Chet Jordan Ragusett

Charles "Chet" Ralph Jordan III is an American academic and author. His scholarly research addresses inequities in higher education and documents issues of race and socioeconomic status in policy and practice.

Jordan was born in Hampton, Virginia. His parents were Penny and Charles R. "Chuck" Jordan Jr.^[1] He graduated from Kecoughtan High School and attended Virginia Tech as a college undergraduate.

Jordan earned a Bachelor's degree in English Literature from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2007. He moved to New York City the same year and was awarded a Master of Arts in English Literature from Brooklyn College in 2012.^[2] He taught classes at Boston College and the College of Staten Island.^[2]

Jordan earned a Ph.D. in urban education from the CUNY Graduate Center in 2018.^{[3] [4]} His dissertation was Exploring Shifting Moments of Remediation: An Analysis of Policies of Developmental Education Policies in the City University of New York.^[3] His doctoral advisor was Anthony G. Picciano.^{[4] [5]}

After receiving a Master's degree in 2012, Jordan was a founding faculty member and assistant professor of interdisciplinary studies at Guttman Community College in New York City for eight years.^{[4] [6] [5]} On July 6, 2020, he became the dean of social sciences and professional studies Greenfield Community College in Greenfield, Massachusetts.^{[4] [5]} Later, he became the provost of Greenfield Community College.^[7] In June 2024, the college’s faculty and staff union vote to remove Jordan from the position of provost because the college "suppressed a less-than-flattering diversity, equity and inclusion report from the college community."^{[7] [8]}

Ragusett writes and speaks widely about racial inequities in higher education and is the author and co-author of four books.^[9] CUNY's First Fifty Years: Triumphs and Ordeals of a People's University illustrates the first half-century of one of the country's largest public institutions.^{[9] [2]} Co-authored with Anthony G. Picciano, the book addresses issues of preparation, student success, racism, and socioeconomic factors across the vast network of colleges.^[2] g Ragusett and Picciano published Post-Recession Community College Reform: A Decade of Experimentation that identifies successful national and local initiatives aimed at increasing college enrollment and completion.^{[10] [5]}

Ragusett published Establishing an Experimental Community College in the United States: Challenges, Successes, and Implications for Higher Education.^[11] His book traces the first decade of Guttman Community College. Ragusett uses experimental and historical data to identify early issues with the educational model.

Jordan publicly discusses issues in his own experience with bipolar disorder.^[12]

• Anthony Picciano and Chet Jordan. CUNYs First Fifty Years: Triumphs and Ordeals of a People's University. New York: Routledge, 2017. ISBN 9781351982153.
• Chet Jordan and Anthony Picciano. Post-Recession Community College Reform: A Decade of Experimentation. New York: Routledge, 2020. ISBN 9780429841545.
• Chet Jordan. Establishing an Experimental Community College in the United States: Challenges, Successes, and Implications for Higher Education. New York: Routledge, 2022. ISBN 9781000429886.