The demand for university education has increased at a higher rate than the resources available for universities to offer the required services. In Kenya, the demand for university education has continued to rise with university enrolment increasing tremendously over the last four decades. This growth calls for an investigation to find out the impact of this expansion on service delivery in universities. Kenya has thirty-nine fully-fledged universities that have been accredited by the Commission for University Education (as at 31st March 2013). Twelve others are operating with interim letters of authority (ILO). This development has created competition amongst universities and, as a result, necessitated the development of strategies to ensure survival in this changing environment. The review of existing literature on this subject has established that service delivery is a service differentiator and therefore could be utilised by universities to gain a competitive advantage and therefore enhance their overall performances. Based on this background, this study sought to establish the influence of service performance measurement on service delivery in relation to the expectations of university students in Kenya. Secondary sources were used to formulate a theoretical model of the influence of service performance measurement on service delivery that guided this study. The theoretical model indicates that non-academic aspects, academic aspects, reputation, programme issues and access factors may influence service delivery at the university. These five dimensions were used in the study as the independent variables of service delivery at the university. The outcomes of service delivery at the university were identified as student expectations, student satisfaction, student loyalty and student retention in the theoretical model; these were treated as dependent variables. Hypotheses were formulated that proposed relationships between the independent variables and service delivery. Hypotheses in respect of relationships between service delivery and the outcomes were also developed. A quantitative research approach was adopted to empirically evaluate the relationships between service delivery and the variables in this study. Data for the study was collected through the use of a structured self-administered questionnaire that was distributed to 720 university students in Kenya. Six hundred and thirty useful survey responses were received from fifteen universities. The data collected was subjected to factor analysis and multiple regression analysis to test the hypothesised relationships between the variables and service delivery. Descriptive statistics were also obtained from the raw data. The findings of this study indicate that non-academic aspects, academic aspects and access factors have positive and significant influence on service delivery in Kenyan universities. The quality and adequacy of academic, entertainment and sports facilities together with increased accessibility to services by students are important factors that influence service delivery at a university. The university students would like to be treated with respect and courtesy by academic and administrative staff during these service encounters. The empirical results of the study also reveal that student perceptions of service delivery impacts positively on student expectations, student loyalty and student retention related to convenience as well as student retention related to quality assurance.

The thesis examines several important aspects of the development and growth of the two-year college in the United States and Canada and compares these with the developments presently underway in British Columbia. Its design, therefore, is essentially historical and descriptive. The study begins with an examination of a number of significant principles which emerged during the early colonial periods in the United States and Canada and which have given shape and purpose to the systems of education now followed in both countries. Included among these principles is the concept of universal education, free and state controlled but still allowing for some measure of local autonomy and guaranteeing equal opportunity for all. The thesis then moves to a consideration of the growth patterns of two-year colleges in the two countries, delineating the forces which gave impetus to this growth and comparing the forms which have evolved and the conditions which have shaped them with those presently in evidence in this province. Next to be identified and discussed are the purposes and the goals which American and Canadian educators have set for the colleges which have developed or are being developed in their respective countries. The relevance and worth of these to the movement in British Columbia is examined and additional purposes and goals are suggested. Another area which is explored in the thesis is that of curriculum development. Here attention is focused upon the emergence of four types of junior college programmes-liberal arts and science, technical, vocational trades training and general education. Again the developments in the United States and Canada are compared with those taking place in British Columbia. Yet another area examined is that of the administrative organizations which have evolved and the personnel who must director serve under them. The roles and characteristics of the board of governors, the senior and junior administrators, the faculty and the students are discussed in some detail. The problems confronting each of these groups, and the expectations which each holds or must meet are examined. Finally an attempt is made to measure the dimensions of the task facing those who are charged with the responsibility of developing district and regional colleges in British Columbia. A list of thirty-five questions which help to point up some of the problem areas, has been compiled. Of these five have been selected for special attention: 1. Can district and regional colleges achieve comprehensiveness? 2. Will the colleges be able to recruit and retain faculty who possess those special qualities or that particular philosophy which can best serve college students? 3. How can the colleges best achieve the articulation of their courses with those in the secondary schools and with those in the university or other institutions or agencies of higher education? 4. Can the colleges achieve curricular articulation and still remain autonomous? 5. What is the place of the district and regional colleges in the total educational system of British Columbia? The thesis sets out an approach which might be followed in solving the problems which these important questions reveal in the hope of making some contribution to the healthy and orderly development of the two-year college in British Columbia. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

This survey investigates some of the social determinants of educational productivity. A theory with its basis in the sociology of small groups is presented in an attempt to explain how leader behavior and colleagueal relations in a university department might affect the productivity of professors. A sample of university social scientists was selected and variations of Halpin's LBDQ and OCDQ along with a quantitative assessment of productivity were administered by interview. The data were subjected to regression analysis and 39% of the productivity variance was found accountable to the predictors. The variables of aloofness (a leader's bureaucratic behavior), consideration (the leader's tendency to treat his staff ''humanly''), thrust (the leader's tendency to set an example), hindrance (group feeling that they required to do ''busywork''), intimacy (the social dimension), and production emphasis (the leader's behavior which is focused on production), the number of student assistants, and the orientation towards teaching emerged as significant predictor's of productivity. Other predictors, such as research orientation, travel fund availability, degree, degree date, rank, approximate age, morale, stimulation, initiating structure, and publication emphasis were not significant but in the predicted direction. Five exploratory analyses were conducted. The results accounted for less productivity variance but tended to support the above findings. / Education, Faculty of / Educational Studies (EDST), Department of / Graduate

With the demand for technology-literate graduates, East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee, decided to modify its General Education Curriculum to include a “using information technology” component. This component requires students to be proficient in the use of information technology by the time they graduate. The requirement also allows students to gain this proficiency within their major fields of study. Provides information on ETSU’s computer-related requirements for graduation.

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