A Review of: “Encouraging Civility as a Community College Leader By Paul A. Elsner George R. Boggs (Eds.)”

The purpose of this study was to add to the research base on the community college presidency by focusing on contemporary topics and challenges. The study involved a group of community college presidents from across the United States who were appointed to their positions during a 21 - month period from 1995 to 1997. The instrument used in this study was designed to obtain the following: previous positions held, presidents' motivation to seek a presidency, the time it took to obtain a presidency, presidential search processes, and initial observations upon taking office. The presidents were also quizzed on the Carver Governance Model, as well as the current movement to transform community colleges from teacher - centered to learner - centered institutions.     

Reflections From One Community College Leader

Research on gender provides a framework for understanding what it means to be a woman working within the community college; however, the voice of experience helps to add meaning to what it means to live as a woman leader of color within these institutions. Dr. Green provides a reflection on her career leading up to her presidency, and she outlines key areas of consideration to support women's advancement within the college system.     

Ideas to Enhance Higher Education's Impact on Graduates' Lives; Alumni Recommendations

Based on a recently completed alumnistudy of 522 graduates at a private college inthe northeastern Unites States, this paperpresents a model for designing alumni researchto assess higher education's effectiveness inpreparing graduates for work and life. Resultsrevealed substantial variation in alumnievaluation of their education. While alumnireported a high level of satisfaction with theacademic programme and career preparation,their feedback suggests they seek more fromtheir college experience. Results reveal thatstudents who feel a sense of community are moresatisfied with their overall college experienceand those who are satisfied with their sociallife are more likely to recommend the collegeto prospective students.     

Editorial

Abstract

Based on a recently completed alumni study of 522 graduates at a private college in the northeastern Unites States, this paper presents a model for designing alumni research to assess higher education's effectiveness in preparing graduates for work and life. Results revealed substantial variation in alumni evaluation of their education. While alumni reported a high level of satisfaction with the academic programme and career preparation, their feedback suggests they seek more from their college experience. Results reveal that students who feel a sense of community are more satisfied with their overall college experience and those who are satisfied with their social life are more likely to recommend the college to prospective students.     

我国民办高校青年教师的生存困境及现实对策——来自民办高等教育大省的报告

青年教师是民办高校发展的依靠性力量,是学校实现内涵充实、实力攀升、潜能拓展的基本依托.对民办高等教育大省——陕西调查发现:民办高校青年教师在生活层面、事业层面和心理层面都遇到了一定程度的困惑.倾听他们对政策的呼声,积极从学校管理、政策制度、自身自强等方面寻求对策,是帮助青年教师走出困境,实现事业追求与高校发展共赢的现实举措.     

Strength and Motivation: What College Athletes Bring to Social Work

College athletes develop many strengths and skills during their athletic career, such as dedication, ability to work across cultures, leadership, and community building. Social workers need many of these same skills. This study explores the potential transfer of skills from athletics to social work among 15 former college athlete MSW students. Qualitative interviews asked about transferability of skills developed as college athletes to social work practice. Participants identified both interpersonal and intrapersonal skills gained in their athletic career that were of use in social work practice. Implications for both athletic career development and social work recruitment and education are discussed.     

Leading from the Inside Out: Learned Respect for Academic Culture through Shared Governance

ABSTRACT

Traditionally, faculty members who expected to become presidents ascended through the typical labor chain to that position. However, questions are prevalent about whether these individuals gain the managerial experience needed to succeed in a presidency. Unlike the private business management model that has been successful in developing leaders in that arena, community colleges have not provided such formal training to former faculty members who are well-versed in their field and academic-related issues, but lack formal managerial skills development. One area where such training may be achieved is through the development of the leaders of faculty senate bodies. Faculty senate bodies provide their leaders with an opportunity to provide a voice in the campus decision-making process and, potentially, may present an opportunity for more formal training for those interested in the presidency. Further analysis of the perceived skills of these leaders is an important step in addressing this need. The purpose of this study was to identify areas of common thinking among community college presidents and faculty senate leaders about the importance of certain experiences and beliefs needed by effective community college presidents, and the extent that they can be learned by service on the faculty senate.     

