Associate Professor
Counseling and Higher Education (CAHE)
Xiaodan Hu, Ph.D. is an associate professor in higher education and student affairs and coordinator of the Community College Leadership Program. Professor Hu teaches courses related to higher education administration, finance and policy and community college leadership.
Her research typically employs quantitative methods to examine the impact of educational policy and initiatives on student success and the evolving priorities of colleges and universities, with a focus on educational equity in community colleges. Hu has recently published in prestigious journals, including AERA Open, American Educational Research Journal, Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, Educational Policy, Educational Researcher, Research in Higher Education, The Journal of Higher Education and Community College Review on topics such as dual enrollment, performance-based funding and community college baccalaureate programs. Hu currently serves as a member-at-large on the board of directors for the Council for Studies of Community Colleges. She has received research grants from the William T. Grant Foundation, American Educational Research Association and Illinois Community College Board for research on bridging research, policy and practices in postsecondary education.