Digital Commons Network^™

The Roles Of Mathematics In Teaching For Social Justice: A Framework For The College Classroom, Vivian Lim, Daniel Libertz

Numeracy

In this paper, we present a framework for understanding the multiple roles that mathematics can serve in the classroom towards social justice goals, developed through an analysis of 36 social justice mathematics curricular modules in college settings. The framework is grounded in Patricia Hill Collins's matrix of domination and consists of seven themes that represent the different roles mathematics can play: measuring inequality, illuminating conditions resulting in inequality, understanding the mechanisms of phenomena, challenging stereotypes and misconceptions, generating and evaluating solutions, communication and action, and criticizing quantification. Our framework supports the perspective that mathematics can serve important and distinct roles …

A Case Study Of Faculty Composition And Workload In Sport Management Programs At Small-To-Medium-Sized Colleges And Universities, Joshua Greer, Nicholas Zoroya, Aimee T. Vlachos, Alan Ledford

The COSMA Journal

Sport management has transitioned from its origins in physical education to an established, business-oriented academic discipline, prompting new questions about how faculty composition and workload shape program delivery in resource-constrained contexts. This case study investigates faculty structures, instructional variety, and workload in sport management programs at small- to medium-sized U.S. colleges and universities, as defined by the Carnegie Size & Setting Classification. A mixed-methods survey of faculty (n = 61) was analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. Quantitative results indicated that core courses are primarily taught by full-time faculty, with most programs relying on one to three full-time …

The Future Of Educational Equity In Post-Secondary Education: Student Loan Statutory Reforms Under The Big Beautiful Bill Act, Taylor Myers

Florida Atlantic University Undergraduate Law Journal

Significant reforms to federal student loans, as outlined in the Big Beautiful Bill Act, will have a substantial impact on students pursuing secondary education, including loan limits, income-based repayment plans, and the elimination of specific deferment plans. Subsequently, those most affected by these changes will be low-income borrowers, middle-income borrowers, and graduate students. Recent changes to federal higher education loan policies, such as borrowing limits, income-based repayment plans, and elimination of certain deferments, can leave greater economic barriers within education. Although the policy aims to provide debt relief to borrowers, it raises unresolved constitutional questions, particularly regarding the government's responsibility …

Experiences Of Marginalization At The Intersection Of Race, Ethnicity, And Disability In Higher Education, Nora L. Portillo

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Black and Latine college students with disabilities navigate higher education at the intersection of racism and ableism, yet their experiences remain underexamined. Autism and ADHD are particularly underrepresented in research and public discourse; moreover, unlike other disability categories in which students of color are overrepresented, Black and Latine children are less likely than white children to be accurately identified, and both disabilities are often framed around white prototypes. Guided by Disability Critical Race Theory, the present exploratory qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with ten undergraduates identifying as Black and/or Latine and with ADHD and/or on the autism spectrum attending a …

Navigating Relationships In Social Care Practice: Student Experiences On Placement In Ireland., Louise Mcanarney Mrs, Geraldine Fay Ms.

Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies

The professionalisation of social care in Ireland has reshaped the sector for workers, educators and students. With the advent of CORU regulation, social care education and practice has changed dramatically, necessitating a focus on the evolution of relational processes.

Quality relationships are the cornerstone of effective social care practice and form the basis for developing other essential skills (Morrison, 2015; McSweeney & Williams, 2018; Kaushik et al., 2023).  This concept is firmly embedded within the Standards of Proficiency for Social Care Workers as set out by the Social Care Workers Registration Board (SCWRB). Considering the significance of interpersonal dynamics; education …

Library Advisory Council 2025-2026 End Of Academic Year Report, Central Washington University

Library Advisory Council for CWU Libraries

Library Advisory Council 

2025-2026 

End of Academic Year Report 

A Proposal For Cal Poly Humboldt Spanish Language Family Orientations In Order To Increase First-Gen Latine Student Matriculation And Retention, Xelha B. Puc

