Digital Commons Network^™

Anticipatory Governance And Leadership For Ai Implementation In Higher Education: A Scoping Review, Sandra Baroudi

All Works

As the education sector attempts to address rapid changes caused by Artificial Intelligence (AI), it becomes crucial to examine approaches to leadership at the organizational and system levels. This scoping review explores how anticipatory models of governance are conceptualised and operationalised globally within higher education settings in the context of AI-related transformations. Using a scoping review design, academic and grey literature published between 2020 and 2025 was searched across Scopus, EBSCOhost, ERIC, Google Scholar, and ProQuest. Nineteen sources were selected based on clear inclusion and exclusion criteria and analysed thematically. Findings revealed that while AI offers promising opportunities to transform …

Changing Expectations In Higher Education Post-Pandemic, Gregory R. Mackinnon, Tyler Maclean, Mohamad El Maouch, William Yuan, Zhao Kaibin, Bi Dandan, Marwa Saab

Journal of Global Education and Research

A sample of higher education students in Canada and China was surveyed and interviewed to ascertain any changes in their educational expectations given their experiences with emergency remote teaching during the pandemic. In addition, the instructors of these students were interviewed to corroborate student feedback. The research suggested that students in Canada and China expressed expectations of increased flexibility and improved pedagogy. Whereas Canadian students were overtly demanding of the instructor and the educational system, Chinese students were comparatively subtle in their expectation that the post-pandemic level of support be maintained. The primary concern of the Chinese cohort was a …

Interpretative Power And The Social Ontology Of Institutional Ethnography: A Review Of Órla Meadhbh Murray’S University Audit Cultures And Feminist Praxis: An Institutional Ethnography (2025), Breanna Kubat

Journal of Institutional Ethnography

This review critically assesses Órla Meadhbh Murray’s institutional ethnography (IE) of audit culture at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. I center my review on Murray’s argument that interpretive power exists at the local level, and with this, opportunities, although limited, to influence how audit processes are performed at the institutional and departmental levels exist. I propose that Murray’s work provides a practical guide and example of what it means to conduct an IE that is grounded in IE’s social ontology.

"From An Activist Spirit And History": An Examination Of Midwest Professors Who Teach Gender Studies In The Current Political Climate, Mena Faber

Communication and Theater Association of Minnesota Journal

Gender studies is an interdisciplinary field spanning higher education institutions globally. Yet the experiences of scholars within specific regional contexts remain understudied. This study examines the lived personal and pedagogical experiences of gender studies and gender communication scholars in the Midwest. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore participants’ experiences, perceived pressures, and responses to the current political and academic climate. Interview questions focused on the challenges scholars face as well as the communicative practices they adopt in response to shifting attitudes toward gender studies. This research seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of how scholars …

Job Satisfaction Among Latina Female Administrators In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study, Susana Garcia

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the job satisfaction experiences for Latina female administrators at higher education institutions in the Central California region. The theory guiding this study was Herzberg’s two-factor theory. The central research question was: What are the descriptions of the lived experiences related to job satisfaction among Latina female administrators in higher education institutions in the Central California region? The sub-questions focused on the motivators and hygiene experiences that lead to job satisfaction among the participants. A transcendental-phenomenological qualitative design was selected for the study to examine the job satisfaction experiences of 14 …

Principles For An Antiracist And Decolonial Internationalization Based On "Pedagogy In Process: The Letters To Guinea-Bissau" By Paulo Freire, Bruno Pereira De Souza Andrade, Alexandre José Cadilhe

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

This paper critically reflects on possible paths toward an antiracist and decolonial internationalization of higher education, grounded in the ethical, political, and pedagogical principles of Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy in Process: The Letters to Guinea-Bissau. Theoretically and reflectively oriented, it combines an analytical reading of Freire’s work with a narrative synthesis of critical and decolonial studies on internationalization. The analysis is structured around three axes: (i) Decolonizing to internationalize; (ii) Internationalization as a practice of freedom; and (iii) Challenges and pathways for antiracist institutional practices. Given the commonly market-oriented character of internationalization, which perpetuates colonial legacies, Freire’s work provides a powerful …

Rules, Risk, And Racialization: Chinese International Students’ Experiences With Compliance And Care Through Non-Academic Misconduct Policies In U.S. Higher Education, Haishan Yang

