<p> Leadership has entered an age of chronic unrest. Scholars have emphasized the impact of healthy and effective leaders on organizations (Crother-Laurin, 2006), yet recent studies reveal high stress and burnout in the contemporary workplace (Walsh, 2005, 2013). The academy faces their own organizational challenges, (Archibald &amp; Feldman, 2010) calling into question the health and effectiveness of leaders, especially at the presidential level (Duderstadt, 2010). While the study of college president wellness has been explored through multiple lenses (McNair, Duree, &amp; Ebbers, 2011; Tekniepe, 2014; Walker &amp; McPhail, 2009), some researchers highlight the unique needs of mid-career presidents of private institutions. To date, minimal research has been conducted on wellness for this population. Using the presidential office as the pivotal point of inquiry, this qualitative interpretive constructivist study sought to answer the following research questions: RQ1: How do mid-career college presidents perceive personal wellness? &bull; RQ1a: What value does wellness play in the lives of mid-career presidents? &bull; RQ1b: How do mid-career college presidents apply wellness techniques in their lives? &bull; RQ1c: Have these wellness practices changed throughout their time as president? </p><p> Interviews with (<i>N</i> = 10) mid-career private college presidents were conducted, as well as an (<i>N</i> = 1) elite interview with an executive coach. These data were analyzed using Giorgi&rsquo;s (2009) analytical strategy. Interview observation data and document analyses of various institutional documents (websites and presidential social media) supplemented the data set. Boyatzis&rsquo; (1998) data analysis strategy was applied to observation and document data. Hettler&rsquo;s (1976) six dimensions of wellness were used to guide study design, develop instrumentation, and contextualize the definition of wellness used in this study. Five themes emerged from this study: mid-career college presidents identified the continuous challenges of their position, transitional issues and the need to mitigate stressors, their conscious acknowledgement of wellness, their need for social connections and family, and their efforts to pursue personal wellness in a taxing environment. These findings highlight the complexities of the mid-career college president&rsquo;s quest for personal wellness. This study may assist academic leaders and board members with the knowledge to develop programs and resources for presidents, supporting wellness for future leaders.</p><p>

<p> Institutions of higher education have faced many challenges over the last few decades. Though many large institutions have the resources needed to respond to these challenges, small institutions have had to be innovative in the ways in which they are adapting. There are similarities between the external challenges that institutions face today and the challenges they faced in the 1960s and 70s, and it is worth examining whether or not the predictions and suggestions made by scholars in this time period offer insight in regards to the innovation found in small institutions today. This dissertation explored Erich Jantsch's 1969 report in the context of innovation in higher education today. This qualitative, multicase study found that Erich Jantsch's five crucial innovations can be found to some extent in the innovations of four small institutions of higher education.</p><p> Keywords: Erich Jantsch, higher education, disruptive forces, innovation, self-renewal, integrative planning</p><p>

<p> Today 17 elite private colleges in the U.S. have offered no-loan policies, which replace student loans with grants, scholarships and/or work-study in the financial aid packages awarded to all undergraduate students eligible for financial aid. Generally, the goal of these policies is to increase the socioeconomic diversity of campuses and to reduce the amount students borrow to finance their education. However, since the 2007&ndash;2008 credit crisis two colleges eliminated their no-loan policies for all students on financial aid and several restricted the policies to their lower-income students on financial aid. Therefore, this qualitative case study explored the financial implications of no-loan financial aid at private elite liberal arts colleges. </p><p> Leaders from various offices involved in planning and implementing no-loan policies at four colleges were interviewed: two campuses that maintained their full no-loan policies after the financial crisis of 2007&ndash;2008 and two that did not. The leaders were interviewed to understand how no-loan policies were financed and managed; how they affected operating budgets and other academic priorities; and how they were communicated to college constituents. </p><p> Findings from this study provided a more nuanced understanding of why some schools maintained and others retracted no-loan financial aid. Contrary to reports in the news, endowment losses, while symbolic of financial distress, were not the only reason that schools retracted no-loan policies. Endowment losses in the context of other internal and external budget pressures resulting from the credit crisis and Great Recession led to this decision. Each college in this study made a series of tradeoffs in how to balance mission and market pressures in a new budget reality where all three of their primary revenue sources were constrained. These competing priorities included how to increase faculty lines and compensation, reduce teaching loads, fund capital projects, reduce student loan debt, and distribute scholarship aid to ensure proportional socioeconomic diversity on campus. Higher education policymakers and leaders can use this study&rsquo;s findings to improve institutional policies and practices in higher education finance.</p><p>

