When Diversity and Dollars Collide: Challenges for Higher Education

The challenges of meeting the needs of diverse students have long been recognized in higher education. As many institutions wrestle with austere budgets, however, diversity programs are struggling to maintain their effectiveness amidst financial rescissions. This climate of austerity coincides with demographic predictions for an increasingly diverse student body. This article outlines the challenges and offers ideas for institutions to enhance learning for contemporary students, even in the midst of fiscal challenges. These ideas go beyond the simple prioritization of diversity programs to propose ideas for institutional transformation to meet the needs of a diverse student body.     

Mission and Diversity Statements: What They Do and Do Not Say

For this study we used institutional web sites to examine the mission statements of 80 higher education institutions for messages about diversity. Of the 80 institutions, 59 (75%) referenced diversity in their mission statements; but only 19% defined diversity in racial or ethnic terms. In addition to mission statements, 52 (or 65%) of the 80 institutions had a separate diversity statement; but only 18 of these were an official institutional statement. These treatments of diversity are interesting in light of the changing demographics of the incoming college student population and the recognized need for greater cultural development or awareness on campuses. If mission and diversity statements reflect the priorities of the institution, 35% of the institutions in the sample said nothing about diversity.     

Community College Engineering Students’ Perceptions of Classroom Climate and Fundamental Engineering Skills

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine community college engineering students’ perceptions of their classroom climate and how these perceptions are related to fundamental skills in engineering. The study was guided by the following research question: How are community college engineering students’ perceptions of their fundamental engineering skills related to their perceptions of classroom climate? Data from a 2009 National Science Foundation sponsored project, Prototype to Production: Processes and Conditions for Preparing the Engineer of 2020 (P2P), which contains information from students in 15 pre-engineering community college programs, were examined. Measures of classroom climate and fundamental skills related to engineering were first established through an exploratory factor analysis. In order to explore differences in student perceptions by individual characteristics and by institution, hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used. Results indicated that for community college engineering students, a warmer perception of classroom climate was associated with a higher perception of fundamental engineering skills. At community colleges, class sizes are generally smaller, especially compared to introductory courses at universities, and may provide a warmer climate for students considering beginning their engineering degrees. Given the diversity within community colleges, these institutions may provide an important pathway for underrepresented groups in engineering.     

“Life prepared me well for succeeding”: The Enactment of Community Cultural Wealth,Experiential Capital,and Transfer Student Capital by First-Generation Engineering Transfer Students

ABSTRACT

Community colleges have long been recognized as pivotal institutions for broadening educational opportunity for a variety of marginalized populations, including first-generation students. These institutions are also an important starting point for students desiring to eventually earn a bachelor’s degree in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics discipline. Our qualitative study explores the experiences of 15 first-generation community college transfer students majoring in engineering. We use the theory of community cultural wealth and the concepts of experiential capital and transfer student capital as lenses for analyzing and interpreting our semistructured interview data and for formulating recommendations to improve the transfer experiences and educational outcomes of this population. This sample of students enacted several types of community cultural wealth and experiential capital when navigating the engineering transfer pathway and in their engineering studies. They were less likely to enact the elements of transfer student capital, however. Instead, our results indicate that the participants attribute their successful transitions to their self-motivation and initiative associated with community cultural wealth and experiential capital, rather than institutional interventions associated with transfer student capital. We conclude with recommendations for strengthening institutional programs directed at first-generation engineering transfer students.     

The Impact of No-Loan Policies on Student Economic Diversity at Public Colleges and Universities

To improve college access for low-income students, an increasing number of public colleges and universities have implemented no-loan policies, where student loans are replaced with institutional grant aid that does not require repayment. Using detailed income measures provided by Mobility Report Card data, this study examines the effect of no-loan policies on student economic diversity at public 4-year institutions. Using a difference-in-differences design and the synthetic control method, we found that the adoption of no-loan policies at public institutions increased enrollment shares of low-income students (bottom two family income quintiles). However, the increase was minimal for students from the lowest income quintile, particularly at the most selective institutions. Our findings suggest that although no-loan policies may help improve affordability at public colleges and universities, further efforts are needed to address underrepresentation of students from the lowest part of the income distribution.

