Chapter One: Introduction

Overview

The purpose of this study is to provide recommendations to solve the problem of low graduation rates among minority Hispanic students at GCC in California. The problem is that 81.6% of Hispanic students at GCC failed to complete their courses on time (GCC, 2022). This introduction section covers the Organization Profile, Introduction to the Problem, Significance of the Research, Purpose Statement, Central Research Question, and Definitions.

Organizational Profile

The study's educational site is GCC, a public institution offering certificate and associate-level degrees in Los Angeles County, California (GCC, 2022). GCC was established in 1926 to provide vocational and academic instruction to the people of Glendale, La Crescenta, La Canada, Burbank, Pasadena, and Tujunga, California, who lacked access to higher Education (GCC, 2022). The overall mission of GCC is to assist students in realizing their informed educational needs through comprehensive instructional programs and student services (GCC, 2022). GCC offers programs in four areas: primary foundation education in reading, writing, mathematics, and English as a second language to enhance a students 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 open communication, equity, inclusion, collaboration, transparency in decision-making, innovation, and democratic governance. The institution offers financial and career

counseling, as well as distance education programs to help students accomplish learning efficiently.

The college is highly diverse. Statistics indicate that Whites comprise 52% of the student population, followed by Hispanics at 19%, Asians at 12%, and African Americans comprising approximately 5% (GCC, 2022). Roughly 58% of the student body is female, and 38% are working towards obtaining an associate degree and transferring to a university (GCC, 2022).

The institution has 1,074 employees, including 63 administrators, 204 full-time faculty, 485 adjunct faculty, and 322 classified staff (GCC, 2022). It is led by a superintendent who is assisted by four directors, three vice presidents, and seven deans (GCC, 2022). Administrative Services, Instructional Services, Student Services, and Human Resources vice presidents are assisted by the various sections deans, associate deans, and program managers. The president, vice presidents, deans, and administrative deans form part of the administrative cabinet. However, significant decisions have to be approved by the six-member board of trustees (GCC, 2022).

The institution began due to a public voting exercise when the residents of the targeting areas voted to have the Glendale Unified School District introduce a junior college (GCC, 2022). In the first semester at Glendale Union High School, there were 139 students enrolled. The student population multiplied over the first three years of operation, hitting 435 in 1929, with 27 faculty members. With the help of a Works Progress Administration grant and proceeds from a bond election, Glendale Junior College purchased and moved to the current 59-acre site in 1937. Its name officially changed to GCC in 1971. Today, GCC is a dynamic institution of higher learning, with over 25,000 students enrolled on various campuses (GCC, 2022).

Introduction to the Problem

The problem is that 81.6% of Hispanic students at GCC failed to complete their courses on time (GCC, 2022). According to the 2022 GCC College Profile, timely graduation rates are lowest among Hispanic students, who form the focus of this study. It also indicates that 34% of White students...…from different sources. Further, it will

provide a means to use one data source's strengths to compensate for another's weaknesses, enhancing the overall quality of this research (Ngulube, 2021).

Central Research Question

How can the problem of low graduation rates among Hispanic minority students be solved at GCC in California?

Definitions

1. Financial aid "money to help pay for college or career school (Federal Student Aid, 2023).

2. Institutional climate "the quality of an organization's internal environment distinguishing it from other organizations, which results from the behavior and policies of members of the organization, especially top management" (Banwo et al., 2022, p.2).

3. Social integration "the degree of congruence between the individual student and the social system of a university informal peer group associations, extracurricular activities, and interactions with faculty and administrators are mechanisms of social integration" (Haverila et al., 2020, p. 365).

4. Student persistence "the desire and action of a student to remain in college until graduation" (Haverila et al., 2020, p. 359).

5. Student retention "the ability of an institution to retain a student from admission to the university through graduation" (Haverila et al., 2020, p. 359).

6. Student support services "services are providing assistance to students in their studiesincluding academic help, financial support, and career growth and mentoring services" (Haverila et al., 2020).

7. Time-to-degree - "the time it takes a student to graduate with a university degree" (Aiken et al., 2020, p. 1).

Summary

The purpose of this study is to provide recommendations to solve the problem of low graduation rates among minority Hispanic students at GCC in California. The problem is that 81.6% of Hispanic students at GCC failed to complete their courses on time (GCC, 2022). This introduction section covers the Organization…