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Community College Baccalaureate Transitions in Florida: Student Affairs' Perspectives

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Date Issued:
2015
Summary:
Many changes are occurring in community colleges offering baccalaureate degrees across the nation, especially in the state of Florida where 24 of 28 colleges in the Florida College System are offering baccalaureate degrees. The impact of these institutions shifting their missions from associate to baccalaureate degree offerings is unknown on a key area of the college - Student Affairs. The purpose of this study was to describe and document the perceived changes in and lessons learned about Student Affairs programs at two large, multi-campus colleges in the Florida College System offering Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) and Bachelor of Science (BS) programs. The primary sources of data collected for this study were from 27 interviews with college administrators and staff and from 22 documents. District and campus-based administrators were selected based on their influence over, or knowledge of, Student Affairs programming at all degree levels and/or specifically at the baccalaureate degree level. Professional and support staff members were selected based on their direct involvement with the delivery or support of Student Affairs programs for baccalaureate students. The five major findings, based on a cross-case analysis, were (a) a focus on operations, (b) struggling with philosophical directions, (c) changes occurring in personnel and operational processes, (d) no change in several areas, and (e) lessons learned in cultural shift. This study concluded that the 2+2 admissions model is confusing to students, and it does not always allow for seamless financial aid coverage, which may be creating "leakages" in the community college baccalaureate (CCB) student success pipeline. Additional staff and resources are needed in the areas of admissions, recruitment, and advising. Several new and/or revised operational processes took place in the areas of admissions, recruitment, registration and records, and financial aid. Although student development theories still are seen as an important foundation of Student Affairs work, each college was struggling with their philosophical directions as a CCB institution. Finally, a majority of participants expressed a resistance to the change of becoming a CCB institution, not understanding if they still were a community college or if they were moving closer to becoming a 4-year university.
Title: Community College Baccalaureate Transitions in Florida: Student Affairs' Perspectives.
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Name(s): Antczak, Laura, author
Floyd, Deborah L., Thesis advisor
Maslin-Ostrowski, Patricia, Thesis advisor
Florida Atlantic University, Degree grantor
College of Education
Department of Educational Leadership and Research Methodology
Type of Resource: text
Genre: Electronic Thesis Or Dissertation
Date Created: 2015
Date Issued: 2015
Publisher: Florida Atlantic University
Place of Publication: Boca Raton, Fla.
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 209 p.
Language(s): English
Summary: Many changes are occurring in community colleges offering baccalaureate degrees across the nation, especially in the state of Florida where 24 of 28 colleges in the Florida College System are offering baccalaureate degrees. The impact of these institutions shifting their missions from associate to baccalaureate degree offerings is unknown on a key area of the college - Student Affairs. The purpose of this study was to describe and document the perceived changes in and lessons learned about Student Affairs programs at two large, multi-campus colleges in the Florida College System offering Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) and Bachelor of Science (BS) programs. The primary sources of data collected for this study were from 27 interviews with college administrators and staff and from 22 documents. District and campus-based administrators were selected based on their influence over, or knowledge of, Student Affairs programming at all degree levels and/or specifically at the baccalaureate degree level. Professional and support staff members were selected based on their direct involvement with the delivery or support of Student Affairs programs for baccalaureate students. The five major findings, based on a cross-case analysis, were (a) a focus on operations, (b) struggling with philosophical directions, (c) changes occurring in personnel and operational processes, (d) no change in several areas, and (e) lessons learned in cultural shift. This study concluded that the 2+2 admissions model is confusing to students, and it does not always allow for seamless financial aid coverage, which may be creating "leakages" in the community college baccalaureate (CCB) student success pipeline. Additional staff and resources are needed in the areas of admissions, recruitment, and advising. Several new and/or revised operational processes took place in the areas of admissions, recruitment, registration and records, and financial aid. Although student development theories still are seen as an important foundation of Student Affairs work, each college was struggling with their philosophical directions as a CCB institution. Finally, a majority of participants expressed a resistance to the change of becoming a CCB institution, not understanding if they still were a community college or if they were moving closer to becoming a 4-year university.
Identifier: FA00004476 (IID)
Degree granted: Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015.
Collection: FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
Note(s): Includes bibliography.
Subject(s): College personnell management
Community colleges -- Florida -- Administration
Community colleges -- Florida -- Administration
Degrees, Academic -- Florida
Education, Higher -- Aims and objectives
Student affairs services
Universities and colleges -- Florida -- Administration
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004476
Use and Reproduction: Copyright © is held by the author, with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
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Host Institution: FAU
Is Part of Series: Florida Atlantic University Digital Library Collections.