     

DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING AN INTEGRATED,PROBLEM-BASED ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM IN AN AMERICAN TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM

The South Carolina Advanced Technological (SC ATE) Center of Excellence is establishing a model for postsecondary reform of mathematics, science, engineering technology, and communications education through its mission of increasing the quantity, quality, and diversity of engineering technology graduates from two-year technical colleges. An integrated, problem-based curriculum, collaborative teaching strategies, and extensive active learning techniques - together with faculty and student teams - form the cornerstone of the SC ATE approach. Two major instructional components have been developed: Technology Gateway, also known as pre-engineering technology, and the first-year engineering technology core (ET Core). Just-in-time delivery of mathematics concepts and other subject matter is an important component of the integrated curriculum. The SC ATE approach to technician education is greatly improving student retention in challenging engineering technology programs. Student confidence in mathematical ability is increasing, along with student capabilities in working in teams in an integrated curriculum setting. SC ATE is partially funded by the National Science Foundation and the South Carolina State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education.     

Student Teaching Feedback and Evaluation: Results From a Seven-State Survey

Recent surveys have provided some guidance and recommendations for the student teaching component in early childhood teacher preparation, but specific information on the focus of supervision and evaluation of student teachers is limited. The current study surveyed 128 early childhood programs in 2- and 4-year institutions of higher education across seven states. The study collected data in areas such as which students receive feedback, how students are supervised and evaluated, and what types of assessment tools contribute to the evaluation. Results indicate that across 2- and 4-year institutions, language and literacy are a strong focus of feedback for student teachers, as well as child development, planning, and adult–child interactions. Student teachers are typically supervised through on-site visits that range in number and length fairly dramatically across 2- and 4-year institutions. Finally, the use of specific tools for evaluation varies across programs; about a quarter of programs surveyed use a published tool to evaluate student teachers. The majority of programs use an evaluation tool that is based on local, state, or national standards. Findings are discussed in terms of early childhood teacher preparation programs and the continuing discussions of recommendations for student teaching.     

Comparing Student Performance and Growth in 2- and 4-Year Institutions

This study examines the organizational characteristics of 51 higher education institutions in relationship to student performance and growth. The study first finds that organizational measures of mission, size, wealth, complexity, and selectivity are statistically represented by the 2-year versus 4-year college mission. Findings indicate that 2-year and 4-year campuses indeed do exert significantly different influences on undergraduate GPA and self-reported intellectual growth. Next, the study uses both OLS regression and HLM to examine these influences. High school percentile rank and college classroom experiences are better predictors of Cum GPA at 4-year institutions, while student effort is a better predictor of GPA at 2-year institutions. Whereas the most important predictors of Cum GPA include precollege measures such as high school percentile rank and SAT score, the most influential predictors of student intellectual growth are campus experiences including classroom vitality, peer support, student effort, commitment, and involvement. Controlling for all other variables, students at 2-year institutions receive higher grades, and students at 4-year campuses experience more growth.     

When Race and Class Both Matter: The Relationship between Socioeconomic Diversity, Racial Diversity, and Student Reports of Cross–Class Interaction

This paper delves into a facet of socioeconomic diversity relatively unaddressed in the literature: student reports of cross–class interaction (“reported CCI”). Previous research has found that student interaction across social class is a significant predictor of cross–racial interaction, but it is unknown whether the actual socioeconomic heterogeneity of a student body is significantly related to reported CCI. We use hierarchical linear modeling to identify predictors of reported CCI in the 2003 Freshman/2007 College Student Survey from the UCLA Higher Education Research Institute. In the final model, students who attended more socioeconomically diverse institutions and more racially diverse institutions reported higher levels of CCI. Findings suggest that reported CCI is linked to the actual socioeconomic heterogeneity of a student body. Measures of racial diversity (percent of students of color and diversity engagement), both at the institutional and student level, also predicted reported CCI. Thus, reported CCI is likely influenced by the racial diversity of a student body and other aspects of the campus racial climate, in addition to socioeconomic diversity. Implications for campus climate, diversity, and equity research are discussed.     

