Higher Education Commons^™

Impact Of Enrollment Management, Marketing And Strategic Planning On Adult Higher Education Enrollment Patterns, Kinfu Adisu

Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the impact of enrollment management, marketing and strategic planning practices (or lack thereof) on enrollment trends in two graduate programs across five Grand Rapids, Michigan-based institutions of higher education. Deans, department heads or program directors associated with the Master's of Business and Master's of Education degrees in each institution were interviewed, as were regional administrators and marketing personnel for a total of 15 participants. In addition, the challenges faced by these graduate programs and how such challenges impacted enrollment patterns were analyzed.

Findings indicate that to a large degree the concepts of enrollment management, marketing and …

The Total And Specific Dimensions Of Self Concept Related To Female Participation In Collegiate Athletics, Dane Bradford Beary

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed between female collegiate sport participation and non-participation, as well as female collegiate individual and team sport participation on the total, the specific dimensions of self-concept and supplementary scores as rendered by the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale Second Edition TSCS:2 (Fitts & Warren, 1996). A subject pool of N=190 participants were used. All subjects included in data analysis were female undergraduate students. A multivariate analysis of variance (M ANOVA) was utilized to evaluate effects of sports participation versus non-participation and individual versus team sports participation on self-concept. On sports participation versus …

An Examination Of The Job Satisfaction Of Mid-Level Managers In Student Affairs Administration, Jessie L. Grant

Dissertations

This study examined the job satisfaction, dissatisfaction, and attrition (intent to leave their position within the next twelve months) of mid-level managers in student affairs administration using Herzberg's (1966) Motivation-Hygiene Theory.

A purposive sample of 1943 mid-level managers from the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) was sent an invitation to take a Web-based survey. Four hundred seventy seven responses were received. Statistics were calculated for the demographic variables of age, education, gender, ethnic background, degree level and currently pursuing a degree, functional area(s) of the mid-level manager, supervision, Carnegie classification, student enrollment, institutional type, and career tenure in the student …

The Relationship Between Experiences Of Master Of Divinity Students At The Seventh-Day Adventist Theological Seminary And Their Spirituality, Choung Sook Cho

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the experiences of Master of Divinity students while enrolled in the seminary and their level of spirituality upon completion.

Method. A quantitative research design with a limited qualitative piece was used to survey MDiv students who graduated in 2004. Exactly 100 participants completed the Christian Spiritual Participation Profile and an instrument that explored the degree of effort put into formal curriculum offering, and the frequency of participation in nonformal curriculum and socialization activities. Participants were also asked to share a positive experienceand to recommend changes to the seminary …

Change Processes In Selected Private Institutions Of Higher Education, Ronald Dean Herr

Dissertations

Problem. Some higher education institutions are responding to internal and external forces created by the Information Age due to changes in technology, shifts in education delivery, and increasing financial pressures. Are there common processes among a number of selected institutions of similar size and control that could be emulated by peer institutions?

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to describe change processes in private institutions of higher education that are successful based on selected academic and financial data. The institutions selected initially for superior academic and financial statistics over a 5- year period were all church-related and therefore the …

Factors Related To Adult Degree Program Completion At Atlantic Union College, Corina Polanco Parris

Dissertations

Problem

The Adult Degree Program at Atlantic Union College has for the past 34 years instituted innovations and practices, following new trends in adult education, to make it more accessible and viable in helping students grow intellectually and professionally and to complete their educational goals. This study was done to examine the extent to which institutional, personal, and family factors are related to adult degree program completion at Atlantic Union College.

Methodology

A survey research method was used in this study. A questionnaire was designed and administered to 365 adults: 160 alumni, 45 withdrawals, and 160 current students. Useable responses …

Socioeconomic Characteristics As Factors Of Academic Success On The Exame Nacional De Cursos Among Undergraduate Students Of Selected Study Programs In Brazil, Josmar Sionti Arrais De Matos

Dissertations

This study investigated the possible relationships among socioeconomic characteristics as factors influencing the success levels of Brazilian students. Data were provided by the 2002 Exame Nacional de Cursos [National Examination of Study Programs], or ENC , in five cursos . For this study, the following programs, representing three levels of prestige, were selected: low (Modern Letters and History), middle (Law), and high (Medicine and Dentistry). The purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of the issues associated with relationships among various socioeconomic characteristics, as well as to gain a more global understanding of the implications of the socioeconomic process as …

Data Warehousing And Decision Making In Higher Education In The United States, David Lester Heise

Dissertations

Problem. Compared to the business world, higher education has a lower level of acceptance and a lower rate of adoption of data warehousing for decision making. Studies into the way data warehouses are used in higher education and the extent to which they are used are hard to find. Accordingly, this research examines the use of data warehousing in higher education and its role in decision making.

