The purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which college student athletes at the Florida State University had achieved three developmental tasks--to develop autonomy, purpose, and mature interpersonal relationships--as assessed by the Student Developmental Task Inventory (SDTI-2). The college student athletes' scores were compared with national norms established in 1984 by Student Development Associates. Sex, race, class standing, and specific sports participation were studied to determine their relationship with the student athletes' development. / All male and female student athletes (340) attending Florida State University during the fall semester of 1985 served as the research sample. Of these 302 (88.8%) completed the study instrument. Among the participants, 66.2% were males and 37.8% were females; 73.8% were white and 26.2% were non-white. Respondents were distributed among four class standings: 31.4% freshman, 25.2% sophomores, 24.5% juniors, and 18.9% seniors. / Except for the freshmen, the student athletes were at a significantly lower level than the national sample in developing autonomy, purpose, and mature interpersonal relationships. For all three developmental tasks, female student athletes scored significantly higher than male student athletes, white student athletes scored significantly higher than non-white student athletes, and freshman student athletes outperformed sophomores, juniors, and seniors. In relation to specific sports, females participating in track and volleyball scored highest on the three developmental tasks, and the male football and baseball players scored the lowest. / The findings of this study seem to indicate that the student athletes at the Florida State University are in a state of "suspended maturation." The results of this study, combined with findings by Blann (1984) and Sowa and Gressard (1983), seem to indicate that participation in athletics tends to retard students' development of autonomy, purpose, and mature interpersonal relationships as the students proceed through their university experience. This finding should be of major concern to university administrators. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-10, Section: A, page: 3678. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

The major problem of this study was to develop a broad gauge model to measure the financial viability of community colleges which would reliably predict the onset of undesirable financial conditions. / The objectives of the study were: (1) to analyze and evaluate existing model(s) in order to determine whether such model(s) or certain of their components can be adopted, modified, and/or perfected to measure the overall financial viability of community colleges; (2) to develop a more reliable and comprehensive eclectic model which can measure financial viability and predict financial difficulty; and (3) to demonstrate the applicability of the developed eclectic model by testing it on selected Florida community colleges. / This study was conducted in four major phases. Phase one involved the analysis and critique of the existing models. A critical review was made of five financial models found in the literature as having been used or cited by researchers and practitioners in the past decade to measure the financial health of postsecondary institutions. Phase two involved the development of the eclectic model. The eclectic model was developed based upon features and components of the five models critiqued. Phases three and four involved testing the developed eclectic model on selected Florida community colleges. / The major conclusions of the study were: (1) The model provides a broad gauge from which the relative financial viability of a community college can be determined. (2) The model is a useful vehicle which can reliably predict the onset of undesirable financial conditions. (3) The model can serve as a general but effective management tool. (4) The model is simple, yet comprehensive, easy to use, and easily adapted to a variety of community colleges. (5) The model provides a more comprehensive approach toward determining the financial viability of a community college than models critiqued in study. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-08, Section: A, page: 2918. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1986.

The purpose of this study was to examine the academic history of students enrolled in a representative state university during the period 1979 to 1985 to determine (a) the relationship between student characteristics (i.e., demographic academic variables) and retention status, and (b) the effect student characteristics have on semester retention rate. / All information for this study came from (a) the Office of the Registrar's permanent file of students' records, and (b) the Office of the Louisiana Board of Regents. Subjects for this study were the 1,828 students (U.S. citizens) who entered as first-time freshmen in the fall 1979 semester at the University of Southwestern Louisiana and who had ACT scores recorded on their permanent academic records. / Student data by semester were obtained through the use of a computer read process. The statistical analysis used was Retention Analysis, an amended form of Survival Analysis, part of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), by Hull and Nie, 1981. / Analysis of the data produced the following findings: (a) the most critical years of enrollment are the first two years; (b) white students had a higher retention rate and a higher graduation rate than did black students; (c) regular admission students had a higher retention rate and a higher graduation rate than did development education students; (d) retention and graduation rates of black and white students parallel each other when considered by admission status; (e) 220 (38.7%) of all students to graduate were classified as developmental education students at admission; (f) students required to enroll in developmental English and math had a lower retention rate and graduation rate than did any other subgroup of students. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-03, Section: A, page: 0574. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

