American higher education has been affected by spiraling cost, declining college-age population, decreasing financial aid and defense grants, budget reductions from state governments and concerns about quality. The merging of two or more institutions into a single entity is one strategy to cope with these changes. The literature on the subject of merger, however, is fragmented and dwells mainly on the reasons why institutions merge. This study examines the tensions and elements that constitute the merger phenomenon in its totality and identifies implications for implementation. The study analyzed 18 doctoral dissertation case studies of 20 higher educational mergers that took place during the period 1964-1985. Similarities and differences were identified and the findings compared with the merger literature. The data were then interpreted from the perspective of organizational change. The analysis indicated that three major tensions shape the merger phenomenon: the clash between maintaining the status quo and implementing change; the emergence of one institution as the dominant party thereby exacerbating the change for the subordinate party; and the accomplishment of organizational objectives at the expense of individual needs. A pattern emerged indicating that change was not managed, decision-making was top down and self-centered, crisis was not anticipated, power was used to dominate, conflict was divisive, planning was non-existent or poorly done and implementation was characterized by limited strategies to facilitate the process. Several important distinctions were identified according to the type of control of the merging institutions. Differences were found in the impelling reasons, motivation, process stages, type of risk, degree of consultation and outcomes. Exceptions to the conventional wisdom that financially troubled institutions should not merge were noted. Also, a simple legal maneuver frequently employed in the corporate world was identified as an alternative to the standard merger approach. In order to facilitate the complex process of a merger and to address the identified problems, the application of the integrated frames approach for managing organizational change as developed by Bolman and Deal (1984) is recommended. Strategic planning is also recommended as an effective tool for coping with change.

This dissertation addresses the specific relationship of federal economic policies of the Reagan administration, known as Reaganomics, to public higher education. In conducting this study three questions are asked: what were the economic policies of the Reagan administration; what was the impact on state finances of these policies; and what was the effect on access to public higher education of this impact on state finances? To answer these questions this dissertation studies the federal economic policies of the Reagan administration known as Reaganomics and their impact on state financing of public higher education during the period 1981-1992. This study makes clear that Reaganomics was developed and implemented based on the faulty assumption that taxes could be cut, the needy protected, military spending increased and the budget balanced. The impact of these economic policies on state government finances was significant in two major ways: the substantial reduction in federal aid to state governments during the initial phase of the implementation of Reaganomics; and the transferring of responsibility for certain social services from the federal government to state governments, particularly in the Medicaid program. These changes in state finances had a significant impact on state funding of public higher education and access to these institutions. The findings of this study have significant implications for the understanding of future state financing and accessibility of public higher education because they clearly establish the relationship between federal economic policies, state finances, state financing of public higher education, and access to public higher education. Because of these relationships it becomes clear that the future levels of state financing of public higher education and access to these institutions will depend greatly on the economic policies of the federal government. The dissertation concludes with an examination of the potential impact of the choices facing the Clinton administration on state financing of public higher education.

Although the need has been recognized for over two decades, ongoing, formative, and comprehensive assessment of college and university faculty development programs often does not occur in a systematic and thoughtful way. Furthermore, a review of the literature on faculty development shows that successful evaluation research has not been widely publicized to administrators of faculty development programs nor replicated by other researchers. The purpose of this research project was twofold--to design an assessment model and to test this model through actual data collection. The two-phase assessment process went beyond rating participant satisfaction with individual services offered by the Center For Teaching (CFT) at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Phase I, quantitative in nature, is a statistical analysis of a range of demographic characteristics of faculty who had chosen to participate in campus-wide workshops over four academic years. In Phase 2, qualitative in nature, interviews were conducted with members of the instructional faculty representing both users and non-users of CFT services. The process was designed to assess benefits and behavioral changes that resulted from participation, to explore issues related to institutional impact, to uncover factors which influence participation and non-participation, and to evaluate services provided by the CFT. The quantitative analysis of the demographic characteristics of instructional faculty attending campus-wide workshops produced the following findings: there was a significant difference between expected and actual attendance for the Colleges of Nursing and Food and Natural Resources; for instructional faculty, males were under-represented and females over-represented; those holding the rank of Professor were under-represented and Assistant Professors and Lecturers were over-represented; and technology workshops attracted the largest average attendance. Through the qualitative analysis nine major categories of findings emerged; the major ones included: the CFT has helped the University make a legitimate claim that it has made a significant contribution to teaching, active learning strategies were incorporated into the curriculum as a direct result of CFT participation, insights were provided for extending the impact of the CFT on campus, motivations for participation and non-participation were uncovered. Triangulating methodologies resulted in a research design that functionally answered the research questions.