Method. Internet survey research method was used in this study. I asked college and university presidents to provide me with contact details of senior decision makers and technology managers from their institutions. …

Higher Education Attorneys’ Perceptions Regarding Academic Freedom And Challenges To Academic Freedom, Manuel R. Rupe

Dissertations

Higher education attorneys have emerged in recent years as integral participants in the decision and policymaking processes within American higher educationinstitutions. The perceptions of higher education attorneys regarding academic freedom, including professorial, institutional, and student academic freedom, may significantly impact how higher education institutions respond to modern challenges to such freedom. Key challenges to academic freedom as identified in the literature were categorized into four groups for this study (a) judicial or governmental challenges, (b) internal or collegial challenges, (c) institutionalchallenges, and (d) outside or extra-institutional challenges.

An Internet-based survey was sent to higher education attorneys who subscribed to the …

Salary Negotiation Strategies Of Female Administrators In Higher Education, Suzette Compton

Dissertations

The salary equity gap continues to exist, with men earning more on average for every dollar a woman makes. Research suggests that women's underdevelopednegotiation skills play a role in the continuation of the salary equity gap. Understanding the negotiation strategies and gendered communications traits women utilize may assist in enhancing their skills and in moving toward gender salary equity.

This study addresses the negotiation strategies and gendered communication traits of female administrators in higher education. Twenty-two women inadministrative positions in institutions of higher education in West Michigan were interviewed to determine the strategies they utilized when negotiating forsalary and other …

High School Seniors’ Perceptions Of Career And Technical Education And Factors Influencing Their Decision To Attend An Area Career Technical Center, David P. Gaunt

Dissertations

This study explored the profile of CTE students with regard to their academic standing and their socioeconomic background, examined high school seniors'perceptions of career and technical education, and identified the people and other factors that influence students in their decision-making about CTE enrollment. A 29-question survey was administered to 451 seniors from seven public high schools served by the Wexford-Missaukee Area Career Technical Center, operated by an intermediate school district in northern lower Michigan.

Significant findings indicate that the typical profile of CTE students with respect to socioeconomic status and academic standing would identify a CTE student as performing somewhat …

The Persistence Of Adult Undergraduates On A Traditionally Oriented University Campus, Wendy Samuels

Dissertations

This phenomenological study describes the social and academic experiences of successful non-traditional students on the main campus of a traditionally oriented residential university and how these experiences promote or impede their persistence to graduation. The study determined what role family support, faculty support, institutional policy and services, and the classroom environment have in persistence of adult undergraduates. The methodology employed open ended individual interviews based on an interview outline. Participants in the study were all students within two traditional semesters of graduation, andthe sampling procedures were purposeful, yielding a fairly diverse pool of 15 participants. Trustworthiness of the data was …

The Practice Of Continuous Improvement In Higher Education, Deborah M. Thalner

Dissertations

Studies on the use of Total Quality Management (TQM) within higher education have primarily focused on the implementation of TQM as an institutional initiative. While TQM has been successful in business and industry and has seen some limited success in higher education, the most recent studies on its usein higher education indicate that it has not been successful institution-wide, and in many cases has been abandoned after two to three years. The problem, therefore, is one of a perceived need for continuous improvement in coupled with mixed results from previous attempts at implementation. This research study focused on higher education's …

The Transition From High School To College : A Single-Case Study, Margaret R. Hay

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to use quantitative and qualitative data to describe the transition recent high-school graduates made to a small, rural community college. Both the students’ academic preparation and their own perceptions about their preparedness for college were described.

Method. Data from the transcripts of high-school graduates were examined using Chi square, tests of independent means, and analyses of variance to test the relationship to placement in developmental classes. The data included senior year course selections, the number of units taken in math, English, and textbook-dependent courses, and grade point averages in math, English, and textbook-dependent …

Job Satisfaction And Its Relationship To Organizational And Religious Commitment Among Workers At Northern Caribbean University, Donna Brown

Dissertations

Problem. Recruiting teachers and motivating them to stay in their jobs present a challenge to educational institutions in Jamaica. Given the importance of workers' satisfaction to the health of an organization and the link between job satisfactionand turnover rate, then an examination of job satisfaction at Northern Caribbean University (NCU) is a priority. Based on this background, the primary focus of this study was to investigate job satisfaction and its relationship to organizational and religious commitment among workers at NCU.