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

First-generation college students, defined as those whose parents did not complete a 4-year degree, face distinct challenges when pursuing higher education. Although all first-gen students face significant barriers to success, additional aspects of student identity can further impact their access to institutional support and resources. This project addresses the particular needs of first-generation Latine undergraduate students, who may face additional challenges related to language barriers, limited access to institutional knowledge, financial barriers, and cultural expectations. While existing research highlights the disparities students of this population face, less attention is given to the critical role family support can play in shaping …

A Narrative Inquiry Of Early-Career Women Of Color In Student Affairs, Nora Anitzya Jin-Leyva

CGU Theses & Dissertations

At the time of this study, data revealed student affairs professionals were exiting the profession at high rates (Chamberlain et al., 2022). This rate was higher among new student affairs professionals (Buchanan & Shupp, 2015). Professionals in the field face common challenges including low job satisfaction and high levels of burnout (Aros, 2022; Chamberlain et al., 2022; Quaye et al., 2024) and a lack of appropriate supervision (Shupp & Arminio, 2012) and mentoring opportunities (Aros, 2022; Maramba, 2011). However, people of color and women in the profession face additional challenges, including racial battle fatigue (Quaye et al., 2024), racism and …

Filling In The Gaps: A Mixed Methods Convergent Parallel Study To Enhance Ethical Standards And Policy Integration In Higher Education, Tiffany D. Seawright

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This study explored the ethical culture, policy integration, and ethics-related practices at Central Heights State University (CHSU) to identify gaps and develop a comprehensive ethics integration plan. Guided by Getzels and Guba's (1957) Social Systems Model and Argyris’s (1977) Double-Loop Learning Theory, the study employed a convergent parallel mixed methods design that included document analysis and a staff survey. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently, analyzed independently, and given equal priority, and the results were merged during interpretation to examine convergence, divergence, and complementarity across data sources. The document analysis examined the visibility, accessibility, and quality of ethics-related artifacts, …

Assessing Interdisciplinary Learning And Knowledge: A State-Of-The-Art Review And Heuristic, Kacey Beddoes, Kristi Bartlett

Product Design Faculty Publications

Background – The need for interdisciplinary training is increasingly important, but assessing the effects of interdisciplinary education initiatives remains challenging. One of the leading difficulties is identifying and selecting the best instrument or technique for a given purpose.

Purpose -- To help researchers and educators identify available options and determine the best options for their purposes, we conducted a literature review and created a heuristic table of available techniques. Our review addresses the questions: 1) What domain-general techniques and instruments exist for assessing interdisciplinary learning or knowledge? 2) What research scenarios, populations, and questions are each technique or instrument most …

A Large Language Model-Based Academic Advising Assistant For Engineering Technology Students, Murat Kuzlu, Vukica M. Jovanovic, Katherine Smith, Otilia Popescu, Adel El-Shahat, Ryan Cotton, Kayla Marie Seegers, William Austin Henderson

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

In recent years, Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based solutions, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), have been applied to a variety of domains, such as energy, finance, transportation, healthcare, and education. Among these domains, education has become increasingly popular due to strong interest among educators and students. This study proposes an academic advising assistant system that uses LLMs to help Engineering Technology (ET) students plan their course load based on their educational history, departmental course offerings, and personal constraints, such as their preferred semester course load. The proposed LLM-based academic advising assistant system maintains a database of students' course histories and upcoming course …

Exploring The Quality Of Educational Climate In Ethiopian Health Sciences Education: A Comparative Study Of Public And Private Institutions, Yenuse Molla, Temesgen Fereja, Ayenachew Assefa, Tegbar Yigzaw

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Educational environment plays a pivotal role in shaping the quality of health professionals' training. In Ethiopia, disparities in institutional resources, governance, and student support systems between public and private higher education institutions (HEIs) have raised concerns about the overall quality and equity of health science education. This study aimed to assess the status of the educational environment in selected public and private HEIs and propose targeted recommendations for its enhancement.

