The Perceptions of Policymakers on the Transfer Pathway in Texas Public
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THE PERCEPTIONS OF POLICYMAKERS ON THE TRANSFER PATHWAY IN TEXAS PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION Kimberly A. Faris Dissertation Prepared for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS May 2016 APPROVED: Amy Fann, Major Professor Beverly Bower, Committee Member Marc Cutright, Committee Member Celia Williamson, Committee Member Daniel Chen, Program Coordinator for Higher Education Jan Holden, Chair of the Department of Counseling and Higher Education Jerry Thomas, Dean of the College of Education Costas Tsatsoulis, Interim Dean of the Toulouse Graduate School Faris, Kimberly. The Perceptions of Policymakers on the Transfer Pathway in Texas Public Higher Education. Doctor of Philosophy (Higher Education), May 2016, 272 pp., 1 table, references, 144 titles. Community college students transfer to public universities experiencing a pathway filled with complexity and inequity. Transfer students are not able to graduate at the same pace as native students at the university and complete their baccalaureate degrees 18% below the rate of native students. Policymakers have attempted to address the baccalaureate gap. This qualitative study explored the perspectives of Texas policymakers and policy influencers on the efficacy of policies intended to improve transfer outcomes. This study investigated what experience participants have with transfer policy, what their perceptions of the transfer pathway are, and how their voices can refine an understanding of policy development and ways to improve student persistence. Purposeful sampling was used to explore the perspectives of 14 Texas policymakers and those that influence policy. Findings revealed that significant gaps exist between expectations and student realities and that the completion agenda is driving policy decisions. Participants perceived that transfer students have been ignored in the completion metrics, which influence institutional priorities. Moreover, the decentralized system of independent, autonomous institutions is a major contributor to inefficiencies such as excessive student credit hours. Improving the transferability of courses was a priority recommendation of all participants both because it benefits the State’s economy and, more importantly, because it is in the best interest of students. Copyright 2016 by Kimberly A. Faris ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to extend my gratitude to Dr. Amy Fann for her guidance throughout my doctoral journey. Dr. Fann has been a supportive mentor by allowing me the opportunity to be a part of her research team and introducing me to qualitative research. I would also like to graciously thank Dr. Celia Williamson, Dr. Marc Cutright and Dr. Beverly Bower for their advice throughout the process. In addition, I want to express my appreciation to the National Institute for the Study of Transfer Students, the Bill J. Priest Center for Community College Education, and UNT’s College of Education for the generous financial support. I want to thank each participant for their time and willingness to discuss their work. I would also like to acknowledge my UNT colleagues: Amanda A., Nydia S., Ruben C., Victoria M., Annie P., Catherine O., Barbara W., Kim L., and Ah Ra C. They provided vital support during my entire program. Additionally, I want to recognize the support from my work family: Dr. Jason Simon, Dr. Allen Clark, Elizabeth Vogt, and Dana Duke. Finally, my family has been incredibly supportive through the program. Their prayers and encouragement have made this degree possible. My deepest appreciation is for my husband, Dr. Logan Faris; my children, Lawson, Zachary, and Abby; my parents Byron and Judy Rowe; and my sister, Sandy Wilcox. Thank you for loving me throughout the last four years. I would like to extend a special thanks to Abby who tirelessly designed bookmarks for each new book I purchased; and for blanketing my desk with post-it notes and drawings to encourage me through the hours spent at the computer. I am especially grateful for the time I spent attending graduate school while my sons worked on their undergraduate degrees. Their hard work and devotion inspired me to keep pressing forward, and to lead by example. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..iii LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….vi THE COMPLETION AGENDA AND TRANSFER STUDENTS: DIVERGENT EXPECTATIONS………..….…..1 Introduction........................................................................................................................1 The Economy Depends on Reducing the Baccalaureate Gap.............................................2 The Importance of Community Colleges and Their Students.............................................4 Aligning Public Priorities with Policy.