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Understanding Graduation Rates By Sex By Evaluating The Quality Of Student Interactions With Faculty And Academic Advisors, Michael John Bolen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to assess whether student satisfaction with faculty and academic advisors varied based on the sex of the student and the students’ academic college at a large public university in the Southeast. With the university aiming to improve its graduation rates, particularly male graduation rates, the Theory of Student Departure was used as a guide in identifying student interactions with faculty and academic advisors as potential factors impacting student persistence to graduation. Previous research suggests that the quality of the interactions that students have with faculty and academic advisors can vary based on the sex …

Academic Advisors' Perceptions Of Implicit Bias In Interactions With Students: An Exploratory Case Study, Bobby A. Brown

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Academic advisors are crucial to the success of students who attend higher education institutions (e.g., Himes, 2014; Paul & Fitzpatrick, 2015; Smith, 2005). They guide students to complete their degrees in a timely progression and serve as a contact for students to help increase a sense of belonging on college campuses. Higher education literature presented evidence that suggested academic advisors demonstrate implicit bias while interacting with students they advise (e.g., Bahr, 2008; Grau & Zotos, 2016). Implicit bias may expose academic advisors to errors in judgment and decision making while assisting students. The purpose of this qualitative case study was …

Designation, Stagnation, And Representation: A Qualitative Exploration Of The Self-Perception Of Power Among Ncaa Division I Senior Woman Administrators, Tayler M. Onion

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite significant growth and advancement for women and girls participating in sports, we have not seen the same trend for women in leadership roles in athletics – even with the introduction of the Senior Woman Administrator (SWA) designation. The SWA designation was implemented in 1989 to ensure that at least one woman would be involved with the leadership of athletic departments following the NCAA’s takeover of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) in 1981. Confusion and misperceptions have surrounded the role, and, as a result, impacted the women who serve in it. This study’s phenomenological design aimed to …

African American Males' Perception Of Factors That Contribute To Success In Higher Education, Gary D. Oliver

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Over the past decades, many studies have concluded that African American students' college completion rate and success lag far behind other students attending college in the United States (The JBHE Foundation, Inc., 2006). More specifically, these studies have confirmed that African American male students' success rates remain disproportionally low compared to other ethnic male groups. Unfortunately, few notable studies identifying African American males achieving higher education or completing their academic pursuits have been presented as part of the Black male student narrative.

This study aimed to understand better the resources and experiences that positively affect African American males who completed …

Remnants Of Educational Leadership And Desegregation Etched In The Memories Of Black Educational Leaders: An Oral History, Janice Barge Clarke

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this study the experiences of Black (a.k.a. African Americans/ Negroes) educationalleaders were explored focusing on the period during the transition to a more desegregated public- school setting in the state of Florida. Using retrospective storytelling and reflections of ‘leading’ during desegregation, the lived experiences of those in educational leadership roles were captured in the form of oral histories and analyzed using critical race theory. The effects of desegregation is recounted from their vantage point, from the dissolution of the ‘all Black’ schools to the impact it had on the communities. The research question was: What are the stories told …

Male Student Experiences In Community-Based Federal Work-Study (Cbfws): Exploring The Relationship Of Cbfws To Academic Performance, Career Readiness, And Social Support, Dustin Krein

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a form of student employment in postsecondary education funded by a student’s financial aid. At the University of South Florida (Tampa campus), in the Community-Based Federal Work-Study (CBFWS) program managed by the Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships (OCEP), there has been a decreasing rate of participation among its male students compared to female students. This study examined the experiences and perspectives of male students in CBFWS at USF. The study was guided by one central research question with three sub-questions: From the perspective of the male student participants, what is their CBFWS experience in relation …

Exploring The Relationship Between Student Expected Engagement And Referrals To The Behavioral Intervention Team, Makenzie R. Schiemann

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Higher education administrators are tasked with supporting and retaining students with increasing needs. These needs often include emotional and mental health issues but can worsen to include suicidality and violence toward others. Traditional campus approaches for supporting students and intervening for violence, such as counseling and campus safety, have been reactionary rather than proactive. Behavioral Intervention Teams (BITs) have emerged as a mechanism for heading off violence before it occurs while also supporting students who may never engage in violence but need support. These teams were born out of the concept that violence is preventable and have grown into a …

Comparing Participants In Discipline And Non-Discipline Specific First-Year Seminars: A Study On Student Characteristics, Expectations, And Changes In Major, Caroline Kaufmann Twachtman

