Education Commons^™

An Examination Of The Role Of Fundraising In Divisions Of Student Affairs At Seven Four-Year Public Universities In The Midwest, Danielle Nicole Miller-Schuster

Theses and Dissertations

With higher accountability standards, divisions of student affairs must find alternative ways to balance the rising costs of college with the survival and growth of the programs and services expected. This study examined one such alternative, fundraising in student affairs, to further develop the profession's understanding of engaging in or growing development efforts. As more divisions become involved, it becomes important to learn from colleagues in the profession who are engaging in development activities. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which divisions of student affairs were involved in fundraising activities at seven 4-year public universities …

The Process By Which Black Male College Students Become Leaders Of Predominantly White Organizations In Higher Education: A Grounded Theory, Eric Moschella

All Dissertations

This study sought to understand the process by which Black undergraduate men on predominately White college campuses become leaders of predominately White organizations. Using the theoretical frameworks of Black and White racial identity development (Helms, 1990), Critical Race Theory (Delgado & Stefancic, 2001), and Wijeyesinghe's (2001) Factor Model of Multiracial Identity the researcher sought to understand the process, challenges, and strategies Black college men employ as they emerge as leaders at predominantly White colleges. Specifically the researcher sought to answer the following research question: What is the process by which Black men become leaders of predominately White organizations on predominately …

Innovation In Academic Libraries During A Time Of Crisis, Dane Michael Ward

Theses and Dissertations

During a period of rapid social and technological change, academic Academic libraries and librarianship are experiencing a period of great change, or crisis, influenced by multiple factors including emerging technologies, declining budgets, and changing information. More than a transitory historical phase, these changes represents a fundamental transition between paradigms (Kuhn, 1962). Academic libraries and librarianship are moving from a paradigm focused on collections and books to a paradigm focused on learning. Within this context, innovations are new processes, services and products that facilitate this transition to the new paradigm.

Beyond this definitional work, the work serves as an exploration of …

Quality By Association Across North-South Divides: United States Accreditation Of Mexican Institutions Of Higher Education, Gerardo Blanco Ramírez

Open Access Dissertations

Institutional accreditation in higher education presents a dual reality: Accreditation is intended to hold colleges and universities accountable through external evaluation and, at the same time, accreditation constitutes an opportunity for higher education leaders to assess, improve, and communicate the quality of their undertakings. In an increasingly global field of higher education, quality practices become diffused across national boundaries. U.S. institutional accreditation is one of the quality practices embraced around the world; institutions of higher education, particularly in the Global South, aspire to obtain U.S. institutional accreditation. While important, this phenomenon has gone largely unexamined in research. This study follows …

The Relationship Between Living Arrangement, Academic Performance, And Engagement Among First-Year College Students, Denise Shata Balfour

Educational Foundations & Leadership Theses & Dissertations

One way students become engaged in their undergraduate experience is through place of residence. Factors associated with high academic performance suggest high levels of engagement in campus life. This study investigated the relationship between living arrangement and the academic performance of first-year, full-time undergraduate students. The researcher also considered age, gender, race/ethnicity, and key characteristics of student engagement as moderating factors in the relationship between living arrangement and the academic performance.

Students enrolled at a four-year, public research university located in Southeastern Virginia were utilized for this study. The final participant group consisted of 870 first-year, full-time students who participated …

Evaluating Alternative High Schools: Program Evaluation In Action, Drew Samuel Wayne Hinds

Dissertations and Theses

Alternative high schools serve some of the most vulnerable students and their programs present a significant challenge to evaluate. Determining the impact of an alternative high school that serves mostly at-risk students presented a significant research problem. Few studies exist that dig deeper into the characteristics and strategies of successful alternative schooling. Moreover valid program evaluation methods to identify successful alternative school practices are hit and miss. As a result, public policy and systems of accountability have either disregarded information relating to alternative high schools or unjustifiably included them in comparisons with traditional high schools.

This dissertation studied the issue …

Committed Seventh-Day Adventist Students At Secular Institutions Of Higher Education, Lashonda R. Anthony

Dissertations

The experiences of Seventh-day Adventist students at secular universities was examined. Seven women and two men attending universities in Michigan and New York were interviewed. The researcher employed a heuristically guided phenomenological method to get rich descriptions of the participants’ experiences in the secular university setting. Open-ended interviews were used to gather data regarding the student experience.

