Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 38-12, Section: A, page: 7168. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1977.

The purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which the federally mandated standards of due process applicable to public institutions were formalized policies in public higher education institutions of the southeastern United States. Essential elements of due process were extrapolated from pertinent court cases through legal and historical analysis. Formal compliance with the extrapolated due process elements was assessed by the execution of a content analysis on a random sample of the institutions' student conduct codes. / From the total population of 115 four-year institutions in the southeastern sector of the United States, a random sample of 30 institutions was selected for participation. Four judges, who were volunteers from the Higher Education Program of the College of Education at Florida State University, implemented the research technique of content analysis on the sample of codes. Reliability of the ratings by the judges was evaluated by calculation of the percentage of agreement and computation of the k (kappa) coefficient. / Twenty-nine of the 30 randomly selected institutions participated in the study by sending copies of their student conduct codes. The content analysis process was complicated for the judges since the codes varied in format and presentation. A total of 17 elements were evaluated for compliance in the student codes. Because a confidence level of agreement was required among the judges, only eight elements had sufficient interrater agreement for compliance to be evaluated. Seven of these elements were significantly present while the remaining element was evaluated to be moderately present. / Oral notice, written notice, opportunity to present a defense, opportunity to be heard by a hearing panel, listing of offenses, listing of sanctions, and appeal procedures were elements significantly present while cross-examination of witnesses was moderately present in the student codes. Lack of rater agreement on other elements may indicate a high degree of vagueness in formal institutional policies. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-12, Section: A, page: 3061. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the role of the chief institutional research officer in the decision-making process at selected doctoral-granting institutions of higher education. The 150 individuals identified as directors of institutional research at doctoral-granting institutions in the Higher Education Publications, Inc. document hep 86 Higher Education Directory were surveyed to determine the role of the institutional research director in the decision-making process at those institutions. The study also identified personal and professional characteristics of the directors, their duties and responsibilities, and examined their attitudes regarding the appropriateness and performance of selected tasks as institutional research activities. / The study found that the role of the director of institutional research in the decision-making process varied dependent on the issue being considered. Institutional research directors were more likely to be involved in the decision-making process when the issue was enrollment, resource allocation, or faculty salaries. The directors were less likely to be involved in the decision-making process when the issue was facilities management or affirmative action. / In addition, the study found that as an institution moved through the hierarchy of the decision-making process from identifying the problem to implementing the alternative chosen, the participation of the institutional research director decreased. The study also found that for a given issue, size of institution, length of time in position, or the position to whom the director reported could be factors in contributing to the level of involvement of the institutional research director in the decision-making process. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-12, Section: A, page: 3061. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

Although postsecondary institutions have been charged with serving the public good by expanding opportunity for racial minority and low-income students, over the past few decades, state funding has shrunk while the price students pay for a credential has continuously increased. For those students who do cross the stage at commencement, they are donating record-breaking amounts of money to their alma maters annually. However, the impact of private financial support for a public entity serving a public good remains an unexplored domain. Through a blended sociological and economic conceptual framework based on work from Perna (2006) this study employed ordinary least squared and fixed effects regression models for a sample of 87 public and 198 private four-year institutions. Using a modified variability measure based on work by Chang (1996, 1999), results indicated a negative relationship between institutional diversity and the Whiteness of an institution’s alumni as well as the percent of alumni who made a financial contribution to their alma mater. However, the adjusted dollar amount of gifts from alumni (controlled by enrollment) showed a positive relationship with the institution’s diversity. As an exploratory study, this research provides a foundation through a conceptual framework, diversity measures, and results for further testing the relationship between private giving to a public good oft thought to be the responsibility of funding by tax payers. While the institutions in the sample were shown to expand access and opportunity, gaps remain between the diversity of the freshmen class and the graduating class as well as between institutions who benefit the most from their alumni support and those who face limited financial resources all around. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2018. / July 12, 2018. / Education policy, Higher education, Public policy / Includes bibliographical references. / Shouping Hu, Professor Directing Dissertation; Frances S. Berry, University Representative; Toby J. Park, Committee Member; Lara Christina Perez-Felkner, Committee Member; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member.

The narrative of first-generation, low-income students (FGLI) has a long, and often complicated tradition in the history of American higher education. FGLI students experience challenges in postsecondary retention. FGLI students are rapidly enrolling in higher education, but they are dropping out of college at alarming rates. Over 4.5 million FGLI students enroll in higher education, but 46.8% of FGLI students drop out of college and 90% fail to graduate within six years. For the past decade, a growing number of postsecondary institutions have attempted to increase their commitment to serve FGLI students through targeted pipeline interventions, such as summer bridge programs (SBP). Summer bridge programs occur during the summer before incoming college students’ first Fall semester, and last four to six weeks. The majority of older and more recent studies have found positive relationships between developmental SBPs and the retention of academically underprepared and economically disadvantaged students attending community colleges and open-admissions four-year postsecondary institutions. However, fewer empirical studies have been useful predicting the retention of academically prepared FGLI students who participate in non-developmental SBPs at selective institutions. The present study expands our empirical understanding about the relationship between non-developmental SBPs and the retention of academically prepared FGLI undergraduate students attending selective four-year institutions. Specifically, this study focuses on academically prepared FGLI undergraduate students attending Excel State University (ESU), a public, four-year university located in the Southeast. Developmental SBPs are predictive of the retention of academically underprepared FGLI students, but the findings in this present study reveal contrasting results for academically prepared FGLI students in non-developmental SBPs. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2019. / April 4, 2019. / Academically prepared, First-generation, Low-income, Student retention, Summer bridge program / Includes bibliographical references. / Robert A. Schwartz, Professor Directing Dissertation; Frances Berry, University Representative; Kathy Guthrie, Committee Member; Lara Perez-Felkner, Committee Member.

