A New Approach To Generate Combinatorial Patterns In Logical Analysis Of Data And Its Application To Predict College Retention, Salihah Ahmed E. Jaafari

Theses and Dissertations

Student retention and degree completion remain central challenges for higher-education institutions, with significant implications for student success, institutional effectiveness, and public accountability. While advances in predictive analytics have enabled earlier identification of students at risk of withdrawal, many commonly used machine learning approaches suffer from limited interpretability, constraining their practical usefulness for advising, intervention, and policy decision making. This dissertation addresses the problem of predicting student persistence by developing and evaluating optimization based, interpretable classification models within the Logical Analysis of Data (LAD) framework. Building on existing LAD formulations, this research introduces two novel pattern generation models, the Best Term …

An Examination Of Single Mothers' Psychological Capital In Seeking Higher Education, Jennifer L. Stuart

Theses & Dissertations

AN EXAMINATION OF SINGLE MOTHER’S PSYCHOLOGICAL CAPITAL IN SEEKING HIGHER EDUCATION

Jennifer Stuart

University of the Incarnate Word, 2025

Research Focus. In the United States, single mothers head nearly 80 percent of single-parent households, representing one of the most educationally vulnerable yet motivated populations. Despite increased visibility of single-parent families, limited research has examined the internal psychological factors that influence single mothers’ determination to pursue higher education. Much of the literature has emphasized external barriers—financial hardship, childcare demands, and social stigma—while overlooking internal strengths such as self-efficacy, resilience, optimism, and hope. These traits, conceptualized collectively as psychological capital (Luthans et …

Culture Shock Among International Students In U.S. Higher Education, Pablo A. Gutierrez Cervantes

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

International students continue to represent a vital and growing population within U.S. higher education; however, many encounter significant cultural, academic, and emotional challenges during their transition to American institutions. This qualitative thematic analysis study explored the lived experiences of international students navigating culture shock in U.S. higher education and examined how these experiences influenced their academic adjustment, social integration, and psychological well-being. Grounded in Kim’s Integrative Theory of Cross-Cultural Adaptation and Schlossberg’s Transition Theory, this study sought to understand how students made meaning of their cultural transition and what personal and institutional factors facilitated or hindered their adaptation.

Nine international …

University Student Mental Health: Service Utilization, Equity Gaps, And Strategies To Improve Access, Richard Mutua Kilonzo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student mental health and access to care are pressing concerns in higher education. This study assesses mental health outcomes and access to campus mental health services at East Tennessee State University. Survey data from the 2023–2024 Healthy Minds Study were analyzed to report the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation across the student population. The study evaluates disparities in these outcomes and barriers to care across student groups, with particular attention to equity-impacted students, especially sexual and gender minority students.

Findings indicate widespread psychological distress alongside persistent barriers, including long wait times, limited-service availability, and stigma-related concerns. These barriers …

Intersectionality And Belonging: Higher Education Mathematics, Ashley Natalie

Mathematics and Statistics

Students with intersecting marginalized identities (such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, or first-generation background) often face unique challenges in advanced mathematics that affect confidence, participation, amounting to a sense of belonging. These experiences remain underrepresented in mathematics education research. This qualitative, narrative-based study examines how these students experience classroom dynamics and belonging in upper-level mathematics courses. Semi-structured interviews will be analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to identity, classroom culture, instructor behavior, and peer interactions. Findings aim to highlight barriers and supportive practices, informing more inclusive teaching strategies and equitable learning environments in advanced mathematics.

Intersectionality And Belonging: Higher Education Mathematics, Ashley Williams

Mathematics and Statistics

Students with intersecting marginalized identities (such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, disability, or first-generation background) often face unique challenges in advanced mathematics that affect confidence, participation, amounting to a sense of belonging. These experiences remain underrepresented in mathematics education research. This qualitative, narrative-based study examines how these students experience classroom dynamics and belonging in upper-level mathematics courses. Semi-structured interviews will be analyzed thematically to identify patterns related to identity, classroom culture, instructor behavior, and peer interactions. Findings aim to highlight barriers and supportive practices, informing more inclusive teaching strategies and equitable learning environments in advanced mathematics.

