<p> Student retention in higher education is currently one area most colleges are looking to improve and build upon (Baer &amp; Norris, 2016). Higher education institutions in the United States have been under increased scrutiny from lawmakers and accrediting agencies to provide an affordable education for a diverse population for jobs in a highly technical economy (Boateng, Plopper, &amp; Keith, 2015; Slanger, Berg, Fisk, &amp; Hanson, 2015). Some colleges and universities are exploring programs to engage the modern student through the creation of learning communities, first-year programming, and interventions to bridge the gap of those students who are highly unlikely to persist to graduation (Alarcon &amp; Edwards, 2012; Selingo, 2015). This study focused on an all-male retention program in one private liberal arts college over an eight-year period where invasive interventions were introduced in year five in an effort to enhance the overall program. This quantitative study was designed to determine if there was (1) a difference in the grade point average between male, first-time freshmen who did not receive specific invasive interventions as compared to male, first-time freshmen who received specific invasive interventions; (2) a difference in the number of male, first-time freshmen who were removed from academic probation and did not receive specific invasive interventions as compared to male, first-time freshmen who received specific invasive interventions; and (3) a difference in retention rates of male, first-time freshmen who did not receive specific invasive interventions as compared to male, first-time freshmen who received interventions. Data obtained from the analyses were determined not statistically significant. Future studies should be designed to obtain additional information on what aids students retention, potentially using a mixed method approach. </p><p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to determine doctoral students&rsquo; reasoning for completing the required course work for their degree, but not completing their dissertation and thus the degree. There had not been formal research conducted on the students at Lindenwood that had not completed the doctoral program and the variables behind their not completing their degree. In order to gain a better understanding, the research looked at four categories of students: completed (achieved doctoral degrees); actively pursuing (on target to graduate in the allotted time); delayed completion (returned to the program or have needed extended time); failure to complete (quit the program). In each category, the research determined the variables that impacted the path of the student. This research may help Lindenwood University in its efforts to determine the reasons behind the success and failure of its graduate students.This looked specifically at the doctoral program and the status of students who were, or were at one time, all but dissertation (ABD), to uncover the barriers to completion. </p><p> This study could help drive the decisions and direction of the doctoral program. The personal investment of the student and the university included a considerable amount of time and dedication. Universities invest in their programs through doctoral seminars, hiring high quality professors, and creating a highly rigorous graduate program. Graduate students invest a large amount of money, time, and trust into the university. The two work together to achieve the ultimate goal of a doctoral degree.</p><p>

<p> Colleges and universities worldwide are competing with one another to provide undergraduate students with top-tier learning experiences to increase and retain enrollment. Many institutions are developing living-learning communities to maximize non-academic learning, promote social development, and facilitate interactions among students, faculty, and staff. This study was a mixed-methods, single case study of a living-learning program at a top-tier, Midwestern university. The purpose of this study was twofold: to explore the effectiveness of an undergraduate residential living-learning community at a top-tier university in regards to student satisfaction and interaction, and to investigate elements of staff job satisfaction and long-term retention of housekeeping and mechanic employees. Data collection involved surveys, one-on-one interviews, and focus group interviews of key stakeholders. Three research questions informed the purpose of the study. The first research question asked whether the living-learning model provided an environment that encouraged learning and personal growth. Both the qualitative and descriptive findings supported that yes, the model does encourage learning and personal growth, but that there is still room for improvement, especially by contributing to students&rsquo; social development. The second research question asked whether the higher level of staffing among stakeholders resulted in a greater sense of safety, security, and satisfaction. Again, both the qualitative and descriptive findings supported that the model does so effectively, especially for housekeeping and mechanic employees. The third research question asked whether the model supported job satisfaction and long-term retention among housekeeping and mechanic employees. The surveys of these employees indicated that yes, the living-learning model, and especially having a permanent building assignment, contributed to job satisfaction and retention. To improve the program in the future, assessment should recognize housekeeping and mechanic employees as stakeholders in the living-learning community; the physical space should be continually and strategically updated to meet the mission and goals of the program; housekeeping and mechanic staff should be recruited and retained strategically. In order to ensure future prosperity, program leaders should continue to assess how effectively the mission and goals are being met.</p><p>

<p> This study investigated the relationship between caring and trust within the undergraduate classroom using two valid instruments and an original open-ended survey. The participants were from a mid-western university that included international students. Fifty undergraduate students volunteered to participate in the study. No undergraduate students were excluded from participating in the study, based on diversity. Evidence of a correlation between caring and trust was found using the Caring Professional Scale developed by Swanson (1991) and the Modified Instructional Perspectives Inventory adapted for students (MIPI-S) developed by Henschke (1989). The Cronbach alpha for the CPS was 0.74 to 0.97 and for the MIPI-S, it was 0.81 to 0.85 for factor two 'teacher trust of learners.' Both instruments were scored on a five-point Likert scale. The CPS was originally designed for consumers to rate a variety of healthcare providers on their practice relationship style during a research grant with the National Institute of Health and National Institute of Nursing Research. The MIPI-S was comprised of seven factors that measured engagement between faculty and students. Originally administered at the Chicago City Colleges and the Saint Louis Community Colleges, the MIPI instruments' reliability was established in three other doctoral dissertations as well. A Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient was conducted, resulting in a moderate to strong positive correlation between caring and trust. A comparison of instrument items was also conducted utilizing a <i>z</i>-test (0.95) and <i> t</i>-test (0.24); each test scored below critical value indicating no interchangeability between instruments. This evidence seemed to support measurement of the two separate items of interest: caring and trust. As the benefit of higher education continued to be scrutinized by society, test scores and grades were perhaps a less reliable means of measurement for student satisfaction and retention. Therefore, the learning experience may become the new measurement for student satisfaction and retention.</p><p>

