focusing on the intended outcome of their implementation. To collect data for the study, the research-team developed a survey instrument that was distributed electronically to 250 community college advancement senior leaders. A total of 106 (42%) usable surveys were returned for use in the study, and the results described community college expectations for alumni societies, primarily focused on fundraising. The societies were also critical, however, in career placement for students, developing career-oriented programs, and reviewing curricula. Survey results also indicated that many community college leaders use alumni societies in creative ways, including assisting in faculty searches, hosting recruitment events, and teaching community education (lifelong learning) courses. Study findings are critical for college leaders who are often faced with difficulties in funding existing or new programing. The respondents to the study illustrated how alumni societies can serve as critical catalysts for improving existing programs and expanding the reach and value of the institution. Findings also suggest that alumni societies are perceived to be strong gateways to developing philanthropic support for institutions.

Boards of trustees provide the policy, strategy, and accountability that set the direction for community colleges, all while being accountable to the states, regions, districts, and local areas they serve. One of those particular mission areas of community colleges is the preparation of the workforce to meet the needs of local economies and the simultaneous offering of relevant education that helps individuals achieve social and economic mobility. A critical component of that is to provide educational opportunities that allow individuals to continue to build on levels of education so that there are no "dead ends" as they progress through their careers. In this chapter, we discuss how Boards can embrace the TECH (transparency, equity, career, holistic) approach when governing colleges that address workforce needs and advance educational opportunities.

Public higher education systems have relied upon the ability to control individual campuses for the overall welfare of the public which it serves. This coordination and control has the potential to increase efficiencies of efforts, but also has the potential to limit the growth of individual campuses. The current study was designed to identify, explain, and understand the perceived benefits and challenges of higher education systems. Study findings identified a higher level of agreement about the challenges present in systems use, and the strongest benefit perceived of using a systems approach was for group buying power.

Community colleges have a history of being capable of adapting to change, and the current world of competing budget priorities, fast-changing technology, and postsecondary competition challenges these colleges as never before. The result is a need for strong leadership across all levels of administration, especially at the department chair level where the majority of academic decisions are made and implemented. The current study made use of dual data collection methods, focus groups and a Delphi study, and identified that although there is a strong need for technical training, including the nuances of institutional compliance, there is also a growing and strong need to train chairs about how to be effective leaders.

Purpose: This study was designed to address the problem of how higher education institutions, as organizations designed to promote learning, responded to the COVID pandemic and the suspension of in-person instruction. The purpose of this paper was specifically to explore how institutions go about learning from the pandemic to better prepare themselves for the future that they will face. Design/methodology/approach: A researcher-developed survey instrument was distributed electronically to 300 faculty leaders at randomly selected universities in the USA. With three follow-up e-mail requests, the survey had a 31% usable response rate. Findings: Survey results indicated that institutional leadership did not make strong use of shared governance in responding to the COVID pandemic in creating operational response strategies. Further, institutions did not alter their policies or make structural changes to be more adept in facing the challenges of a global pandemic and its impact on the financial well-being of the institutions. Although institutions did make changes to their attitudes about students, these were not developmental changes but rather behavioral modification expectations. Originality/value: This study drew upon data collected after the first three months of the global COVID pandemic, providing an important first-look at organizational behavior in response to a largely unplanned global event.

Rural community college students face unique difficulties in higher education for many reasons, including the resources they typically have access to, their collective histories, and in many cases, the preparation they received in high school. These challenges might be low-performing secondary schools, a lack of tradition and precedence in attending college, and even limited technology connectivity. These difficulties can be seen as barriers to college attendance, and it is important to understand how rural community college students see these barriers, and even more important to understand how they can be overcome. The current study sought to take the first step in understanding what inhibits college student enrollment by exploring self-reported barriers to community college matriculation. Using two case study institutions and a modified survey instrument, results largely supported existing research in that preparation for postsecondary education and finances were critical in deciding whether or not to enroll in the community college. Additionally, parental enrollment in higher education was perceived to play a role in attending college, validating the growing literature base on college attendance, in general, and rural students in particular. Somewhat contradictory to the literature of rural education, however, was the finding that technology connectivity was not seen as a barrier to education.

Academic administrators at all levels have some impact on the performance of faculty members, yet each level of administration may interact differently with faculty. Literature has strongly supported the notion that department chairs, deans, and provosts can positively influence the performance and livelihood of faculty members. This study was designed to explore faculty satisfaction with each level of academic administration making use of the 2014 survey data collected by the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. We found that faculty members at research universities were more satisfied with leadership at the departmental than college or institutional levels. Furthermore, assistant professors were significantly more satisfied with academic leadership at all levels than both associate and full professors.

African American men have historically been underrepresented in higher education enrollment, and this lack of postsecondary attainment has contributed to a variety of different lifestyle and quality of life inequities. The current study explored how highly educated African American men succeeded in getting to, and graduating from, college. The study was grounded in the framework of community expectancy, and the qualitative data collected from interviews supported the notion that many elements that impact educational pursuits are factors beyond the immediate control of an individual. Study findings particularly highlighted the roles of mentors, the church, formal education, and social engagement and choices as being critical to creating opportunities and attitudes about postsecondary education.