Transition Experiences Of Early Middle College Completers: A Grounded Theory Study, Sarah Louise Drabik Cheatham

Dissertations

Early middle college (EMC) students arrive at universities academically prepared yet institutionally undefined, occupying a space between traditional first-year and transfer student identities. Emerging through the Early College High School Initiative, EMC programs were structured to expand college access by embedding college coursework within the high school experience (Edmunds et al., 2012; Edmunds et al., 2017a; Haxton et al., 2016; Miller et al., 2013). Students frequently graduate from EMC with significant college credit, up to an associate’s degree, and demonstrate strong rates of post-secondary credential attainment and accelerated progress toward a bachelor’s degree (Edmunds et al., 2012; Edmunds et al., …

At The Intersection Of Policy, Mission, And Student Needs: How New Mexico Higher Education Professionals Make Transfer Decisions, Roberto P. Vasquez

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Transfer is a critical step for community college students pursuing a bachelor’s degree, yet it remains a complex and inconsistent process. Transfer research highlights tensions related to student experience, institutional mission, and state transfer policy that higher education decision-makers must navigate.

This qualitative study examined how New Mexico higher education decision-makers experience these tensions in practice. Using narrative inquiry, thematic analysis was conducted on interviews with purposively selected decision-makers. Decision-maker stories were interpreted through a Critical Leadership Theory lens, examining how power, discretion, and institutional context shape transfer practices.

Findings indicate that policy is unevenly enacted, with institutional discretion significantly …

Equity, Diversity, And Inclusion Infrastructures And Faculty Composition: Associations With Undergraduate Student Outcomes At R1 Universities 2011-2021, Niyonta Nahia Chowdhury

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

This study explores how the structure and composition of research universities relate to student outcomes. Specifically, it asks whether having visible Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) infrastructures and diverse faculty representation is associated with who enrolls, who graduates, and how graduation rates differ within racial groups at R1 universities in the United States. Using national data from 2011 to 2021, the project analyzes enrollment and graduation patterns across institutions while accounting for differences in geography, governance, and state political context.

Rather than focusing on individual students, the study looks at institutional patterns. It examines how the racial and gender makeup …

Foreword: The Universities Will Not Save Us, Jonathan Feingold

Faculty Scholarship

In the spring of 2024, thousands of university students joined campus protests advocating for Palestinian human rights and calling on their institutions to divest from Israel’s military assault on Gaza.1 The student action echoed historical protest movements that universities routinely celebrate in their brochures, monuments, and signage.2 Yet rather than embrace their students’ principled activism, universities across the country deployed militarized force against their own communities.3 From elite Ivies in the northeast, to large privates in the Midwest, to state schools in Texas and California, administrators greeted peaceful protest with discipline, smears, and physical violence.

Predicting Well-Being Outcomes With Job Demands And Resources In A Higher Education Setting, Makinzy D. Hoxsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Faculty in higher education face growing pressures that impact well-being and engagement. Guided by the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) framework, the present study examined how perceptions of institutional changes, job demands, job resources, and personal resources such as grit and tolerance for ambiguity related to perceptions of well-being outcomes among teaching faculty at Stephen F. Austin State University. Job demands encompass dimensions of workload, emotional labor, work-life conflict, and role conflict, while job resources include elements of autonomy and social support. A multivariate multiple regression (MVMR) analysis was conducted using survey data from faculty members (n = 98). Results indicated that …

Food And Housing Insecurities Among Undergraduate Students: A Case Study Examining Academic And Social Integration, Brittany Profit-Rheinwald

New York Journal of Student Affairs

This single holistic case study examined how food and housing insecurities impacted the academic and social integration of five undergraduate students at a public regional university. Using Tinto's (1993) student integration theory as a framework, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, food and housing logs, and archival event records. Findings revealed that food and housing insecurities created significant barriers to academic success through stress, concentration difficulties, and class attendance challenges. Socially, students remained engaged through campus events offering free food, but avoided social activities requiring financial expenditure. Some academic departments provided food pantries, though access remained limited. Implications for practice …