Methods: A comparative cross-sectional case study research design was employed. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) was administered to final-year undergraduate students across medicine, nursing, midwifery, and radiologic …

Racial Discrimination And Racial Identity Among Asian College Students: The Moderating Role Of Interdependent Self-Construal, Foong Yan Lee, Qianyi Wang, Eunseon Gong

Journal of Higher Education & Student Affairs

The current study examined the moderating role of interdependent self-construal in the relationship between perceived racial discrimination and racial group identification among 130 Asian college students at a U.S. institution. Using moderation regression analyses, results indicated that perceived racial discrimination was associated with lower racial group identification, and this relationship was significantly moderated by interdependent self-construal. Specifically, racial discrimination was negatively associated with racial group identification among students reporting lower levels of interdependent self-construal, whereas this association was not significant among those with higher interdependent self-construal. These findings suggest that individual differences in self-construal shape how Asian college students interpret …

A Critical Discourse Analysis Of Racial Justice In Virginia Higher Education, Abigail Green

Honors Theses

This honors thesis examines the extent to which public Virginia higher education institutions engage their institutional histories in leadership rhetoric when responding to the Trump administration’s anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies. Employing a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) following Mullet’s (2018) seven-step framework with an inductive coding approach and grounded in rhetorical history theory, this study analyzes official statements from the Offices of the President and Provost across four case study institutions: the University of Virginia (UVA), George Mason University (GMU), the College of William & Mary (W&M), and Longwood University (LU). Data sources span two time periods: May 2020 …

Institutional Retention And Graduation Outcomes Before And During Covid-19: A Comparison Of Online-Experienced And Online-Inexperienced Four-Year Institutions, Nicholas J. Finnessey

Theses and Dissertations

This study examined whether student success outcomes and their trajectories over time differed across higher education institutions before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic based on prior experience with online education. Guided by Astin’s (1993) Input-Environment-Output (I-E-O) framework, pre-pandemic participation in online coursework was conceptualized as an institutional-level environmental condition. A quantitative, causal-comparative research design was employed, using secondary data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), to examine longitudinal differences in institutional retention and graduation rates across institutions classified by their pre-pandemic participation in online education. The sample included 528 Title IV-eligible, degree-granting, four-year institutions observed across five …

From Deference To Dialogue: How International Gtas From High Power Distance Cultures Adapt To U.S. Classroom Dynamics, Deborah Akua Afi Appiah

Theses and Dissertations

International graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) from high power distance cultures play a significant role in undergraduate education at U.S. universities, yet they face challenges that go well beyond language proficiency. Coming from educational backgrounds where teacher authority is unquestioned and hierarchical, these GTAs must navigate American classrooms that operate on fundamentally different assumptions, where authority is earned rather than assumed, informality is the norm, and students expect to question, negotiate, and be personally known by their instructors. The present study examined how eighteen (18) international GTAs from seven (7) high power distance countries perceived and adapted to these differences while …

Creating "An Exemplar Of A Better World": A Dialogic Analysis Of Academic Freedom Surrounding Columbia University Activism From 2023-2025, Ellanore Foltz

Theses and Dissertations

From October of 2023 to August 2025, the community at Columbia University engaged in a series of debates regarding the meaning of academic freedom. Academic freedom, first institutionalized in the United States during the first world war, has shifted over the decades as the purpose of higher education and the threats to higher education changed. In recent years, campus protests regarding Israel and Palestine have sparked new debates about academic freedom that reflect ongoing and sometimes fundamental disagreements about higher education. This study utilizes Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT; Baxter, 2011) to explore the interplay between different discourses of academic freedom …

Staff Attitudes Toward Ai Adoption At A Private Research University, Ashley C. Smith

Theses and Dissertations

This study addresses the limited research on university staff attitudes toward artificial intelligence use and adoption. Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) research framework, the General Attitudes towards Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS), and quantitative survey methodology, the study examines the attitudes of higher education staff toward AI, specifically examining whether demographic or professional characteristics are factors. The findings indicate that staff had moderately negative attitudes toward AI while also expressing some concerns. The results suggest that more resources and support for AI are needed for staff to address concerns. It also suggests that construct-level analysis …

