<p> This qualitative study examined the lived experiences of key campus stakeholders and policy implementation. Using semi-structured interviews, key stakeholders were asked about their experiences with 15 to Finish: a 2014 completion message that led to a financial aid policy. Through snowball sampling, participants included administrators from the state higher education system, senior administrators from academic and administrative units, professional and academic advisors, and students. Data was also collected through meeting agendas and agency reports. Interviews were transcribed and all text was analyzed using hermeneutic phenomenology. Three key themes were constructed: (a) administrators and faculty help students because it is the right thing to do; (b) messaging and communication of a policy and campaign can be divisive and should employ a communications plan; and (c) Nevada is experiencing a change in college culture from access to completion.</p><p>

<p> Investigating the validity and applicability of student success theories for minority students uncovers the nuance and context of student experiences. This study examines the validity and applicability of student engagement and involvement for Latino students. Specifically, this study employs a critical quantitative lens to question current constructs of engagement. The dataset for this study comes from the 2013 UNC Sophomore Survey and research questions are grounded in the context of public universities in North Carolina. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Logistic Regression methodologies are employed to investigate the research question, is there a relationship (and to what extent) between hypothesized constructs of engagement, socio-economic status, and academic preparation on Latino baccalaureate completion.</p><p>

<p> Universities are under pressure from multiple directions with accrediting bodies requiring increased focus on institutional planning efforts. University staff who manage programs, provide student services, and serve in other specialized roles are at the forefront of this changing environment. These employees may have difficulty understanding how their daily work relates to institutional planning efforts and resist change imposed from the top.</p><p> While researchers have examined employee engagement during change efforts, staff participation in strategic planning in higher education constitutes an overlooked topic. The aim of the study was to address three questions: 1) How and to what extent have university leaders communicated the strategic plan and the steps in the planning process to staff? 2) How and to what extent have staff responded to the strategic planning process? 3) What are the perceptions of middle managers involved in implementing strategic initiatives?</p><p> The study occurred at Mid-Atlantic University (MAU), a public research university located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. MAU began a strategic planning process and instructed schools and administrative units to align their strategic plans with the MAU plan before entering the implementation phase.</p><p> Study participants included eight middle managers, individuals who direct programs, supervise other staff, and are in the middle of the institution&rsquo;s hierarchy. A 45-minute semi-structured interview elicited information on staff reactions to the strategic plan, communication of strategic initiatives at the university and school level, and interactions between supervisors and employees. The researcher collected and analyzed documents from the university&rsquo;s strategic planning website, the staff governance association, and university publications.</p><p> Several themes emerged in the areas of communication, staff responses, and perceptions of implementation. These themes included: 1) communication of the strategic planning process did not permeate the organization; 2) staff members responded in three main ways: searching for understanding, getting excited, or becoming disillusioned or resigned to the ongoing changes; and 3) a disconnection between the planning process and implementation. This paper adds to the current body of literature and includes implications for practice and recommendations for future research in the area of staff involvement in planned change initiatives in higher education.</p><p>

abstract: ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to determine if a significant difference was found comparing posttest scores between students who took a career strategy course in a face-to-face (f2f) format (n=156) and students who took the same course in a new online format (n=64). A review of literature pertaining to online learning, career services on college campuses, and career classes was provided. Data was collected via an action research design utilizing an intervention of an online delivery format. A quasi-experimental design allowed descriptive data to be collected which was analyzed by use of independent-samples t-tests, comparison of means, and frequency analysis to gain data pertinent to the research question. Quantitative results in four areas: posttest scores, pretest scores, learning gain, and course evaluation data were provided. Pretest and subgroup analysis were also utilized to add richness to the data. Results found that the career strategy course delivered in an online delivery format resulted in no significant differences in posttest scores when compared to the f2f delivery method posttest scores. This result is in agreement with the literature in online learning delivery formats compared to f2f delivery formats. The results of this study showed evidence to support the continuation of new iterations of the online delivery method for the career strategy course used in the study. Implications of these findings were discussed for the researcher's local community of practice, the larger community of practice, collegiate career services, as well as possibilities for future experimentation in career services and strategic career courses with other online formats in the future. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Higher and Postsecondary Education 2011

Abstract not available.