<p> <i>Revenue diversification</i> is a term that becomes more relevant as higher education institutions are confronted with increased regulation, competition, declining enrollments, and strained finances. A challenge that many institutions face is that expenditures are higher than revenues and increase faster than them. The term <i>Revenue diversification </i> seems obvious to higher education administration professionals, although they do not all define it the same way. For that reason, it needs a precise definition so that the industry genuinely can embrace the concept and thereby seek to generate more revenues to drive existing and innovative agendas. Indeed, a common understanding will allow universities to develop strategies to reduce the reliance on traditional tuition and fees. The study examines three not-for-profit institutions with a student population less than 5,000 that already are diversifying their revenue streams. The definition of leadership at each institution is compared with the strategies that have been implemented or proposed in order to understand whether there is alignment. The three cases&mdash;Stevenson University, Franklin &amp; Marshall College, and Oglethorpe University&mdash;respectively have the following story lines: 1) growth is the only possibility; 2) the current situation is one of stasis, and the way forward is unclear; 3) efforts must be undertaken to improve financial viability. In addition to the qualitative research, the study also encompasses an analysis of IPEDS that reflects how each institution is changing its revenues in comparison to a similarly situated group of institutions. The findings reveal that <i>Revenue diversification</i> is on everybody&rsquo;s mind, but the definition of the term is inconclusive. Leadership teams are trying to determine what revenue-diversification strategies will work for the institutions and its stakeholders to be able to offset expense increases. Identifying new revenue sources will entail pursuing non-historical revenue sources, which includes academic programs, services, property, institutional advancement, and more. The higher education environment is concerning to many of its member institutions, and by diversifying revenues, long-term viability can be secured.</p><p>

<p> Postsecondary education is constantly changing and the role of the chief student affairs officer must evolve to meet the demands of the shifting social, political, and administrative needs of their student population and institution. The intent of this study was to identify the knowledge, skills, and competencies required of chief student affairs officers to be effective and successful in contemporary and future higher education contexts. To provide clarity to the obligations of the executive-level role, the study offers an understanding the complexity of chief student affairs officers&rsquo; responsibilities in a rapidly shifting postsecondary environment. Participants of the study were current chief student affairs officers who engaged in organized groups based on location, institutional type, athletic conference, or state higher education system. Through a qualitative methodology, with semi-structured, group interviews, the study allowed for data gathering from multiple chief student affairs officers at varied institutional types and locations. Data were collected from 13 focus groups with a total of 68 participants during either during established meetings or via online video conferencing. </p><p> Findings of the study contribute to the knowledge base of effective practice and preparation for successful and effective chief student affairs officers and provide evidence-based data from which to build continuing education and ongoing professional development. Recommendations are offered for individuals currently in the chief student affairs officer position, those aspiring to the role, graduate programs in doctoral education, search firms, and professional associations that provide ongoing educational offerings for executive leaders in postsecondary education.</p><p>

<p> Thanks to the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, veterans are entering American colleges and universities in numbers not seen since World War II. Very few of today's veterans, however, attend our nation's most selective institutions. Military-connected students constitute about 5% of the total college-going population, but make up only 2% or less of the student body at Ivy League and Ivy Plus institutions. The purpose of this narrative study was to understand the experiences of these talented few student veterans, with a focus on undergraduates. The primary research questions were: 1) How do members of the current generation of veterans make the transition from the military to the Ivy League? 2) How are these veterans faring, academically and socially, in what is arguably the most challenging sector of higher education? A series of in-depth interviews with four veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines studying for undergraduate degrees at three different Ivy League schools was undertaken to address these questions. The resulting four biographies were interpreted using Vacchi and Berger's (2014) adaptation of Bronfenbrenner's (1989, 1995) ecological systems theory and from a life course perspective. Findings revealed that the veterans carefully planned their transition from the military to the academy, and eagerly sought and accepted transition support. Academically, the self-discipline learned in the military was most important to the four Ivy League student veterans' success. Social support from other veterans was also important, but to varying degrees. The four student veterans all shared insights gained from their military experience with civilian peers in Ivy League classrooms, though they disclosed their veteran status only selectively in social situations. These exchanges, formal and informal, were mutually beneficial. While some Ivy League institutions are taking steps to attract and better support military-connected students, from a public policy perspective, elite higher education is not doing enough to help close the civil-military gap in American society. To the extent that elite institutions cannot or will not accommodate more veterans as non-traditional undergraduates, a greater focus on ROTC programs could help achieve this goal, as could admitting more family members of long-serving military personnel.</p><p>