<p> Persistence and retention has been widely researched through various cornerstone experts, including Tinto (2012), Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, and Whitt (2010), Braxton, Hirschy, and McClendon (2014), Astin (1993) and Habley, Bloom, and Robbins (2012). The researcher utilized several concepts from retention and persistence experts seeking institutional specific patterns related to student demographics and characteristics. The study sought recommendations for higher educational administrators validated by data driven analytics utilizing theories and concepts from experts in retention and persistence. The researcher sought patterns and trends for completers with the intention to recommend a targeted marketing plan driven by institution-specific data to attract and retain students to degree persistence.</p><p> The data were divided into two sets: graduate and undergraduate. The researcher utilized a <i>z</i>-test for difference in proportions to analyze characteristics with two variables and a PPMCC analysis and Chi Square test for homogeneity when more than two variables for differences of specific characteristics were present among completers and non-completers. The researcher color-coded the data to create a visual of completers and non-completers. Of all variables analyzed in this study, only type of program (Graduate Business students) had a significant difference between completers and non-completers. The researcher then selected Graduate Business students for further analysis by cross tabbing with the remaining variables studied for graduate students, to determine if a difference existed between the variables. In comparing the graduate business student completers with the variable of zip code, there was a moderate evidence of a difference between proportions of completes living in the County of location of Midwest University and living outside the County. Overall, the study revealed variables did not contribute to a significant difference in completion during the studied timeframe except for type of program for Graduate Business students and revealed a moderate difference in graduate type of program and zip code.</p><p> Accurate data was crucial for higher education administrators to provide quality decision making. Higher education administrators must use true institution-specific data when making decisions. Although the results were not what the researcher expected, additional recommendations were made to the researched institution in regards to data collection and the importance of data accuracy when making decisions at the administrative level.</p>

<p> The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate ways in which participation in high school varsity athletics impacted academic success of first-generation college students. Through an anonymous online survey, this study compared quantitative demographic data of first-generation college students who participated in high school varsity athletics to those who did not. In addition, the qualitative research in this study explored first-generation college student perceptions of why they have been successful during college. Athletic focus group participants were asked questions related to college transition, what they gained through athletics, and long-term academic benefits of their participation in high school athletics. </p><p> Prior research correlated the relationship between participation in high school athletics and improved school attendance, grades, ACT scores, and graduation rates (Lumpkin &amp; Favor, 2012) while the athletes were enrolled in high school. However, few studies have explored the long-term academic benefits in terms of college persistence and bachelor&rsquo;s degree completion. With consideration of the academic benefits, this study pinpointed characteristics, academic behaviors, and life skills enhanced through participation in high school varsity athletics that contributed to positive college outcomes for these first-generation college students. </p><p> Two first-generation cohorts were utilized in the study: (a) college students who graduated from high school in 2015 and returned for their second year of college at Suburban Private University during the fall of 2016 and (b) college seniors who graduated from high school since 2011 and applied for graduation during the 2016-2017 school year. The findings indicated that first-generation college students, who were high school varsity athletes have a statistically significant higher high school grade point averages and college grade point averages after two semesters, compared to college athletes and nonathletes. Also, former high-school-only athletes graduated from college in fewer semesters than either of the other two groups. Most notably, based on the sample utilized in this study, there was statistically significant evidence that there are more first-generation college graduates that were former high school athletes than first-generation graduates who were not high school varsity athletes. </p><p> The results of this mixed-methods study indicated a possible relationship between participation in varsity high school athletics and successful first-generation college transition to college and persistence to graduation. As the study participants expressed, their participation in varsity level athletics assisted them to be academically prepared for college when they first arrived and were self-confident that with hard work they would one-day become first-generation college graduates. This researcher believes more future first-generation college students should participate in school-sponsored athletics alongside their teammates for all four years of high school, not necessarily with the motivation of more playing time in high school or to secure an athletic college scholarship, but to enhance the personal characteristics, academic focus, and resiliency that could help them graduate from college.</p>

