State mandates are currently seeking means to create heightened accountability within academic institutions to produce evidence of learning. Community colleges across the nation have attempted to enhance academic success and retention of minority students. As a result, minority student learning and retention must be a college wide commitment that includes the communicative appreciation of students' cultural and social capital which they bring to the classroom. This phenomenological study examined the perceptions of the 14 English and Speech instructors from two community colleges regarding community college faculty members' experiences in exhibiting communication competence within English and Speech courses. Three common themes emerged; interconnectivity of educational experiences; acknowledgement of cultural influences within a classroom setting; and the embracing of academic remediation. Implications for practitioners and recommendations for future research are also discussed.
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