Institutional Causes of Academic Probation Among Latino Male Students in Community College

• In Event: Pathways From the Community College: Building Successful Practices for Latino Males in the Community College

Abstract

Previous research on community college students has demonstrated the challenges that Latino males encounter upon enrollment, including financial (Salinas & Hidrowoh, 2018), gender role conflict (Saenz et al, 2013) and lack of academic engagement (Ingram & Gonzalez-Mattews, 2013). One of the best practices identified by researchers that support Latino males is increased engagement and the role that institutional agents play in supporting students that often comes in the form of a program (Dowd et al, 2013; Tovar, 2015). However, the success that is developed from these types of practices only benefits a select group of students and not the larger population. Despite an increase on Latino males in community colleges, little is known about the impact that institutional practices have on for Latino males.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the institutional practices that cause Latino males to fall under academic probation or leave college. While there is extensive research that chronicles the struggles of men of color (Vasquez & Wood, 2015; Wood, Palmer, & Harris, 2015), limited empirical work exists that explores the causes of academic probation from an institutional standpoint.

This paper draws from individual and focus group interviews with 36 Latino male students and 27 faculty and student services staff members at Hilltop Community College (HCC), a Hispanic-Serving Institution, in the Western region of the U.S. with an 80% Latina/o student enrollment. Using Grounded Theory, (Charmaz, 1990; 1996) the authors conducted an institutional analysis to understand the campus culture, services and experiences that students had with student services and faculty. In using Grounded Theory, the researchers were concerned with substantive theory that is useful to practice (Corbin & Strauss, 2015). Interviews were conducted with faculty and staff to explore their understanding of the experience of Latino males and the various campus services offered to students. Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted with students on academic probation to explore the causes for probation and the factors that prevented them from engaging on campus and using resources.

Findings demonstrate a gap that existed between institutional practices and student needs. Despite the campus making a concerted effort to diversify its student services staff, staff members possessed the same deficit perspectives of Latino males. The college had identified and implemented several new practices to streamline services for students, such as new student orientation and financial aid disbursement, but these services created new barriers for students. Additionally, despite many faculty members being supportive and engaging Latino males, other faculty members acted as gatekeepers and prevented students from accessing course materials and other information that would allow them to succeed in their courses. This paper attempts to highlight “how” and “what” community colleges can do to help Latino male students move from individual and unstructured movements to pathways of success. This paper will help researchers and practitioners understand how to better serve Latino male community college students from an organizational perspective.

Authors

• Eligio Martinez, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

• Adrian H. Huerta, University of Southern California