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

First-year seminar (FYS) courses tend to focus on preparing students for successful academic and social integration into the college environment. Many of the studies on FYS courses focus on measuring outcomes such as college grades, retention, and graduation rates. While there is notable documentation of several different types of FYS courses, relatively few studies compare the different types of FYS courses. What, if any, differences might there be in the profiles of students who take either type of course? Is there a certain type of student that enrolls in the discipline-specific course, or a certain type of student that enrolls …

Poetic Justice: A Counter-Narrative Of The First Black Male Principal In A Coastal Community Since The Desegregation Era, Adrian Anthony

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Entering a new school as a new principal, and the first black male administrator in a community since the desegregation era, was fraught with challenges that have a universal cadence. Additionally, the three-year school turnaround initiative I entered had its own unique barriers. My voice quivers, my head sinks low, my eyes averted but this no more, for I uphold the mantle of men of bronze, for I will lead within this challenge and my voice will go on (Anthony, 2020). Using critical race theory as a framework with counter-storytelling I examined leadership and different forms of racial and gender …

Do I Belong? What Students Teach Us About Belonging To A New University, Jennifer Ann Scaia

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Foundational to this evaluation study, the participating institution aspired to improve its retention rate. Students’ perceived sense of belonging has been identified as an important variable related to student retention and persistence (Bean & Eaton, 2000; Strayhorn 2012; Strayhorn 2019; Tinto, 2017). For students to succeed beyond their first year in college, it is fundamentally important that they view themselves as valued members of the university community (Bean & Eaton, 2000; Bollen & Hoyle, 1990; Murphy, 2016).

The purpose of this study was to evaluate how undergraduate students, predicted as less likely to retain into their second year, described their …

A Critical Exploration Of The Enactment Of Successful Leadership Practices Used To Achieve Increasing Academic Achievement In A High Poverty Urban School With High Percentages Of Students Of Color, Lateesa A. Allen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For decades, America’s K-12 public schools have struggled with closing the achievement gap between black and brown students and their white counterparts. High-poverty schools with high percentages of students of color are often low-performing schools. These marginalized populations of students lack equitable access to the rigorous academic curricula and instruction that is accessible to their white peers (Goings & Ford, 2018; Lewis et al., 2012; Nadelson et al., 2020).

The educational policy landscape has made numerous shifts between national reform models designed to increase opportunities and provide access to equitable education for underrepresented and disenfranchised groups of students. The national …

Resilience And Burnout In Second- And Third-Year Medical Students, Chad E. Whistle

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Between their second- and third-years of medical school, students must pass the United States Medical Licensing (USMLE) Step 1 exam. This high-stakes exam is critical to the overall success of medical students; the score has been a determining factor for the student’s residency training and specialty choice. Because medical students are faced with the burden of studying and concept mastery of content for USMLE Step 1, concurrent to ongoing coursework in the medical school curriculum, students may develop symptoms of burnout and be ill-prepared to remain resilient. This study investigated the extent of the relationship between burnout and resilience in …

Self-Perceived Competence Of Senior-Level Student Affairs Professionals, Anh-Kay Pizano

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the self-perceived competence levels of senior-level student affairs professionals. Additionally, the study aimed to learn about the experiences that contributed to the participants’ competence levels. A qualitative study, consisting of semi-structured interviews, was conducted to address the research questions. Common themes emerged from the interviews. When asked to rate themselves based on their competency level, the majority of the participants rated themselves advanced. The participants recounted numerous experiences that led to how they rated their levels of competence. Years of experience in the student affairs profession was most often noted. Other experiences …

Predicting Transfer Student Degree Completion At The University Of South Florida - Tampa Utilizing Pre-Matriculation Data, Danielle Busson Mcdonald

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the ability of demographic and academic pre-matriculation variables to predict degree completion of transfer students at the University of South Florida –Tampa. The University is situated in a state with performance-based funding and with a high number of students who transfer from Florida College System community and state colleges to the university. Transfer students are predicted to become an additional population included in performance metrics thus increasing the need for the university to begin to analyze degree completion barriers to shape early intervention.

