Low Hispanic Graduation Rates at Community College: Causes & Fixes

Introduction and Overview

The purpose of this study is to provide recommendations to address the problem of low graduation rates among Hispanic students at a public community college in Glendale, California. Despite high levels of student satisfaction at the institution, only 32 percent of students complete their courses on time (Community College Review, 2022). This introduction is organized into two parts: an organizational profile describing the project site, and an introduction to the problem providing the scope of the issue.

Organizational Profile

The study's educational site is Glendale Community College (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, and Tujunga who lacked access to higher education (GCC, "About GCC," 2022). The overall mission of GCC is to assist students in realizing their educational goals 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 college-level success; general education to support 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 universities (GCC, 2022). The institution is committed to the values of open communication, equity, inclusion, collaboration, transparency in decision-making, innovation, and democratic governance (GCC, 2022). It also offers financial and career counseling, as well as distance education programs to help students accomplish their learning goals 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 students — 38 percent — are working toward 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 assisted by four vice presidents and an administrative dean (GCC, "Administration," 2022). The vice presidents — overseeing Administrative Services, Instructional Services, Student Services, and Human Resources — are supported by deans, associate deans, and program managers of the various departments (GCC, "Administration," 2022). The president, vice presidents, deans, and administrative dean form part of the administrative cabinet, while major decisions must be approved by the six-member board of trustees (GCC, "Administration," 2022).

The Problem of Low Graduation Rates

The central 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 Scorecard 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, compared to only 36.1 percent of Hispanic students (California Community Colleges, 2019). Statewide data indicates a completion rate of 42 percent for Hispanic students, showing that GCC ranks below the state average in the completion rates of Hispanic students relative to those from other racial groups (California Community Colleges, 2019b).

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

Research has shown that delayed college completion increases the risk of dropping out 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), but the effects of delayed college completion directly inhibit this mission. The findings of this study are intended to inform GCC's policies as the institution works toward realizing that mission.