后危机时代女大学生就业问题的思考——兼谈女大学生的职业生涯规划

后危机时代,我国整体就业形势依然严峻,而女大学生就业难问题更为突出。全面分析女大学生就业现状和就业困难的成因,引导女大学生进行科学合理的职业生涯规划,使之在严酷的职场竞争中知己知彼,明确职业定位,清晰职业目标,实现自我价值,这样才有助于解决女大学生的就业难问题。     

Cosmopolitans or Locals: Who Will Lead the Next Generation of Community Colleges?

The impact of cosmopolitan and local latent social roles on different professional occupations and organizational behavior has been studied since Gouldner’s seminal study was published in 1957. This study was conducted to understand the relationship between the latent social role of the public community college chief academic officer and his or her intent to pursue a community college presidency.     

FUTURE AGENDAS FOR WOMEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE LEADERS AND CHANGE AGENTS

This paper describes results of a five‐year statewide follow‐up study of first‐time, full‐time community college students and documents the academic and career progress of these students from first entry into college to subsequent experiences after leaving the community college. Results detail students’ success in reaching their personal, academic, and career objectives and describe the variables affecting progress in achieving those objectives. Over 75% had achieved their original educational objective and, if starting again, 80% would attend the same community college. Lack of funds, change in life‐style, or a change in goals were most often cited as the reasons for not achieving educational objectives. One surprising finding was that 27% of respondents transferred from one Kansas community college to another during the course of the study. Additional studies are indicated to identify continuing educational pursuits of students who formerly may have been assumed to be community college dropouts.     

Factors Influencing Enrolment in Community College Career and Technical Degree Programs

ABSTRACT

This qualitative study explored the factors influencing community college career and technical degree program enrollment. Participants for this multi-site study included currently enrolled community college career and technical students with at least 30 credit hours completed and alumni. The researcher coded the participant’s phenomenological data, which revealed four themes. Principal themes included employability, family educational background, denied enrollment to a four-year college or university, and socioeconomics. The findings of this study could be used by governing bodies to develop a better understanding of the importance of the community college system. Community colleges could use the findings of this study to ensure that their organization offers students a conscious teaching and learning environment.     

“Math Is What I Love. I Think If I Got Anything from Community College,It’s the Beauty of Math.”: Promoting Mathematics Teacher Education Through Community College Outreach

Deficient publicity challenged participants when selecting community college for postsecondary education and identifying secondary mathematics teaching as a career. Secondary mathematics teaching career promotion by the community college out in the local community and on the community college campuses was found to be nonexistent but necessary to increase the teacher-of-color pool. The purpose of this case study was to understand the role community colleges played in preparing current Washington State secondary mathematics teachers of color. Teachers-of-color voices were evaluated through Critical Race Theory, and recommendations were developed to support and counter identified oppressive structures: A future secondary mathematics teacher community outreach club would engage the community by (a) developing partnerships with local K–12 schools to increase teaching career exploration, (b) exploring feasibility of Math in the Community, and (c) promoting the community college as A College FOR the Community with outreach mathematics application courses taught in nonschool-based community venues.     

Stackable credentials and career/college pathways in culinary arts at Kingsborough Community College,CUNY

Discussions of workforce development emphasize stackable training, and assume linear advancement and alignment, through college and career paths. Stackable credentials have become a best practice for community colleges across the United States as they struggle to advance the college completion agenda and ensure that students graduate with the skills needed to find gainful employment. This study examined the concept of stackability in culinary arts at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, New York. It compared employment and education opportunities for students enrolled in short-term training to those of students enrolled in an associate degree program. Its goal was to explore gaps between employer demand for trained workers and long-term investments in education. The study also aimed to suggest ways in which we can meaningfully support students in their pursuit of degrees, even as they seek employment in a high-growth sector for which education, experience, and job titles are often an imprecise match.     