Participants in the study were 970 students who transferred …

Managing At The Intersection: The Negotiations Of Racialized Role Strain Of Black Mid-Level Student Affairs Administrators At Predominantly White Institutions, David Frank Hibbler Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to identify the unique stressors Black mid-level student affairs administrators encounter, how they cope with such stressors, and the perceived consequences of these encounters and coping mechanisms. Data for this qualitative interview study was collected from face-to-face interviews with eight Black mid-level student affairs administrators at predominantly White institutions in the U.S, and from and an optional diary entry. Findings revealed that participants experienced racialized role strain as a result of interactions with White peers and supervisors, same-race peers, and navigating campus climate. Specifically, the Black mid-level participants experienced strain in their …

Voices Of Success: Exploring Black Male Students’ Perspectives On Their Academic Success, Carmen Goldsmith

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Higher education enables individuals to be prepared to make an impact in the global society through enhanced skills and the ability to understand their community and the world in which they reside. According to EVERFI (2019), studies showed that diversity in education, specifically on college campuses, improve a student’s intellectual engagement, motivation, citizenship, and cultural engagement, while enhancing their critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing skills. It is advantageous for students to work with people from other races, ethnicities, and varying socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. These differences prepare students to succeed in a diverse world and broaden their understanding and awareness …

Pathways To Leadership: A Qualitative Study Of Women In Higher Education, Kymia Love Jackson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Women earn degrees at a higher rate than men, yet they are underrepresented in leadership positions in general and more specifically, in executive leadership positions in the areas of finance, operations, and administration (FOA) in higher education. This qualitative study explored the journeys of women in executive leadership positions in finance, operations, and administration at four-year, public colleges or universities. The research question that guided this study was: How do women describe their experiences of securing, transitioning into, and advancing within executive leadership positions in FOA in higher education? Document and content analysis, demographic questionnaire, observations, interviews, and reflection were …

Our Place And Power: Testimonios From Latina Senior Student Affairs Officers, Julie A. Leos

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Latina leadership in higher education is more important ever. This study provides an empowering understanding of the experiences of Latina Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) in higher education in the U.S. and their practices related to wielding the power and influence associated with their roles. Latino Critical Race Theory (LatCrit) (Solorzano & Yosso, 2000), Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1988), and Borderlands Theory (Anzaldua, 1987) served as a theoretical framework for this study and provides a basis for understanding the Latina experience from a critical perspective.

A testimonio research design was used to explore the following wonderments: (1) What meaning do Latina SSAOs …

Student Attitudes And Behaviors Regarding Academic Dishonesty, Kelly A. Pearson

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigated the relationship between students’ attitudes toward academic dishonesty and their self-reported cheating behaviors. Additionally, the study investigated the potential differences between gender and the academic variables class level and cumulative GPA and both students’ attitudes toward academic dishonesty and their self-reported cheating behaviors. This quantitative study analyzed secondary data from a Spring 2014 administration of the Academic Integrity Student Survey (AISS) to examine the attitudes and behaviors of undergraduate level students (N = 574) at a large, four-year, public, research intensive institution in West-Central Florida.

Results indicated a statistically significant correlation between students’ attitudes toward academic …

Educators' Perceptions Of Students' Academic And Social Growth In A Collegiate High School Program., John Matthew Legg

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to examine educators’ perceptions of high school students’ academic and social growth in a collegiate college program. Collegiate high school programs afford opportunities to minorities and the economically disadvantaged, as well as first-generation college students (Aviles-Reyes, 2007). This research used a qualitative case study framework to collect information about educators’ perceptions of the academic and social integration of students in a collegiate college program. Data were collected in phases—educator focus group interviews and individual interviews—and subsequently coded and reviewed using thematic comparative analysis. The guiding question was as follows: What are educators’ perceptions of …

Inside The Work Of A Rookie Principal Coach: Tackling Equity In Disciplinary Practices, Olayinka A. Alege

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hillsborough County Public Schools embarked on an ambitious goal to improve the highest-need schools by restructuring how the district supports schools and their leaders in July 2018. As part of this effort, the superintendent reduced the span of control and assigned principal coaches to support principals in a more intentional way. The purpose of this study was to explore how a principal coach engages a principal in examining inequities in disciplinary practices and how the principal coach provides the supports to prompt and sustain the principal’s efforts to reduce the disproportionate number of students of color being suspended from school. …

An Exploration Of Adjunct Faculty Preferences For Professional Development Opportunities At A Florida State College, Ashley M. Navarro

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore adjunct faculty perceptions of factors that influence participation in faculty development at a multi-campus Florida state college. To improve Florida state college adjunct faculty participation in faculty development, it was necessary to examine their faculty development needs and the incentives and barriers that influence their participation in faculty development. This study extended the research on characteristics of adjunct faculty and their faculty development interests. This quantitative study addressed the gap in the literature related to the scheduling, format, and communication preferences of a Florida state college adjunct faculty, related to faculty development. …

