1 Supporting Men of Color in Community Colleges: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities
2 Overview Highlight national trends and issues that impact student success outcomes for men of color in community colleges Discuss the convergence of gender and racial identities and how it shapes educational experiences and outcomes for men of color Present high-impact institutional practices to redress outcome disparities for men of color in community colleges
3 Our Lab The Community College Equity Assessment Laboratory (CCEAL) is a national research and practice lab that partners with community colleges to support their capacity in advancing outcomes for students who have been historically underserved in education, particularly students of color. CCEAL houses the Minority Male Community College Collaborative (M2C3). CCEAL was developed to advance three objectives: Research - to conduct and disseminate empirical research on the experiences of historically underserved students in community colleges; Training - to provide training that improves practices and research relevant to students of color in community colleges; and Assessment - to use assessment and evaluation to facilitate capacity-building within community colleges.
4 40 states, 2,789 instructional facultyMixed Methods, Case Study Research Quantitative Research and Assessment Community College Success Measure (CCSM) for identifying factors influencing the success of underserved students CC Instructional Development Inventory (CCIDI) to inform professional development programming for instructional faculty Community College Student Success Inventory (CCSSI) for determining an institution's readiness to support underserved students Male Program Assessment for College Excellence (MPACE) for examining the efficacy of programs serving college men of color 102 colleges 9 states, 78,614 students 120 colleges 40 states, 2,789 instructional faculty IAP 40 colleges 15 states 45 colleges 24 states
5 CA, 252 students, 50 focus groupsMixed Methods, Case Study Research Qualitative Research and Sensemaking Student focus groups Examining students’ perceptions of factors influencing success in community college Faculty interviews Examining perceptions of factors that are effective in educating students of color in community colleges Consensus focus groups Collective sensemaking approach for identifying root challenges facing students in community colleges from an equity-based perspective Narratives of success Narratives from educators with a documented record of success in teaching and supporting underserved students of color 10 colleges CA, 252 students, 50 focus groups 10 colleges CA, 102 faculty 32 colleges CA & MN, 240 faculty/staff 48 consensus groups 14 colleges 12 states, 78 educators
6 CCSSE Climate Survey Results
7 CCSSE Climate Survey Results
8 CCSSE Climate Survey Results
9 CCSSE Climate Survey Results
10 Socio-Ecological Outcomes (SEO) Model Background/ Defining FactorsInputs Socio-Ecological Domains Outcomes Non-Cognitive Domain Academic Domain Background/ Defining Factors Environmental Domain Student Success Societal Factors Campus Ethos Domain Structural Domain
11 Socio-Ecological Outcomes (SEO) Model Background/ Defining FactorsInputs Socio-Ecological Domains Outcomes Non-Cognitive Domain Intrapersonal (Self-Efficacy) (Locus of Control) (Degree Utility) (Action Control) (Intrinsic Interest) Identity (Gender) x (Racial/Ethnic) x (Spiritual) x (Sexual) Background/ Defining Factors Age Time Status Veteran Status Primary Language Citizenship Status [Dis]ability Academic Domain Faculty-Student Interaction Academic Service Use Commitment to Course of Study Environmental Domain Mediators (Finances) (Transportation) Commitments (Dependents) (Employment) Stressful Life Events Student Success * Persistence * Achievement * Attainment * Transfer * Goal Accomplishment *Labor Market Campus Ethos Domain Sense of Belonging (Student-Student) (Student-Faculty) (Student-Student Service) Campus Racial/Gender Climate Welcomeness to Engage Internal Validating Agents (Faculty) (Staff) Personal Relationships Societal Factors Stereotypes Criminalization Economic Conditions Mass Incarceration Capital Identity Projection Structural Domain Training infrastructure Built environment Staffing patterns Equity resourcing
12 Societal Factors Societal Factors Stereotypes PrejudiceCriminalization Economic Conditions Capital Identity Projection Mass Incarceration
13 Societal Factors (Stereotypes)“I can’t tell you how many times I’d be sitting at one of the study cubicles and security would come to me and ask for my student ID. At first I thought it was something that they did to everybody when it got late but then I started to notice they asked me for mine and didn’t ask anyone else for theirs.” (Harris III & Wood, 2016) "I needed the most help on my writing, and the teacher was looking at me like, ‘ahhhhh [exhale], here we go. You know, we got a r******d kid in class now.’” (Wood, 2015)
14 Societal Factors (Stereotypes)“Yeah, so I feel that [stigma] has some effect on the way the professors interact with you, I noticed a little shortness with a few of the professors that I have dealt with. I guess their assumption is you probably won’t be here after financial aid gets distributed, so they’re a little hands off. So they don’t really take you seriously until the third week of school or you show up in their office.”