From an analysis of the data six themes arose detailing the experiences of Seventh-day Adventist students in secular environments. The themes were (a) challenges encountered in the secular environment led to a need for self-advocacy in the academic and work environment regarding maintaining …

Student Employment In Student Affairs Units: Characteristics Of Educationally Purposeful Environments, Shannon Timm Watson

Dissertations and Theses

Approximately 80% of undergraduate students work during the course of their undergraduate studies. Ideally, student's on-campus employment would contribute to his or her learning and development. However, because student employment is typically approached as the fulfillment of job tasks rather than student development, higher education institutions miss critical opportunities for supporting student academic and social integration. This study reframes on-campus student employment as a developmental effort. Data in this qualitative study indicate that on-campus employment can offer opportunities for student development and academic and social integration, and that it can positively influence students' sense of mattering and overall satisfaction with …

Perceptions Of Political, Academic, And Corporate Leaders: Higher Education Accountability In Georgia, Leslie Gene Fout

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine Georgia political, academic, and corporate leaders’ perceptions of higher education accountability. A case study design was used to gain in-depth information. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 23 participants.

The findings of the study included the following:

1. Nearly every participant believed the mission and purpose higher education involved providing students with the skills and abilities needed to obtain gainful employment, and thereby make a positive impact on the economic development of the state of Georgia.
2. Approximately half of the participants believed higher education should cultivate an engaged citizenry.
3. No consensus was …

The Impact Of State Characteristics On College Graduation Rates At Land-Grant Institutions, Melissa Bridges

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As our nation's economy has become increasingly knowledge-based, an educated citizenry is paramount to maintaining a competitive edge in a global marketplace. Thus, college participation and completion have emerged as the gateway to survival and growth for individuals, states, and the nation, making college completion rates a top priority. Stakeholders have begun to equate graduation rates with institutional quality and performance and often use such data to make judgments, create policies, and allocate funding. However, graduation rates are not fully understood and numerous scholars urge caution when interpreting and utilizing single outcome measures. The purpose of this cross-sectional ecological study …

A Profile Of The Characteristics And Professional Development Needs Of National Collegiate Athletic Association Division Ii Athletic Directors, Dustin Smith

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose for conducting the study was to identify the personal, professional, and educational backgrounds of NCAA Division II athletic directors. The study was designed to detail the professional development opportunities that existed among the population, and determine how frequently the NCAA Division II athletic directors took advantage of the opportunities that were available to them. The significance of the study rested on the ability to identify the NCAA Division II athletic director population and describe the qualities and characteristics that comprised the target population. Since little data existed detailing this population, the study provided an opportunity to describe a …

Liberal Arts Colleges During The Great Recession: Examining Organizational Adaptation And Institutional Change, Ashlie Junot Hilbun

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Liberal arts colleges strived to adapt to environmental shifts at the turn of the twenty-first century and remain relevant in American society while the Great Recession of 2007 compounded their challenges and created new fiscal and enrollment burdens, which forced these institutions to confront paradigm-changing circumstances. In an effort to advance the historical perspective of liberal arts colleges and expand the organizational adaptation research base, the current study aimed to understand how private liberal arts colleges adapted during the Great Recession of 2007 by examining institutional changes at three private liberal arts colleges and their effects on the institutions' operations. …

Academic Performance Of First-Year Students At A College Of Pharmacy In East Tennessee: Models For Prediction, Cheri W. Clavier

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With the increase of students applying to pharmacy programs, it is imperative that admissions committees choose appropriate measures to analyze student readiness. The purpose of this research was to identify significant factors that predict the academic performance, defined as grade point average (GPA) at the end of the first professional year, of pharmacy students. The population consisted of 466 students enrolled in a Doctor of Pharmacy Program in northeast Tennessee over a 5-year period. Statistical procedures included bivariate correlations, t-tests for independent samples, and multiple regression. Analysis of the data revealed that the majority of the students in the population …

