<p> Before 1998 a majority of English youth were supported to attend university. The government paid out "living grants" to students who enrolled in universities across the country. Some of the grants covered all living and school expenses outside tuition; others were not as generous. The subsequent story in England, however, is one of a society having been given a public good, like education, to then experience that security dwindling away in the form of new tuition and fees. This study analyzes the perceptions of former students who have been caught in the financial spiral and whether their own experience while at university and as recent alumni motivates their involvement with their university. Specific attention to the most recent tuition increases effective in 2012 and the changing nature of alumni relations services across three institutions illustrates how universities have reacted to their own awareness that students and young alumni may be expecting more from universities. A qualitative methodology including document analysis and interviews with three peer universities was conducted in efforts to study this phenomenon. Alumni engagement, however, is not a one-way street. Higher education institutions in England are aware of the notion of alumni as consumers and some are preparing proactively for addressing the needs and interests of their constituents. The quantity and quality of these interactions between the young alum and alma mater may be influenced by what is perceived today as a lifelong transaction. Success in building relationships with recent graduates faced with greater financial debt rests with the ability of the institution to provide relevance and value for students and young alumni alike.</p>

<p>Every college age student should have the opportunity to attend college and earn a degree, but the fiscal realities for lower income students prevent the majority from attending and the vast majority from completing college, thus perpetuating an intergenerational trend of limited postsecondary education and a likelihood of marginal income and status. Past research studies have shown that, among lower income students, those who receive higher levels of grant funding to offset college expenses are more likely to persist toward completing their educations than those who do not receive the same level of grant funding and thus are forced to rely upon other means, such as student loans or employment, to pay for college. The majority of this research was conducted prior to the recession that began in December 2007 (National Bureau of Economic Research, 2008), which has been more severe and longer lasting than any economic contraction since the Great Depression (Dwyer &amp; Lothian, 2012); more current research is needed to determine whether the educational retention behaviors of lower income students in the current challenging economic climate are positively impacted by grant funding. In this study I used quantitative methods to analyze a specific state policy change to determine whether a significant change in the grant funding provided to lower income students resulted in increased retention rates for these students. This study examines school years from 2006&ndash;2010, thus encompassing the recent financial crisis and affording an opportunity to explore the persistence behaviors of lower income students during the greatest financial crisis of modern times. The ultimate purpose of the study is to provide conclusions from the research to postsecondary policy makers in the hopes of informing policy and supporting continuing funding of need-based financial aid for lower income students. </p>

The study was set out to investigate how selected historically disadvantaged schools in the Pietermaritzburg Education District, manage the prevalent non-payment of fees. The study used the survey method. The principals of schools were targeted because they are the accounting officers for the financial matters and executive members of the School Governing Bodies. Permission for conducting this research was obtained from the District Manager for the Department of Education and the principals of the sampled schools. For the purpose of data collection, the use of questionnaire and document analysis was adopted. Five principals, each representing their respective circuit in the District, responded to the questionnaire. The research studied financial records to obtain a general view of how principals manage school fees and to draw conclusion on the extent of non-payment of fees. The findings revealed that there is widespread tendency of non-payment of fees in schools. Poverty was cited as the reason for non-payment. Low and middle level income parents did not prioritise school fees from the lists of their accounts. Though principals understand that the victimising of non-paying learners of any form is contradictory to the South African Schools Act No 48 of 1996, they go on to withhold learners' results. Parents have not applied for school fee exemption and schools have not yet advised them to do so. Non-paying parents are reluctant to explain their position to the school and also unwilling to offer voluntary service to school as a form of payment. School fundraising efforts do not help them gain any reasonable amount of cash. The parental support in this venture is lacking. The study recommends that principals should look at other means of dealing with payment and should assist the eligible parents to apply for fee exemption. The Department of Education should consider scaling down personnel expenditure in the office based ranks to add more funds for teaching and learning in the historically disadvantaged schools. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, 2003.

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There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

The purpose of the study was to determine the perceptions of Ball State University graduates who participated in Guaranteed Loan Programs regarding the experience of borrowing through these programs. Specifically the study was concerned with: (1) Identifying the individual's perceptions of the influence of borrowing on selected areas related to the borrower's financial affairs; (2) identifying the individual.'s perceptions of the influence of borrowing on selected areas related to the borrower's personal life; and (3) determining the borrower's opinion about participation in the Guaranteed Loan Program(s) as related to the appropriateness of the amount of money borrowed, criteria for eligibility for participation, criteria for repaying the amount borrowed, advice that would be given to prospective borrowers, and the rating that would be given to the overall experience of borrowing.

