Understanding Equity in Community College Practice: New Directions for Community Colleges, Number 172 (J-B CC Single Issue Community Colleges)

What do equity-oriented practices look like in different community college contexts? Given the increasing role of the community college in realizing equitable outcomes for students, examples of what practitioners are doing to move forward an equity agenda are urgently needed. The diverse perspectives and issues in these chapters explicitly advance an equity agenda and offer: Conceptual and empirical rationales to support equity-oriented practices, Examples of programming and practice that support the lives and livelihoods of underserved student populations, and Examples of policy, programming, and thinking that emphasize the role of the community college in expanding educational opportunity for underserved students. Driven by a change in thinking and imagination, these examples show how practitioners can—and should—tailor programming in light of larger patterns of inequality. This is the 172nd volume of this Jossey-Bass quarterly report series. Essential to the professional libraries of presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other leaders in today's open-door institutions, New Directions for Community Colleges provides expert guidance in meeting the challenges of their distinctive and expanding educational mission. Understanding Equity in Community College Practice 3 Contents 5 Editor’s Notes 7 Note 10 1 Addressing the Conceptual Challenges of Equity Work: A Blueprint for Getting Started 11 What Is Equity (and What Is It Not)? 12 Challenges in Doing Equity Work 14 Focusing on the Student Instead of the Institution 14 Thinking About Students From a Deficit Perspective 15 Neglecting Institutional Climate 16 Relearning Where to Look and What to See 16 Conclusion 18 References 18 2 Why Diversity and Equity Matter: Reflections from a Community College President 21 Introduction 21 The Time Is Now 23 Why It Matters 24 A Need for Leadership 25 Resources Matter 26 The Role of the College President 27 Conclusion 29 References 30 3 Developing Agency for Equity-Minded Change 31 The Equity Scorecard: A Learning Process of Change 32 The Equity Scorecard Phases 34 Laying the Groundwork 35 Defining the Problem 37 Assessing Interventions 41 The Value of Guided Inquiry 43 Becoming Equity Minded 44 So What? Does the Equity Scorecard Make a Difference? 46 Notes 47 References 47 4 Pathways to Results: How Practitioners Address Student Access, Outcomes, and Equity in an Associate Degree Nursing Program 49 What Is Pathways to Results? 49 Why Focus on Pathways and Results? 50 How Does Pathways to Results (PTR) Work? 50 Implementation of PTR in Illinois 52 Engagement and Commitment 52 Data Collection and Process Mapping 53 Implementing and Evaluating Solutions 56 Outreach 56 Transitional Support 57 Academic/Clinical Support 58 Lessons Learned 58 References 60 5 Call to Action: Embracing an Inclusive LGBTQ Culture on Community College Campuses 63 The Social and Policy Context 64 Homophobia and Heterosexism 65 Heterosexism on College Campuses 66 Toward Inclusivity in Community Colleges 67 Institutional Commitment 67 Climate Survey and Needs Assessment 67 Faculty and Staff Training and Development 68 Peer Outreach and Leadership 69 Campus Resources and Policies 69 Final Thoughts 70 Notes 70 References 71 6 Do Financial Aid Policies Unintentionally Punish the Poor, and What Can We Do About It? 73 Schools App and Student Interviews 74 Financial Aid: The Student Experience 75 Delays in Disbursement 76 Procedural and Eligibility Issues 77 Recommendations for Action 79 Direct Subsidies 79 Improved Information Dissemination 80 Better Data Collection 80 More Flexible Disbursement 80 Conclusion 81 References 81 7 Salt Lake Community College Veterans Services: A Model of Serving Veteransin Higher Education 83 Introduction 84 Addressing Challenges to the Student Veteran Community and Increasing Accessibility 85 Development of Salt Lake Community College Veterans Center 86 Social Support 87 Disability Resource Services 87 Partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs 88 Community Collaboration 89 Recommendations 89 Conclusion 90 References 91 8 Undocumented Students at the Community College: Creating Institutional Capacity 93 Why Are Undocumented Students an Equity Issue? 94 Policy and Assessment Recommendations 94 Training College Faculty and Staff 95 Visible and Open Advocacy 96 College Outreach and Recruitment 97 Financial Aid 98 Institutional Support for Student Groups 99 Health and Psychological Services 99 Creating a Welcoming Campus Environment 100 Conclusion 100 References 101 9 Black Men Attending Community Colleges: Examining an Institutional Approach Toward Equity 103 Social Realities for Black Men in the United States 104 Common Practices Related to Men of Color at Community Colleges 105 Together We Achieve: An Institutional Approach to Equity for Men of Color 107 Development of TWA 107 From Validation to Community Building 108 Toward a Collective Agency Among Black Men at Parkland 109 Conclusion 111 Notes 112 References 112 Index 115 Other Titles 119 Order Form 121 EULA 122 This Issue Of New Directions For Community Colleges Includes Conceptual And Empirical Rationales To Support Equity-oriented Practices; Examples Of Programming And Practice That Support Underserved Student Populations; And Concrete Examples Of Policy, Programming, And Thinking That Emphasize The Role Of The Community College In Expanding Educational Opportunity For Underserved Students. Addressing The Conceptual Challenges Of Equity Work: A Blueprint For Getting Started / Erin L. Castro -- Why Diversity And Equity Matter: Reflections From A Community College President / Francisco C. Rodriguez -- Developing Agency For Equity-minded Change / Eric R. Felix, Estela Mara Bensimon, Debbie Hanson, James Gray, Libby Klingsmith -- Pathways To Results: How Practitioners Address Student Access, Outcomes, And Equity In An Associate Degree Nursing Program / Jessica Pickel, Debra D. Bragg -- Call To Action: Embracing An Inclusive Lgbtq Culture On Community College Campuses / Jason L. Taylor -- Do Financial Aid Policies Unintentionally Punish The Poor, And What Can We Do About It? / Courtney A. Campbell, Regina Deil-amen, Cecilia Rios-aquilar -- Salt Lake Community College Veterans Services: A Model Of Serving Veterans In Higher Education / Aaron Ahern, Michael Foster, Darlene Head -- Undocumented Students At The Community College: Creating Institutional Capacity / Jessica I. Valenzuela, William Perez, Iliana Perez, Gloria Itzel Montiel, Gabriel Chaparro -- Black Men Attending Community Colleges: Examining An Institutional Approach Toward Equity / Lorenzo Baber, Randy Fletcher, Edmund Graham. Erin L. Castro, Editor. Winter 2015 Includes Bibliographical References And Index. With this volume, see what equity-oriented practices look like in different community college contexts. It provides examples of policy, programming, and thinking that emphasize the role of the community college in expanding educational opportunity for students and that support the lives and livelihoods of underserved and dominantly undervalued student populations.