In this qualitative research study we illustrate how implicit biases held by college personnel hinders the educational success of Latino men attending urban community colleges in Texas. In particular, we identify how often well-intentioned educators are (un)aware of how often they perpetrate racial microaggressions against Latino men. Interviews…

There is a strident body of empirical research evidence that Higher Education in Prison (HEP) has a direct impact on reducing recidivism. Additionally for participants, it also increases the economic mobility and employability post-release. However, the ability to conduct randomly controlled trials with a distal measurement of recidivism is…

Persistence, along with retention and completion initiatives, are the focus of institutions of higher education, especially community colleges. There are initiatives that focus on student success that start at orientation and revolve around connecting the student to the college. Students often arrive on campus with a minimal understanding of the…

The existing body of research presents two contrasting views of community colleges, one portraying them as a "second chance" for individuals, offering an accessible route to higher socioeconomic status. The second views community colleges as a deceptive cover designed to divert marginalized people away from prestigious colleges and to…

In this final chapter, we reflected on the collective works presented in this volume by a diverse group of community college scholars and leaders. Through this reflection, we share how this scholarship sought to operationalize and enhance the definitions of equity-driven and social justice-oriented leadership in community colleges. After…

This chapter provides community college leaders with recommendations to develop a transfer sending culture for Latinx students who want to pursue a pathway to a 4-year college/university. Community college leaders can create a transfer sending culture for Latinx students by standardizing a transfer process so that all Latinx students who aim to…

Considering the range of social justice issues at the forefront of 21st Century American life, and the ways in which these issues manifest on community college campuses, leaders must examine their responsibility to confront inequities and promote change. Transformative leadership is a style of leading that explicitly acknowledges inequities within…

The decisions made by leaders noticeably impact employee morale and influence the fulfillment of the organizational mission. However, making decisions can be challenging when options are complex and involve multiple risks and benefits. Navigating such decisions in an era of technology when decisions are more transparent than ever before can be…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify discourses of sustainability of community colleges and how they related to sustainability imaginaries. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a combination of research strategies associated with corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis. Data included 57 issues of "Community…

Many community colleges have an opening for the position of president and need to choose the best candidates to lead their organizations successfully in a dynamic and diverse higher education landscape. A review of existing literature revealed studies that have looked at programs preparing community college presidents, perspectives from community…

The purpose of this study was to describe the lived experiences of Belizean junior college students who are on or have experienced academic probation at junior colleges in Belize. A qualitative narrative inquiry research design was implemented to carry out this study. To understand the experiences of students who are or have overcome academic…

This quantitative, exploratory study examined the budget decisions made by administrative leaders and academic leaders at 15 Pennsylvania community colleges as measured by the Budget Criteria Instrument (BDCI). Sixty-two leaders ranked 15 budget criteria items on the 4-point Likert scale used by the BDCI and the responses were analyzed based on…

Learning styles and learning strategies are the ways participants take in, process, and apply information. Everyone has unique learning styles and learning strategies. The problem that was addressed through this study was that academic achievement could be negatively impacted when community college participants were unaware of their learning…

Objective: Among two-year college students, alcohol and marijuana use, related consequences, and risk factors for use are not well understood. We examined differences between two- and four-year students in alcohol and marijuana use, consequences, and perceived descriptive norms, and explored whether two-year status moderated associations between…

As employers struggle to fill 9.5 million vacant positions with only 6.5 million workers available across the United States, the role of community colleges becomes critical in educating workers. Open-door access and lower-tuition costs make community college an essential resource for people to access higher education; however, research shows the…