Mapping Changes in Inequity and Disparity of Latina/o Participation in Community Colleges Among Students, Faculty, and Administrators: 2003 to 2013

• In Event: 26.043 - Challenging the Discourse on Latinas/os in Community Colleges

Abstract

Purpose

Research has found that Latina/os overwhelmingly opt to enroll in community colleges compared to other sectors (Kurlaender, 2006). Yet, what little is known about participation rates comes from aggregate national data or is limited to states with large and historic Latina/o populations, even though Latina/o (im)migration, growth, and college participation varies regionally and is changing fastest in areas with little previous Latino presence (Wortham, Murillo, & Hamann, 2002). The purpose of this study is to map changes in (in)equitable Latino/a participation in community colleges across all U.S. states over the last decade to reveal where inequity may be relatively most pressing currently.

Conceptual Framework

This study leverages Academic Equity Indices (AEIs; Bensimon, Hao, & Bustillos, 2003, 2006; Perna, Li, Walsh, & Raible, 2010) to quantify Latina/o participation in community colleges. AEIs are expressed as a ratio which captures a particular group’s proportional representation in an institution vis-à-vis a reference group. AEIs are succinct and readily interpretable, thus allowing for the summary and review of large amounts of data across space and time.

Methods

Employing longitudinal descriptive analysis of state-level data, I consider three indices; one related to access: (a) Latina/o community college enrollment vs. high school graduates; and two others related to institutional receptivity: (b) the proportion of Latina/o faculty and administrators vs. college graduates, and (c) the proportion of Latina/o faculty and administrators vs. Latina/o student enrollment.

Data

Data come from ten years (2003 to 2013) of data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) and the U.S. Census Bureau.

Preliminary Results

Preliminary results show that on average enrollment has become more equitable nationwide: from 0.75 (n=44) in 2003 to 0.98 (n=41) in 2012, whereas inequity among faculty and administrative ranks has been flat at 0.70 (n=31), thus leading to a generally widening disparity between students and faculty/administrators. These national figures, however, hide divergent state-level trends of varying improving and worsening inequity which are explored in the full study. Lastly, I report the results of adjusted AEIs in light of background population shifts (based on U.S. Census trends), a previously-noted limitation of AEIs (Bensimon, et al., 2003).

Significance

This study problematizes the widely-reported general increase in participation of Latina/os in community colleges by detailing regional and historic patterns of changing (in)equity. The findings underscore the importance of considering jointly the enrollment of Latina/os, their representation among the faculty and administrators, and background demographic trends which may exacerbate the disparity between the two groups. Indeed, an understanding of this disparity is critical given evidence for the influence that faculty and administrators from similar backgrounds can have on the success of Latina/o students through leadership and involvement (e.g., Gutierrez, Castañeda, & Katsinas, 2002; Hagedorn, Chi, Cepeda, & McLain, 2007; Umbach, 2006). The findings have implications for policy makers and practitioners who must consider the relative urgency of demographics and what cultural capital (Quezada & Louque, 2004; Yosso, 2005) and funds of cultural knowledge (Kiyama, 2010) they might attract or mobilize among their Latina/o residents to achieve equitable participation.

Author

• Deryl Keith Hatch, University of Nebraska-Lincoln