No description available.

This mixed methods study furthers understanding of how postsecondary institutions have responded to increased requirements to assess student learning adopted in 2005 by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE), an accrediting body within the regional accreditor the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The quantitative phase of the study included a 37-question survey completed by 77 institutions who hold CIHE accreditation. The survey explored institutional characteristics, the practices institutions have in place to support assessment of student learning, and if these practices had changed since the adoption of assessment focused accreditation standards in 2005. Following a review of descriptive statistics, a Chi-Square analysis tested the association of five institutional characteristics (setting, non-profit status, institutional category, highest degree awarded, and enrollment size) against sets of survey questions related to assessment policy, structures, or support. Three distinct moderately strong relationships were found between institutional enrollment size and the existence of 1) a central assessment office, 2) an institutional policy for assessment, and 3) centralized assessment budgeting. The qualitative phase of the study included 10 in-depth interviews to explore institutional responses in detail and to understand the motivations behind the institutional responses. Analysis of the interview coding revealed four themes: perceived benefits (broader institutional benefit as motivating factor), legitimacy (approaches sought to reinforce legitimacy); institutional need (alignment with existing practices/structures); and stakeholder buy-in (ensuring continued relevance). The quantitative and qualitative phases of this study together raised four key findings. First, that institutions have responded to more formally assess student learning, particularly following a 2005 change in CIHE accreditation standards. Second, that institutional characteristics (such as public vs. private) are not the primary drivers of how institutions respond. Third, assessment support is strongly driven by unique institutional needs. Fourth, that assessment is becoming less about “assessment” and meeting external requirements, but is now frequently being positioned as a way to create broader value for an organization and inform strategy development. Considering these overall findings the study then presents potential implications for practice and discussion of future research possibilities.

<p> This study explored the factors that promoted and the factors that impeded persistence to the fourth year for students who were considered academically at-risk when they entered college. Eighteen participants took part in this basic qualitative study, which utilized three forms of data collection: (a) interview, (b) open-ended survey, and (c) reflective writing. The researcher piloted the data collection tools, along with analyzing data as it was gathered, to ensure the research questions were being answered. Upon the completion of data collection, the researcher utilized inductive, constant comparative analysis, which resulted in the identification of emerging themes. The study&rsquo;s findings indicated persistence is fostered by care and support from within and outside the institution and through participants making connections to the campus and adjusting in ways that demonstrates a refusal to quit. The primary barriers participants had to overcome were academic struggles, institutional impediments outside of academics, and personal obstacles. The findings highlight the need for policies and practices that foster a supportive and caring campus culture, including capitalizing on the importance of family support for this population of students.</p><p>

<p> Violent crimes and sexual assaults on higher education campuses in the United States has been an ongoing for decades. In 1990, Congress enacted the Jeanne Clery Act in to enhance the safety of students by requiring higher education institutions to publish their crime statistics and security policies in the form on an Annual Security Report (Fox, Khey, Lizotte, &amp; Nobles, 2012; Richards &amp; Kafonek 2013). Previous research revealed the Clery Act&rsquo;s many requirements are confusing and open to interpretation, which has prevented higher education institutions from maintaining compliance (Wood &amp; Janosik, 2012). </p><p> This study investigates the complexities of Clery Act requirements as they relate to institutional non-compliance from the perspective of Clery Act compliance officials. The researcher conducted interviews with 20 Clery compliance officials and triangulated their responses with previous research and secondary data obtained in the literature review. The results identified specific information related to the complexities of Clery Act requirements and recommendations to enhance compliance. At the conclusion of the study several areas of future research were identified that could help generate additional information as to the factors that impede and enhance Clery Act compliance.</p><p>

The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explore the futures that school of education leaders envision for their institutions. American higher education institutions broadly, and schools of education specifically, face a complex of challenges to their traditional structures, processes, practices, value, and values. These challenges create a climate of uncertainty about the future of institutions that were built around assumptions of long-term operational stability. Leaders must evaluate what changes must be made and what legacies must be preserved in order to ensure that their institutions continue to thrive into the future. Therefore, it is important to understand the futures that school of education leaders envision, because these visions of the future will impact decisions made in the present. Current and recent deans from top fifty ranked schools of education in the United States were identified according to the US News & World Report 2016 rankings. These schools were assigned to segments based on their ranking: 1–10, 11–20, 21–30, 31–40, and 41–50. A public and a private school of education were selected from each segment and the deans were contacted for participation. Open response interviews guided by an initial interview protocol were conducted with participants by phone. After the completion of each interview, the audio recording was transcribed, coded, and an initial theory was generated. This theory was then presented to the next participant in the study for discussion. This process was repeated until theoretical data saturation was reached at the tenth interview. The theory of school of education futures that emerged from this process was The Adaptive School of Education. Deans described an institution that: engages in the organizational Activities of critique, creation, education, and communication; is, by its Design, embedded, engaged, diverse, sustainable, and governed by a federalist governance structure; will consider its Human Capital consisting of faculty, students, and staff as the source of innovation and stability; is undergirded by certain organizational Values; and is clear about its Value proposition for the public good, and the private good. These findings have several implications for higher education leadership and school of education leadership practice and inquiry.

