In March 2013, CCURI conducted a study of the barriers that exist with respect to undergraduate
research at a community college. The participants were grouped according to the undergraduate
research model they were adopting and categorized as:




Modifying an existing course to create a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience
(CURE)
Creating a new course to create a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE)
Creating a Summer-based Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) where students
would be engaged in research over some period of time during the summer
Creating a Program-based Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE) where students
would engage in research across multiple courses within a degree program.
The participants were initially asked to brainstorm all of the key steps and tasks that are required in
order to create their assigned model (CURE, SURE, PURE). They were then asked to brainstorm all of
the potential and realized barriers that they have faced in developing their model. The results of
this brainstorm activity were collected and assembled on a matrix, with the tasks forming the rows
and the barriers as columns. The faculty were handed the matrix and first asked to look at each of
the tasks listed for the various research models and weigh the level of importance of that task with
respect to developing the CURE, SURE or PURE. The participants were then asked to measure (rate)
the strength of the specific barriers to conducting undergraduate research at the community
college level.
Below are tables with the primarily results. The first column lists the undergraduate research model, the
second lists the top 3 tasks to implementation of that model and the third lists the top 3 barriers to
implementation.
Please share solutions that you have to the barriers based on your experiences. You may work in groups
or as individuals.
School________________________________________________________
Research Model
Task
Top 3 Barriers
Lack of time
Identify a course and obtain
approval
No release time to work on
course
Lack of faculty buy-in
Lack of time
Barrier Analysis for CURE;
Modify Existing Course
Identify Research Project
No release time to conduct
research
No release time to work on
course
Inadequate funding
Lack of time
Obtain Funding for Research
Supplies/Equipment
Lack of Admin support
Solutions
Lack of Funding
Gain Administrative Support
Lack of help from
fac/admin/staff
Curriculum approval process
Faculty pushback
Barrier Analysis for CURE;
Create New Course
Gain Department Support
Lack of help from
fac/admin/staff
Curriculum approval process
Financial Aid restrictions
Recruit Students
Lack of help from fac/admin,
staff
Credit limit regulations
Complex student lives
Lack of student incentives
Recruit Students
Financial aid Regulations
Budget/Financial issues
Lack of admin support
Barrier Analysis for SURE
Develop Budget
Faculty Load/compensation
Budget/Financial Issues,
Lack of admin support
Obtain Funding
Enrollment policies
Lack of faculty support
No release time for development
Get Department Support
High cost for low numbers
High cost for low numbers
Lack of admin support
Barrier Analysis for PURE
Get Administrator Support
High program costs
Lack of admin support
Lack of faculty support
Develop Sustainability Plan
High cost for low numbers