Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Improving Energy Stewardship At Michigan Technological University’S Athletic Complexes, Cynthia L. Pindral

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Athletics departments are showcases for universities, serving as a public face and recruitment outlet that communicates university identity to the world. This applied research project examines the state of electrical energy infrastructure at Michigan Technological University with special attention to the Athletic Department and reports on the process for energy decisions in both settings. I take a qualitative research approach analyzing University documents and conducting interviews with informants in Athletics Administration, Facilities, and MTU’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience. Four major barriers to efficiency emerged: (1) lack of University-wide climate action goals, (2) staffing issues due to a large number …

Impact Of Progress Toward Degree On Major Selection For Division I Historically'€¯Black'€¯College'€¯And University Student-Athletes, April Alicia Chestnut

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I student-athletes select or may change their majors to maintain participation eligibility in sports rather than focus on their specific academic interests. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the impact of progress towards degree (PTD) on the degree choices and perceived academic value of the degree received by student-athletes attending HBCUs. The study used Sabatier's and Jenkins-Smith's advocacy coalition framework. The research questions focused on the perceptions and lived experiences of student-athletes, athletic advisors, and athletic administrators on the impact of PTD on major selection. A researcher-developed interview …

Thrown To The Wolves: The Obstacles And Barriers Of International Student Athletes Prior To And During Enrollment In American Universities, Mary Elizabeth Boucher

Master's Theses

International student athletes (ISA’s) play an integral role among our nations university system. They diversify our colleges, provide our American students a chance to become familiar with other cultures, and they add intense value to our collegiate athletic programs. In order to maintain this diversity in our nation’s universities, we need to further understand the experiences of these student-athletes. It is inherent to provide international student-athletes with positive experiences as to fuel the globalization of sport.

This project is a small pilot study which focuses on male and female swimmers from Division I universities. It provides a closer look at …

Development And Execution Of Coaching Philosophies Among Competitive Youth Sport Coaches, Evan Schreiner

All Theses

Coaching in the field of youth sports consists of many different approaches and philosophies. While some, when executed correctly, work well at keeping youth engaged and competing at a high level, there are other philosophies that are not implemented correctly at that high performance level. Past experiences have made coaches examine their philosophies in a different way or even change their perspective altogether. Although there are many different coaching styles and beliefs, little is known about how the philosophies of youth coaches are executed. This research is intended to define the core elements in a coaching philosophy, and determine how …

Failing At College Football Reform: The Jan Kemp Trial At The University Of Georgia, Michael John Fulford

Educational Policy Studies Dissertations

Throughout the history of college football, there have been efforts to reform the system and stop improprieties, yet conflict between gaining academic and athletic prowess at colleges remained a central theme. In the 1980s, the Jan Kemp trial involving the University of Georgia demonstrated this clash between revenue-generating athletics and academic integrity. This historical study is an in-depth analysis of archives, legal documents, interviews, and other textual evidence that demonstrated how the factors surrounding the Jan Kemp case evolved and how key administrators and faculty members reacted to pressure related to academic and athletic conflicts. An analysis of past reform …