Education Commons^™

Then And Now: An Analysis Of Broad-Based Merit Aid Initial Eligibility Policies After Twenty Years, William K. Ingle, Jason R. Ratliff

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Using Hall’s framework of policy changes, we sought to document and classify changes in initial eligibility and award provisions of broad-based merit aid scholarship programs at inception and present day. Our analysis revealed five first-order changes, two second-order changes, and only one third order change. Although the policy settings, instruments, and goals remained static in five states, the scholarship dollars in four of them have not kept up with increases in overall cost of attendance.

Feeding Back To Feed Forward: Formative Assessment As A Platform For Effective Learning, Lucy Wheatley, Alex Mcinch, Scott Fleming, Rhiannon Lord

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Abstract

Students construct meaning through relevant learning activities (Biggs, 2003) which are largely determined by the type, amount, and timing of feedback (Carless, 2006). The aim of the present study was to develop a greater awareness and understanding of formative assessment and feedback practices and their relationship with learning. During 2011 five focus group discussions were undertaken with students and academic staff involved with a range of modules and degree pathways at a UK University. Three of the focus groups were with undergraduate students (one at each level of study), and one was with taught postgraduate students. Discussions focussed …

“Warming Up” In The Developmental Sequence? Upward Transfer Conditional On Dependency Status, Cody Davidson, Kristin B. Wilson

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

The purpose of this study was to determine predictor factors of upward transfer for Kentucky community college students enrolled in a developmental algebra course. For independent students, a mother with a college degree, a declared major, a federal work-study position, greater adjusted gross income, and a higher grade point average was positively correlated with upward transfer. For dependent students, a father with a college degree, a declared major, and a higher grade point average was positively correlated with upward transfer.

Is Retention Enough? Learning And Satisfaction Of First-Generation College Seniors, David Mahan, Kristin B. Wilson, Joseph M. Petrosko Jr., Michael R. Luthy

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Progress has been made in retaining and graduating traditional-age first-generation college students at four-year institutions. First-generation students, however, often experience college differently because of external factors, which can negatively influence their learning experience and overall satisfaction. This study explored learning and satisfaction measures of seniors at a small private university in the Midwest. Using Astin’s I-E-O model (1970), the following variables were considered: precollege student characteristics (input); academic engagement, co-curricular activities, campus relationships (environment); and satisfaction, learning (outcome). The sample consisted of seniors participating in NSSE and/or ETS MAPP (n=342). Findings confirmed that first-generation students typically worked more for pay, …

Institutional Response To The Changing Legal Environment Regarding Student Safety: A Multi-Campus Case Study, Joy Blanchard

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Confusion regarding liability for student safety and whether federal regulations prohibit information sharing have become a concern on campuses. Do current policies mitigate liability yet still serve the best interest of students? Based on interviews of nearly 30 administrators at three campuses in 2008 and 2011, this case study examines the legal considerations used when responding to such concerns, particularly alcohol and mental health. Organizational capacity and culture structure are discussed; recommendations for practice are provided.

Keepers Of The Night: The Dangerously Important Role Of Resident Assistants On College And University Campuses, Christie M. Letarte

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

A great deal of responsibility and risk lies within the RA role. This Article acknowledges that RAs, who are some of the most important employees at institutions of higher education, are often under-trained and may negligently expose institutions to liability. More importantly, this Article aims to address how standards and regulation of the RA position can provide a better snapshot of the RA role, nightlife on college campuses, and reasonable expectations for students, parents, and employees.

Recent Legal Trends Support Requiring Colleges And Universities To Permit Emotional Support Animals In Student Housing, Neal H. Hutchens

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Emerging legal trends suggest colleges and universities should be prepared to make accommodations for emotional support animals, specifically under the requirements of the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Examining recent legal developments, this practitioner brief considers a lawsuit brought by the United States against the University of Nebraska at Kearney to permit a student diagnosed with depression and anxiety to have a therapy dog in student housing. It also reviews recent guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) addressing the use of service and assistance animals for individuals with …

Allocating Higher-Education Stimulus Funds In New Jersey: A Multiple-Streams Case Study, Michael W. Klein

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

This case study examines the public policy process in New Jersey and how it influenced the distribution of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for higher education. New Jersey originally proposed to appropriate ARRA funds only to state-administered financial-aid programs in the FY2010 budget. Applying Kingdon’s (2003) public policy framework, this study explains how higher education advocates provided feedback, presented a successful alternative, and secured $39.6 million for public college and universities.

Foreword: Special Issue Dedicated To Legal Issues In Higher Education, Joy Blanchard

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

It is undeniable that legal issues are becoming more prevalent in the day-to-day operations of colleges and universities, as well as among policymakers and lawmakers. The manuscripts in this special issue illustrate the need for all those in higher education to become more aware of the changing legal environment and concomitant regulatory requirements, to educate top-down among those working with students, and for the higher education legal community to begin examining these issues from a broader lens and incorporate the scholarship of policy and organizational change to study the influence of the law on a broader level. This special issue …

A Critical Analysis Of The Identification And Treatment Of First-Generation College Students: A Social Capital Approach, Michael Peabody

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

This paper examines institutional identification of first-generation college students and corresponding campus retention programs utilizing a Social Capital lens. Building on the theoretical foundation of Astin and Tinto this article argues that all student retention programs are based on Social Capital theory and provides recommendations for improving campus retention programs.

Does It Have To Taste Bad To Be Good? Leveraging Pleasure To Enhance Learning, Karen H. Dougherty M.D.

