An Examination of factors that shape African-American student participation within student equity program development in California community colleges

The purpose of this grounded theory case study is to examine factors that shape African American students' participation in student equity program development. There is lack of existing information about African American students in community colleges who serve dual roles as beneficiaries and developers of student support programs. Through qualitative methods including interviews, document review, and researcher notes, this study explores factors that affect student participation in program development process. Student equity program development process occur with little to no student input. Yet, institutions are concerned with why program's failure to retain these students increases. This study explored African American students experience at community colleges, institutional barriers to student participation and student's role in shared governance process. The goal of this study is to explore factors that hinder student participation during program development process for greater program improvement. The result of the study showed that validating African American students' sense of belonging is crucial to participation, institutional politics can serve as barrier to student participation and African American students can be effective with proper training in share governance as the development of student equity programs occur.