PROSPECTUS: PART

Recommendations to Address the Problem of Low Graduation Rates among Hispanic Minority Students at Glendale Community College

Introduction

Overview

The purpose of this study is to provide recommendations to the problem of low graduation rates among Hispanic students at Glendale Community College California. The problem is that despite the high levels of student satisfaction at Glendale Community College, only 32 percent of students complete their courses on time (Community College Review, 2022). This introduction section is organized into the organizational profile, which describes the project site, and the introduction to the problem, which provides the scope of the problem.

Organizational Profile

The studys educational site is Glendale Community College (GCC), a public institution offering certificate and associate-level degrees in Los Angeles California (Glendale Community College, GCC, 2022). GCC was established in 1926 to provide vocational and academic instruction to the people of Glendale, La Crescenta, and Tujunga who lacked access to higher education (GCC, About GCC, 2022). The overall mission of GCC is to assist students realize their informed educational needs through comprehensive instructional programs and student services (GCC, 2022). GCC offers programs in four areas: basic foundation education in mathematics, writing, reading, and English as a second language to enhance students success college-level success; general education to enhance self-development and help students lead meaningful and enriching lives; technical and career education to enhance job advancement or employment opportunities; and post-secondary education to help students transition to four-year courses at a university (GCC, 2022). GCC commits to the values of open communication, equity, inclusion, collaboration, transparency in decision-making, innovation, and democratic governance (GCC, 2022). The institution offers financial and career counseling, as well as distance education programs to help students accomplish learning efficiently (GCC, 2022).

The college is highly diverse. Caucasians make up 52 percent of the student population, followed by Latino Hispanics at 25 percent (GCC, College Profile, 2022). African-Americans and Asians make up approximately 20 percent of the population (GCC, College Profile, 2022). Approximately 55 percent of the student body is female and most (38 percent) of the students are working towards obtaining an associate degree and transferring to a four-year institution (GCC, College Profile, 2022).

The institution has 1,074 employees, including 63 administrators, 204 full-time faculty, 485 adjunct faculty, and 322 classified staff (GCC, College Profile, 2022). It is headed by a president/superintendent, who is assisted by four vice-presidents and an administrative dean (GCC, Administration, 2022). The vice presidents (Administrative Services, Instructional Services, Student Services, and Human Resources) are assisted by the Deans, Associate Deans, and Program Managers of the various Sections (GCC, Administration, 2022). The president, Vice Presidents, Deans, and administrative Dean form part of the administrative cabinet (GCC, Administration, 2022). Major decisions, however, have to be approved by the six-member board of trustees (GCC, Administration, 2022).

Introduction to the Problem

The problem at GCC is that on average, only 32 percent of students complete their courses and graduate on time (Community College Review, 2022). According to the 2019 Student Success Score Card produced by the California Community Colleges Board of Governors, timely graduation rates are lowest among Hispanic students, who form the focus of this study (California Community Colleges, 2019). Data from 2019 indicates that 60.6 percent of Caucasian students completed their certificate or degree-related outcomes, as compared to only 36.1 percent of Hispanics students (California Community Colleges, 2019). State-wide data indicates a completion rate of 42 percent for Hispanic students, showing that GCC ranks lower than the state average in the completion rates of Hispanic students relative to those from other races (California Community Colleges, 2019b).

To address the problem of low graduation, GCC has, in the past, conducted satisfaction surveys to obtain students views on the campus climate and actions that could be taken to enhance student retention. In the 2019 survey, 93.9 percent of students reported that they were satisfied with the campus climate and 96 percent believed the instructional programs offered were of high quality, yet only 68 percent believed they were progressing towards their educational goal as quickly as possible (GCC Student Satisfaction, 2022). Recently, GCC began to offer distance learning modalities and academic counseling programs to enhance retention and ensure that students complete their courses on time. However, the institution has continued to report low graduation rates among Hispanic students.

Studies have shown that delayed college completion increases the risk of dropping out of college and results in lower post-college earnings (Witteveen & Attewell, 2021). GCC commits to helping students live meaningful lives and realize their best potential in the global community (GCC Mission, vision, 2022). However, the effects of delayed college completion inhibit this mission. The findings of this study will be beneficial in informing GCCs policies as the management works towards realizing its mission.