Global Ambassadors Returnee Program: Can We Change Campus Culture?, Lynn Butler

Capstone Collection

The Education Abroad office at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is in a growing phase, quickly expanding and working conscientiously to increase the numbers of students studying abroad. In the midst of VCU’s transition from a commuter school to a residential campus, the administration seeks to internationalize the university, citing study abroad as one of its main goals. While VCU consistently works to create affordable program options for students of all majors, what VCU lacks is an institutional culture and awareness of study abroad. The Global Ambassadors returnee program seeks to create returned student programming that provides reflective opportunities and professional …

Practice Characteristics Of Graduates Of East Tennessee State University Quillen College Of Medicine: Factors Related To Career Choices In Primary Care, Ivy A. Click

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The nation is facing a physician shortage, specifically in relation to primary care and in rural underserved areas. The most basic function of a medical school is to educate physicians to care for the national population. The purpose of this study was to examine the physician practicing characteristics of the graduates of East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine including factors that influence graduates’ specialty choices and practice locations, especially those related to primary care. Secondary data for this study were collected from the college’s student database system and the American Medical Association Physician Masterfile. The study population included …

Self-Assessment And Student Improvement In An Introductory Computer Course At The Community College-Level, Jama R. Spicer-Sutton Mrs.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine a student‟s computer knowledge upon course entry and if there was a difference in college students‟ improvement scores as measured by the difference in pretest and posttest scores of new or novice users, moderate users, and expert users at the end of a college-level introductory computing class. This study also determined whether there were differences in improvement scores by gender or age group. The results of this study were used to determine whether there was a difference in improvement scores among the 3 campus locations participating in this study.

Four hundred sixty-nine …

Stop The Madness! College Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Classroom Incivility, Christina M. Nutt

Ed.D. Dissertations

Classroom incivility is causing major concern, nation-wide, to college administrators, faculty, and students. The damage caused by student incivility has been associated with a decrease in student learning, the deterioration of the classroom learning environment, lower faculty morale, and reduced student retention rates. The purpose of this quantitative non-experimental fixed research design was to explore and compare college faculty and student perceptions of type and frequency of classroom incivilities at a private college in order to provide a foundation for the development of strategies to reduce uncivil behaviors and increase student success. Study results demonstrated that faculty members and students, …

By The Book: Spiritual Formation And Conduct Codes At Selected Christian Universities, Gerald A. Longjohn Jr.

Ed.D. Dissertations

This study investigated the integration of spiritually formative goals with student conduct codes at selected Christian universities. Utilizing a case study methodology, this study incorporated content analysis of university documents and focus group interviews with campus stakeholders to assess the formulation, revision, communication and enforcement of the campus policies. Qualitative data analysis software, NVivo, was used as a means of coding and tracking themes from a wide range of data sources. Campus results from the Student Satisfaction Inventory were incorporated as a means of triangulating the data. This study concluded that the participating universities were extensively integrating previously researched spiritually …

An Assessment Of Diversity Competence Among College Seniors: An Exploratory Study, Lung-Chiuan Chiang

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

In our increasingly diverse global workforce, both employers and institutions of higher learning want to know if colleges and universities equip their students with adequate cultural competence skills. Reliable instruments to measure cultural competence levels for a general student body are not widely available, however. In this report, a self-developed 33-item instrument was designed to assess college seniors’ cultural competence levels, including sub-scales for cultural awareness and cultural knowledge. An expert panel was selected to establish content validity. A pilot study was conducted to improve the design of survey format. The Cronbach’s alpha was .770 according to the reliability test. …

Controversial Policy Change In A Community College: Exploring The Institutional Consequences, Jessica Chambers

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

No abstract provided.

Global Duos: An Internationally-Minded Reflection And Mentorship Program For International Students And Study Abroad Returnees, Amanda C. Batista

Capstone Collection

The Center for Global Engagement (CGE) at the College of New Jersey (TCNJ) in Ewing, NJ is a primary catalyst in the cultural and physical exchange of students in higher education. The office sends nearly 300 students abroad every year, worldwide, while also overseeing the intake of a growing number of international students incoming to the United States studying for a semester or a year at TCNJ. While these two groups of students are ever more supported and challenged by the CGE, there is a clear disconnect in terms of interaction, exchange of resources, and communication between American students studying …