15 Non-Cognitive Domain Non-Cognitive DomainIntrapersonal (Self-Efficacy) (Locus of Control) (Degree Utility) (Action Control) (Intrinsic Interest) Identity (Gender) x (Racial/Ethnic) x (Spiritual) x (Sexual)
16 Non-Cognitive Domain (Intrapersonal)“I worry that being here is not worth it because I see a lot of people that graduated from college with all sorts of degrees and still can’t get a job and are still struggling. So I’m like ‘damn, I’m spending all this money on student loans, what’s going to happen if I don’t get a job?”
17 Non-Cognitive Domain Non-Cognitive DomainIntrapersonal (Self-Efficacy) (Locus of Control) (Degree Utility) (Action Control) (Intrinsic Interest) Identity (Gender) x (Racial/Ethnic) x (Spiritual) x (Sexual)
18 Non-Cognitive Domain (Identity)“What kind of man has two kids and quits working so he can go and read poetry at some damn college?” (Harris & Harper, 2008)
19 Non-Cognitive Domain (Identity)“When I want help, I usually don’t ask for help… I'm more like I'll find it myself. And sometimes finding it yourself doesn't help you that much. You're in the same spot you were. So, I mean, I can, I find myself taking longer to figure out things than a kid that would ask questions. And that's one of the things that affects me.” (Wood, 2010) “It also comes from a sense of pride. You know, you’re always taught to be a man, and you’re proud. And, if you fall, if you stumble, then that’s your own fault. You don’t bring anybody down with you. You don’t ask for help because it’s your doing. You shouldn’t have to ask anybody for help, and so it’s just that sense of pride that carriers over – that in the end, makes you fail.” (Saenz et al., 2013) “What kind of man has two kids and quits working so he can go and read poetry at some damn college?” (Harris & Harper, 2008)
20 Academic Domain Academic Domain Faculty-Student InteractionAcademic Service Use Commitment to Course of Study “I have to take 3 buses to get to school. Transportation is a real concern. If I miss one bus, or one bus runs late, it means that I don’t make it to class on time. Yeah, I spend like an hour, sometimes an hour and a half just getting to school.”
21 Academic Domain “ the professor made us take ownership of the knowledge that was given out, and it wasn't two hours of just [lecturing], it was like ‘okay now that you wrote this explain this to me, what does this mean to you?’ ” “[The professor would ask] ‘I know that you see the definition that is on the board, how would you give this information out to somebody that is on the street? What [does] this actually mean in reality?’ Especially with political science. It is like you have this huge bubble of political matters and congress and senate and all of the things that fall into those umbrellas it is easy to have this influx of information just hitting you.”
22 Environmental Domain Environmental DomainMediators (Finances) (Transportation) (External Validating Agents) Commitments (Family Responsibilities) (Employment) Stressful Life Events “I have to take 3 buses to get to school. Transportation is a real concern. If I miss one bus, or one bus runs late, it means that I don’t make it to class on time. Yeah, I spend like an hour, sometimes an hour and a half just getting to school.”
23 Environmental Domain “I’ve had more than a few family members die in the past two years, so it’s just hard to focus. I kinda lost my motivation and I really can’t focus. My family needs me now more than ever before. When I’m in class I’m physically there but my mind isn’t.”
24 Environmental Domain “I have to take 3 buses to get to school. Transportation is a real concern. If I miss one bus, or one bus runs late, it means that I don’t make it to class on time. Yeah, I spend like an hour, sometimes an hour and a half just getting to school.”
25 Environmental Domain Percentage of students by race and gender with housing insecurities, CCSM 2016
26 Environmental Domain Percentage of students by race and gender with food insecurities, CCSM 2016
27 Campus Ethos Domain Campus Ethos DomainSense of Belonging (Student-Student) (Student-Faculty) (Student-Student Service) Campus Racial/Gender Climate Welcomeness to Engage Campus Resources (Access) (Efficacy) Internal Validating Agents (Faculty) (Staff)
28 Campus Ethos Domain “There are some teachers that will tell you,. ‘I’ve probably given just one A in the last 3 years.’ That’s bulls^!t. Because you even get to class you know you can’t get an A.” “The professor emphasized multiple times that if you’re not getting it, drop the class. No ways on how I could improve. Just drop the class.”
