Organizational constraints on campus support programs: A case for former foster care youth

Campus support programs provide targeted services to groups of students throughout their time in college. Some institutions have implemented support programs for former foster care youth, who face lower rates of college retention and graduation than their non-foster peers. These programs must operate within the constraints that colleges and universities impose on them while attempting to maintain program effectiveness. Despite the relevance of the broader university context on campus support program effectiveness, limited studies have examined possible implications of organizational constraints. This study explores organizational constraints and their consequences on campus support programs for former foster care youth. Using an integrated organizational sociology of education framework, we analyzed data from in-depth interviews with 20 program coordinators of campus support programs for former foster care youth across the United States. Results revealed five organizational constraints imposed by the organizational network and structure: limited resource allocation, immobilized information, structural disconnection, conflicting goals, and weak relationships. Our analysis suggests these constraints reinforce each other and undermine program effectiveness. We conclude by discussing the need for additional organizational research on campus support programs, arguing that addressing constraints can lead to a more thorough understanding of their consequences on campus support programs for marginalized student groups.