A Christian Value? Faculty Diversity at Southern Evangelical Campuses

This case study research project examined efforts at three member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), all located in the southern United States, to increase faculty diversity. The study also explored how these efforts related to institutional mission and what aspects within the history of evangelicalism were perceived to promote or hinder the hiring of diverse faculty at these institutions. The study participants consisted of eleven faculty members, seven administrators, and two students from the three case study universities, and one administrator from the main office of the CCCU. Data were analyzed from a combination of personal interviews, observations, field notes, documents, and textual analysis, resulting in the identification of themes related to faculty diversity. Although these institutions had made great strides in diversity efforts, the study findings revealed that more intentional and systematic processes need to be established in order to increase faculty diversity. Given that faculty diversity efforts can be enhanced by implementing better recruitment and retention strategies, the discussion section highlights initiatives that have been effective at these universities, including the active pursuit of faculty of color and the purposeful management of mentorship programs.     

Increasing Participation in Study Abroad Programs: Organizational Strategies in Quebec CEGEPs

International experience is said to promote students’ intercultural sensitivity, employability and academic achievement; yet few community college students go abroad during their studies. This study aims to identify which organizational strategies are related to the participation rate in study abroad programs (SAPs). Taking the case of Quebec general and vocational colleges (CEGEPs [collèges d’enseignement general et professionnel]), a group-frequency analysis was performed on data obtained through a survey to which 39 CEGEPs responded (81% of the population). Using Knight’s (1999, 2004) terminology of organizational strategies, findings reveal that institutions with higher participation rates use four strategies to a greater extent: institutional commitment towards internationalization; educative mission statement referring to SAPs; international offices; and funding offered to students who participate in SAPs. A standard regression confirms that commitment and funding are positively correlated with student participation rates.     

ORIENTATION PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS FOR NEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE FACULTY

The roles and expectations of community college faculty members have grown more complex as their institutions change to meet the needs of their respective communities. Whereas faculty development programs have assisted in the creation of programs and strategies to help faculty cope with change, the initial orientation of faculty to their college proves to be vital to their performance, success, and length of tenure. This study was designed to supply an understanding of community college faculty perceptions of the objectives for faculty orientation programs, using a revision of the Council for the Advancement of Standards student orientation program objectives. The primary rationale for faculty orientation was found to be the assistance of new faculty in understanding the mission of their specific institution. General responses indicated high expectations for faculty orientation programs, and responses also indicated that programs were not intended to serve as retention activities.     

The chicken soup effect: The role of recreation and intramural participation in boosting freshman grade point average

Freshman grade point average, in particular first semester grade point average, is an important predictor of survival and eventual student success in college. As many institutions of higher learning are searching for ways to improve student success, one would hope that policies geared towards the success of freshmen have long term benefits reflected in eventual graduation. In this paper, we look at whether participation in Intramural and Recreation programs is associated with freshman grade point average at a mid-sized public institution with extensive recreational opportunities. We find a strong positive association between freshman grade point average and participation in recreation. Our results suggest that investments in recreational opportunities for students are complementary to the institution's academic mission rather than a distraction from it.     

Anatomists debate the value of a teaching credential

Fewer and fewer programs are training graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in the classical anatomical disciplines. Nonetheless, there remains a need at all levels of clinical and basic science education for skilled instructors of anatomy, histology, and embryology. Two sessions at the 2006 annual meeting of the American Association of Anatomists (AAA) explored whether a system of accreditation would benefit students, institutions, and training programs. Although the value of accreditation was controversial, three challenges for the various anatomical societies emerged from these discussions: (1) To identify the skills and knowledge that should be shared among all anatomists, and the more specific skills and knowledge needed for the diverse settings in which anatomists work. (2) To address the historical inattention of institutions to the training of educators. (3) To develop strategies to lobby institutions and national organizations to support the training and work of educators in the anatomical sciences. One approach to meeting these challenges would be to develop guidelines for training programs. These guidelines would help graduate students seek the training they need, provide institutions with a benchmark to assess or develop training programs, and provide the basis for focusing lobbying efforts targeted at institutions or existing accreditation bodies. Anat Sci Ed 1:60–67, 2008. © 2008 American Association of Anatomists.     

