John Fisher College Fisher Digital Publications Education Doctoral Ralph C. School of Education 12-2015 Measures of Success: Developing an Understanding of Students Enrolled in Community College Educational Opportunity Programs in the State University of New York System Christopher Lawrence Hockey St. John Fisher College, clh02972@students.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://fisherpub.edu/education_etd Part of the Education Commons How has open access to Fisher Digital Publications benefited you? Recommended Citation Hockey, Christopher Lawrence, "Measures of Success: Developing an Understanding of Students Enrolled in Community College Educational Opportunity Programs in the State University of New York System" (2015). Please note that the Recommended Citation provides general citation information and may not be appropriate for your discipline.
To receive help in creating a citation based on your discipline, please visit http://libguides. This document is posted at https://fisherpub.edu/education_etd/238 and is brought to you for free and open access by Fisher Digital Publications at St. John Fisher College. For more information, please contact fisherpub@sjfc.
Measures of Success: Developing an Understanding of Students Enrolled in Community College Educational Opportunity Programs in the State University of New York System Abstract Community colleges have become a major national- and state-level focal point to increase the number of credentials awarded. Academically underprepared students may not be entering community colleges to earn a credential. This quantitative study examined students enrolled in community college Educational Opportunity Programs (EOPs) in the State University of New York from the perspectives of student- defined goal completion, self-efficacy, and perceptions of the EOP. The study used secondary data available from the State University of New York’s Office of Institutional Research as well as an online survey instrument.
Results of the study showed a multivariate relationship between goal completion, enrollment in EOP, race, and type of self-defined goal. The study also revealed that students perceived additional financial aid assistance as the most influential component of the EOP. A positive correlation was found between the social and course self-efficacy subscales. As a result of the study, community colleges are encouraged to examine their policies and practices around EOP enrollment, advisement, and services provided.
Document Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Education (EdD) Department Executive Leadership First Supervisor Theresa L. Pulos Second Supervisor Linda Hickmon Evans Subject Categories Education This dissertation is available at Fisher Digital Publications: https://fisherpub.edu/education_etd/238 Measures of Success: Developing an Understanding of Students Enrolled in Community College Educational Opportunity Programs in the State University of New York System By Christopher Lawrence Hockey Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Ed. in Executive Leadership Supervised by Theresa L. Committee Member Linda Hickmon Evans, Ph.
School of Education St. John Fisher College December 2015 Copyright by Christopher Lawrence Hockey 2015 Dedication This journey would not have been possible without the help and support of so many people. First and foremost, I must acknowledge the endless support of my wife, Melissa. I can’t thank you enough for tending to every aspect of our life while I pursued this dream.
I’m grateful for your endless patience and understanding and also for your constant encouragement to just get it done. I love you dearly. To my parents, Sharlene and Dennis, thank you for always believing in me and always encouraging me to do better. Theresa Pulos, my dissertation chair, you have taught me the value of high expectations, and your unwavering commitment to my success has been invaluable.
I truly hope I have surpassed your expectations. To my committee member, Dr. Linda Hickmon Evans, you have provided me with so much emotional support and have been an amazing cheerleader of my accomplishments; I thank you for that. Michael Robinson and the rest of the St.
John Fisher faculty, the knowledge you have imparted and the lessons you have taught me are immeasurable. To my fellow Dreamcatchers, Loretta and Susan, thank you for being such wonderful team members and supporting me throughout this experience. Cathy, my “school sister,” your friendship and support has been a significant factor in my success. I know, without a doubt, I would not have gotten through this experience without your humor, advice, and encouragement.
iii I would not have thought to pursue this degree if it weren’t for the mentorship and guidance of Dr. You have always been an amazing mentor and friend to me, and I can only aspire to achieve the wisdom you have always demonstrated; I am eternally grateful. I also must acknowledge the support, guidance, and teachings of my Executive Mentors, Dr. James Sunser and Dr.
Clemo, you have provided me with the belief that I can achieve anything that I desire and that I am capable of more than I imagine. Lastly, I dedicate this journey and dissertation to my daughters, Kaelyn and Madison. Your love of learning, exploration, and fun have been an inspiration to me during the length of this program. I hope this work, in turn, inspires you to achieve all of your hopes and dreams and that you never stop learning.
Your daddy loves you. iv Biographical Sketch Christopher Lawrence Hockey is currently the Associate Director of Transfer Success & Technology at the State University of New York. Hockey attended the State University of New York College of Oswego from 1997-2002 and graduated with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Political Science in 2002. He attended Syracuse University from 2003-2006 and graduated with a Master of Sciences degree in Higher Education Administration in 2006.
He came to St. John Fisher College in the fall of 2013 and began doctoral studies in the Ed. Program in Executive Leadership. Hockey pursued his research in developing an understanding of self-efficacy and student-defined goal completion of students enrolled in community college educational opportunity programs in the State University of New York under the direction of Dr.
Pulos and Dr. Linda Hickmon Evans and received the Ed. v Abstract Community colleges have become a major national- and state-level focal point to increase the number of credentials awarded. Academically underprepared students may not be entering community colleges to earn a credential.