Method. This study utilized a quantitative, descriptive research design. A survey questionnaire was sent to all full-time administrators …

A Model For Using The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination Results As A Method Of Outcomes Assessment, Debra Scott Schultz

Dissertations

This research study examined the use of the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) results for the Dental Hygiene Program at Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dental hygiene programs must develop outcomes assessment plans through a 7-year accreditation cycle under the auspices of the American Dental Association's (ADA) Council on Dental Accreditation using pass/fail rates for program graduates.

T -tests and ANOVA statistical tests were used in this study to examine NBDHE results from the Dental Hygiene Program within Grand Rapids Community College (GRCC) during the years 1998 to 2000 to answer four questions: (1) How …

The Study Of Nontraditional Student Satisfaction With Academic Support Services Offered At Western Michigan University, Natalie Morton

Dissertations

This study examines the impact from the adaptation of lean manufacturing strategies on key external financial performance measures as reported by a number of management accounting methods. The research is not concerned with creating a justification for lean manufacturing strategies but rather it evaluates the inadequacies of standard financial reporting methods to accurately reflect operational improvements possible in the key performance measures through the early stages of a lean program.

ProModel simulation software is used in conjunction with Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic to create a simulated repetitive manufacturing environment and production planning and control system. The study examines the …

Underrepresented Doctoral Students: The Cultural And Institutional Barriers That Hinder Their Ability To Graduate, Nancy Greer-Williams

Dissertations

African American, Hispanic/Latino, and American Indian doctoral students continue to have attrition rates substantially higher than their White counterparts (Lovitts, 2001). Attrition was defined as the act of weakening or exhausting by constant harassment, abuse, or attack (Merriam-Webster, 2004). Research todate on this topic has focused on causes and barriers that can be attributed to mainstream groups, not on particular cultural barriers that may adversely affectdoctoral persistence among underrepresented groups. This study collected the lived experiences of these students at three separate university settings and turned them into conceptualized statements in an effort to understand the meaning of their experiences …

Academic Performance, Persistence, And Cultural Congruence Of African American Males Attending Predominantly White Colleges And Universities, Darrell Johnson

Dissertations

The continued lack of success for African American males attending predominantly White colleges and universities is alarming and unsettling. Other racial minority groups are making positive gains relative to their post-secondary educational experiences. However, the African American male lags behind in virtually every index of success in higher education. This trend could produce serious social, economic and cultural implications for the African American community and the entire country.

For African Americans, a strong sense of culture is important to their ability to achieve high levels of mental and psychological functioning, particularly in environments they perceive to be hostile or unwelcoming. …

Perceptions Of Board Effectiveness In Selected Institutions Of Higher Education In Zimbabwe, Bonginkosi Zvandasara

Dissertations

Problem

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of board effectiveness in selected private and public universities in Zimbabwe as perceived by board members. Also, the study sought to determine the influence of such demographic variables as age, education level, and years of service on the seven factors of university functioning: institutional mission, institutional planning, physical plant, financial management, board membership, board organization and performance, and board/vice chancellor relations.

Method

The survey method was used to collect data. Respondents were asked to complete a 47-item questionnaire and indicate their level of agreement on each of the questions …

Developing Life Skills : Perceptions Of Graduates Of The Adult, Non-Traditional Business And Management Programs At Indiana Wesleyan University, Joseph Robert Flowers

Dissertations

Problem. Indiana Wesleyan University teaches all of its adult courses using 10 skills as a foundation. This study determined the perceived attitudes of its graduates regarding the importance of and their relative progress in these 10 areas.

Method. A survey questionnaire was developed and a stratified random sample of graduates was surveyed. A two-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the differences and interactions among the graduates based on two variables: major and gender.

Results. Graduates perceived the following four skills as "very important": Problem Solving, Oral Communication, Writing Effectively, and Ethics. Six skills were perceived …

A Study Of The Leadership Preparedness Of U.S. Public University Chief Business Officers, Daniel J. Hurley

Dissertations

Despite the enormous role that Chief Business Officers (CBOs) play in administering the business and financial affairs of American public universities, little research has been conducted on their leadership preparedness. The primary objectives of this study were to assess the self-perceived preparedness of U.S. public university CBOs at the time they assumed their first position in the role, and to determine if specific factors could be associated with their overall preparedness.