The purpose of this study was to identify what factors prompt adult women to return to community college. Adult developmental theory provided a framework for the study. Aslanian and Brickell's (1980) theory that life transitions prompt a learning response was integrated with Gilligan's (1982) theory that women identify themselves in the context of relationships. Information was gathered to determine whether life changes and the desire for a revised identity are the major reasons adult women return to school.;The population of this study was a randomly selected sample of 186 women who had returned to Paul D. Camp Community College during the academic year, 1985-86. The participants had to be 25 years old or older, enrolled in a credit course of study, and returning to college after at least a two year lapse in their formal educational experience. Those women selected to participate in the study responded to a survey asking them to describe their current life situation and reasons for their return to school. Personal interviews were conducted with a select portion of the survey respondents.;Frequencies and percentages were calculated to identify common and distinctive patterns in the reasons adult women return to college. The results support the hypothesis that life changes and the desire for a revised identity prompt women in general to return to education. However, notable differences were identified among women according to their age, race, marital and employment status.;Further study on the development of women is needed. More information regarding the special needs of returning women students in general is warranted. In addition, research on selected categories of returning women students (e.g., minority group women, women who are no longer married) is also needed.

The purpose of this study was to explore differences in the perception of residential living experiences between students living in residential learning communities and those living in traditional residence halls. These two groups were further disaggregated based on their living environment location, on- or off-campus, and their gender. The quality of experience was based on students' perception of their living environment assessed using the Student Residence Environment Scales.;The participants in this study were undergraduate students at a large southeastern public Research I institution enrolled as full-time status students. The on-line survey solicited 600 usable responses (35% usable response rate). of that total, 225 students lived in university owned and operated on-campus residence halls and 375 lived in the privately-owned off-campus residence halls.;Results of this study show that differences do exist between students living in residential learning communities and those living in traditional residence hall environments; however those differences are contingent upon the location of students' residence hall and gender. Location of residence hall and gender impact students' perceptions of their living environment in an interactive relationship with the type of residence hall.;Recommendations for further research included: a replication of this study on multiple campuses to obtain a norm for responses; qualitative data gathering for greater understanding of students experiences; and exploration of the differences between university-owned residence halls and privately-owned residence halls. Recommendations for practitioners included: annual assessment of residential learning communities; and conduct multivariate analysis for a greater understanding of the multiple variables impacting students' perception.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to identify, analyze, and interpret relationships among the views of the role of the Board of Visitors of the senior public colleges and universities held by leading decision makers in higher education in Virginia--visitors, presidents, legislators, members and staff professionals of the statewide coordinating agency, and other State executives and staff professionals whose work directly affected higher education.;This study was exploratory, ex post facto, survey research using a mail questionnaire to determine the relative incidence and distribution of the views of the visitor's role. Relationships were also investigated between these views and certain other variables associated with the respondents' positions relative to higher education and their personal attributes. of the 385 questionnaires mailed 254 usable questionnaires, or 66 percent, were returned.;It was concluded generally that visitors were typical of higher educational governing board members nationwide; they were expected by most respondents to exercise authority in governing every aspect of their institutions and retain control over all types of decisions affecting campus policy either directly or through authority exercised by faculty, students, or external agencies; and the variations among the respondents' views of the visitor's role were related to their positions, the influence of their different orientations toward external constituencies, the particular aspect of the role they were considering, and certain of their personal attributes.;Notable among the 20 specific conclusions from the study were: (a) visitors were more likely than other respondents to ascribe authority to their own role; (b) visitors were more likely to oppose having their position of authority by-passed than other respondents who could participate in the by-pass; (c) Boards of Visitors were said to be more strongly obligated toward faculty and students by presidents, who dealt more directly with the faculty and students, than by the other respondents; and (d) respondents who indicated a more favorable attitude toward academic freedom and/or who had completed a higher level of education indicated a more favorable attitude toward having Boards of Visitors share authority with campus groups.

The purpose of this study was to both identify and analyze political, educational, and economic factors, particularly political factors, which had a significant impact on the development and growth of the Norfolk Division, The College of William and Mary (1930) into Old Dominion College (1962). The study was also designed to record a significant period (1930-62) in the history of a two-year, junior college and later a four-year, degree-granting college.;It was hypothesized that the development and growth of the college in Norfolk was based largely on decisions of a political nature rather than on those that were educational and economic. In addition, the effective application of politics enabled the college to survive several crises during the period 1930 to 1962.;The historical method of research was used to conduct this study. This method permitted the examination of primary and secondary source documents, the use of recorded oral testimony from participants and observers, and the scrutiny of relationships among peoples, places, and events.;The study concluded that political factors overwhelmingly influenced the development and growth of the college in Norfolk. The role played by local and state figures, as well as by local organizations and newspaper media, affected to a considerable degree the development of a two-year, dependent, junior college into a four-year, degree-granting, independent, senior college.;Further research into the post 1962 period is needed to analyze the changing educational needs of southeastern Virginia and to determine their effect on the growth of Old Dominion College (1962) into Old Dominion University (1969).