Significance of the Research

Studies have shown that delayed college graduation affects chances of employment and reduces ones post-college earnings by between 8 and 15 percent because employers tend to use delays as a proxy for low ability (Casalone & Aina, 2011; Witteveen & Attewell, 2021). For college students, finding ways to reduce time-to-degree and ensure that theygraduate on time may increase their chances of employment and open avenues for higher post-college wages (Witteveen & Attewell, 2021). Moreover, delayed time-to-degree is associated with higher tuition cost and a high risk of losing financial aid (Casalone & Aina, 2011). For families, therefore, timely college graduation may prevent unforeseen financial burdens, particularly when an overstayed student loses financial aid and has to source for alternative funds to finance their pending semesters.

For institutions, delayed graduation increases the risk of non-completion, which influences how potential applicants perceive it, resulting in reputational concerns that limit the effective recruitment of students (Aina et al., 2019). The findings of the research may provide crucial insights to institutional policymakers on the factors that lead to delayed college graduation and strategies for addressing the same. Ultimately, high graduation rates may result in higher college ratings, a positive reputation, and better ability to attract students (Aina et al., 2019). At the national level, delayed college graduation denies the workforce the skills and manpower that these students would offer in post-college employment (Aina et al., 2019). Thus, identifying the factors that hinder timely college graduation may ensure that the workforce benefits from the additional skills and human resources that students offer in post-college employment, resulting in higher labor productivity and increased revenues (Aina et al., 2019). The research is timely because while a lot of studies exist on the factors hindering timely college graduation, most studies focus on four-year colleges, leaving community colleges understudied. The standards in community colleges differ from four-year colleges and the findings may not be generalizable to both settings.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this study is to provide recommendations to help address the problem of low graduation rates among Hispanic minority students at Glendale Community College in Glendale, California. To realize this purpose, the study will employ both quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques. Quantitative data will be collected through an online survey that will be administered via the Google forms web-based platform to 50 students and 30 faculty at GCC. The researcher will invite interested students to participate through the Latino Student Association at GCC. They will attend several meetings organized by the association every week to advertise the study and invite interested participants to register their email address, where they will receive the link to the online survey....…grants or aid from GCC to cover these expenses? If so, what form of support? If not, how then have you been able to meet your college expenses (follow up with how this has affected performance)?

Studies have shown that socioeconomic factors such as availability of financial aid and family income are significant determinants of the time one takes in college (Guzman et al., 2021). By asking this question, the researcher will obtain insights into the financial challenges facing students at GCC and the strategies adopted to address the problem. Some students may be dependent on parental income, while others may have sought employment while in college. The question provides a means to understand how GCC supports its students to cover their college expenses and the possible role of socioeconomic factors in delaying students graduation.

6. What are some of the ways by which GCC attempts to create a sense of belonging for students from ethnic minorities? In your view, have these strategies been effective?

According to Buckman et al. (2021), there is a positive association between students feelings of belonging and college retention. This question seeks to obtain respondents views on their involvement in decision-making and student activities at GCC. Students who do not feel like part of the GCC community are likely to report lower satisfaction levels and are more unlikely to graduate on time (Buckman et al., 2021).

7. Is there someone at GCC (peer, faculty member) with whom you share a strong, positive relationship? Please explain how the relationship developed and its significance in your campus achievements

Studies have shown that faculty-student relationships significantly influence the likelihood of timely completion, particularly for minority students (Srairi, 2021). Positive relationships between faculty and staff foster a sense of belonging that drives higher levels of student satisfaction and timely course completion (Srairi, 2021). By asking this question, the researcher will obtain a view of the nature of faculty-student relations at GCC and also understand the factors that either enhance or hinder healthy relations between faculty and staff. The responses obtained will provide a means to assess the student-staff ratio and staff quality as possible causes of low course completion rates at the institution.

8. How do you imagine your college experience would have been if you came from a different family setting (say parents without a college education or economically-disadvantaged family background)?

The type of family from which a student comes determines their chances of success in college and hence, whether they complete and graduate on time. For instance, parents without a college education may not pay much attention to their childrens college education. At the same time, a disadvantaged family background may force a student to work while in college to cater for their expenses. Student leaders interact with a large number of students. This question provides a means to understand their experiences with students from different family backgrounds and their assessment on the role of the family in timely college completion.

9. Have you heard about the type of student supports/initiatives/programs available in other institutions of higher learning? Which ones do you think GCC could adopt to improve student retention rates?

This question opens avenues for the researcher to understand how GCC compares with other colleges in student supports and programs aimed at fostering a positive campus experience for minority students. By asking this question, the researcher could identify areas of strengths as well as weaknesses that GCC could improve to increase its retention and graduation rates to match state averages.

10. If you had the opportunity to hold a discussion with the GCC management team, what would you recommend to improve the experience of Hispanic/Latino students in the institution?

The ultimate aim of the proposed project is to provide recommendations to…