An Academic Civilization?, Inbar Gotlib-Rivkin, Uri Cohen

Comparative Civilizations Review

Can institutions of higher education be defined as constituting a civilization that has emerged from modern civilization? This theoretical study defines a new concept of academic civilization and demonstrates how prominent characteristics that define the collective identity of modern civilization are manifested in institutions of higher education. The study focuses on six specific characteristics: expansion, flexibility and diversification, center-periphery relations, academic culture, autonomy and academic freedom, and the monopolization of professional training and the professional middle class. The conceptual analysis presented here provides a significant addition to sociological discourse, offering a refined conceptualization of civilizations. The goal is to expand …

Understanding The Underutilization Of The Campus Recreation Facility: A Mixed-Methods Examination Of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction, Social Physique Anxiety, Sense Of Community, And Physical Environment Barriers, Caden M. Pfingsten

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Campus recreation facilities have been identified as important contributors to student well-being, academic persistence, and institutional belonging. Despite these documented benefits, a persistent gap exists between available services and actual student utilization at many institutions. This study examined the psychological, social, and environmental factors associated with students' underutilization of the Campus Recreation Facility (CRF) at a mid-sized Midwestern public university in favor of paid off-campus commercial gym memberships.

Using a cross-sectional survey design, 169 students completed a battery of validated and researcher-adapted instruments assessing basic psychological need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), Sense of Community, and social physique anxiety across …

Communication Sciences And Disorders Faculty Perspectives On Collaborating With Students As Instructional Partners, Bryanna Cosman

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Student-faculty partnerships, such as instructional partnerships, have been shown to benefit both students and faculty members who engage in them. This form of collaboration does not commonly occur at public, comprehensive universities, especially in the field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD). The purpose of this study was to understand the perspectives of CSD faculty on collaborating with students as instructional partners (IP), as there is limited research on it. IPs are students who have successfully taken a class in the recent past, attend the course in a subsequent semester, and meet after each class with the professor to discuss …

Seek In Cuny Archives, Reign Mcconnell

Publications and Research

SEEK in CUNY Archives is an inclusive research guide to archival materials about the Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) program, and College Discovery (CD) program available at CUNY archives. The SEEK Program was established within CUNY in 1965 on the pre-baccalaureate level to integrate Black and Puerto Rican students into the CUNY system and expanded to other senior-level colleges in 1966. The program provides students with academic and financial support, as well as tutoring and counseling services. Currently, the SEEK Program is available at twelve of CUNY’s four-year colleges. College Discovery is a two-year program …

¡Adelante! The Path To Success Community Brief (¡Adelante! El Camino Hacia El Éxito Informe Comunitario), Dina T. Garcia, Jacky Alvarez, Alexia Muñoz-Moctezuma, Kristal Parada, Jorge Piocuda, Pablo De Cuba Soria

Social and Behavioral Sciences Publications

This community brief describes the development, implementation, and impact of ¡Adelante! The Path to Success, a first-year student success course at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) designed to support Latine/x/a/o students in their transition to college. Developed through collaboration among faculty, staff, and student support professionals, the course centers community building, identity exploration, wellness, academic success, and career development within a culturally responsive learning environment. Rooted in VCU’s commitment to student success and belonging, Adelante provides structured opportunities for students to connect with peers, mentors, campus resources, and Latine/x/a/o professionals. The brief highlights the program’s origins, ongoing sustainability through the Adelante …

The Digital Divide Among Urban University Students, J.B. Oleet, Chien Yu

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

The purpose of this study was to examine urban university students’ post-pandemic experiences with the digital divide, focusing on Motivational, Physical, Skills, and Usage Access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) based on van Dijk’s resources and appropriation theory. The study revealed students’ positive perceptions of their digital divide experiences. Intrinsic Motivational Access (IMA) scored particularly high, indicating a strong internal drive to engage with ICTs, while Physical Access (PA) showed discrepancies in access to specialized tools like programming software. Students displayed high competency in Operational, Informational, and Strategic Skills Access, with significant correlations between Physical and Operational Skills Access. …