The purpose of this study is to explore how low-income, first-generation college students understand and make sense of the process of obtaining financial aid as a source of influence on college choice decisions. This qualitative study of nine low-income, first-generation college students focuses on how the students understand financial aid in relation to their educational aspirations, plans, and choices. The results that emerge from the constant comparative analysis of interviews with these students, their parents, and guidance counselors suggest that the college choice process is more heavily influenced by cost and financial aid than has been recognized in previous models of college choice. As a result, a new model is presented in which cost and financial aid are incorporated as major determinants of college choice for low-income, first-generation college students.

During the colonial and apartheid eras, higher education played an historically strategic role in shaping South African society. As higher education continues to play a significant role as an agent of the state in shaping the social transformation process toward a new democracy, the leadership of higher education in the form of university Vice-Chancellors, continue to play a critical role in this process. The new democratic government policy relating to education reform and institutional restructuring highlights the social accountability of institutions and emphasizes transformation. In political and social spheres, transformation has become a rhetorical term for all change and democracy. Transformation has emerged as the mantra of all change in preference to the term reform. Understanding the phenomena of transformation and the role of leadership in higher education is critical to understanding higher educations' future role in the national, social change process. This study applies phenomenological phenomenographic methodology and in-depth interviews to explore the conceptions of the Vice-Chancellors of Historically Black Universities in South Africa. The research focuses on the phenomena of transformation, leadership and social change. The assumption is that synergistically, Vice-Chancellors' tacit conceptions will frame an African notion of Transformative Leadership in higher education. The research findings are that although Vice-Chancellors shared an interesting and diverse range of conceptions of leadership and transformation, the conceptions were not sufficiently congruent to define a singular, homogeneous African mode of Transformative Leadership. A further finding was that although higher education is conceptually located within a process of social transformation, the research proceeded from a skewed assumption that the common mode of leadership of transformation would be transformational. Lastly, it emerged that conceptions of a single, explicit mode of African leadership was not possible, or desirable to define. The role of VC in HBU's is enormously complex and challenging and the new Ministry may need to re-conceptualize the role and function of the Vice-chancellor in Higher Education in South Africa.

The purpose of this study is to identify institution-specific variables that impact assessment on campus and to determine the ways in which these variables influence campus approach to assessment. The importance of this study lies in its ability to inform assessment policy, to influence assessment practice, and to support assessment research. Results from this study provide broader parameters within which to discuss assessment beyond the traditional accountability or improvement model. Results also offer a systematic three-step process for campus self-analysis using institution-specific variables as a means of identifying campus response to assessment. This process facilitates focus on those campus variables that promote or prevent effective assessment, while informing potential changes in policy and practice tied to those variables, and providing an opportunity for an intentional review of assessment to optimize institutional effectiveness. Research for this study was conducted using case study analysis of three institutions to collect and classify data, to describe the data, and to make inferences about what the data reveal. From the results of this study it is fair to conclude that assessment on campus is shaped and influenced by an interplay of variables unique to each college or university. This research also suggests that a campus's response to assessment is directly impacted by the nature and focus of the interplay of these campus-specific variables. The findings from this study point to significant policy and practice implications wherein a campus may identify the forces that push the campus closer to accountability or closer to improvement and develop interventions to make assessment more effective vis a vis the institution-specific framework in which assessment evolves.

The affirmative action officer is the key figure in establishing, implementing, and sustaining an affirmative action program. This study was directed toward the perceptions of actively engaged affirmative action officers in higher education. The affirmative action officers responded to their perceptions of their functions, duties, and responsibilities as these variables impacted their role in affirmative action. The purpose of this study was to focus on the actual and ideal functions, duties, and responsibilities of the affirmative action officer. More specifically, the questions that guided this study were: (1) How does the affirmative action officer view his/her role? (2) What are the prioritized functions, duties, and responsibilities of the affirmative action officer as seen from the perspective of the affirmative action officer? (3) Is there a common core of functions, duties, and responsibilities shared by affirmative action officers? If so, what are those common characteristics that ensure the probability of success in the role? A mail questionnaire was designed. The questionnaire consisted of two sections. Section I gathered information on the affirmative action officers' perceptions of their functions, duties, and responsibilities. This section was divided into seven major areas: Promotion, Personnel, Procedures, Process, Recruitment, Goals and Timetables, and Grievances. The affirmative action officers rated statements in Column I (Actual--current role) and in Column II (Ideal--what their role should be) on an eight-point scale. Section II of the questionnaire gathered demographic data from the affirmative action officers. This section was divided into three major areas: (1) Personal Data, (2) Affirmative Action Data, and (3) Present Position as Affirmative Action Officer. The questionnaire was mailed to both four- and two-year private and public institutions of higher education. Forty-five percent of the surveys were returned by the affirmative action officers. Among the conclusions drawn from the data received, the following appeared to be evident: (1) Affirmative action officers could achieve a greater maximum in the performance of their functions, duties, and responsibilities if they would be able to spend more time and effort on those items that were addressed in each of the seven major areas (Promotion, Personnel, Procedures, Process, Recruitment, Goals and Timetables, and Grievances) of the questionnaire; (2) more Whites were affirmative action officers than any other ethnic group; (3) females tend to serve as affirmative action officers than males; and (4) usually affirmative action officers were between thirty to thirty-nine years of age.

