The Experiences of Undergraduate Students
during the Great Recession at a
Flagship University
An Ecological Analysis of Student Retention
Pilar Mendoza, Ed.D.
Zaria Malcolm, Ph.D.
Nancy Parish, Ph.D. Candidate
The Great Recession
Downturn that began in 2007 has effected many
sectors of society (Clarke, 2010)
Unemployment and foreclosures has effected many
college students’ families
1 in 6 students reportedly forced to change college plans
as a result of economic circumstances (College Board,
2009)
Purpose of the Study
Decades of research shows that college affordability is a
significant factor on student retention (Perna, 2006; Chen,
2008; Hossler, Ziskin, Gross, Kim, & Cekic, 2009)
The real cost of a college education has climbed almost 30%
in the past 10 years (Cellini, 2008) and financial aid is not
growing at the same pace as college costs (Long, 2010)
Therefore, this study investigated qualitatively how
undergraduate students experienced the Great Recession at
a flagship university and how this experience relate to their
retention
Theoretical Perspectives
Premise: Students’ success depends on how much they
believe they can succeed (Bandura, Barbaranelli, &
Caprara, 1996) and on the environmental conditions
that enable students to realize their expectations of
success (Tinto, 2010)
STUDENT X ENVIROMENT = SUCCESS
Theoretical Framework: Bronfrenbrenner’s ecological
systems theory (1993) and Tinto’s institutional
conditions for student retention (2010)
Tinto (2010): Institutional Conditions
for Retention
There are four environmental conditions at the
institutional level that allows students to realize their
expectations of success:
Expectations
Feedback
Involvement
Support
Bronfrenbrenner (1993)
Ecological Systems Theory accounts for the influences of
individuals (person), their interactions with the
environment and the responses they provoke from the
environment (process), their interactions within immediate
settings (context), and changing sociocultural influences on
development (time)
The elements of person, process, context, and time (PPCT)
create a developmental environment unique to an
individual that shapes their growth
This environment is the result of five nested environmental
systems: microsystem, mesosytem, exosystem, macrosystem,
and chronosytem
Bronfrenbrenner (1993)
Microsystem: Face-to-face settings containing the individual such as housing,
classes, student organizations, employment, friendships, living situations,
family, community, church, etc.
Mesosystem: Interactions/processes among microsystems for example,
employment influence in classes taking; influence of friendships in social
activities, etc.
Exosystem: Social setting in which the individual does not have an active role
and the individual's immediate context. For example, institutional policies,
financial aid, students’ family labor conditions, etc.
Macrosystem: Describes the broader political, economical, social and cultural
context in which individuals live
Chronosystem: The patterning of environmental events and transitions over
the life course, as well as socio-historical circumstances (when and where)
Bronfrenbrenner (1993) Applied to
Campus Environments
Graph from Renn (2003) p. 388
Theoretical Framework: The Ecology
of Student Retention
Bronfrenbrenner (1993)
Tinto (2010)
Nested Environments
Conditions for Student Retention
Student
Microsystem
Self-Expectations and behaviors
Mesosystem
Feedback
Involvement
Exosystem
Support and Expectations
Macrosystem
Economic & Political Climate
Chronosystem
Flagship University in the Great Recession
Research Design
Participants: 45 undergraduates
~40% African-American
~24% Hispanic
~7% Asian
~29% White
~55% with income above $40,000
Data collection: 30-45 minutes face-to-face open-ended
interviews
Typological analysis (Hatch, 2002)
Interview Protocol
Bronfrenbrenner (1993)
Nested Environments
Tinto (2010)
Interview Protocol
Conditions for Student
Retention
Questions
Student
Self-Expectations and
behaviors
Aspirations
Microsystem
Feedback
Mesosystem
Engagement
High school and college
experiences
Academic and social
integration
Exosystem
Support and Expectations
Familial and community
environment
Financial aid
Family support
Interactions with faculty
and staff
Macrosystem
Economic & Political
Climate
Experiences related to the
Great Recession
Findings
Graph 1. The Impact of the Great Recession on Students based on the Study Typologies by the Levels of the Brofenbrenner’s Ecological Systems
Theory model (1993)
Great Recession
Macrosystem
Exosystem
Family
economic/labor
conditions
Parental
Financial
Support
Anxiety
Financial
Aid
Aspirations
Student
Time in College
Financial
Behavior
Microsystem
Mesosystem
Life style
Housing
Employment
Institutional Choice
Social &
Academic
Integration
Chronosystem: Great Recession at a Flagship Institution
Thank you.