Multiple Choices,Multiple Chances: Fostering Re-entry Pathways for First Generation College Students

Student or program deficiencies are the classic explanation for student departure from community college partners of career technical education programs. However, a complex set of factors impact college attendance, persistence, and departure decision-making. Participants' experiences both within and outside program structures can reshape long-term goals. Based on a 7-year study of a population of 256 students, this article examines detailed case studies of 2 students' experiences leaving and reentering community college. It reveals how one program supported multiple exit and entry points. Interconnected educational and career pathways were made visible with the creation of a visual model that situated program experiences in a broader educational and career pathway. Additionally, both the use of creative solutions and adherence to rigid program parameters impacted students' career and educational trajectories. For more effective results, programs should support parallel career planning and encourage participants to question program structures in relation to their needs.     

Career Identity Among Community College Students

Career identity development is salient in adolescence and young adulthood, but little research has assessed career identity in populations other than four-year college students. Context should be considered when examining career identity, and to address this gap in the literature, the current study examined the extent to which parental support for career, work experience, and career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) influenced career identity evaluation (i.e., engaging in in-depth career exploration and identification with one's career) in a sample of community college students. Results showed that parental support for career was predictive of CDSE, and CDSE was predictive of career identity evaluation, which suggests parental support for career indirectly affects career identity evaluation through CDSE. In contrast to expectations, work experience was not associated with CDSE or career identity evaluation. Findings suggest differences in career identity development for two-year community college and four-year university students.     

Career Indecision in Adult Children of Alcoholics

This study investigated potential differences in career indecision for adult children of alcoholics (ACOAs) and adult children of non-alcoholics (non-ACOAs) attending college. Using a sample of community college students, the relationships among irrational thinking, anxiety and career indecision were compared between ACOAs and non-ACOAs. ACOAs received significantly higher scores than non-ACOAs on state anxiety, p < .01, trait anxiety, p < .001. (as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory; Speilberger, Gorsuch, and Lushene, 1983.) Although both groups were similar in their overall levels of career indecision, there were significant relationships among irrational thinking, trait anxiety and career identity for ACOAs that were less present for non-ACOAs. Results of this study suggest career indecision may be more chronic and problematic for ACOAs than for non-ACOAs.     

Combining Career and Couples Counseling for College Students: A Narrative Approach

Career and personal counseling have been dichotomized as distinct practices in much of the counseling literature. However, many college students seek counseling for career development and romantic relationship issues occurring concomitantly. A model for addressing career and relationship issues with heterosexual college couples in a group format is presented. An approach grounded in narrative theory is described, and case examples are provided to illustrate the model.     

Comprehensive Cocurricular Support Promotes Persistence of Community College STEM Students

ABSTRACT

Despite good career prospects in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, persistence of students in STEM fields of study at the community college and transfer to universities to pursue STEM majors is often quite low. Theories of persistence emphasize the importance of engagement, integration, validation, and financial assistance. The DCCCD STEM Institute is a comprehensive cocurricular program for community college STEM students. It illustrates the application of persistence theories in a multicollege urban district with a diverse student body. The STEM Institute uses a student/faculty cohort model with mentoring, professional skills programming, and scholarship support to transform student perceptions of themselves, integrate them into a STEM educational community, and validate their membership within that community. Institute membership also reduces isolation and financial concerns as potential barriers to persistence. STEM faculty also participate in professional skill development through a cross-college and cross-disciplinary cohort. Data on students who participated in the DCCCD STEM Institute from 2010 through 2014 show that 92% remain in a STEM educational or career pathway. Important practice implications for community college professionals include (1) forming student and faculty cohorts, (2) facilitating the development of mentoring relationships, (3) providing adequate centralized staffing, and (4) integrating resources and opportunities into a unified cocurricular program.