29 Campus Ethos Domain “When faculty members see me, they put their head down, pretend like they don’t see me, walk the other direction, or pretend to get on the phone.” (Wood & Harris III, 2016) “There are some professors that will tell you,. “I’ve probably given just one A in the last 3 years’.” That’s bulls^!t. Because before you even get to class you know you can’t get an A.” “Professors who are here for the passion of working with students really make a difference. Professors who really care and take the time to get to know you are the ones I learn the most from.” “[Professors say] do not take this class, at all. Don’t even try to take this class. The professor emphasized multiple times that if you’re not getting it, drop the class. No ways on how I could improve. Just drop the class.”
30 Structural Domain Structural Domain Training infrastructureInputs Structural Domain Training infrastructure Built environment Staffing patterns Equity resourcing
31 Structural Domain “Colleges have structured educational experiences in a manner that place students in need of the greatest level of support in classes with faculty who often provide the least…too few campuses compensate part-time faculty for holding office hours and provide them with space to meet students.” (Wood et al., 2017) “[Many] community colleges are required to have an early alert system… However, a noticeable contingent of these systems simply do not work, are not used by faculty, and notify academic advisors …far too late into the semester (i.e., halfway through), far beyond the point where an intervention could curb challenges.” (Wood et al., 2017)
32 Structural Domain
33 Structure Matters Part-Time Faculty in Developmental EducationLegend Acceptable Emerging Concern Needs Attention Immediate Attention Part-Time Faculty in Developmental Education Part-Time Faculty Teaching Here Part-Time Teaching Here Full-Time Teaching at Multiple Institutions Overall Collaborative Learning Immediate Attention Acceptable Needs Attention Culturally Relevant Teaching Emerging Concern Performance Monitoring Relationship-Building Institutional Responsibility High Expectations Validating Messages Faculty Student Engagement Appropriate Disclosing Welcoming Engagement (In Class) Welcoming Engagement (Out of Class) Empowerment Intrusive Practices Microaggressions Note: Scores for “Immediate Concern” and “Acceptable” represent statistically significant differences based on national exemplar colleges.
34 Strategies for Student Equity and SuccessRecommendations for Institutional Commitment Ensure campus leaders communicate urgency about a focus on students experiencing DPI at high profile events, including convocation Hire personnel with a proven record of success in working with underserved students Implement a campus-wide early alert system Integrate equity plan goals into the institution’s strategic plan Identify advocates for working with underserved students within campus departments Increase representation of full-time faculty in developmental education Provide high-impact professional development for all faculty and staff
35 Strategies for Student Equity and SuccessRecommendations for Institutional Commitment Ensure campus leaders communicate urgency about a focus on students experiencing DPI at high profile events, including convocation Hire personnel with a proven record of success in working with underserved students Implement a campus-wide early alert system Integrate equity plan goals into the institution’s strategic plan Identify advocates for working with underserved students within campus departments Increase representation of full-time faculty in developmental education Provide high-impact professional development for all faculty and staff
36 Strategies for Student Equity and SuccessRecommendations for Academic Divisions Set targets for improving disproportionate impact (DPI) groups for each department Set a standing division agenda item focused on the progress of DPI groups Use resident disciplinary experts to support the infusion of culturally relevant teaching (CRT) Establish professional learning communities to continue the dialogue on CRT throughout the academic year Engage in ongoing, collective sense-making at the campus and unit-level
37 Strategies for Student Equity and SuccessRecommendations for Classroom Faculty Require conferencing with all students throughout the semester Discuss challenges you’ve experienced and overcame Structure success early on Recognize the influence of microaggressions on student success Require supplemental instruction for classes with high D, F, W rates Be intentional about warmly welcoming all students to each class session Initiate communication with students who miss two or more class sessions
38 Online Certificate ProgramsCenter for Organizational Responsibility and Advancement TEACHING MEN OF COLOR IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE SUPPORTING MEN OF COLOR IN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE TEACHING BOYS AND YOUNG MEN OF COLOR PROGRAMS FEATURE Designed for community college educators One-week long program Fully online program delivery Live interactive dialogue with instructors Tangible solutions for real challenges LEARNING FORMAT e-Learning videos Virtual discussion board Real-time conferencing with instructors Practical readings TARGET AREAS OF INTERVENTION Racial Microaggressions Collaborative Learning High Expectations Validation Personal Relationship Challenge Support Culturally Relevant Teaching Culturally Relevant Materials Empowerment Strategies Intrusivity Performance Monitoring LEARN MORE at CONTACT at This is a non-credit, non-CEU professional development training program
39 for Instructional FacultyBooks on College Men of Color for Instructional Faculty for Classified Staff for k-12 educators