ERIC Number: EJ1485034
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0194-3081
EISSN: EISSN-1536-0733
Available Date: 2025-07-09
Equitable Transfer Pathways: A Call to Action through Critical Race Theory
Catherine Hartman1; Carmen Serrata2; José Del Real Viramontes3
New Directions for Community Colleges, n209-210 p11-19 2025
A critical function of community colleges is student transfer into baccalaureate degree-granting institutions. While over 80% of community college entrants indicate a desire to transfer, few students successfully do so and achieve their goal of graduating with a bachelor's degree. In particular, transfer and completion rates for Black and Latinx students are lower than their White peers. There is evidence that multiple structural and institutional forces impact students' navigation of the transfer process and, ultimately, make it difficult for racially minoritized students achieve their educational goals. Given evidence of racial and organizational dynamics that inform transfer, we aimed to better understand and respond to the detrimental effects of systemic and racial marginalization on transfer. As such, in this article, we used applications of Critical Race Theory (CRT) to investigate existing literature related to community college transfer student success. In our analysis, we discuss how elements of CRT, including structural racism, interest convergence, whiteness as property, counternarratives, and racialized organizations, manifest in transfer pathways. In an effort to work toward action and improving structures, we conclude by offering reflecting points and guiding questions for practitioners, leaders, and researchers.
Descriptors: Critical Race Theory, Community Colleges, Community College Students, Minority Group Students, College Transfer Students, Racism, Barriers
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www-wiley-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; 2University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; 3University of California, Riverside, California, USA

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