Journal of Comparative & International Higher Education

This qualitative study examines how first-year Chinese international students (CIS) understand misconduct policies and procedures, and how those experiences relate to belonging. Drawing on interviews with 14 Chinese international undergraduates at a private research university, the study applies AsianCrit and IntlCrit to analyze how race, foreignness, and noncitizen status shape students’ encounters with institutional policy. Findings show students often learned misconduct policies through a hidden curriculum of compliance without clear institutional teaching. Participants described uncertainty and fear about the adjudication process and racialized experiences of hierarchy, otherness, and visa-related risk. Policies were accepted as necessary but rarely associated with trust …

Measuring Financial Responsibility Of Private Higher Education Institutions, Jack Hansen

Mark A. Israel '91 Endowed Summer Research Fund in Economics

The U.S. Department of Education’s Financial Responsibility Composite Score aggregates three accounting ratios to assess the financial health of private higher education institutions, yet its predetermined weights lack a formal statistical foundation. This paper argues that a data-driven alternative better summarizes institutional financial condition. Using Principal Component Analysis on the Primary Reserve Ratio, Equity Ratio, and Net Income Ratio calculated from 2025 audited statements for 30 private nonprofit bachelor’s institutions in the greater Chicago regional market, we derive empirically-determined weights. The resulting PCA-based score correlates positively with the official FRCS but produces meaningfully different institutional rankings. Relative to our composite …

Lecturer-To-Lecturer Learning Model For Artificial Intelligence Adoption In African Universities: Opportunities And Challenges, Vincent C. Asogwa

Journal of Research Initiatives

Although artificial intelligence (AI) can transform teaching, research, and administrative processes, many African universities, including those in Eswatini and Nigeria, face challenges in implementing AI effectively because of inadequate infrastructure, lecturer skill gaps, and financial constraints. This study examines the opportunities and challenges associated with adopting the Lecturer-to-Lecturer Learning Model for AI in African universities. Grounded in social constructivism, the model emphasizes knowledge sharing through social interactions, which is particularly relevant in contexts where external resources are limited. The study employs content analysis of secondary data sources, including academic literature, institutional reports, and case studies on AI adoption in higher …

Does Gender Spell Success? Exploring Female Students' Perspectives Of Faculty At A Higher Educational Institution, Chitora Jackson, Terrence Hicks, Jill Channing, Arnold Nyarambi

Journal of Research Initiatives

Numerous studies have pointed to connections and positive interactions with faculty that result in positive outcomes for students (Beckowski & Gebauer, 2018; Jones, 2020; Trolian et al., 2021). However, despite this knowledge, there are still some areas related to this topic that remain under-researched. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of female students at a higher educational institution and to understand how those experiences shape their perspectives of female and male faculty. Additionally, this study sought to discover how faculty gender influences their interactions with students and the similarities and differences between …

Enhancing Institutional Performance Through Agile Leadership And Knowledge Management: Evidence From Iraqi Universities, Maha Farooq Ezzat

Journal of Economics and Administrative Sciences

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) operating in Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous (VUCA) environments face unprecedented managerial challenges. Over the last few years, traditional hierarchical control systems have become less suitable for developing the agility and innovation needed to maintain institutional performance. To date, research has focused on agile leadership and knowledge management separately, but there is a significant gap in the theoretical and empirical literature on their interaction within the higher education system in Iraq. This paper attempts to fill this gap by exploring the interaction between agile leadership, processes of knowledge management (tacit and explicit), and institutional performance. The …

Reframing Dissertation Committee Practice: A Student-Centered Conceptual Framework For Doctoral Education, Roberto Victor Rodríguez Rivera

Journal of Research Initiatives

Dissertation committees play a key role in shaping the direction, pace, and outcomes of doctoral study, but their function as a unified structure for guidance and judgment is not well understood. Although research covers supervision, examiner feedback, ethics, power, and dissertation examination, these topics are often studied separately. This article brings together both foundational and recent research to rethink dissertation committees as academic structures that adapt their support, oversight, ethical practices, and evaluation throughout the dissertation process. The article makes three main contributions: it clarifies how committee practice is conceptually fragmented, reviews research on supervision, feedback, ethics, and examination, and …