Who, What, When, Where And Why? Breaking Down The Creation And Adoption Of New College Programs And Their Impact On Higher Education: A Quantitative Study, Chandler Thomas-Scott Sagal

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Institutions of higher education have historically been designed as engines of innovation and knowledge dissemination in the United States and across the world. Whether this comes by way of short-term credentialing programs at community colleges or through R1 research programs at prestigious universities, all institutions deliver value and knowledge through their academic programs. Over the past decade, colleges across the country have been adding new programs at a frantic pace. While some of these programs seem to provide a clear path forward to gainful employment, some have fallen flat and proven to be bad investments by both the institution and, …

How Effective Is Online Teaching Of Physiology Modules? Perception Of Rwandan Health Sciences Students, Abdullateef Isiaka Alagbonsi, Mojeed Akorede Gbadamosi, Mathieu Nemerimana, Makinde V. Olubiyi, Olufunke Onaadepo, Akaninyene Ubong Ime, Abdul-Rahuf Aderemi Feyitimi, Ruth Wanjiru Mungai, Florent Rutagarama, Simiat Elias

Biomedical Sciences, East Africa

Background: While blended teaching is approved in Rwandan medical education, the perceived effectiveness of online-only delivery for physiology modules remains unclear. This uncertainty limits its continued use. The present study assessed Rwandan health sciences students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of online teaching for physiology modules.

Methods: A total of 528 students from medicine and surgery (n = 300), pharmacy (n = 99), dentistry (n = 89), and clinical psychology (n = 40) programs at the University of Rwanda completed an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression and non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis) with corresponding effect …

The American Dream And The Politics Of Promise: Presidential Rhetoric Against Reality On Inequality, Education, And Assistance Since 2000, Abigail Demonte

Touro Law Review

No abstract provided.

Emerging Through The College Experience: Supporting The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Higher Education Institutions, Kaitlyn Dixon

Entry Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Projects Class of 2026

Emerging Through the College Experience was a doctoral capstone project designed to support students during the pivotal transitions of college while substantiating the role of occupational therapy (OT) in higher education. Inspired by the Emerging statues by Dugan located on Misericordia University’s campus, this project focused on developing institutional resources to support college students as they adjust to the college lifestyle. A scoping review was conducted to explore the role of OT in supporting college students with emphasis on adult life skill training. Results from the scoping review identified life skills development as foundational for increasing confidence, academic success, and …

“I Love What I Do, I Just Don't Love Where I Do It,”: An Exploration Of Job-Related Tension And Well-Being Of Professional Academic Advisors, Cynthia Cruger

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the intersection of job-related tension and workplace well-being among professional academic advisors through the lens of the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) model. The purpose of the study is to address a gap in advising scholarship by exploring job demands and resources in advisors’ experiences in different advising models and institution types. A scoping literature review addresses advising as a profession, positive organizational psychology frameworks such as the PERMA model, and job-related tension concepts like role overload and ambiguity. Existing research indicates advisors have high job satisfaction despite job tension, and the JD-R theory is used to set a …

Building Shields: Accreditation, Insurance, And Public-Private Partnerships As Tools To Safeguard Critical Race Theory And Democracy In Higher Education, Taifha Natalee Alexander

Faculty Publications

(Excerpt)

Following the racial justice uprisings of 2020, universities have become increasingly vulnerable to coordinated political campaigns aimed at dismantling antiracist teaching, training, and research. These attacks, ranging from legislative bans on Critical Race Theory (“CRT”) to executive efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, expose the fragility of higher education’s role as a guardian of democratic pluralism. This Essay demonstrates that universities cannot rely solely on moral suasion or First Amendment litigation to resist these escalating, structural assaults. Instead, colleges and universities must build a multilayered legal strategy that renders the teaching of CRT and the pursuit of …