Learning Spaces As Pedagogy In Audio Education: Designing For Collaboration, Listening, And Mixing In Higher Education, Dean Belcastro

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

The rapid transformation of the music and audio production industries has significantly altered how people engage with audio creation and learning. While technologies for music production have become more accessible and decentralised, the pedagogical challenge of developing critical listening and audio mixing skills remains ongoing. This paper reflects on the design principles underpinning group learning environments intended to support the teaching of critical listening and audio mixing within higher education. Drawing on practice-led reflection, learning-space literature, and industry change, the paper argues that intentional learning-space design plays an active pedagogical role in fostering engagement, collaboration, and the development of shared …

Empathetic Administration: Leveraging Phenomenological Insights To Enhance Student Mental Health Support In Higher Education, Arlissia Lenton Bradley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how students at universities in Texas navigated online mental health resources and coping supports while managing mental health challenges. The central research question that guided this study was: What were the lived experiences of students in higher education who were managing mental health issues? Utilizing Bandura's (1986) social cognitive theory as the theoretical framework, the study examined how cognitive appraisals and self-effective beliefs, environmental supports and constraints, and behavioral coping strategies interacted as students interpreted and responded to mental health stressors in academic contexts. Data was collected in a virtual setting …

Artificial Intelligence Use In Educator Pedagogy In Higher Education Institutes: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study, Rebecca L. Fuller

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological qualitative study was to discover the use of generative artificial intelligence tools in pedagogy as the lived experiences of educators at higher education institutions. The theory guiding this study was the self-determination theory by Ryan and Deci 2017. The central research question is: What are the lived experiences of educators in higher education who use GAI tools in their pedagogy? The participants were 10 educators, at least 25 years old, from four-year higher education institutions in the United States who had used GAI tools in their pedagogy in the last year. The methodology is …

A Phenomenological Study: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of Veterans During Their Separation Transition, Nereida Valentine

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the phenomenon of the lived experiences of U.S. veterans’ during their transition into civilian life across all military branches. The theory guiding this study was Schlossberg’s 4S theory on adult transitions, this theory identifies what factors influence how veterans adapt to their transition into civilian life. Data analysis was led from this central research question: “What are the lived experiences of veterans’ and their academic readiness during their transition into civilian life?” The methodology used was transcendental phenomenological approach to understand the lived experiences of 12 participants and how they adapt …

A Qualitative Case Study On Leadership And Organizational Dynamics In The Adoption Of A Learning Management System In Higher Education: A Post-Positivist Approach Using The Technology Acceptance Model (Tam), Ashley Hudson Tharpe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this flexible design, qualitative, single case study was to explore the process of a learning management system (LMS) transition and the perceptions of administrators, course designers, and faculty during that process at a higher education institution. The study focused on understanding perceptions of LMS adoption, using the technology acceptance model as a conceptual framework. Three research questions were used to address the problem by providing insights into the procedural, relational, and strategic elements of LMS adoption. Data was collected through 30 semi-structured one-on-one interviews, 33 reflective journal responses, and multiple institutional artifacts related to LMS migration. Six …

Beyond The Paycheck: Intentionally Designing Student Employment As A Developmental Experience, Miranda Schriedel

Masters Projects

Student employment in higher education has been found to be a facet of the student experience on campus. Research has shown student employment spaces are marginally being leveraged as student-learning opportunities that contribute to student’s personal and professional development. This project examines the effects of student employment on students and the potential it holds when designed intentionally by institutions and supervisors who prioritize student-learning and career preparations. When combining theoretical understandings of personal and professional development with characteristics of practices that have high-impacts on students, student employment can emerge as an inclusive and versatile opportunity for student employees. Through goal-setting, …