Living Between Lines: A Conceptual Paper For An Empirical Study Exploring The Impact Of Gendered Racial Socialization On Black Women In Emerging Adulthood, Danielle C. Hickman

Journal of Research Initiatives

Abstract

Black women in emerging adulthood (ages 18–29) navigate the intersection of racial and gender socialization processes that are largely absent from mainstream developmental and psychological research. Existing scholarship often examines race and gender separately, thereby overlooking the compounded psychological effects experienced by Black emerging adult women (BEAW) as they negotiate cultural scripts such as the Strong Black Woman and Angry Black Woman. This conceptual paper outlines a research framework for an empirical study examining the relationship between gendered-racial socialization and psychological well-being among BEAW, and the extent to which cultural scripts moderate this relationship. Grounded in an integrated theoretical …

From Silos To Systems In Higher Education: Doctoral Students’ Conceptualizations Of Faculty And Staff Collaboration In Academic Planning, Linda Wilson-Jones, Simone Elias

Journal of Research Initiatives

Collaboration is increasingly recognized as central to student success and institutional effectiveness in higher education. This qualitative study investigates doctoral students’ conceptualizations of faculty and staff collaboration in academic planning. Data were collected from 22 written responses in a doctoral-level program course. Through reflexive thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006, 2021), five interrelated themes emerged: (1) holistic student support, (2) shared institutional vision and goal alignment, (3) complementary expertise and role interdependence, (4) communication as quality assurance, and (5) collaborative culture as an institutional asset. The findings indicate that collaboration functions as organizational infrastructure that aligns academic and administrative systems …

Digital Learning And Digital Literacy: Conceptual Distinctions, Theoretical Frameworks, And Educational Implications Across The Educational Continuum, Simone Elias, Linda Wilson-Jones, Richard Brutti

Journal of Research Initiatives

The terms digital learning and digital literacy recur frequently in educational policy and institutional discourse. Yet peer-reviewed scholarship shows they are conceptually distinct constructs operating at fundamentally different levels of analysis. This article examines the theoretical foundations, definitional genealogies, empirical interdependencies, and grade-band and postsecondary manifestations of both constructs across the full educational continuum, from kindergarten through Grade 12 and into undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral education. Drawing on literature across leading educational technology journals, the article argues that digital learning constitutes a pedagogical modality, the structured, technology-mediated environment through which instruction is delivered.

In contrast, digital literacy is a multidimensional …

When The Hood Comes Off: Racism And Resistance In The Digital Age, By Rob Eschmann. University Of California Press, 2023. 312 Pages. $24.95. Isbn 978-0520379749, Stephanie M. Ortiz

Journal of Hate Studies

Sociologist Stephanie M. Ortiz reviews Rob Eschmann’s When the Hood Comes Off: Racism and Resistance in the Digital Age, which examines how the internet reorganizes the conditions under which racism is expressed, with a focus on higher education. This reorganization allows hate to flourish online even as racism is disavowed in public. Online and offline spaces are not disconnected, though, and digital revelations—revealed when “the hood comes off”—shape offline relationships, institutional trust, campus climate, and students’ sense of safety.

Klandamentalism: Bob Jones At The Intersection Of Revivalism, Politics, And White Supremacy, By Camille Kaminski Lewis. Clemson University Press, 2025. Rhetorics Of Conflict. 352 Pages. $128.00. Isbn 978-1638041566, Anderson Rouse

Journal of Hate Studies

A historian by training, Anderson Rouse reviews Camille Kaminski Lewis’s Klandamentalism: Bob Jones at the Intersection of Revivalism, Politics, and White Supremacy, a study of twentieth century religion and race that examines the fusion of Protestant fundamentalism and Ku Klux Klan activity and ideology. Klandementalism focuses on the work of Bob Jones through archives beyond that of the university that bears his name, illustrating how Bob Jones University became an example of the institutionalization of racialized Protestant politics.