<p>This dissertation is an examination of the implications of the sudden increase in the use of agents in admission practices. For a variety of reasons, there has been an increased interest in globally educating students, both on the part of host institutions and on the part of sending countries. Reasons include worldwide visibility of universities, enrollment targets, diversity goals, full fee-paying &ldquo;customers,&rdquo; but also impact on local economies, not only because of revenue brought by these students but because of contributions to the labor force. This interest has fueled the admission profession&rsquo;s gradual acceptance of agents and third parties working with international populations. With the emergence of China as a new &ldquo;market&rdquo; of able, fee-paying students, there has been explosive growth in agents and third-party vendors, often with little attention to regulation of the practice. This study examines in greater depth the forces which have contributed to the acceptance of agents, the resulting cynicism of students and educators, and the possible long-term effects of the growth of the industry. </p>

<p> This qualitative research study examined higher education administrators experience with social media as it pertains to their profession and work. As social media use among students and the general public continues to grow, this new technology has found its way into universities in administrators&rsquo; professional and private lives. The relatively young age of social media as a technology has raised many questions for administrators about how to adapt and adopt it as a tool to ultimately improve the student experience at colleges. In this qualitative study, eight administrators at California State University, Long Beach were interviewed to explore their views, concerns, and challenges related to social media. Findings from this study show that administrators had privacy concerns utilizing social media and faced challenges navigating the dual relationships that could form on social media platforms. Administrators see the need for social media competency training that can increase the effective use of social media on a college campus. The results of this study clearly call for universities to assist administrators with adopting and adapting to new technologies, and for further research to be done on how student-teacher relationships are changing due to social media. Implications include social media use by administrators improving the universities relationship with the community, as well as developing online privacy training sessions for administrators. </p>

<p> The academic success of Division I student-athletes remains a critical issue for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) institutions, since institutions who fall below the minimum academic progress rate are being sanctioned. The two groups or &ldquo;cells&rdquo; continually not meeting these requirements are black male student-athletes (BMSAs) participating in revenue-generating sports and athletes attending historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Researchers synthesized student academic success and Division I student theories to create a conceptual model of academic success for Division I student-athletes. Former research indicates that commitments, both precollege and during college, delimited to institutional, goal, and sport affect academic research and are in need of further research. Using the model as a conceptual framework, a descriptive, multiple-case study was conducted. Nine purposefully selected BMSAs at a HBCU were interviewed to gain their perspectives of the three types of commitments before attending and after interacting with academic and social systems. Secondly, they gave their perspectives on any influences of their commitments. Data were collected using semi-structured, open-ended interview protocols, a background survey, and grade transcripts. Transcripts were coded and a cross-case and within case analysis conducted. When it comes to how BMSAs develop their precollege commitments, the following themes emerged: family, the school, academics, the team, and self. In regard to their precollege commitments, the themes were the following: expectations of the institution, expectations as a student, and expectations as an athlete. The participants had no commitment changes after interacting with the academic and social systems for a semester; however, built relationships, impact of academic advisors, intrinsic motivation, and realistic identity were themes regarding how their commitments are being maintained. In the future, researchers should conduct more studies that focus on the aspects of commitments and commitment development among BMSAs at HBCUs.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine the organizational culture of community colleges&rsquo; departments to gain an understanding of whether or not a specific style of organizational culture, as determined by the leaders, had a relationship with the level of perceived empowerment by adjunct faculty. The current use of adjunct faculty within community colleges has increased over previous years, which has drawn attention to the practice. Therefore, the community colleges&rsquo; increasing reliance on adjunct faculty has generated an interest within these domains. The relationship between organizational culture and the empowerment was explored by administrating two surveys. Department chairs were identified as leaders and completed the Denison Organizational Culture Survey (DOCS) (Denison et al., 2012). The Psychological Empowerment Instrument (PEI) (Spreitzer &amp; Quinn, 2001) was given to the followers, who were identified as adjunct faculty members. Hypotheses were formulated to assess whether there is a relationship between a specific style of organizational culture and empowerment of adjunct faculty. Both are quantitative surveys designed to produce data sets illustrating potential relationships. The two concepts were not found to be statistically significant.</p>

<p> Working mothers face the challenge of balancing multiple roles while adhering to or rejecting the societal norms associated with those roles. The unique perceptions of the effects motherhood places on the working mother can shed light on the current and best practices in providing support for working women transitioning into working mothers. The purpose of this study was to identify and evaluate workplace and relationship perceptions of postpartum women employed in higher education. A qualitative, case study approach was developed and framed with three theoretical perspectives: the theory of work adjustment, role theory, and Maslow&rsquo;s hierarchy of needs. To complete this study, 10 subjects were chosen from a Midwestern college based on the age of their children and higher education employment at the time of maternity leave. Results of this study included the emergence of six relevant themes: (a) mothers acting as superwoman, (b) fulfillment as mothers and employees, (c) inconsistency and decentralization, (d), decisions to place jobs on hold versus assigning task completion, (e) level of satisfaction based on job type, (f) strive for self-actualization, and (g) prioritization. The findings of this study were supported by previous research on the topics of work-life balance and need for social and organizational support for new mothers. Perspectives of supervisors, human resource professionals, and working fathers should be further explored in future research.</p>