Community College Presidential Leadership: How Presidents Think and Act to Support the Holistic Needs of Their Students

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore how public community college presidents draw upon data, their core values, and lived experiences to make decisions about how they can best respond to the holistic needs of their students. Method: Utilizing secondary elite focus group data with 15 community college presidents in Texas, we employed a general qualitative approach to analyze the data through a conceptual framework that integrates community college leadership and holistic student development theory. Results: Our findings revealed that community college presidents make decisions primarily through select data sources such as external survey organizations and their own core belief systems. Although community college presidents agreed on the most pressing day-to-day issues affecting community college students today, the way in which they framed their decisions and perceptions varied across individuals and institutional contexts. As such, common strategies for addressing holistic student support are presented in this study. Contributions: The residual effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to impact community colleges in the short and long term. As a result, community college presidents are pressed to develop leadership competencies to enhance their decision-making process. This study offers timely implications closely tied to community college leadership and student development theory to inform how community college leaders can enact relevant, data-driven policies, and practices to support their students holistically.

How a Public Relations Crisis Led to the Development of a Partnership Between Academics and Student Affairs to Enhance Student Success.

In 2013, a public relations crisis led a mid-size university to reconsider the concept of student success on campus. Collaborations between Academic and Student Affairs leaders have resulted in important changes at the university. The university developed increased ability to support student success by investing in staff positions, exploring best practices to increase student success and retention, and implementing several initiatives including a first-year seminar pilot. Relying on data from national surveys, areas for improvement were identified. Underscoring all of these activities was a focus on student development theory, an increased understanding of institutional data, and a commitment to a comprehensive pan-institutional approach. Because the university has a lower than desired graduation rate (55%), several action teams were created to oversee various goals related to communications, year-long orientation experiences, and an academic anchor. Ultimately, this work has now reached the stage where a strategic enrollment management plan is under creation.

Marginality and Mattering

Students with learning disabilities are the fastest growing at-risk population transitioning to higher education institutions. This chapter explores the academic adjustment issues students with learning disabilities experience in their transition to the college environment. Their experiences are explored and reported through the context of student development theory of marginalization. The chapter discusses students' access and adjustment to the campus culture and how this experience influences their identity development.