Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Advisor

Robert Rose

Committee Member

Francisco Uvah

Keywords

community college, completion, culture, persistence, retention, student success

Abstract

This applied dissertation assessed the effect of participation in Community College Completion Corps and associated activities on campus stakeholders’ perceptions of a culture of completion. The national initiative to increase completion rates at community colleges has resulted in a heightened awareness of this performance measurement. A number of community colleges have participated by hosting a C4 signing event, the hallmark activity associated with the movement. This inaugural event served as a public declaration of the two-year institution’s intention to provide an environment in which policy and practice, as well as theory and application, focus on supporting and increasing student completion. Post-event, the expectation is that community colleges will enact measurable activities, projects, and changes in key areas to influence completion.

The researcher analyzed the perceptions and evidence of a culture of completion at two- year institutions that hosted a C4 signing event between 2010 and 2015. As most signing events include representation from campus stakeholders that include administrators, faculty, staff, and student leaders, this study included a representative of each of the identified groups, interviewed with the same questionnaire to determine their perceptions of any shifts in the campus’ culture and to identify changes in policy, programs, and initiatives that influenced student completion.

An analysis of the data revealed a variety of institutional themes related to campus completion barriers and facilitators. Community college completion ceremonies served to highlight the importance of completion on campus and promote college-wide engagement and support of the initiatives. The interviews supported that these events provided an introductory and public showcase for institutional commitment to promoting community college completion and improved graduation rates. However, the study identified additional institutional focus on completion and alignment of administrative and academic policies and procedures to instill a culture of completion necessary for making substantive improvements in institutional completion rates.

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Education Commons

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