| The purpose of this study was to examine community college student affairs administrators' perceptions of intercollegiate athletics in the community college setting. Participants were student affairs administrators selected from community colleges within the southeastern region of the United States. The researcher sought to determine if relationships existed among the selected community college student affairs administrators' perceptions of intercollegiate athletics in terms of the five variables (student engagement, attractiveness of institution, institution spirit, support of the mission, and financial earnings) and student enrollment. In addition, the researcher sought to determine if relationships existed among the selected community college student affairs administrators' perceptions of intercollegiate athletics in terms of the five variables (student engagement, attractiveness of institution, institution spirit, support of the mission, and financial earnings) and retention rate.;Using a quantitative cross-sectional survey research design, data regarding community college student affairs administrators' perceptions of intercollegiate athletics in terms of the five variables (student engagement, attractiveness of institution, institution spirit, support of the mission, and financial earnings) were collected from a web-based survey. Results from the descriptive analysis of the first research question showed that the majority of community college student affairs administrators' had positive perceptions of the five variables. Results from correlation analysis of the second research question showed no significant relationship existed between community college student affairs administrators' perceptions of intercollegiate athletics in terms of the five variables and student enrollment. Results from correlation analysis of the third research question showed a significant relationship existed between community college student affairs administrators' perceptions of intercollegiate athletics in terms of attractiveness of institution and retention rate. No significant relationships existed between the other five variables and retention rate. While the study yielded significant findings in regard to attractiveness of institution and retention rate, more research is needed on community college administrators, faculty, staff, and students regarding intercollegiate athletics' variables of student engagement, attractiveness of institution, institution spirit, support of mission, and financial earnings. |