Understanding The Experiences Of Multiracial Faculty Members: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Gianna E. Nicholas

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to understand the experiences of multiracial faculty at a public, four-year university in the United States, including the challenges and supports that may affect their role and responsibilities within academia. Another objective of this research study was to center the voices of multiracial faculty. While there is much research on faculty of color, research specifically on multiracial faculty is limited, indicating an even greater need to explore the experiences of this population. This qualitative, phenomenological study utilized semi-structured interviews with six, multiracial faculty members. This study’s findings have implications for institutional policies and practices regarding faculty …

The Textbook Decision: Purchasing Options Affecting Students In The Classroom, Josef Rill

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examined the relationship of student textbook purchasing practices to student success and satisfaction in selected general education undergraduate courses at a Florida public community college. The study utilized secondary data sources, specifically bookstore purchasing data, student records, and student satisfaction survey results. Descriptive statistics and ANOVA were used to determine relationships. Seven specific research questions were answered, and statistically significant results were identified as a result of the data analysis.

The results indicated that there was a relationship between the type of textbook/course material purchased or rented and a student’s final grade in a course. There was also …

Support Received From The Dissertation Advisor And The Graduate Student Success Of Doctoral Students Majoring In The Sciences, Brittany N. Sheehy

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study utilized surveys to explore how science doctoral students receive support from their dissertation advisors and its relationship to graduate student success outcomes. The survey was distributed to active doctoral students majoring in the sciences at one large, public, Southeastern University. Within examining how the support science doctoral students receives relates to graduate student success outcomes, the study also examined additional factors that could influence graduate student success such as the participant size of the laboratory group, experience with undergraduate research, and time in program.

Findings revealed that on average science doctoral students report receiving more psychosocial support …

An Analysis Of The Self-Perceptions Of Women Leaders In Higher Education, Angela Mclendon

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to (a) investigate perceptions of women administrators in higher education as they relate to their positions and (b) learn more about women’s perceptions as they relate to gender in leadership in higher education. and (c) determine where we need to go from here in terms of improvement. Investigating these issues in the 21st century will give us a current temperature and a snapshot of where we are and where we need to go from here as it relates to women leaders in higher education.

The focus of this study was women who are administrators …

Student Employment During Senior Year Of Undergraduate Study, Christina A. Brown-Wujick

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study filled a gap in the higher education literature regarding whether a relationship exists between students’ employment location on or off campus, students’ identification as either native or transfer, and academic success as measured by self-reported grades for full-time seniors between the ages of 20-23 who enrolled in urban colleges and universities. The researcher used the National Survey of Student Engagement survey to collect data. It was administered to students during the 2013 or 2014 administrations at urban colleges and universities, with the purpose of representing the senior cohorts of students at their college or university during the years …

Grit And Academic Performance Of First- And Second-Year Students Majoring In Education, Lindsey N. Williams

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Postsecondary student performance has been studied in great detail by higher education systems and their stakeholders in attempts to identify what may contribute to increased rates of retention and degree completion. Research on predictors of postsecondary performance has focused significantly on the relationship between performance and traditional cognitive measures, yet a growing body of literature examines other factors that may play a role, including that of grit, a non-cognitive trait described as a disposition toward perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Moreover, for graduates who enter the workforce in a profession as demanding as teaching, characteristics such as grit have …

Understanding The Relationship Between Informal Interactional Diversity And Males’ Engagement In The Undergraduate Experience, Amanda Cutchens

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The diversity of the undergraduate student population encourages understanding of others and provides opportunities for students to challenge their assumptions of cultures, political and religious views, values, and personal backgrounds. However, it also creates challenges for academic and student success as faculty and administrators struggle to meet different generational and cultural needs. A broader, more inclusive definition of student success may help meet the needs of a more modern complex institutional student demographic. It may also allow for new avenues of research specifically related to success for Black, Hispanic, and White undergraduate male students, as these students continue to struggle …

Graduate Nursing Student Persistence To Graduation, Tyler C. Dean

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether certain student-entry characteristics collected from an admissions application from one nursing school’s graduate (master’s degree) programs had a statistically significant relationship with student persistence. Specifically, the study determined if the variables sex, age at matriculation, U.S. citizenship, state residency status, most recent schooling year, last statistics course taken and grade, graduate-level program of study, and credit hours identified on the graduate nursing admissions application and school transcripts, had a statistically significant relationship in predicting student persistence to graduation. If a relationship existed, it would contribute to graduate student persistence literature and …