<p> Competency-based education (CBE), a learning model focused on demonstrated proficiency in well-defined competencies rather than on the amount of time students spend in the classroom, influenced niche higher education markets in the United States for decades. However, the lack of a consensus definition limited CBE&rsquo;s widespread acceptance by the traditional academic community. In the early 21st century, concerns about accessibility and affordability led to renewed interest in and experimentation with CBE models in higher education. Despite this resurgence of interest, defining CBE as a concept remained problematic and underscored the need to clarify the conceptual use and understanding of CBE. Settings for the research included the ERIC online library, resource libraries of three national CBE initiatives, and official policymaker websites. Rodgers&rsquo; evolutionary approach to concept analysis, emphasizing the evolution of concepts, shaped the research design of this qualitative study. Documents published in 1973&ndash;1983 and 2005&ndash;2015, 2 eras of intense postsecondary CBE experimentation, comprised the purposive sample. Using the described method, CBE characteristics were categorized in stakeholder and temporal contexts and common characteristics identified. Although this study confirmed a lack of consensus definition, it also revealed three characteristics fundamental to CBE. At its&rsquo; core, CBE is a learning model with (a) explicitly stated competencies; (b) progression determined by demonstrated performance; and (c) an individualized instruction framework well suited to mature learners with life and work experience beyond school. These core characteristics support an adaptable framework providing a foundation for CBE&rsquo;s enduring presence in the higher education landscape of the United States in the 20th and 21st centuries.</p><p>

<p> There is limited literature regarding how higher education leaders influence and shape curriculum do for graduate students. The question is how the curriculum is influenced by higher education leaders. The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to discover how those in leadership positions in higher education influence and shape curriculum for business school graduate students. Examining the influence higher education leaders have on curriculum design will provide information to universities to evaluate their current processes and may help universities continue to improve program quality. An exploratory qualitative descriptive approach was taken for this study. Qualitative data was collected via eight interviews with those involved in curriculum design. Specifically, participants for this study were those in leadership positions (administrators, deans, associate deans, and senior faculty) in the masters of business administration (MBA) program at a selected university in the Northeast region of the United States. The data from the interview transcripts were analyzed to discover how those in leadership positions in higher education influence and shape curriculum for business school graduate students. The four major themes identified in this study were flexibility, streamlining, continuous improvement, and innovation. The study revealed that factors such as flexibility, communication (internal and external), adaptability, and technology all contribute to robustness of the graduate business curriculum and are a reflection of how those in leadership positions influence the curriculum. The findings from the study revealed similar views regarding participants&rsquo; experiences about their role in influencing and shaping the curriculum, challenges faced, and common experiences among several participants. The study revealed that the participants reported positive feedback on their level of participation with the curriculum design process. The practical implications that may result from the proposed research may explain the current leadership structures, both formal and informal, within department of business. Results of the study may also have the potential to inform the development of future curriculum design efforts to enable current and future department faculty and chairs to influence curriculum design as effectively as possible.</p>

<p> Student retention has been studied more than any higher education subject (Vlanden &amp; Barlow, 2014). Attempts to better understand the retention process through predictive modeling have become more common (Bingham &amp; Solverson, 2016). However, modeling efforts have failed to properly account for elements of social integration and sense of belonging, both of which serve as key tenants in Astin&rsquo;s (1975, 1999) theory of student involvement and Tinto&rsquo;s (1982, 1993) model of college dropout and theory of student departure (Bingham &amp; Solverson, 2016). In this study, social integration was evaluated in isolation using <i>z</i>-tests. Several forms of social integration were found to have a statistically significant difference in the proportion of retained participants versus non-participants including campus fitness programs, fraternity or sorority programs, recreation facilities, and student activities. Participants in intramural sports and on-campus living were not found to have statistically significant results. Additionally, binary logistic regression was used to analyze how social integration variables interplayed with demographic, student attribute, and academic performance inputs. The model produced through the analysis successfully met previous goodness-of-fit standards established in prior research (Bingham &amp; Solverson, 2016; Jia &amp; Maloney, 2014). Findings of this research are especially relevant to higher education administrators. A key method to the promotion of persistence and student retention is the ability to predict attrition (Harvey &amp; Luckman, 2014). By including social integration data, higher education leaders could seize upon the opportunity to more accurately identify those students who are less likely to persist than their peers (Bingham &amp; Solverson, 2016). </p><p>

<p> Community colleges are the largest segment of higher education institutions in the United States providing access to historically underserved populations and growing numbers of first generation college students. Increasing college degree attainment is a national priority with new expectations of accountability. Despite decades of educational research, community colleges have startling low completion rates. Within the framework of Tinto&rsquo;s theory of retention, a predictive analytics model could provide community colleges the opportunity to drive custom intervention and support services to students. The purpose of this study was to explore the utility of Biglan&rsquo;s taxonomy for categorizing courses for potential use in a data analytics model to identify students at risk of failure to complete. The quantitative census study used archival data from 1,759 students. Log-linear analysis was used to test the key research question as to whether there is a predictive relationship between type of course failed, as cross-categorized by the dimensions in Biglan&rsquo;s taxonomy, in the first term and failure to complete a degree or certificate within 6 years. The analysis showed that a more parsimonious model, based on the interaction term for the life/nonlife and pure/applied Biglan categories, appeared related to completion, although no standardized residual was significant. A larger and more diverse sample may be necessary to determine the true effectiveness of Biglan&rsquo;s taxonomy as a classification schema in a predictive analytics model of degree completion. Based on these results, first term course failure appears to be a logical point for programmatic support that could lead to higher levels of associate degree completion opening doors of employment opportunity through education, thus supporting social change.</p>