Beyond Barriers: A Universal Design Guide, Sydney F. Bunk

Masters Projects

Research has shown that students with reported visual impairments are continuously underrepresented in study abroad programs, despite institutions promoting study abroad as a high-impact practice that benefits students of diverse backgrounds. Although study abroad participation has been increasing in recent years, students with disabilities, and particularly those with visual impairments, engage at disproportionately low rates. A lack of comprehensible information about program environments and available accommodations are contributing factors to this trend. This project is intended to improve the clarity of study abroad program materials through the development of a Universal Design for Study Abroad Guidebook. Guided by the principles …

Solo Faculty Program Coordinators In Student Affairs-Related Graduate Programs, Phillip A. Olt, Mitch Nasser, Louise Michelle Vital, Steven Tolman, James G. Archibald, Mary Ann Bodine Al-Sharif, Blue Brazelton, Rozana Carducci, Michael Houdyshell, Tryan Mcmickens, Cara Meixner, Molly Mistretta, Amy Paciej-Woodruff, Richie Stevens, Ann Wendle, Claude E.P. Mayo

The Qualitative Report

Many graduate programs in student affairs-related subfields employ just one full-time faculty member, who then also functions as the program coordinator. Program coordinator duties and compensation vary widely, but they are generally the person who ensures all aspects of the program function. Research shows that fulfilling these responsibilities in addition to teaching, research, and service is difficult; however, this study sought to expand on that literature to understand what it was like to coordinate a HESA program as the only full-time faculty member isolated in that subfield at the institution. We utilized the hybrid qualitative methodology of phenomenological polyethnography, wherein …

The Big Five Personality Traits And Perceptions Of Generative Ai In Higher Education: A Canonical Correlation Analysis For Sustainable Digital Education, Mei Jiang, Shifang Tang, Qingwei Wang

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the multivariate relationship between college students’ Big Five personality traits and their perceptions of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Guided by sustainable digital education and expectancy-value theory, this study investigated whether personality profiles were associated with students’ knowledge of AI, attainment value, intrinsic value, utility value, perceived cost, and intention to use AI. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 375 students enrolled at a Southwestern doctoral-granting public university. Participants completed an adapted measure of generative AI perceptions and the Big Five Inventory, and canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was conducted to …

From Consumers To Creators: Social Media Information Literacy Of University Students., Thuy Thanh Bui, Quyen Trang Mai Nguyen, Tu Thi Thanh Nguyen, Minh Cao Luu

Journal of Media Literacy Education

Social Media Information Literacy (SMIL) is increasingly important as social media platforms evolve. SMIL includes skills for navigating, evaluating, managing, creating, and engaging with social media content, aimed at effective information use and critical thinking. Using Heiss, Nanz and Matthes (2023) framework, this study surveyed 410 students via a self-assessment on a 5-point Likert scale. Results indicate students rated their SMIL as average, with the highest scores in appraisal and comprehension, and the lowest in digital creation. Female and senior students, as well as those in Education majors, rated themselves higher. Longer internet usage correlated with better SMIL, especially in …

Decolonizing The Academic Library: Examining The Successful Indigenization Of Ubc And Unm’S Library Services, Emily T. Villars

School of Information Student Research Journal

This article examines decolonization and indigenization initiatives at two academic libraries: the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of New Mexico (UNM). It asks how these institutions have implemented indigenization in their libraries and what lessons can inform broader reconciliation work across North America. Through a comparative lens, it analyzes how national and organizational frameworks, such as the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA-FCAB) Truth and Reconciliation Report and Recommendations and the American Indian Library Association’s (AILA) organizational goals, can shape these efforts. The study highlights three core strategies: decolonizing access and classification, transforming library spaces, and expanding …

Needs Assessment Plan: For An Undergraduate In Reearch Administration (Ra) Curriculum With Artificial Intelligenc Integration., Jo Ann Smith