Examining The Effect Of Having A Disability On The College Experience, Grace Dudley

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Among people 25 or older in the United States in 2022, just 21% of individuals with a disability had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 38% of individuals without a disability had earned a bachelor’s degree or higher. Previous research has identified a variety of barriers that students with disabilities may face as they pursue postsecondary education. The purpose of this study was to examine barriers students with disabilities (SWDs) face once they arrive at college in order to investigate how higher education may be made more accessible. Barriers were assessed by surveying SWDs attending James Madison University, a …

Adapting To Change: A Mixed Methods Approach To Understand How Colleges And Universities Are Utilizing Animals To Help Students Transition Into Higher Education, Christopher Puglisi, Shalini Mathew, Nicole D. Schutter, Monte Meyerink, Abiah George

People and Animals: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Individuals experience several changes in their lives, with one of the most impactful being leaving home to attend college. It is no surprise that college-age students need mental health support, especially in times of adjustment. To address this adjustment, animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have recently gained substantial attention. In this study, college and university departments that help students transition to higher education were surveyed (N = 59) and interviewed (N = 6) to understand how AAI are utilized. Results indicate that AAI have potential to ease students’ higher education transition, though institutions must establish an outline that states the benefits of …

Belonging, Spirituality, And Online Student Satisfaction: A Quantitative Study, Kimberly Diana Ramona King

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The growth of online education has transformed higher education by increasing flexibility and accessibility while introducing challenges related to belonging, engagement, and student satisfaction. Research demonstrates that students’ sense of belonging, a fundamental human need for connection and inclusion, is critical to engagement and persistence. Grounded in the community of inquiry (CoI) framework and social presence theory (SPT), this quantitative, cross-sectional correlational study examined the relationship between belonging (X) and student satisfaction in online learning (Y), with spirituality (M₁) as a mediating variable. The study used a convenience sample of 155 graduate students and alumni (age 21 or older) who …

Current Research On The Use Of Ai In Higher Education, Jim A. Mccleskey

Southwestern Business Administration Journal

The rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT, has introduced profound opportunities and challenges for higher education. This paper presents a thematic scholarly review of recent empirical studies, systematic reviews, and conceptual analyses examining AI’s impact on teaching, learning, assessment, and institutional practice. The literature highlights substantial benefits associated with AI use, including increased academic productivity, personalized and adaptive learning pathways, enhanced accessibility for diverse learners, and new opportunities for pedagogical innovation. At the same time, significant risks emerge related to cognitive offloading, erosion of critical thinking, academic integrity, blurred authorship, assessment …

Leveraging A Model Of Intergroup Competencies: A Reflexive Tool For Developing Diversity Leadership In Higher Education, Arig Al Shaibah

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

Despite, or perhaps precisely because of, the current partisan pushback against equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) efforts in Western higher education institutions, universities may be well served to renovate their approaches to leadership diversity development to build greater capacity for advancing mission-critical inclusion excellence priorities. This article describes a promising educational intervention that has broad applicability to more meaningfully develop leadership proficiencies that better enable the advancement of EDI goals in higher education. While individual diversity leadership development programming is a micro-level intervention, it could prove beneficial—though insufficient on its own—as a prerequisite for macro-level equity and inclusion policymaking and …

Nurture: A Heart–Head–Hands–Feet Curriculum Framework For Sustainable Food Systems And Planetary Health Education, Liza Barbour, Devinia Wainwright, Sarah Browne, Clare Pettinger, Jessica Wegener, Tracy Everitt, Liesel Carlsson

School of Health Professions

Introduction: Nutrition and dietetics professionals are vital to food systems transformation; however, the integration of sustainable food systems and planetary health curricula in tertiary education remains inadequate. This article presents the NURTURE framework, a curriculum tool designed in collaboration with an Indigenous artist to support educators in preparing future professionals to address global planetary crises.Methods: The framework organises 35 curriculum concepts previously identified by stakeholders across 27 countries as relevant for entry-level nutrition and dietetics professionals. Drawing on holistic educational models and Indigenous worldviews that emphasise the interconnected relationships between humans and nature, researchers mapped the concepts to four domains …

What Determines Free Speech On College Campuses?, Town Oh, Abbylin Sellers

School of Business and Leadership Working Papers

This paper asks two questions. Which institutional characteristics are associated with stronger or weaker campus speech climates? And do institutions take corrective action when they are publicly ranked near the bottom? A university faces two costs of restricting speech: a legal cost that binds only public institutions, and a reputational cost is paid when its climate is publicly observed and private institutions also bear this cost. The evidence comes from five waves of the FIRE College Free Speech Rankings, 1,112 institution-waves covering 257 colleges from 2022 to 2026, merged with IPEDS. On the first question, being a public institution is …