The purpose of this study was to determine the challenges facing the principals in managing the school finances. The research was conducted around Bojanala West Region of the North West Province. From the total of 369 schools in Bojanala West Region, a simple random sampling of (N=75) schools was done. From each sampled school four (4) of the following were requested to participate in the study, the principal and or the deputy principal, 1 HOD, 2 educators. The education system in South Africa has changed drastically, whereby financial management has been vested upon the shoulders of the SGB's. However SASA provides the guidelines for the SGB's and the principals on their roles and responsibilities in managing finances of schools. The department of education provides training for the SGB's and the principals in relation to school finance management. Little knowledge of the contents of SASA or misinterpretation by the school finance committee may lead the school to be a victim of mismanagement or misappropriation of funds in the form of theft or fraud. / (M.Ed.) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2005

This thesis traces the development of the New Zealand education reforms which began in the late 1980s from their ideological and theoretical foundations, especially those of human capital theory, through policy development and implementation. Polytechnic business programmes are used as a case study to illustrate the impact of the reforms and of one of the principal mechanisms by which the reforms were expected to be implemented-the National Framework. Evidence is provided that leads to policy questions regarding the implementation of the Framework under the aegis of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. These concerns include competency based learning and administration and delivery complexities. The links between the reform intentions and the actuality of implementation are also examined. The assumption that the education reforms are expected to have significant impact on the country's economic performance is examined and factors which impact on workplace organisation and productivity and which may constrain the effects of improved worker education and training are discussed. The instrument of ‘the market’ as a means of achieving both efficiencies and effectiveness in tertiary education is also reviewed. There appears to be an absence of a common understanding of the nature, composition and behaviour of education markets. Indicative evidence is also provided regarding the complexity of student investment decisions with regard to tertiary education decisions. This study provides evidence to support human capital theory as a force influencing the decision to undertaken tertiary education, but as part of a much more complex model of the tertiary education decision making process than it would appear that policy makers have considered. Evidence is presented that leads to questions regarding the assumption that industry will take ownership of the reform processes. Evidence is presented of industry indifference and inertia to the reforms. Recommendations for the re-examination of developments to date are made, together with research programmes to provide a sound empirical base for future policy making. Without a structured critical review of the reform intentions versus the emerging actuality, there is a danger that the reforms may, in part at least, prove to be both inefficient and ineffectual. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

This thesis traces the development of the New Zealand education reforms which began in the late 1980s from their ideological and theoretical foundations, especially those of human capital theory, through policy development and implementation. Polytechnic business programmes are used as a case study to illustrate the impact of the reforms and of one of the principal mechanisms by which the reforms were expected to be implemented-the National Framework. Evidence is provided that leads to policy questions regarding the implementation of the Framework under the aegis of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. These concerns include competency based learning and administration and delivery complexities. The links between the reform intentions and the actuality of implementation are also examined. The assumption that the education reforms are expected to have significant impact on the country's economic performance is examined and factors which impact on workplace organisation and productivity and which may constrain the effects of improved worker education and training are discussed. The instrument of ‘the market’ as a means of achieving both efficiencies and effectiveness in tertiary education is also reviewed. There appears to be an absence of a common understanding of the nature, composition and behaviour of education markets. Indicative evidence is also provided regarding the complexity of student investment decisions with regard to tertiary education decisions. This study provides evidence to support human capital theory as a force influencing the decision to undertaken tertiary education, but as part of a much more complex model of the tertiary education decision making process than it would appear that policy makers have considered. Evidence is presented that leads to questions regarding the assumption that industry will take ownership of the reform processes. Evidence is presented of industry indifference and inertia to the reforms. Recommendations for the re-examination of developments to date are made, together with research programmes to provide a sound empirical base for future policy making. Without a structured critical review of the reform intentions versus the emerging actuality, there is a danger that the reforms may, in part at least, prove to be both inefficient and ineffectual. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.

This thesis traces the development of the New Zealand education reforms which began in the late 1980s from their ideological and theoretical foundations, especially those of human capital theory, through policy development and implementation. Polytechnic business programmes are used as a case study to illustrate the impact of the reforms and of one of the principal mechanisms by which the reforms were expected to be implemented-the National Framework. Evidence is provided that leads to policy questions regarding the implementation of the Framework under the aegis of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. These concerns include competency based learning and administration and delivery complexities. The links between the reform intentions and the actuality of implementation are also examined. The assumption that the education reforms are expected to have significant impact on the country's economic performance is examined and factors which impact on workplace organisation and productivity and which may constrain the effects of improved worker education and training are discussed. The instrument of ‘the market’ as a means of achieving both efficiencies and effectiveness in tertiary education is also reviewed. There appears to be an absence of a common understanding of the nature, composition and behaviour of education markets. Indicative evidence is also provided regarding the complexity of student investment decisions with regard to tertiary education decisions. This study provides evidence to support human capital theory as a force influencing the decision to undertaken tertiary education, but as part of a much more complex model of the tertiary education decision making process than it would appear that policy makers have considered. Evidence is presented that leads to questions regarding the assumption that industry will take ownership of the reform processes. Evidence is presented of industry indifference and inertia to the reforms. Recommendations for the re-examination of developments to date are made, together with research programmes to provide a sound empirical base for future policy making. Without a structured critical review of the reform intentions versus the emerging actuality, there is a danger that the reforms may, in part at least, prove to be both inefficient and ineffectual. / Subscription resource available via Digital Dissertations only.