Music therapy degree programs originated in the 1940s and while programs have come and gone, not much was known about the profession’s trends. The current education policy was adopted in 2000, two years after the National Association for Music Therapy and the American Association for Music Therapy unified to form one governing organization called the American Music Therapy Association. In the decades since the first degree program was started, research focused primarily around entry-level competencies and curriculum issues. While the profession encountered meaningful growth in degree programs and enrollment, concerns were expressed regarding a possible shortage of doctorally prepared faculty. Full-time faculty openings are increasing along with a growing number of programs. Enrollment in undergraduate and master’s degree programs are also increasing. Hence, it is imperative that program trends and demand for qualified educators be examined. However, forecasting growth in programs, enrollment, and the need for faculty have not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive analysis of current degree programs and full-time faculty, and to forecast future development of degree programs, enrollment, and the need for qualified faculty for the coming decade. The Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model was used as the forecasting method and the models predict that music therapy degree programs will grow a modest 6% compared to the prior decade’s 17% growth. Music therapy enrollment at NASM accredited schools, will grow more rapidly at 34%, however it is still less than the 65% growth experienced from 2000 to 2018. Demand for new full-time faculty was estimated based on retirement trends and enrollment projections. The need for new faculty will expand by 80 full-time positions through 2030. Limitations of the study, the culture of higher education and its impact on future degree program development and faculty recruitment, as well as policy considerations are discussed. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2019. / April 19, 2019. / degree programs, faculty, forecasting, higher education, music therapy / Includes bibliographical references. / Lori F. Gooding, Professor Directing Dissertation; William G. Weissert, University Representative; Jayne M. Standley, Committee Member; Clifford K. Madsen, Committee Member; Michael Thrasher, Committee Member.

The current Canadian higher education environment is one in which there is competition for limited resources, learning must be measured and demonstrated, and student demographics are evolving and changing on a continual basis. The field of Student Affairs in higher education, which traditionally provides support services to students and is often referred to as co-curricular education, is a necessary and valuable Division in colleges and universities (Witt, 2005). The Division contributes to the cultural context and identity of the institution as well as to the success of its students. It is integral Student Affairs Departments and Divisions have a clear purpose, vision, and mission, to ensure continued success and longevity. Strategic planning is a central process to this development and implementation. Strategic planning, adopted from the corporate industry, is prevalent in higher education institutions around the world (Bryson, 2011). Examining how Divisions of Student Affairs (DSAs) engage with strategic planning, however, has not been studied, especially in Canada. With its unique purpose, role, and structure, Student Affairs Divisions need to adopt a strategic planning process that works for them, but much more research must be conducted before we arrive at this goal. To respond to this need, this study examined existing strategic planning processes used by Divisions of Student Affairs in Canada. Tromp and Ruben (2010) created the Strategic Planning in Higher Education Framework (SPHEF) for use specifically in college and university contexts. This model was used to guide the study, and data were compared to this model to determine its relevance and appropriateness in Student Affairs settings in Canada. The data were collected using a mixed methods approach involving a survey followed by interviews. The survey was distributed to all Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) in Canadian colleges and universities, with support from the Canadian Association of College and University Student Services (CACUSS). After garnering 37 survey responses, a 19.1% response rate, five interviews were conducted with specifically selected individuals based on their survey data. The key findings indicate that SSAOs and DSAs are engaging in planning efforts, with most pursuing strategic planning. The importance of institutional alignment, engaging Student Affairs leadership and staff in the strategic planning process, and the extensive use of data are some themes that were recurring. Some common challenges or barriers to success were managing capacity and resources, varying terminology, and some resistance or hesitancy by staff to engage in planning. The majority of participants indicated they will continue with the same planning approach in the future, but there was enthusiasm and eagerness to create a community of SSAOs to discuss strategic planning and share experiences and lessons learned. Additionally, it was found that the SPHEF is not an appropriate tool to be used by SSAOs in Canadian Student Affairs contexts. Several recommendations for additional research and potential changes to practice are presented, which include a suggestion to determine if a single strategic planning process or model is even required. The data indicate that it is necessary to study the Canadian context as unique, and different, compared to other international settings, such as the United States of America. While this study begins to fill the large gap in literature and research in the area of strategic planning in Student Affairs, especially in Canada, additional investigation is required to validate these findings and build upon the valuable conclusions generated from the data. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2019. / April 11, 2019. / Canada, Canadian higher education, post-secondary education, strategic planning, Student Affairs, Student Services / Includes bibliographical references. / Tamara Bertrand Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Bruce Lamont, University Representative; Kathy L. Guthrie, Committee Member; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member.