Climbing Into The Ivory Tower: A Look At Administrative Perspectives On Sexual Assault On The College Campus, Tasha Nichole Turner

Masters Theses

This study examines the attitudes of administrators about sexual violence on campus, as well as their knowledge of disciplinary policies and procedures to prevent and redress rape and sexual assault on campuses. This study begins the discussion about how administrators understand their current policies as well as the attitudes that may affect their understandings. I use Thematic Analysis to analyze responses to a series of open-ended questions surveying participants on their attitudes towards their universities policy and procedures for handling sexual assault. Findings suggest that the participants have overwhelming confidence in the established policies, the extent of their knowledge of …

Work-Life Balance For Administrators In The Academy: Under Ideal Worker Pressure, Kelly E. Wilk

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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Creation And Implementation Of The Central Appalachian Institute For Research And Development, James L. Hurley

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A capstone submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in the College of Education at Morehead State University by James L. Hurley on March 12, 2013.

Undergraduate Students' Perceptions Of General Education: A Mixed Methods Approach, Rihab Saadeddine

Theses and Dissertations

Higher education institutions should offer students an enriching learning experience that fosters their academic competencies, professional skills, civic responsibility, and global preparedness (AACTE, 2010; AAC&U, 2007). Colleges and universities have been criticized for not adequately preparing students academically and professionally. They are urged to assess and improve their general education programs to provide quality education and meet the needs of 21st century students (AACTE, 2010; AAC&U, 2007; Boning, 2007; Rhodes, 2010). This study utilized a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design to indirectly assess the general education program through students' perceptions. It was designed to explore the differences in perceptions …

Exploring Predicted Vs. Actual First To-Second Year Retention Rates: A Study Of Evangelical Lutheran Church In America Colleges, Brenda Porter Poggendorf

Dissertations

Retention of students is a critical area of much needed attention on nearly every college campus. It is important to students who want to succeed in college and beyond, to institutions that desire high efficiency and prestige, and increasingly to state and federal leaders. Retention of students in college affects a broad range of stakeholders, from the self-esteem and financial stability of students to the fiscal health, well-being and leadership of our country.

Using Astin's model of inputs-environment-outputs (1993) as a guide, this study seeks to understand institutional environmental factors that may impact the retention of students from their first-to-second …

Student-Athletes And Drug Abuse Policies: A Study Of Drug Abuse Policies Of Athletics Departments In A Major Intercollegiate Athletics Conference, Jennifer Hale

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

No executive summary.

Analyzing The University Of Kentucky’S Top 20 Business Plan, Kenny Blair

MPA/MPP/MPFM Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to begin laying a foundation for assessing the degree of progress the University of Kentucky (UK) has made toward the goals defined in the Top 20 Business Plan. The plan was created to guide the university’s efforts in becoming a top twenty public research institution by 2020 per a mandate by the Kentucky General Assembly.

Up to two strategies and/or policy suggestions were chosen for analysis for each of the four major domains outlined in the plan (undergraduate education, graduate education, faculty recognition, and research). Academic quality indicators were then developed for these strategies …

Assessing The Readiness Of Higher Education To Instruct And Support Students With Asperger's Disorder, L. Marc Ellison

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study explores the current ability of higher education to effectively educate and support college students diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder. As the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders increased dramatically during the past decade, it is estimated that tens of thousands of individuals diagnosed with Asperger’s Disorder are preparing to enter colleges and universities in the United States. Emerging research details specific service systems and resources necessary to effectively educate and support college students with Asperger’s Disorder. Public, four-year institutions of higher education were surveyed (N=578) to assess their current readiness to use identified best-practice methods of support with this student …

Presidential Succession Planning For Governing Boards In Higher Education, Timothy L. Channell

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This study examined desired characteristics presidents of colleges and universities exhibit through the perspective of the governing board chairperson. Three overarching characteristics investigated in this study were leadership ability, the ability to articulate a defined mission, and the ability to work with others. Comparisons were made between characteristic-determining questions to institution type and institution size. Participants were selected from a random sample of regional public colleges and universities and public community colleges that held membership in the American Association of State Colleges and Universities and the American Association of Community Colleges, respectively. Through the use of the Multi-Factor Leadership Questionnaire …