ERIC Number: ED641115
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 91
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3811-6296-7
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Sustainability and Community Colleges: It's More than Just Recycling
Kimberly O. Hankins
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
The purpose of this study was to examine sustainability policies and practices at community colleges. A social-constructivist worldview guided my exploratory qualitative study that targeted nine sustainability professionals at eight community colleges with enrollment under 10,000 in the midwestern region of the United States. I relied on the principles of narrative and phenomenological research to use open-ended interview questions. I used the three pillars of sustainability: environment, economy, and equity as context for inquiry. I found the following four themes that aligned with my conceptual model: (1) Sustainability/Administration & Operations; (2) Sustainability/Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; (3) Administration & Operations/Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; and (4) The intersection of all three themes. Structure, funding, overlapping mission of equity position and policies were revealed in my analyses, with additional emphases on barriers and opportunities. I identified the most frequent barrier as apathy with both students and administration. Lack of time students are on campus or enrolled in college was another commonly noted barrier. Among opportunities, I found optimism for student engagement and increased support for sustainability initiatives. The study was limited by the sample size. I made recommendations for future studies across the United States, to increase participation by including targeted instructors and DEI officers, and researching overlapping mission of equity in DEI and sustainability programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Community Colleges, Sustainability, School Policy, Economics, Equal Education, Intersectionality, Barriers, Facilities Management, Administration, Learner Engagement, Conservation (Environment)
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education; Two Year Colleges
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A