The purpose of this study was to determine what inconsistencies, if any, exist (1) between the values of student personnel administrators and the values of college freshmen, and (2) between the values of college students as perceived by student personnel administrators and the self-reported values of college freshmen as reported by the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP). / A random sample of 400 student personnel administrators was chosen to receive a survey instrument developed by the researcher. Responses were received by 310 (77.5%) individuals. The survey instrument was composed of three sections: Section I measured the personal values of the respondents; Section II measured the respondents' perceptions of students' values; and Section III requested demographic data. / The data collected was analyzed through three sets of comparisons. The first comparison was made between the administrators' personal values and the national normative data for freshmen reported by CIRP using a one-sample z-test. This comparison revealed that eleven of eighteen value statements differed significantly at the .05 confidence level. Extreme differences were found in items reflecting materialism (students more materialistic) and altruism (administrators more altruistic). / A second comparison was made between the administrators perceptions of student values and the national normative data for freshmen. Again, the one-sample z-test was employed. This comparison revealed that the administrators perceived the students to be more materialistic and less altruistic than the students reported. Nine of eighteen value statements were found to be significantly different at the .05 level of confidence. / A final comparison using the two-sample t-test matched the values of student personnel administrators with the perceived values of students. This comparison revealed that ten of the eighteen items differed significantly at the .05 confidence level. / Implications for values education on the college campus were drawn and recommendations for improving values programming were made. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-02, Section: A, page: 0314. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

The purpose of this study was to determine what changes occurred in student procedural due process rights in four-year colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States since 1975. Changes in the composition and structure of campus judicial hearing boards were also examined. / Data for this study was collected through the mailing of a survey questionnaire to 328 four-year colleges and universities in the Southeastern United States. A total of 220 questionnaires were returned representing a 67% response rate. / Results indicated that since 1975, nine changes occurred in procedural due process rights afforded students, and six changes occurred in the composition and structure of campus judicial hearing boards. A smaller percentage of institutions in the 1986 study: (1) provided students the right to be interviewed by an appropriate institutional official; (2) permitted students the right to be accompanied at a hearing by a legal counsel; (3) permitted students the right to be accompanied at a hearing by an advisor (student, staff, faculty member, etc.); (4) allowed students the opportunity to ask questions of witnesses during the adjudication of student misconduct cases; (5) permitted students the right to appeal a decision made by an administrative officer; and (6) granted students an appeal automatically upon request. By contrast, a larger percentage of institutions in the 1986 study: (1) placed restrictions on students while action on conduct violations were pending; (2) conducted private hearings; and (3) provided students with written notification of the judicial board's final decision. / The following changes occurred in the composition and structure of campus judicial hearing boards: (1) a smaller percentage of institutions in the 1986 study utilized more than one type of campus judicial hearing board; (2) a smaller percentage of institutions in the 1986 study had an appeal board; (3) a larger percentage of institutions in the 1986 study implemented a common set of procedural due process guidelines in the adjudication of student misconduct cases; (4) the structure (type) of campus judicial hearing boards changed substantially; (5) the selection of students serving on campus judicial hearing boards changed; and (6) the committee structure of campus judicial hearing boards (considered to be either an ad hoc committee or a standing committee) changed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-03, Section: A, page: 0571. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1987.

Higher education institutions have campus traditions that are honored and repeated by generations of students, faculty, staff, and alumni (Manning, 2000). It is important to understand these traditions and the purpose and history behind the traditions, especially as the demographics of student bodies evolve (Cheng, 2004). According to Boyer (1990), “a university at its best encourages people to share rituals and traditions that connect them to the campus community and that improve the civic culture and diversity of the institution” (p. 62). This study focused on a diverse student sample at Florida State University and their participation in campus traditions. Campus traditions such as Orientation, Convocation, Welcome Week, and Homecoming activities were studied to understand the students’ experiences. Although there has been previous research about campus traditions (Magolda, 2000; Manning, 1989, 2000; Van Jura, 2010), this study specifically focused on a diverse student sample and how the campus traditions create a culturally engaging campus environment (Museus, 2014). / 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. / Summer Semester 2017. / July 17, 2017. / Campus Traditions, Engagement, Engaging, Traditions / Includes bibliographical references. / Tamara Bertrand Jones, Professor Directing Dissertation; Diana Rice, University Representative; Kathy Guthrie, Committee Member; Robert Schwartz, Committee Member.