One Small Step,a Giant Leap: D-PETE Within Minority Serving Institutions

ABSTRACT

Many articles over the years have bemoaned the lack of diversity in doctorate-granting Physical Education Teacher Education (D-PETE) programs without attainable solutions towards significant increases in student and faculty diversity. The purpose of this article is to emphasize the potential significance of implementing D-PETE programs at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs). To that end, we discuss the impact MSIs have on the success of students of color and the impact MSI D-PETE programs would have on the diversification of PETE faculty and student bodies. In this article, we suggest ways to reframe the diversity narrative and offer solutions that are not currently utilized. The implementation of D-PETE programs at MSIs can enhance the broader PETE ecosystem, diversifying it like never before.     

Excellence Beyond Athletics: Best Practices for Enhancing Black Male Student Athletes' Educational Experiences and Outcomes

Postsecondary institutions in the United States, including member institutions of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), are charged with the responsibility of cultivating positive learning environments where all students have an opportunity to excel regardless of their demographic backgrounds (e.g., race, socioeconomic status, etc.). However, one subgroup of students these institutions have persistently been unable to retain and graduate at rates comparable to their peers is Black male student athletes. Previous research has cited unwelcoming campus climates, inadequate academic support, and an overemphasis on athletics as key factors that contribute to Black male student athletes' academic underperformance and negative psychosocial experiences at these institutions. The purpose of this article is to present a series of strategies and recommendations for enhancing Black male student athletes' educational experiences and holistic development at postsecondary institutions in the U.S. A review of scholarly literature on Black male student athletes, college student development theories, and student athlete support programs was conducted to identify best practices related to the phenomena. An analysis of the literature led to the creation of the Excellence Beyond Athletics (EBA) approach. The EBA approach consists of the following six holistic development principles (HDPs): (1) self-identity awareness, (2) positive social engagement, (3) active mentorship, (4) academic achievement, (5) career aspirations, and (6) balanced time management.     

卓越本科生科研训练体系构成要素及运行机制——基于美国高校实践的分析

本科生科研训练是培养创新人才的重要举措.美国高校在20世纪60年代开始实施本科生科研训练,迄今已经形成了较为完善的训练体系,积累了丰富的经验.美国专业机构—本科生科研理事会根据会员高校多年来的实践经验,总结出了美国本科生科研训练体系的12个构成要素,即目标定位、组织管理、校园文化、研究项目、配套课程、暑期研究计划、成果管理、激励措施、评价机制、资金支持、研究平台和师资力量.本研究结合美国高校实施本科生科研训练的具体案例,对这12个要素及其运行机制展开分析.     

A Course-Based Research Experience: How Benefits Change with Increased Investment in Instructional Time

There is widespread agreement that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs should provide undergraduates with research experience. Practical issues and limited resources, however, make this a challenge. We have developed a bioinformatics project that provides a course-based research experience for students at a diverse group of schools and offers the opportunity to tailor this experience to local curriculum and institution-specific student needs. We assessed both attitude and knowledge gains, looking for insights into how students respond given this wide range of curricular and institutional variables. While different approaches all appear to result in learning gains, we find that a significant investment of course time is required to enable students to show gains commensurate to a summer research experience. An alumni survey revealed that time spent on a research project is also a significant factor in the value former students assign to the experience one or more years later. We conclude: 1) implementation of a bioinformatics project within the biology curriculum provides a mechanism for successfully engaging large numbers of students in undergraduate research; 2) benefits to students are achievable at a wide variety of academic institutions; and 3) successful implementation of course-based research experiences requires significant investment of instructional time for students to gain full benefit.