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Emerging information from the field of neuroscience has illuminated the workings of the brain’s pleasure circuit as a powerful motivator of human behavior. While much of the research has been driven by an effort to uncover the roots of addiction, an understanding of the aspects of pleasure can be applied to the design of teaching strategies to engage college students and improve their retention and persistence.

Classicism In Matthew Crawford’S "Shop Class As Soulcraft", Jessica E. Horohov

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

The concept of the liberal arts, coming from the tradition of classicism, is greatly in contrast to technical education as evident throughout society, from grade school tracking to differences in prestige for degrees and jobs. This paper seeks to examine Matthew Crawford’s argument for the intellectual promise of the trades as another manifestation of the classicist’s dream of placing education as an antidote to the ills of modern life, as described by Carolyn Winterer.

Factors Community College Faculty Consider Important To Academic Leadership, Juston C. Pate, Lance R. Angell

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Although many of the pressures leaders face come from external sources, the expertise of the faculty should not be ignored when preparing community college leaders. The current study analyzed survey data from community college faculty across the state of Kentucky to determine which attributes they considered important to academic leadership. The faculty members who responded to an online survey regarded most highly factors pertaining to communication, character, decision-making, teamwork, work ethic, and personal relationships.

The Use Of Social Media For Academic Practice: A Review Of Literature, Retta Guy

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Social media has become extremely popular among college students. It is estimated that several million students across the globe use these resources for personal interactions on a daily basis. As Web-based technologies are designed to support the social architecture of a community, educators and researchers are exploring the integration of social media in education. As scholars explore these new online communities, it is necessary to examine the use of social media tools by students of color, a segment of the population that has historically experienced inequalities associated with the use of and access to technology. The current literature review reports …

The African American Male Initiative At The University Of Louisville, Michael D. Anthony, Lyston Skerritt, Joseph Goodman

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Following a year of data gathering and planning during the 2010-2011 academic year, the University of Louisville launched the African American Male Initiative (AAMI) in the fall 2011 semester. The AAMI was designed using national best practices and current research findings as it relates to supporting African American male undergraduates. Now at the end of its first year, this practitioner’s brief provides an overview of the AAMI structure, design, and implementation.

Academics-Athletics Forums: An Initiative To Improve Communication And Understanding Across The University, Joseph L. Fink Iii

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Conception, evolution and implementation of a series of informal sessions to enhance communication and understanding across the institution is described. Format and content are described and evaluation tabulations are presented. Suggestions for consideration by others considering implementing such a series are presented.

A Cross Disciplinary Mentoring Relationship: Discussions Related To Students, The Course, And An Academic Career, Amy J. Messer, Joseph L. Fink Iii

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

This report describes an academic mentoring relationship between a senior faculty member in Pharmacy and an aspiring faculty member, a graduate student in Sociology, in the context of a university-wide introduction to college course for first-year students.

Creating Opportunities Or Building Barriers: Framing Policy For Placement Testing As An Impactful Part Of The First-Year Experience, Megan Beach, Karin Ann Lewis

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Placement tests are an integral aspect of the first-year experience. As policymakers seek to raise high school standards and ensure that more students graduate prepared for the academic rigor of college, placement tests are being called upon to serve new purposes. Placement tests are touted for their ability to predict college success, but do these tests really measure student attainment of specific college readiness skills? How can they fit with or contribute to institutional initiatives?

A Work In Progress: The Lived Experiences Of Black Male Undergraduates At One Predominantly White University, Wayne D. Lewis, Steven Thurston Oliver, Jennifer L. Burris

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

This exploratory study examines the lived academic and social experiences of current black male undergraduate students, including their perceived barriers and their strategies for persistence and achieving success. Study participants included black male undergraduate students at one predominantly white, four-year, public research university. Data collection methods included two focus group interviews with a purposeful sample of 12 undergraduate, black male students. Students reported that explicit and implicit messages of racial hatred have contributed to a general campus atmosphere of discomfort for black male students. The students described an environment where they continually encounter racial micro aggressions and prejudice. Students reported …

Supporting First Generation College Students, Kelli Hutchens, Matthew Deffendall, Michael Peabody

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

Seeking to help support first generation college students (FGCS), the University of Kentucky (UK) has developed new programming and initiatives in recent years aimed at enhancing institutional support for this student group. Among these efforts was the launch in 2009 of the First Scholars program at UK, a project funded by and affiliated with the Suder Foundation, which currently funds five First Scholars programs at universities around the country. This practitioner’s brief first provides an overview of relevant literature related to serving FGCS and then discusses programmatic efforts undertaken at UK designed to improve the retention and graduation rates of …

Evidence-Based Or Just Good For The Soul? Examining The Efficacy Of Peer Tutoring In College, James D. Breslin

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

As peer tutoring programs have become pervasive on college campuses, it has become common to hear their benefits extolled. The goal of this paper is to examine the literature to determine in what ways accessing peer tutoring may impact college students. Specifically, the dual lenses of cognitive development and the generation and conversion of academic and social capital are employed to limit the scope of the research and focus the analysis. Conclusions include that while “peer tutoring” lacks a commonly accepted definition, students may receive intellectual benefits and their social networks may be broadened when accessing services that are intentionally …

Recognizing And Serving Low-Income Students In Higher Education (Review), Michael Peabody

Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy and Practice

In a time of decreasing appropriations from state and federal agencies, institutions of higher education are making changes to the services they provide. In this book Adrianna Kezar (ed.) examines the policies and practices that negatively affect low-income students and utilizes a post-structuralist lens to provide a framework for institutions to think differently about the services they provide.