Expanding leadership learning and engagement to a more diverse student body is a critical component of American higher education, yet not enough attention is placed on how varied lived experiences may influence leadership development and practice. One such understudied lived experience is the phenomenon of parental divorce during childhood. Data suggests that over one-quarter of entering college students may have divorced parents, which literature indicates can have ongoing implications over the course of time (Amato, 2000; Demo & Fine, 2010; Kennedy & Ruggles, 2014). Connecting divorce and leadership literature through the relational leadership model (Komives, Lucas, & McMahon, 1998; 2013), this phenomenological study explored how the parental divorce experience during childhood influences female undergraduate student leaders, an understudied population that may thrive in relational leadership settings. Nine undergraduate women enrolled in leadership certificate program courses at a research extensive university in the southern United States were interviewed. Participants reflected upon their parents’ divorce and shared ways they believed it shaped their knowledge, behaviors, and actions. Participants reported how their parents’ divorce influenced their leadership readiness, learning, and engagement as they described and engaged in leadership through the lens of their parental divorce experience. Presenting the parental divorce experience as a leadership context, this study contends relational leadership learning and engagement aids in the development of relational skills. Implications for future research and practice are discussed, including more attention to the parental divorce experience with regards to leadership and higher education. / 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. / May 3, 2018. / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathy L. Guthrie, Professor Directing Dissertation; Jeannine Turner, University Representative; Lara Perez-Felkner, Committee Member; Robert Schwartz, Committee Member.

Student affairs practitioners’ work often includes expectations for leadership education and development of college students, aligning with the role of leadership educator. However, there exists no formal preparation process or curriculum for master’s students in higher education/student affairs graduate preparatory programs to access learning about becoming a leadership educator. This exploratory case study examines the experiences of a cohort of master’s students in a higher education/student affairs graduate preparatory program to understand more fully their access to leadership education communities of practice and their development of leadership educator professional identity. Through survey, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews, the qualitative inquiry explored the integration of a formal, required course for a cohort in their graduate preparatory program to understand the experiences of learning to be leadership educators. / 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. / June 25, 2018. / Higher Education, Leadership education, Leadership educators, Student Affairs / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathy L. Guthrie, Professor Directing Dissertation; Suzanne Sinke, University Representative; Tamara Bertrand Jones, Committee Member; Robert Schwartz, Committee Member.

Since the early 2000s, the number of leadership education programs in the United States has more than doubled (Riggio, Ciulla, & Sorenson, 2003; International Leadership Association, 2015). Despite this proliferation, very little attention has been paid to the role of cultural responsiveness in leadership education. Cultural responsiveness is vital to future success of leadership studies programs because they, just like all higher education, act as cultural capital-building mechanisms. If greater attention is not paid to the experiences of students from diverse backgrounds, leadership studies programs will continue to perpetuate the existing social order, ultimately undermining the goal of creating leaders capable of positive sustainable change. The present study focused on the nexus between cultural responsiveness, leadership education, and cultural capital. It sought to answer the following research questions: (1) What do leadership educators identify as cultural responsiveness in their instruction?; (2) What classroom experiences do leadership students identify as honoring their multiple, intersecting social identities?; (3) Where do reports of cultural responsiveness among leadership studies instructors and students converge, and where do they diverge? Answering the first research question required semi-structured interviews with leadership instructors to uncover their efforts toward cultural responsiveness. This information was used to create a survey to gauge student experiences along the aspects described in the interviews. The second research question was addressed through descriptive quantitative analysis of survey data. The final question was answered through inferential quantitative analysis of survey information. Findings and results uncovered substantial evidence of cultural responsiveness within the leadership studies program under investigation. Instructors’ social identities, personal histories, professional preparation, and academic training impacted their cultural responsiveness abilities. Similarly, nuanced leadership education philosophies, unique motivations, and varied paths to leadership education impacted how instructors approached students’ cultural and academic development. Course syllabi, textbooks, assignments, and speakers were just some of the ways instructors infused cultural responsiveness into their distinctive styles of leadership education. Moreover, a broad spectrum of pedagogical choices characterized instructors’ capacity for cultural responsiveness. Augmented by the theory-to-practice-to-theory framework of the Undergraduate Certificate in Leadership Studies, instructors were empowered to teach and change courses toward cultural responsiveness. The survey resulting from instructors’ reports demonstrated reliability and validity for use in the present study and captured students’ perceptions of cultural responsiveness. Results of quantitative analyses indicated students perceived their instructors as culturally responsive across numerous facets of education. Perceptions varied by student identities and among the courses in which they were enrolled. Future research should focus on intersections of social identities, the unique experiences of transfer students, and supporting courses not included here. Practice implications include careful consideration of cultural responsiveness among students from diverse religious backgrounds, transfer students and nontraditionally aged students. Curricular implications should include focusing on the culturally responsive leadership learning environments created in Leadership in Group and Communities, Latinx Leadership, and Peer Leadership. / 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 2018. / February 14, 2018. / Culture, Diversity, Education, Inclusion, Leadership, Multiculturalism / Includes bibliographical references. / Kathy L. Guthrie, Professor Directing Dissertation; Irene Padavic, University Representative; Tamara Bertrand Jones, Committee Member; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member.

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.