“You’ve Got to Put the Student First”: Faculty Advisors as Educators and Emotional Laborers in Community College Baccalaureate Contexts

Abstract

Objective: Given funding concerns and heightened work expectations at baccalaureate degree-granting community colleges, we set out to understand faculty advisors’ emotional labor in such context. Methods: We conducted a supra analysis, which is a form of secondary analysis of qualitative data. Existing interview data were drawn from a mixed-methods study focused on changes in academic advising policies and practices at baccalaureate degree-granting community colleges. Results: We identified three interrelated themes: (a) putting students first; (b) overextending oneself selflessly; and (c) pressures of neoliberalism and bureaucratic checkpoints. Conclusion/Contributions: This work addresses an important gap in the literature as it pertains to the complexities of the work and professional lives of community college faculty at CCB-conferring colleges. In addition to highlighting the emotional labor of CCB faculty advisors, this work further illuminates how community colleges have “normalized emotional labor as part of the community college faculty role”.