Developing The Social And Legal Competence Of Future Social Counselors, Lazzat Suleimenova, Saira Zhiyenbayeva, Kamchat Yessenova, Yernar Onalbekov, Elmira Bayarystanova

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: The social and legal (also referred to as sociolegal) competence of future social counselors is one of the key factors that ensures the effectiveness of their professional activities—protecting the rights of the individual, collaborating with other professionals, and contributing to the creation of a safe social environment. The study aimed to create and implement a model and pedagogical conditions for the development of sociolegal competence of future social counselors in higher education institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Methods: As part of a study conducted at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Faculty of Social Sciences, in the social pedagogy …

Leading From The Precipice: How Academic Deans Are Navigating Artificial Intelligence In Higher Education, V. Dozier, Sarina Chugani Molina

Copley Library: Faculty Scholarship

This qualitative case study examines how associate deans at a medium-sized Catholic university respond to the rapid integration of generative artificial intelligence (AI). Guided by decolonial and feminist frameworks, the study analyzes survey data from seven academic leaders to understand their concerns, decision-making processes, and emerging practices. Our findings reveal uneven adoption, limited institutional guidance, and ongoing concerns about academic integrity, equity, and bias. The study also highlights the often-unseen relational and emotional labor involved in supporting faculty and students. We conclude by recommending flexible, collaborative approaches to AI governance that attend to context, care, and diverse ways of knowing.

Resonating Or Missing The Mark? Indigenous Students’ Perspectives On University Marketing Communications, Melissa Fong-Emmerson, Claire Lambert, Braden Hill, Maria M. Ryan

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This study explores the perspectives of Indigenous Australian students on the marketing and communication materials of higher education institutions, highlighting their crucial role in attracting Indigenous students and revealing a lack of authentic engagement with Indigenous voices. While outreach and enabling programs have boosted participation, a significant gap remains in research on marketing and communication strategies that resonate with Indigenous students. This is especially relevant in the context of the Universities Australia Indigenous Strategy 2022–25 and the Australian Universities Accord, which aim to enhance Indigenous participation. Drawing on three yarning sessions with 15 students, this research identifies a disconnect between …

Applying Their Capital: Family Motivation And Tension Among Housing-Insecure Undergraduate Students, Vanessa Pena, Susan P. Farruggia, Nicole A. Perez

Journal of College Access

This study examined how housing-insecure undergraduates draw on community cultural wealth to persist in higher education. Findings show that students’ family relationships were deeply embedded in their educational experiences, functioning as a source of motivation and tension. Campus housing emerged as a critical institutional resource that alleviated financial and emotional burdens for both students and their families. Furthermore, campus housing proved to be a source of relief and an important intervention for both students and their families that led to the activation of familial, navigational, and aspirational capital. The results offer implications for supporting students facing housing insecurity and student …

Assessing Transdisciplinary Work-Integrated Learning For Sustainable Development: A Programmatic Approach, Denise Jackson, Claire Lambert, Sonja Coetzee

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

This conceptual article responds to the growing need for universities to embed sustainability education within programs to develop graduates capable of addressing complex global challenges. Drawing on the literature relating to education for sustainable development, transdisciplinary work-integrated learning (TWIL), programmatic assessment, and the ethical use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), it explores how assessment can support the development and evaluation of capabilities required for sustainable development. TWIL is presented as a curriculum-based pedagogy in which students and academics from multiple disciplines collaborate with external partners to address authentic environmental, social, and economic sustainability challenges. The article argues for a programmatic …

In The Problem Lies The Solution: How Digital Mindfulness Can Address The College Students’ Mental Health Crisis And Support Holistic Education, Steve Haberlin

Journal of Contemplative and Holistic Education

The mental health of today’s college students remains a serious concern. The alarming trend of greater psychological distress among undergraduates shows no signs of slowing. Excessive smartphone usage, screen time, and social media have been attributed as partial factors. However, what if forms of digital mindfulness and technology-assisted contemplative practices are the key to assisting students with stress, anxiety, depression and other problems? In this article, the author posits that innovations, such as neurofeedback-loop meditation platforms that dramatically increase focus, virtual reality platforms featuring in depth-meditation instruction, and Artificial Intelligence have the potential to address the crisis, establishing a refreshed …