Having a strong, positive departmental chair is critical to enhancing and assuring faculty performance and student learning. Poor leadership, however, can result in increased faculty turn over, poor teaching and research performance, and even the discouragement of students from enrolling. The current study explored response strategies by faculty members about how to most effectively work with poor departmental leaders. Using a three-round Delphi survey, study results clustered response strategies into three categories, including strategies that force the chair to recognize that there is a problem, using formal authority to change departmental leadership, and relying on professional development to change a chair's behaviour.

Social media has become common ground for many high school and college students, and its use has the potential to impact learning. With fast response times and immediate availability of ideas and data, students change their perceptions about how education should be experienced. This study explored how high school and college students view the value of social media as a learning tool, and findings showed significantly different perceptions about how social media aids learning. These differences provide a foundation for discussion among educational leaders about the transition of students from high school to college and about how social media can be used effectively for instruction.

Self-directed learning is one of the preeminent theories in the field of adult education. This study explored how English as a Second Language learners directed their own learning outside of the formal classroom through the use of practices that potentially advance their English language proficiency. Results from a survey of over 400 ESL students revealed that practices and resources identified by researchers are being used on a limited or infrequent basis. Implications for adult educators and their role in developing self-directedness in their ESL students are discussed.

Efforts to enhance college going rates have employed a number of strategies, such as improving recruitment efforts and enhancing financial aid packages. Little effort, however, has been directed at looking at the social and human capital that might impact a residential community, and the subsequent influence this community might have on a student's decision to attend college. Utilizing 18 community level variables in one case study US state, the study tested community expectancy as a predictor of college attendance. Study findings moderately supported community expectancy, and provided a strong research agenda for further exploration into how community's impact individual behavior.

The community college sector of higher education has, over the past 20 years, become highly engaged in fundraising. Typically relying on business and industry sponsorships, institutional leaders have begun to shift their development strategies to focus increasingly on individuals who have the capacity and disposition to support the work of their colleges. Crowdsourcing is a relatively new process for garnering the interest and timely collection of interests and moving them toward the action of financially supporting an institution. This study explored how crowdsourcing is being used by community colleges, what institutional leaders expect from the process, and how these funds are used. Study findings revealed that crowdsourcing is used primarily to raise gifts for immediate expenditure, to identify potential long-term donors, and to electronically engage persons who have an interest in the welfare of the college.

Communities continue to establish, promote, and monitor the educational outcomes of their citizenry through both explicit and implied norms. Community attributes influence the pursuit of education and level of education completed by individual citizens. The influencers within communities can be attributed to common constructs of communities including formal education bodies, civic agencies, informal associations, religious affiliations, and home life as identified by the Model of Community Expectancy. Although the influence of these common constructs is more understood through recent empirical research, one cannot help but wonder in what ways Critical Theory can be leveraged with this model to further understand community college students' growth and developmental needs. This manuscript explores how the two can be leveraged to address the norms of community that support or negate education among community college students.

Objective/Research Question: For decades doctoral community college leadership programs have prepared students for the challenges and rewards in steering community college campuses, yet minimal scholarship has explored these programs' efficacy in serving their students. This study explores community college leaders' motivations in starting, learning experiences during, and takeaways following participation in doctoral community college leadership programs. Methods: This narrative inquiry study draws on action learning as the theoretical framework and entails interviews with 19 community college administrators who graduated from doctoral community college leadership programs. Results: Findings are threefold, each related to the distinct pieces associated with the research questions at hand. Students' motivations for enrolling in programing stem from financial and geographic accessibility, institutional credibility, personal fulfillment, and desires to advance their careers. During their time in programs, students benefited from curriculum that prepared them for their dissertations, cohort-based approaches that afforded community, and applicable assignments and activities that directly related to their roles as community college practitioners. Following their doctorate, students reflected on the value of having this degree for propelling their careers and recommended opportunities for programmatic improvement. Conclusion/Contributions: These findings offer new perspective into what doctoral community college leadership programs accomplish in supporting students' objectives and professional practices, and also unveil ideas toward programmatic adjustments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study explored the theory of hope as a characteristic of individuals who engage in shared faculty governance, specifically addressing the question: What are the characteristics of faculty governance leaders, specifically their predispositions to have hopeful attitudes about their college campuses and administration? A survey was constructed around the Trait Hope Scale and administered to faculty governance units in 25 college campuses in the United States. A total of 325 respondents completed the survey. The majority of faculty members serving in representative senates had been involved for a moderate period of time (2-5 years), were faculty members in the liberal arts, an almost half intended to return to their faculty roles upon completion of their terms. All senators identified that they had high levels of Hope for the work they accomplish in their institutions.

