By Jennifer Edwards
While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I attended a community college, a historically black college, and a historically white university. Those experiences at Panola College, Wiley College, and Stephen F. Austin State University shaped my undergraduate career. As an African American female in higher education, the journey had a wealth of academic, social, financial, and family supports and barriers. Despite the barriers, faculty and staff mentors offered support to help me and countless students of color succeed and graduate on time. Most of the faculty were not tenured and most of the staff actually worked behind in the scenes as janitors and individuals in the cafeteria. Everyone has a role in student success.
It’s been more than 10 years since I wrote my dissertation, Supports for barriers to on-time graduation as perceived by African American undergraduate students at historically black colleges and universities and historically white colleges and universities, based on interviews I conducted with 48 students at four institutions in Texas, two HBCUs and two HWCUs. A decade later, I realize that the same supports and barriers experienced by black college students are still relevant in 2019. Those supports and barriers included academic, financial, social and family relationships.
Academic Instruction and Academic Advising
Students attending historically black colleges and universities identified supportive professors as those individuals who: created a classroom of care, enjoyed their academic field and course content, engaged their students in interactive lectures, utilized humor, offered challenging coursework, and clearly explained course material. The same students identified unsupportive professors as those who: did not fully explain material, were perceived to have poor teaching skills, failed to apply class material to class examinations, and treated students poorly.
Black students attending HBCUs and HWCUs preferred professors who enjoy the teaching profession and also who actively engage their students in the classroom. Students also preferred professors who enjoyed their academic field and course content, utilized humor, offered students challenging coursework, and clearly explained course material. Students from HBCUs and HWCUs perceived unsupportive professors as those who did not explain material fully, failed to apply in-class material to class examinations, and failed to treat students well.
When asked to reflect on challenging classes, many differences between students attending HBCUs and HWCUs were apparent. The only similarity between HBCU and HWCU students was the common perception that the course subject matter made the class challenging.
HBCU students identified the following characteristics of challenging classes: the student’s lack of preparation for the classes, professors with negative attitudes, and professors who did not fully explain course material. HWCU students identified challenging classes as those who had professors who were disorganized, had language barriers, or experienced cultural barriers.
HBCU and HWCU students identified their academic advisors as barriers to on-time graduation. The students indicated that their advisors often delivered incorrect information to students and delayed graduation. HBCU students also indicated that credits from other institutions did not transfer to their current HBCU.
Family and Finances
The students from HBCUs only highlighted one common financial barrier to graduation, working while in school. Students from HWCUs identified the following barriers to on-time graduation: the costs of textbooks, the inability to resell textbooks, and having to break from school to earn money for tuition.
HBCU and HWCU students in the study indicated that their families were supportive of their educational endeavors. However, when asked about social supports and barriers, differences between HBCU and HWCU students were apparent. Only students from HBCUs indicated the following barriers: socializing with individuals who do not have similar goals and prioritizing parties over attending classes. HWCU students perceived the inability to stay focused, the inability to meet new people were barriers to on-time graduation. Students attending both types of institutions perceived prioritizing parties over attending classes was a common barrier to on-time graduation.
After completing my dissertation, I began a tenure track position at Tarleton State University in the Communication Studies department. I transitioned to this faculty position from a student services position in student activities at Sam Houston State University. Based on my research and student services experiences at Sam Houston State University, I knew that I wanted to make a difference in the lives Texas college students by integrating high impact practices in the classroom, intentional mentoring for all students, and providing students with early and often feedback. Through my dissertation, I learned a set of best practices for classroom instruction for all students, especially students of color – what to do and what not to do in the classroom.
When I transitioned from the tenured faculty position to an assistant vice president for student services position, I immediately developed a student success and retention plan focused on the four tenets of my dissertation: academic, financial, social and family. Integrating these four areas in each program and service offered for college students will help them through the high school to college to career transition process.
Throughout my higher education career in student affairs and academic affairs, I continue to learn from the areas highlighted in my dissertation. However, two primary lessons for higher education professions emerged from my dissertation: 1) listen to students before making a decision for them and 2) attempt to understand the student experience from a cultural perspective.
Dr. Jennifer Edwards’ dissertation, “Supports for and barriers to on-time graduation as perceived by African American undergraduate students at historically black colleges and universities and historically white colleges and universities” received the Dissertation of the Year Award from the Texas Association College and University Student Personnel Administrators.