First-generation college students face unique challenges in higher education compared to students whose parents are college graduates. These students tend to come from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and face difficulty enrolling and persisting in higher education (Horn, 1998; Ishitani, 2003; Latino et al., 2018; Nunez & Cuccaro-Alamin, 1998; Warburton, Bugarin, & Nunez, 2001). They rely more on financial aid and employment to pay for college (Choy, 2001; Pratt, Harwood, Cavazos, & Ditzfeld, 2017), and are highly susceptible to attrition as a result of lacking the financial means to pay for college (Eitel & Martin, 2009). Postsecondary transition and academic support programs were designed to address factors affecting first-generation college student success, postsecondary transition and academic support programs (Almaraz et al., 2010; Kezar, 2000; Tate et al., 2015; Thayer, 2000; Walpole et al., 2008). Effective programs target students with the greatest financial need, assist students with navigating college, and adapt programming to student characteristics (Perna, 2015). Participants of these programs tend to have greater levels of student success compared to first-generation college students who do not participate (Ackermann, 1991; Almaraz et al., 2010; Carey, 2008; Garcia, 1991; McGlynn, 2009). At Florida State University (FSU), the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement (CARE) is a comprehensive transition and academic support program designed to increase access and student success for first-generation college students. In 2015, FSU developed the CARE Grant to provide a minimum of 75% of the cost of attendance to CARE students in an effort to reduce the level of unmet financial need and increase student success. The purpose of the study was to explore the effects of awarding the grant-filled financial aid package on the persistence and academic achievement of first-generation college students enrolled in an academic support program. CARE provided a unique context to explore the effects of financial aid on academic performance and retention of students in an academic support program. This study is grounded in research relating to retention, first-generation college students, factors relating to their postsecondary persistence and academic success, transitional and academic support programs, financial aid and college costs, and relevant theories relating to the impact of financial aid and college costs on student retention. The research framework is influenced by Reason (2009), who developed a conceptual framework that included organizational context as an element contributing to retention. In the conceptual framework of this study, student demographics and pre-college characteristics contribute to a student’s persistence at FSU through the context of CARE participation. Financial aid and college costs variables are additional influences to a student’s persistence through to graduation. Through linear and binary logistic regression, the study analyzed the effects of multiple background, academic, and financial variables on FSU GPA, Overall GPA, and first-to-second year retention. The sample consisted of 1,425 students enrolled in CARE between summer 2013-2016 who reenrolled and received financial aid for the subsequent first term. The control group was students who enrolled in CARE in 2013 and 2014 who did not receive the CARE Grant. The study collected data on student GPAs and first-year retention to analyze the effects of the awarding the CARE Grant using data collection procedures native to FSU. The study’s findings suggested the grant had no statistically significant effect on academic performance and retention when controlling for other variables. Only high school GPA was statistically significant and positive for both FSU GPA and Overall GPA. High school GPA and Black/African American classification were statistically significant and positively related to retention. The findings are significant in advancing knowledge of first-generation student success, financial aid, and postsecondary academic support programming. Recommendations for future research include examining graduation rates for the population studied, adding additional variables to better explore what elements contribute to academic performance and retention for CARE students, and using mixed methods research to capture additional qualitative factors influencing academic performance and retention. / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. / Spring Semester 2019. / April 10, 2019. / academic performance, financial aid, First-generation, persistence, Retention / Includes bibliographical references. / Tamara Bertrand Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Maxine Deloris Jones, University Representative; Shouping Hu, Committee Member; Toby Park, Committee Member.

Who Am I? The LGBTQ+ Student Experience during Study Abroad This dissertation takes an in-depth look at the unique experiences of five Florida State University study abroad alumni who self-identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer after their experiences overseas. The purpose of this research was to understand if study abroad played a role in participants’ sexual identity formation. To examine participants’ lived experiences, this research used a qualitative life history approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews. Results revealed two prominent themes: first, participants grew up feeling loved but not accepted; and second, study abroad provided an environment for students to “reinvent” themselves. Overall, this research illustrates that complex, emotional experiences such as studying in a foreign country can lead to a heightened awareness about one’s identity and sexual orientation. This study has implications for study abroad faculty and staff who may be exposed to students questioning their sexual orientation. Keywords: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer, sexual identity development, study abroad experience / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. / Spring Semester 2019. / January 30, 2019. / LGBTQ+, Sexual Identity Development, Study Abroad / Includes bibliographical references. / Ayesha Khurshid, Professor Directing Dissertation; Steve McDowell, University Representative; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member; Stephanie Zuilkowski, Committee Member.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 39-06, Section: A, page: 3391. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1978.