As demand for more highly educated workers rises, a growing number of community colleges have expanded their services beyond two-year degree programs and begun conferring baccalaureate degrees. These programs, referred to as Community College Baccalaureate (CCB) programs, have become increasingly prevalent: Prior to 2000, only four states offered…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the significance of incorporating diverse lived experiences and identities through culturally relevant pedagogy (CRP) in promoting sustainability, cultural diversity and the integration of various perspectives and worldviews rooted in identity and lived experience in sustainability education at…

Community colleges navigate a policy landscape or "policyscape" that was not created for them but that affects them in numerous ways. The concluding article introduces the idea of the "policyscape" in the community college context, and provides examples from the volume of when and how policies can be updated (what Mettler calls…

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) has become ubiquitous in healthcare and healthcare education. While it is common for committees within higher education to utilize members with varied expertise, there is a lack of research identifying perceived benefits and barriers to this form of collaboration within this setting. Attempting to bridge the…

At least 38 states have created service areas or "districts" for each of their community colleges. However, little is known about the geographic boundaries of community college districts and the policymaking process that defines them. We studied state policy documents nationally and the actual district boundaries of Texas community…

Performance funding has become a popular policy structure for public higher education institutions across the United States. The implications on budget and student success are considerable. This study examines performance funding through the perspective of chief executive officers (CEOs) at public community colleges in a southern state. Utilizing…

Statewide membership associations are comprised of trustees and/or district chancellors or college presidents (CEOs) whose primary professional responsibility is the governance and administration of local districts and colleges. The majority of these statewide community college membership associations are nonprofit entities--typically incorporated…

Prior learning assessment (PLA) is a promising tool to help adult learners returning to school acquire new skills, find improved employment prospects, and positively contribute to the broader economy. Though research has consistently found PLA leads to strong outcomes for adult students, PLA use remains low in colleges, particularly among…

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to understand how leaders at two community colleges that participated in Guided Pathways used early momentum metrics (EMMs) to change institutional policies or practices to improve student success and degree completion rates. By focusing on EMMs as short-term indicators, leaders could track…

This qualitative grounded theory study examines dual credit policy implementation in a North Texas community college and ISD, focusing on the perceptions of ten dual credit teachers. The data collected was focus group interviews to explore how these teachers navigate dual credit policies in their daily professional lives. The findings revealed…

While community colleges enroll high proportions of disabled students, limited research exists on considerations that college personnel should account for in meeting disabled students' varied needs and strengths. This article explores the impacts of policies and processes on disabled community college students and presents five policy-related…

This qualitative dissertation critically analyzes proposed and enacted state-level, tuition-free college legislative documents. Taking a three-article approach to the research, this study adds to the recent literature of tuition-free programs focusing on program design characteristics and the inequitable outcomes for students. The first article…

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual (LGBTQIA+) students have unique needs when attending American community colleges. The purpose of this dissertation is to identify current policies and practices of community colleges when working with transgender students, explore best practices when it comes to serving…

Individuals in academia are happier working in environments that aid their balancing of personal and professional lives (Noor, 2011). However, there is major dissatisfaction with the higher education workplace because of an imbalance with the home and work life (Ryan & Peters, 2015). Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine professional…

There has been a documented shortage of nursing and allied healthcare professionals in the healthcare workforce. The clinical workforce is supplied by nursing and allied health programs, and the faculty for nursing and allied health come from experienced and qualified clinicians. Therefore, shortages in the clinical healthcare workforce and…