This quantitative study examined students enrolled in community college Educational Opportunity Programs (EOPs) in the State University of New York from the perspectives of student-defined goal completion, self-efficacy, and perceptions of the EOP. The study used secondary data available from the State University of New York’s Office of Institutional Research as well as an online survey instrument. Results of the study showed a multivariate relationship between goal completion, enrollment in EOP, race, and type of self-defined goal. The study also revealed that students perceived additional financial aid assistance as the most influential component of the EOP.
A positive correlation was found between the social and course self-efficacy subscales. As a result of the study, community colleges are encouraged to examine their policies and practices around EOP enrollment, advisement, and services provided. vi Table of Contents Dedication. iii Biographical Sketch.
vi Table of Contents. vii List of Tables. ix Chapter 1: Introduction. 14 Statement of Purpose.
21 Potential Significance of the Study. 22 Definitions of Terms. 24 Chapter 2: Review of the Literature. 26 Introduction and Purpose.
26 Review of the Literature. 51 Chapter 3: Research Design Methodology. 58 Instruments Used in Data Collection. 62 Summary of Methodology.
66 Archival Analysis and Findings. 67 Survey Analysis and Findings. 84 Implications of Findings. 86 Limitations of the Study.
131 viii List of Tables Item Title Page Table 3.1 Characteristics of Selected Institutions 56 Table 4.1 Cell Counts of Log-Linear Analysis of EOP Goal Completion 76 Table 4.2 Self-Efficacy Scale Descriptive Statistics 78 Table 4.3 Correlations Between Course and Social Self-Efficacy Scores and EOP Perceptions 79 Table 4.4 Student Perceptions of EOP Services 80 ix Chapter 1: Introduction Introduction There is a clear emphasis on community colleges as a starting point for career advancement or attainment of higher education. President Barack Obama and New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo have made references to the importance of community colleges and announced initiatives to support community college growth and success (Cuomo, 2015; Stratford, 2015). The most recent figures from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) (2015) show that community college enrollment totals approximately 7 million students across approximately 1,100 institutions in the United States. Current analysis shows that, through 2018, jobs requiring an associate degree are projected to increase at double the rate of those jobs that require no college experience (Carnevale, Smith, & Strohl, 2010).
It is also projected that, overall, public institution enrollment will increase by 15% between 2010 and 2021 (Hussar & Bailey, 2014). Aud et al. (2010) reported that undergraduate enrollment at community colleges could increase to as high as 8. Community colleges are an integral part of the higher education system in the United States, but there is very little that is consistent between them.
Each community college offers a wide range of academic programs and credentials. In contrast with the homogenous demographics of public and private 4-year campuses, community colleges are the primary educational provider for a wide range of students with an equally wide range of goals (Townsend & Twombly, 2007). The variety 1 of academic programs offered and the range of student services that community colleges provide speaks to the challenge that each institution has in identifying any one specific mission. While this variation in academic programming and student support offerings create a challenge for an institution’s ability to develop a specific identity, one clearly defined and unified mission of all community colleges is to provide access for low- income populations (Boggs, 2011; Boswell & Wilson, 2004; Bragg & Durham, 2012).
Community colleges are often a major access point for low-income students. With access to a lower tuition rate, students from low socio-economic households find community colleges to be a more attainable educational option. According to the Southern Education Foundation (2015), 48% of the students in 2011 enrolled in public schools in New York State were living in low socio-economic households. Students who come from low socio-economic households are at significant risk for failing to earn any credential or transfer to baccalaureate-offering institutions (Bailey, Jenkins, & Leinbach, 2005e).
New York State’s Educational Opportunity Program (EOP), in an effort to provide access and support to economically disadvantaged students, was developed in 1967 at Buffalo State College, and it expanded to 30 campuses by 1970 (State University of New York [SUNY] at New Paltz, 2009). The State University of New York (SUNY) system has 32 community colleges; 14 provide an EOP. According to SUNY Document No. 3600 entitled, Guidelines for the Operation of Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) (State University of New York [SUNY], 1970), the purpose of the Educational Opportunity Program is to “combine access, academic support and supplemental financial assistance to make higher education possible for students who have the potential to succeed, despite poor preparation and 2 limited financial resources” (p.
Students enrolled in community college EOPs are representative of economically disadvantaged students throughout the SUNY system. Bailey and Morest (2006) and Burns (2010) reported that low-income students are more likely to experience additional challenges to their educational attainment, such as caring for children, single parenting, commuting, and working part or full time, making EOPs a viable opportunity. While admissions requirements vary from campus to campus, EOP applicants must be a New York State resident for 12 months prior to enrollment, and they have to be ineligible for admission under traditional standards; however, they must demonstrate the potential for completion of a college-level program (SUNY, 2015). Students who enter the EOPs are demographically diverse, ranging in age, race, ethnicity, and gender.
That diversity also applies to students’ educational goals. There is a misconception that all community college students enter the institutions with the goal of achieving an associate degree and to transfer thereafter to a 4-year institution to achieve a bachelor’s degree (Bailey, Jenkins, & Leinbach, 2005d).