With support from the National Association of College and University Business Officers, a survey was developed and mailed to the entire population of CBOs at four-year public universities in …

The Relationship Between Financial Aid And Freshman Persistance At A Midwestern Liberal Arts College, Jack Phillip Powell

Dissertations

College student persistence has been one o f the most important topics discussed in higher education over the last 25 years. The consequences of student attrition from our colleges and universities are immense for the individual student and institutions alike. One of the purposes of student financial aid is to promote student persistence. The need for empirical research to assess whether financial aid is accomplishing this vital purpose is critical Research is particularly important given the significant shifts in policy brought on by the 1992 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act. This study addressed two research questions. The first deals …

Career Planning Needs Of Students, Carol Nowakowski

Dissertations

This study examines the perceived needs of college students in relationship to sex, employment, and academic rank. Specifically, factors that suggest the changing student population in higher education and the impact such changes have on providing career counseling services to meet student needs are presented. In addition, the differences between sex, employment status, and academic rank in relationship to perceived career planning needs is presented based on a review of literature. Results of a survey to students attending Davenport University (formerly known as Davenport College) during the winter 1995 semester are summarized in terms of perceived career planning needs based …

A Descriptive Case Study : The Implementation Of A Field-Based Master's Program, Jeanne Renita Grant

Dissertations

Purpose of study. This study focuses on the implementation of the Field-based Master's Program at Midwestern Christian University. The three-step Adoption Change Model (Fullan, 1991) guided me through this innovation: (1) adoption, (2) implementation, and (3) institutionalization of the program. This 2-year study describes the program's adoption and implementation stages. Institutionalization was not included as it takes 3-10 years to occur. Three research questions guided this study.

Research questions. (1) What did the teacher training in the uses of processes look like during the initial summer session of the Field-based Master's Program? (2) What did the transfer of training …

Means And Ends Of The Andrews University Leadership Program: A Study Of Its Critical Components And Outcomes As They Relate To The Mission Statement, José A. Alaby

Dissertations

Problem. The history of education shows tensions between its means and ends. Tensions became more apparent in contemporary Christian educational institutions. The Leadership Program (LP) of Andrews University was developed as an alternative and innovative means of delivering graduate education with a defined mission. It is job-embedded-theory and practice are united in the participants' workplaces, where they show their competency in 20 areas. It stresses the importance of the individuality of the participant in the development of a teaching/learning community. Yet, the dialectical relationship of the LP's ends and means has not been systematically studied in light of its …

Predominant Nursing Students' Learning Profile And Nursing Faculty Teaching Styles As Related To Final Course Grade In A Baccalaureate Nursing Program In Puerto Rico, Lourdes Méndez Cruz

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose o f this study was to investigate the relationship between students’ predominant learning profile, faculty teaching preferences, and the final course grade in a 4-year nursing program at a private Christian university in Puerto Rico.

Method. A non-experimental descriptive research design was used for this study. The Learning Profile Indicator was administered to all nursing students («=138) while the Teaching Style Inventory was given to all faculty («=9). Demographic sheets were also given to both students and faculty Students’ final course grades were obtained from the faculty. Descriptive (frequency, means and standard deviations) and inferential statistics …

A Study Of Select Decisions That Fostered The Growth And Development Of Solusi University In Zimbabwe, Israel Sampson Mfune

Dissertations

Problem. Decision making is a practical day-to-day phenomenon. It manifests itself in various ways, such as choosing w/hat to do or not to do. in evaluating and fulfilling what is now and what is expected. Decision making is a cycle covering the time from when a decision is conceived to the time its outcome is visible. Because decision making appears so ordinary, it is often considered an ordinary activity. A good, well-thought-through decision can go a long way in the life of an organization. This study focuses on how Solusi went about the decision-making process, the implementation of those decisions, …

Exploratory Study Of The Relationships Between Community Building And The Social, Academic, And Spiritual Engagement At Antillean Adventist University, Zilma Enid Santiago

Dissertations

Problem. This research examined the students’ sense of community building in a college and how such perceptions influenced academic, social, and spiritual engagement in a 4- year Christian university.

Method. The study was an exploratory study that used survey methodology. Data collection was done using a 150-question research instrument that consists of several sections designed to gather information about the demographic characteristics of the population, and to measure the following variables: sense of community, and the academic, social, and spiritual engagement. Both descriptive (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistical techniques (one-way analysis of variance and canonical correlations) were used …

Academic Persistence And Attrition Among Freshman Traditional And Non-Traditional Students At A Public Midwestern Commuter University, Arnold W. Illanz

Dissertations

Problem. This research examined student background characteristics, student social and institutional integrations, and their relation to attrition rates of freshman students at a public Midwestern commuter university.

Method. A quantitative research methodology based on empirical data collection was used utilizing a 101-question research instrument consisting of two sections: student demographic, and five factorially derived scales developed by Pascarella and Terenzini (1980) which operationalized Tinto's (1975) conceptual model of college student withdrawal. Chi-square, analysis of variance, and Pearson product-moment correlation were used to identify factors related to student academic persistence and attrition.

Results. The study found that, in general, factors external …