….………………………….……………………………….................5 Study of the Texas Transfer Pathway.………….....................................................................9 Findings Related to the Literature……………………….……………………………………………………….22 Implications for Policy……………………………………………………………………….…………………………23 Implications for Practice…………………………………………………………………….………………………..28 Recommendations for Future Research……………………………………………….……………………..31 Concluding Remarks…………………………………………………………………………….………………………33 References…………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………….35 Appendices A. PROBLEM, PURPOSE, SIGNIFICANCE, AND DEFINITION OF TERMS……………………43 B. EXTENDED LITERATURE REVIEW ..........................................................................58 C. DETAILED METHODOLOGY .................................................................................121 D. COMPLETE/UNABRIDGED FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS .........................................142 E. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS................................................221 iv F. PARTICIPANT SELECTION................................................................................... 243 G. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR SEMI-STRUCTURED, ELITE INTERVIEWS .............245 H. TEXAS TRANSFER POLICIES AND INITIATIVES ………………………………………………...249 COMPREHENSIVE LIST OF REFERENCES…..................................................................................255 v LIST OF TABLES Page 1. Texas Transfer Policies and Initiatives that Penalize Student Behaviors…….………….........14 vi THE COMPLETION AGENDA AND TRANSFER STUDENTS: DIVERGENT EXPECTATIONS Introduction Higher education in the United States is experiencing pressure to be more accountable to the public for its outcomes (Cohen & Kisker, 2010; Schmidtlein & Berdahl, 2005; Dougherty, Jones, Lahr, Natow, Pheatt, & Reddy, 2013). Pressure from the public and policymakers are making the completion agenda a top priority (Brint, 2011; Hamilton, 2013a; Handel, 2013; Kiley, 2012; Mangan, 2013). This shift has caused a rising sentiment that universities are not adequately focusing on outcomes (Brint, 2011; Cohen & Kisker, 2010; Mangan, 2013; Zusman, 2005). As accountability pressure mounts to demonstrate increased student completions, policymakers assess the effectiveness of institutions and their ability to support students to increase their graduation rates (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board [THECB], 2014b). Degree completion is a “true bottom line” for administrators, policymakers, parents, and students (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005, p. 644). Texas is not immune to the struggle of improving postsecondary participation and success. One category of continuous challenges lies with community college transfer students in their pursuit to the baccalaureate. Of all undergraduate students pursuing degrees and certificates in Texas public institutions, 58.6% are attending two-year colleges (Complete College America, 2011). The rate of these community college students successfully transferring to universities continues to underwhelm, as do the baccalaureate graduation rates of transfer students. Of the estimated 90,000 undergraduate students enrolled in Texas public universities in 2013, roughly 19,000 of them are transfer students representing 21% of the total state undergraduate enrollment (THECB, 2014b, p. 9). However, these 19,000 transfer students are 1 not able to graduate at the same pace as native students at the public university as they require two additional years to complete their baccalaureate degree (THECB, 2014b). There is room to improve the Texas transfer pathway between public institutions when over half of all undergraduates attend public community colleges, but only 21% actually transfer (CCA, 2011; THECB, 2014b). Texas public community college students are a diverse population. Hispanic students comprise 38.8% of the community college population; African American students represent 14.1% of enrollment; and White students comprise 37.2% of the community college population (THECB, 2014c). In Texas, the rate of students receiving a certificate or degree from a Texas colleges and universities within six years of high school graduation is 19.4% (The Texas Tribune, 2013). The graduation rate for full-time Texas students pursuing associates degrees at public institutions entering the fall of 2004 and finishing in four years was 11.2%, while the rate for bachelor’s degree seekers entering in fall 2002, and graduating in eight years was 62.6% (CCA, 2011). These statistics represent the challenge Texas higher education faces in increasing college completion rates, specifically at the associates level. By the year 2020, there will be a 29% skills gap between the jobs requiring career certifications or college degrees and the Texas adults who are