Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Do College Presidents Matter? An Analysis Of The Effects Of College Presidents On Retention And Graduation Rates, Wesley Whistle

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

Higher education is going through a transformative time. Effective leadership of these institutions is increasingly important. Public institutions are losing more government support from both the state and federal level. Colleges and universities are also facing higher standards from the federal government. When presidential search committees are looking for candidates for their college or university, they are seeking a leader who addresses these issues, as well as many others.

Addressing falling financial support requires increased attention to fundraising. Some accept that presidents are hired primarily for fundraising for the colleges and do not expect them to play a role in …

The Alternative? Alternative School Calendars’ Effects On Nonacademic Data In Independent Districts, Nick Grinstead

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

This study measures the effect of alternative school calendars, otherwise known as year-round calendars, on “nonacademic data”, which includes average daily attendance rates, retention rates (where retention rate is defined as percentage of students held back a grade level), and dropout rates. This measurement will be done on Kentucky’s Independent School districts, which have a unique advantage of never having a problem with overcrowding (which will be explained as an important consideration for measurements of effects of alternative school calendars) and in whose districts the majority of alternative school calendars in Kentucky have been implemented. The study will be performed …