There is significant emphasis placed on the retention and success rate in community colleges among African-American and Hispanic males. Many are experiencing great problems in our society and within the social structure.
It is common knowledge that community colleges are growing by leaps and bounds, spurred on by the persistence of an economic downturn. Therefore, even with most colleges increasing enrollment, an emerging question is: How effective are community colleges in coping with minority males in retaining them in their institutions through graduation, specifically, by implementing several male initiatives and minority programs that links to the urban high schools: secondary and post- secondary schools?
Many African-American and Hispanic males experience academic distress in community colleges and have frequently been described in research studies as: (a) being from a low social academic background; (b) being a minimal academic achiever; and (c) possessing a general low self-concept. The fact is a large number face depressed socio-economic conditions. In contrast, a number of minority males drop out of community colleges after demonstrating average and above-average academic ability; yet, they make the decision to discontinue their education in most institutions of higher of learning.
Major research efforts have identified a number of factors that tend to impact minority males’ decision to drop or even stop-out of community colleges. Researchers have concluded that the nuclear family, peer groups, community, family-friend system and the school itself are all significant influences that have the potential to contribute to the minority male enigma. Minority male dropout is horrific and institutions need to revise many of their strategies. However, the literature is replete with speculations for this dilemma — that minority males drop out of community colleges for a multitude of reasons.
Recently, renewed attention has been given to minority males, as it relates to dropping out of higher educational institutions. However, a substantial number of minority males are dropping out before graduating and never return to an educational setting. In the community college, minority student degree persistence rates are low with only 14 percent of African-American students and 15 percent of Hispanic students earn a degree or certificate within 3 years. Furthermore, Complete College America states that here in Texas, the outlook is even more dismal with only 9 percent of African-Americans and 11 percent of Hispanics at a community college meeting this goal in the same timeframe. This leaves institutions frantically seeking the salient factors that may be contributing to this dilemma. Some of the reasons discovered include peer pressure, family conflict, low academic achievement, low self-esteem and other economic factors.
Community colleges serve as the gateway to higher education access for millions of Americans. However, despite the pivotal role these institutions play in promoting social equity, they continue to struggle with low persistence and completion rates, particularly among male students of color. The accessibility and relatively low cost of community colleges make them especially appealing to low-income students of color and first generation college students. Unfortunately, research shows that far too few of these students succeed. African-American and Hispanic males are among those students most at risk of failing to graduate from high school and succeed in college. Low levels of engagement in college and lack of academic success among male students of color are persistent concerns among community college administrators, faculty and staff; consequently, institutions are seeking ways to reach out to this population and offer programs that enhance their educational development.
However, some of the contextual and social problems that many minority male students face while enrolled in higher education programs have led to strategies implemented by community colleges in an effort to increase engagement, persistence and completion rates among this declining student population.