All Research Ops Exchange Publications

This needs assessment plan establishes a framework for developing an undergraduate Research Administration (RA) curriculum that integrates artificial intelligence (AI) competencies across all program components. The plan synthesizes findings from research literature across workforce competency studies, national RA curricula frameworks, e-mentoring models in undergraduate programs, and AI pedagogy in professional education. Key findings reveal that entry-level research administrators require core competencies, including critical thinking, interpersonal skills, written communication, and knowledge of the research enterprise, which are valued by hiring managers (Parker, 2024; Signorelli et al., 2025). The evolving research administration landscape increasingly demands AI literacy, including the ability to interact …

Ethically Integrating Ai In Occupational Therapy Education: Enhancing Learning And Practice For The Future, Amy Sadek, Sabrina Gowette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been around since the 1950s and is gaining traction in higher education and among health care professions. In this era of technology, it is imperative we equip both educators and students to have tech centric skills to support learning, improve efficiency, and enhance skills. Faculty and students alike need to be able to understand the ethics behind using digital information, such as that from AI tools and sources. As educators and students become more reliant on technology, and specifically AI, it is imperative not to lose the human connection in education. Educators are an integral part …

An Investigation Into The Student And Faculty Knowledge, Perception, And Usage Of Chatgpt, Isabella Burns

Honors Theses

Artificial Intelligence (ChatGPT) has become a significant topic in academia. Professors and university officials have been contemplating an all-out ban on utilizing such tools for undergraduate academic work. Sullivan et al (2023) noted “…student behaviors led some universities to ban the use of ChatGPT…” (p. 32). Instead of teaching students how to leverage ChatGPT as a powerful resource to enhance the learning process, universities have deemed use of ChatGPT unacceptable, equating its use with serious academic dishonesty offenses consistent with plagiarism (Hawdon et al., 2025). Directly copying from ChatGPT can constitute plagiarism and poses a significant issue for college-level studies, …

Protecting Free Speech And Promoting Civility: The Dueling Responsibilities Of American Colleges And Universities, Tara N. Parsons

International Journal on Responsibility

Freedom House estimates that 75% of the world’s population lives in countries that experienced a democratic decline in 2020. Even in long established democracies, liberal democratic values have been shaken. As democracy requires an enlightened citizenry cultivated by a college education, many American universities and colleges adopt civic instruction and engagement as a core responsibility and mission. However, growing anti-intellectualism has drawn increased scrutiny and suspicion towards the programming, curriculum, and core values of universities. Powerful political figures regularly accuse universities of stifling conservative voices and discouraging free speech. The tension between free speech and civic dialogue requires a reframing …

Attention To Their Uniqueness: Differentiation In A University Classroom, Robin Gingerich

MITESOL Journal: An Online Publication of MITESOL

University students come to campus with unique gifts and individual challenges. To meet the needs of diverse learners, one solution is differentiation. Differentiation involves deliberately planning lessons that address the unique learning styles of diverse learners by offering pedagogy informed not only by content, but also by the students themselves. While differentiation in elementary and secondary classrooms is considered best practice, professors in higher education face unique challenges when it comes to implementing differentiation. This paper examines definitions of differentiation, research on differentiation in universities, and, from the author’s personal experience, offers suggestions for university writing instructors.

A Quality Assurance Framework For Maintaining And Enhancing Academic Standards Of Ai-Infused Higher Education: Insights From Gcc Faculty Perspectives, Nina Abdul Razzak

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study addresses the gap in research on maintaining and enhancing the quality of artificial intelligence (AI)–infused higher education in a structured and systematized way by proposing a comprehensive quality assurance (QA) framework fit for that purpose.

Methods: The study employs a qualitative research design approach in the form of a constructivist or interpretive investigation, exploring in depth faculty members’ different perspectives and experiences in relation to AI implementation. The study combines a textual analysis of the international literature on the topic, with insights from four focus groups involving faculty members from various disciplines and colleges across the Gulf …

The Role Of Polarized State Governments In Higher Education Funding., Jackson Sinsel

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

• Polarization is something that has the potential to impact many aspects of daily life. The purpose of this study was to look at polarization in comparison to higher education funding allocations.
• A state-level analysis of 49 U.S. states from 1993-2010 was conducted.
• Overall, there was a statistically significant finding that as polarization increases, higher education allocations decrease