Urban Student Success and
Inclusive Decision Making
A Presentation by
Chantae Recasner, Ph.D. and Tracy Hall,
Ed.D
Key Concepts
Urban
Student Success
•Not just a euphemism for Black, •Passing courses
or African American
•Completion of degree
•
When used as reference to Black,
“urban” perpetuates white
•Successful
supremacist notions of danger, filth,
and ugliness (Hayden, 2003)
A social geographic reference
that characterizes contested,
politicized public spaces
•Connotes the struggles of
various “othered” groups
•
American Association of Community Colleges
Annual Convention, April 9-12, 2011, New
Orleans
transfer
What is the Value of a Culturally
Responsive Paradigm?
Core Components of
Cultural
Responsiveness
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Multidimensional
Comprehensive
Transformative
Culture Counts
Cultural Diversity is a
Strength
Test Scores are Symptoms/
Failure is a Symptom
Traditional Reform Doesn’t
Work
Intention without Action is
Insufficient
Empowering
Cultural
Responsiveness
Validating
Impact
Emancipatory
of Cultural Responsiveness
Cultural Responsiveness =Action
Action = Inclusion
American Association of Community Colleges
Annual Convention, April 9-12, 2011, New
Orleans
Campus Profile:
CINCINNATI STATE TECHNICAL & COMMUNITY
COLLEGE
Average age 27.1
Age 22 and under 44%
Age 23 or older 56%
Part-time student 60%
Full-time student 40%
Employed full-time 38%
Male 46% Female 54%
Caucasian 65%
African-American 23%
Asian 2%
Hispanic/Latino 1%
International 4%
Other 1%
Non disclosed ethnicity 8%
Receive financial assistance
66%
Parents highest education high
school diploma or GED 35%
Earned a GED 9%
Need remediation 86%
Non-traditional
College Students
Gender, Race,
Ethnicity, and
Language
Diversity
Access and
Learning
Challenges
“At the age of twelve I had a son
that I was fully responsible for
and I had no clue how to take care
of him. I remember trying to fix
his first bottle, I felt so ashamed
of myself because I could not
read the directions on the back of
the container.”
“When it comes to literacy I
might have been considered as
an illiterate in this society if you
only see it one way. And
sometimes I wonder when we
label people as been literate and
illiterate if we have taken people
like me into consideration.”
“Once I started the classes
to obtain my G.E.D. my selfesteem started to build and I
started to feel alive. The
process was slow but I was
learning…”
Example of Culturally Responsive
Practices in Teaching and
Leadership
•
Innovation
•
Paradigm shift about technology
•
•
•
Cell phone is no longer a distraction in classrooms
(teaching)
Move beyond Blackboard or Angel and communicate via
text, twitter, and facebook—i.e. using hashtags to create
community (leadership)
Impact
•
•
•
Bridging the digital divide
Direct, personal contact with students
Enhanced student engagement
American Association of Community Colleges
Annual Convention, April 9-12, 2011, New Orleans
Fall 2010 Student Body Profile:
STLCC-Forest Park
53%
African
American
63%
Female
Age: 30
8,721
Students
51% St.
Louis
City
Residents
65%
Part-time
93%
Degree
Seekers
American Association of Community Colleges
St. Louis Community College
Graduation Rates:
College-Ready
Fall, 2005 Cohort (New, 1st
Graduation Rates:
Developmental
Fall, 2005 Cohort (New, 1st
time degree-seeking students)
3 Years:
7% African-American
24% Caucasian
5 Years:
13% African-American
34% Caucasian
time degree-seeking students)
3 Years:
5% African-American
12% Caucasian
5 Years:
10% African-American
22% Caucasian
American Association of Community Colleges
STLCC-Forest Park
2011-2012 Strategic Priorities
I. Increase Distance Education
offerings/Quality
II. Expand K-12 Outreach
III. Expand Outreach to working
adults
IV. Increase Student Success in
Developmental Courses
V. Increase Success in Gateway
and 100-level Courses
VI. Increase enrollment, retention,
and student success in CTE
Programs
VII. Enhance Workforce
Development Partnerships
VIII. Expand cultural diversity and
global citizenship
American Association of Community Colleges
Discussion
Cultural Responsiveness = Action
Action = Inclusion
Discuss ways your campus/Institution uses
data to inform your decision-making and
planning, and respond to the needs of
current and future students.
American Association of Community Colleges
Questions and Answers
American Association of Community Colleges
Annual Convention, April 9-12, 2011, New
Orleans
Thank You
Dr. Chantae Recasner
Department of English and Literature
Cincinnati State Technical & Community College
Chantae.Recasner@cincinnatistate.edu
(513) 569-1724
Dr. Tracy D. Hall
Vice President for Academic Affairs
St. Louis Community College-Forest Park
Thall80@stlcc.edu
314-644-9280
American Association of Community Colleges
Annual Convention, April 9-12, 2011, New
Orleans