<p> This study explores the relationship between state and federal funding policies and the ability of minority-serving institutions (MSIs) to support low-income and minority students. The way US public higher education is financed has changed dramatically since the Great Recession. State appropriations to institutions have declined (SHEEO, 2017), tuition increases have dramatically outpaced growth in household income (College Board, 2016a) and state financial aid has drifted from need-based to merit-based (College Board, 2016b). Many wonder how this policy environment is impacting low-income and minority students and the institutions that serve them. MSIs have risen to the forefront of institutions committed to serving these students, and more should be known about how these institutions are affected by the current fiscal policy environment. </p><p> The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between finance policies and the ability of MSIs to serve their students. Case study methodology was used to provide an in-depth analysis of how three campuses in New Mexico respond to state and federal finance policies and shifting revenue streams, and how these responses impact students. The three campuses include one Native American-serving Nontribal Institution that is a community college, and two Hispanic-Serving Institutions&mdash;a community college and a regional comprehensive university. These campuses share similar geographic and student characteristics, but are funded through different finance polices. The findings suggest that: local appropriations play a critical role in the fiscal stability of community colleges in New Mexico; state funding favors well-resourced institutions and students; and institutional leaders perceive federal funding as providing the most support for low-income student success. This study also reveals that finance policies in the state are not aligned to their full potential for increasing degree attainment.</p><p>

<p> This study asked two primary questions: (1) to what extent do distance learners find value in student support services; and (2) is there a relationship between the value placed on student support services and students&rsquo; sense of belonging in the university&rsquo;s learning community? Value was defined as the frequency of use, importance, and satisfaction with student support services. </p><p> The participants in the study were drawn from undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in one or more online courses in a Catholic University in Pennsylvania&rsquo;s accelerated adult learning program. These students were taking at least 80 percent of their formal instruction online, and were enrolled in the spring and/or summer sessions of 2016. </p><p> The research was conducted using a quantitative correlation research design. The variable of value in student support services was measured using a web-based survey assessing the respondents&rsquo; frequency of use, perceived importance, and satisfaction with 14 student support services. The variable of online students&rsquo; feelings of connection to the wider university community was measured using the Social Connectedness subscale of the Campus Connectedness Scale. To examine the relationships between the perceived value of student support services and respondents&rsquo; sense of belonging, a Pearson correlation coefficient was computed for total use of support services, total perceived importance of support services, and total satisfaction with the total sense of belonging scores. </p><p> The findings revealed a positive correlation between the extent that distance learners used and were satisfied with the student support services and the students&rsquo; sense of belonging in the learning community. However, sense of belonging did not significantly correlate with the perceived importance item. The combined results of this study demonstrate that online learners use and satisfaction with student support services had a positive impact on these students&rsquo; sense of engagement and belonging in the institution as a whole.</p><p>

<p> Nontraditional student enrollment in institutions of higher education has steadily risen in the past twenty years. Studies predict that this trend will continue in the next ten years. With emphasis on retention and competition, universities must focus their attention on their nontraditional students. The overarching research question the guided the research is: What are the institutional factors contributing to the success of nontraditional students? Thus, the purpose of this dissertation was to do the following: identify the college services used by nontraditional students in higher education; determine services nontraditional students express that they desire, but that are not available in higher education institutions; determine how actively engaged nontraditional students are on college campuses; determine to what extent nontraditional students who attend traditional four-year institutions desire different services than those nontraditional students who attend community colleges do; and identify to what extent nontraditional students who attend traditional four-year institutions differ in their degree of campus involvement from those nontraditional students who attend community colleges.</p><p>

<p> Mergers and consolidations within the higher education sector are &ldquo;relatively rare occurrences and each merger has a distinct set of circumstances, actors, and characteristics&rdquo; (Etschmaier, 2010, p. 1). Institutional mergers and consolidations require well-planned and strategic organizational change and include an examination of organizational culture and the process of acculturation. While there has been research on various aspects of higher education mergers, there has been little on the process of integrating institutional cultures. Compounding the challenge is that the degree of assimilation among institutions is variable. This integration of cultures takes time to fully accomplish. Researchers have estimated varying time periods for full integration, as much as ten years or more in some cases. As institutions of higher education undergo reorganization, several components of change management must be addressed, looking particularly at culture as a critical element of the change process. Research in this area is limited, and the purpose of this case study is to examine why two institutions of higher education merged, the role of change management during a merger, conceptual models used in understanding reorganization, and the role that culture plays during a merger. Given the economic conditions in higher education, interest in mergers is growing, and this case study on the merger, change management, and the cultural assimilation of the individuals involved in the merger will be of value to state boards of education, policy-makers within the states, and higher administration in colleges and universities across the nation. </p><p>