Sabbaticals have been identified as an important tool to help faculty remain current in their responsibilities. By having a dedicated break from traditional responsibilities, faculty members have self-reported rejuvenation and recommitment to their professional work. Institutional policies, however, are largely vague and lack measures to help guide faculty in their planned development activities. The current study was completed to describe what institutions expect from their sabbatical leave experiences. Findings indicate vague language and largely subjective interpretations of what sabbaticals are to be used for, prompting critical discussions of the effectiveness and accountability associated with these leaves. (Contains 3 tables.)

Colleges and universities rely on public funding for the core of their activities, a structure that has been in place for over 150 years. As institutions have lobbied for an increased allocation of public funds, their core activities have changed and evolved to take on more economic and research and development activities, leading to ever growing budgets and subsequent budget requests. An additional activity for the contemporary university is the search for diversity in revenue, resulting in the undertaking of activities that stretch the boundaries of defining educationally related activities. Therefore, the purpose for conducting the current study was to identify the extent to which revenue diversification adds to the teaching and research function of higher education institutions. Through the analysis of five different public universities, findings suggest that higher education institutions typically lack the transparency necessary for consumers to make informed decisions, and that much of the language and presentation of information can be misleading to both the general public as well as fiduciary agents who make financial allocations., Higher education institutions have a long history of partnering with state government. Often credited with the Morrill Land Grant Act, this partnership maintains that state governments have some responsibility for [...]

Student government is important to community colleges for a variety of reasons, well beyond simply providing students an opportunity to be involved in charting the direction of the college. Student governments provide opportunities for students to learn about the democratic process, how to represent the interests of others, the responsibility of civic participation, and even how to interact with senior institutional leaders on important topics (Bray, 2006). The current study was designed to explore how community college students transition to their roles as elected student government representatives. In the spring term of 2011, data were collected from seven community colleges in the mid-west and mid-south regions of the U.S. using a research-team developed pencil-and-paper survey instrument. An average of nearly 10 surveys were collected at each institution, with a range of 8 to 14 surveys returned from each institution. The instrument was comprised of three sections: background information on the respondent section that had seven questions, a section of 15 questions on how the student transitioned to the elected leadership position, and a 14 question section on strategies to increase participation in student government. Findings suggest that the profile of student government leaders in community colleges are indeed the traditional college students observed by Wolgemuth, Kees, and Sfarisk (2003). These students are primarily of a traditional age, non-minority, and non-first-generation student. This might mean that community colleges are indeed drawing a more traditional student body to their campus, or conversely, it might mean that the notion of a student government is attractive to traditional students, and that student government is a strong conduit to involve and engage students on campus.

African American men have historically been underrepresented in higher education enrollment, and this lack of poslsecondary attainment has contributed to a variety of different lifestyle and quality of life-inequities. The current study explored how highly educated African American men succeeded in getting to, and graduating from, college. The study was grounded in the framework of community expectancy, and the qualitative data collected from interviews supported the notion that many elements that impact educational pursuits are factors beyond the immediate control of an individual. Study findings particularly highlighted the roles of mentors, the church, formal education, and social engagement and choices as being critical to creating opportunities and attitudes about postsecondary education. Keywords: African American Men, College Stuent Success, Minority College Students, Community Hxpcctancy, Introduction Higher education institutions have historically struggled to effectively recruit, retain, and graduate students from underrepresented populations. This has been especially true for colleges and universities working with African American [...]

The study focused on the critical incidents that occurred to instructional design students when they were involved in project-based service-learning as part of a curriculum that lead to a master's degree. The study provided an illustration that the workplace application of skills, knowledge, and understanding are enhanced through utilization. Students worked with local nonprofit agencies to provide instructional support ranging from needs assessments to delivery of course content. Results indicated that project-based service learning was an effective tool for promoting greater learning. The importance of learning through active participation and reflection was supported, and by extending learning beyond the classroom, students were able to apply their knowledge in ways that transformed their learning experience and fostered a sense of caring about others.

African American men have not historically participated in higher education at the same levels or with the same success as others. And, as colleges and universities have sought to diversify their student populations, the rapidly increasing enrollment of Asian American and Hispanic students has illustrated the difficulty in trying to increase the enrollment of Black men in college. Once enrolled, these men similarly have difficulties completing their undergraduate degrees, and without the completion of a college education, they are more apt to participate or succumb to a wide range of social difficulties. Drawing upon a sample of highly educated African American men, the current study sought to identify and describe the variables or factors that they believed were critical to their completion of an initial college degree.

One significant function community colleges serve is the provision of training programs for today's jobs. Students in job training programs are pursuing valued industry credentials and occupational skill sets to prepare themselves for new employment opportunities. Others are interested in retraining and professional development. Historically, community colleges have been a premier source of programming for non-credit bearing instruction, but funding, competition from the private sector and other concerns have impacted their ability to accomplish this aspect of their mission and meet the needs of local and regional employers. Using the Delphi survey technique, this study sought to determine the issues workforce development program administrators currently face. Experts in the field deemed seven issues as critical, including a decline in state funding, student retention and completion, and the needs of underprepared students.