As the number of students entering college declines, or levels off, and competition for these students intensifies, retaining the students they recruit will be the path to survival for many schools. When the retention effort is not successful with individual students, they withdraw from college and become an attrition statistic. This represents a cost to the institution (resources allocated to recruit that student) and lost revenue (tuition and fees). Many withdrawing students, maybe because of the emotional stress of the situation, cite reasons that will make the exit interview process as short and painless as possible. This leaves the institution in possession of withdrawal data that may not be entirely accurate or complete. Many decisions are made by institutions, particularly operational changes, relying on this data. There are two main avenues to sustaining adequate enrollments: recruit a larger class every year to compensate for those who leave; or, concentrate on retaining those recruited. At four-year institutions, retention activities benefit three classes of students, whereas recruitment efforts affect only one (Astin, 1975). Given the reality of declining enrollments and increasing competition, the greatest influence colleges and universities have over enrollment patterns is internal in nature. If the admissions effort has failed to accurately portray the institution's educational and social environment, those responsible for retaining students--in many cases, all non-admissions personnel--start from a negative position. This study will involve five phases. Phase One, already completed and presented in chapter Two, involved reviewing relevant dropout and retention literature. Phase Two will involve the proposal of an enrollment enhancement plan designed to increase retention. Phase Three will involve an interview with the Dean of Students at each institution to obtain an institutional perspective on the reasons they feel students leave their institution, establish a profile of the type(s) of student(s) they feel their institution serves best, and review current retention practices. This information will be used to frame an additional question to be asked each group of interviewees. Phase Four will involve the interviews mentioned above. Phase Five will involve the analysis of the data.

The perceived challenges for Seventh-day Adventist higher education in the 21st century according to its future leaders, the leadership necessary to meet these challenges, and the system's development of leaders were examined using a two-phase process of sample identification/selection and data collection. The sample identification and selection phase involved "expert identification" by individuals holding current positions in SDA higher education. The data collection phase involved elaborated, semi-structured interviewing. According to the paticipants, Seventh-day Adventist higher education is different from mainstream higher education in mission, culture, and understanding of its 21st century challenges. SDA higher education may seemingly face many of the same challenges as mainstream higher education, but the cultural differences change the nature of the overlapping challenges. They make many of the standard leadership suggestions, available in the higher education leadership literature, unworkable. There are also challenges to the system which are unique to SDA higher education. Almost all of these involve the church which sponsors these colleges. The SDA church is currently examining itself and redefining its mission in terms of the 21st century. The purpose of the SDA colleges and the role they play in the church's mission is one aspect of this redefinition. Proposals concerning the future of these colleges range from maintaining the status quo to closing the schools. These proposals must be discussed and understood at the local church level. The perceived leaders find it difficult to prepare themselves for their leadership roles. The unique subculture contains factors which discourage openly identifying future leaders and providing resources for their continued education. Even though the participants are not well acquainted with the literature of higher education leadership, two categories may be useful to the future of the system. Transformation theory, especially the concept of "trans-vigorational leadership," would be helpful to a system with a deeply ingrained church subculture and distinctive academic cultures. Cultural or symbolic theory would help the system define itself, the priorities of its constituency, and the changes needed to accomplish its 21st century mission.

This study focuses on the topic of campus rape within the organization of a comprehensive public university. Media attention, student movements and federal legislation have focused on the issue of rape on college and university campuses. The public has become increasingly concerned about this issue and campuses have been forced to mount a response by implementing policies and procedures which respond to rape within their communities. This study looks at how one institution defines and combats rape. This investigation interviews a variety of participants (administrators, student service providers, faculty and students) within the university to see if those who share this community similarly identify and perceive efforts to eradicate rape. Conclusions from this study reveal that there is much disparity among members on how they perceive rape and the university's anti-rape policies and programs. Much of the disparity is attributable to gender and some to position within the institution. Also examined was the impact of federal legislation on members' perceptions of campus rape and institutional liability. Environmental, victim support, education and administrative considerations are examined in how members' view anti-rape policies. The academic environment and its distinctiveness is also explored in how it may obscure efforts to come to a consensus on defining and ameliorating rape. Several specific recommendations are offered, but this research does not put forth sweeping or simple solutions. Understanding that rape is a contentious, and at time, ambiguous, event may be the first step in responding effectively to the issue of rape on campus.