<p>The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how career technical education (CTE) deans implement crucial changes in their programs to keep up with industry standards required by external agencies, the Perkins grant, and the advancements of technology. Deans must make top-down, lateral, as well as vertical change to implement improvements successfully, and to implement or to create new policies. The participants discussed the unique nature and background associated with CTE and their perceptions of the distinct skill sets that may be unique to leading career education programs. </p><p> Little research exists exploring this phenomena and this study could prove invaluable to the CTE field in recruiting, training, and developing current and future CTE Deans. The findings of this study suggest that in order to meet their goals in implementing program changes, CTE deans need to be skilled in the use of referent power, relationship-building, and a participative leadership style. In addition, skilled practitioners must have strong relational skills that emphasize collaboration, persuasion, and determination to lead change successfully. These findings can assist human resource departments in the hiring of effective deans of CTE divisions. </p>

<p> This study applies self-efficacy theory from research on career-decision making to understand what influences underrepresented students' decision to enter the student affairs profession. The purpose of the study was to determine how underrepresented students choose student affairs as a profession. The study focused on undergraduate students who participated in the NASPA Undergraduate Fellows Program (NUFP). This mixed methods study used data from previously collected by NASPA and conducted individual interviews of Fellows who participated in the program between the years of 2008 through 2012. Explanatory research methodology was used to analyze what influences and factors contributed to underrepresented students entering student affairs. Findings from this study indicate that involvement in co-curricular activities, participation in NUFP, and influence from mentors act as socialization to effect underrepresented students to enter the student affairs profession. Further analysis reveal that cultural agents who affirm student's cultural heritage have a significant impact on students' choosing student affairs. The study provides insight into closing the gap between the number of underrepresented students attending higher education and the ethnic diversity of the student affairs profession. </p>

<p> Collegiate secret societies, as distinguished from Greek-letter fraternal organizations, enjoyed prominence within many American campus communities from the early nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century (Baird, 1879; Hitchcock, 1863; Slosson, 1910; Veysey, 1965). The establishment of these elite groups preceded the maturation of university administrative structures responsible for managing students&rsquo; extracurricular life, as well as the mass democratization of American higher education which occurred after World War II (Rudolph, 1990; Cohen, 2010). The presence of prestigious secret societies is documented and celebrated in college yearbooks and newspapers, reflecting a period in higher education's past when the hegemony of the white, male prevailed in student culture and fostered the composite ideal of the &ldquo;Big Man on Campus&rdquo; (&ldquo;B.M.O.C.&rdquo;) &ndash; the handsome varsity athlete, fraternity man, and club president destined for success in American public life.</p><p> Although collegiate secret societies &ldquo;disappeared&rdquo; on many campuses in the Civil Rights Era amidst accusations of elitism and reactions against established white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant norms, their legacy lingers into the twenty-first century, along with many unanswered questions about their historical role as a source of student power on campus. Their roots can be traced to the prestigious all-male boarding schools of the Northeastern United States in the late nineteenth century where patterns of upper-class masculine socialization developed. Due to a dearth of historical research on this topic, however, institutional leaders are challenged to understand the origins, purpose, and legacy of this type of student association that still holds meaning for students and other stakeholders in some campus communities. </p><p> This study utilized critical social theory from Bourdieu and Gramsci and the emerging scholarship of whiteness studies to provide an historical analysis of the rise and fall of the Order of Red Friars senior class secret society that was active at Duke University (Trinity College prior to 1924) between 1913 and 1971. Student leaders who manifested the &ldquo;B.M.O.C.&rdquo; ideal were tapped for membership in this group and collaborated with presidents, trustees, administrators, and select faculty on an agenda for student life (Durden, 1993). Utilizing archival research methods and oral history interviews, I was able to explore the involvement of the Order of Red Friars in the administration of student affairs at Duke University for sixty years during the twentieth century. This study provided basic knowledge about the phenomenon of the collegiate secret society and a deeper understanding of the cultural hegemony from which they emerged that continues to influence campus cultures today.</p><p> The history of American higher education literature documents how faculty discarded their <i>in loco parentis</i> responsibilities for managing student behavior as their field professionalized in the late nineteenth century (Rudolph, 1990; Thelin, 2011; Veysey, 1965) and how specialization of the student affairs profession coalesced four decades later in the 1930s (ACE, 1937; Biddix &amp; Schwartz, 2012; Lloyd-Jones, 1934; Schwartz, 2003). Yet, the historical role of students in the campus power structure of the early twentieth century, and particularly their role in sustaining their extracurricular affairs during this period, has been largely unexamined. This study addresses the gap that exists in the history of higher education literature about collegiate culture in the early twentieth century in the South, as well as the phenomenon of the collegiate secret society as a source of power on campus. (Thelin, 1982; Veysey, 1965).</p>

<p>This study explored the implementation of social science English-taught undergraduate degree programs in Japanese universities and investigated the challenges they face. As higher education institutions in Japan seek to become more competitive, many institutions are introducing undergraduate degrees taught exclusively through the English language. Existing research in non-Anglophone countries has shown that programs differ in their rationales for implementation and in their design and characteristics, and therefore, experience different types of implementation challenges that inspire varied responses. However, in Japan, studies in the English language focusing on the implementation of English as a medium of instruction in higher education are few and concern only short-term and graduate programs. This study used a qualitative multiple-case study design to examine four-year social science undergraduate programs at three universities from the perspectives of those involved with the implementation process. Data were generated via 27 interviews with senior administrators, faculty members and international education support staff. </p><p> The results indicate that the rationales for implementing the programs at the case-study institutions are grounded in a desire to increase competitiveness, with a focus on developing the international competencies of domestic Japanese students. Program design is oriented towards international and Japanese students in the same classrooms and is influenced by the understandings of key program implementers. Structural challenges were found to be the most significant obstacles to program implementation. In particular, institutions struggle with issues relating to program coherence and expansion, student recruitment and program identity. Structural challenges are so prominent that the study proposes a new typology of challenges facing the implementation of English-taught programs in Japan. This typology includes challenges related to the constructed understandings of the programs as institutions within the university. Practical responses to the challenges consist of discrete actions with little movement made that affects the university more broadly. Five salient elements that play an important role in the implementation of all of the case-study programs were also identified. These comprise the presence of committed leadership, implementer orientation regarding the English language, the position of the program within its institution, student recruitment, and the clarification of outcomes and goals. </p>

<p> Religion and spirituality have been found to contribute to the well-being of American university students. Although practiced by a small minority, Islam is the fastest growing faith in the United States, indicating a growing campus presence. The purpose of this study was to identify campus experiences that influenced the identity perception of traditional age Muslim American women. The conceptual framework included theories of identity negotiation, intergroup contact, and religious identity as well as campus climate structures developed to improve diversity. This phenomenological study took place at 2 public 4-year universities in California and included interviews with 6 participants. Interview protocol was framed by 4 research questions and focused on classroom and campus experiences that affected the choice to wear or refrain from wearing the hijab, campus satisfaction, and how student services might support a positive religious climate. Data were analyzed through continuous comparison of codes developed from organization of significant student statements into units of meaning, context, and synthesis of significance of events experienced. Themes that emerged were harassment, stereotyping based on media portrayals, and student and faculty ignorance of Islam. The participants expressed a deep personal and spiritual identification with their faith and requested campus spaces for this expression. This study may contribute to positive social change through the initiation of education and training programs for campus policymakers, student affairs personnel, faculty, and staff regarding the unique needs of religious minority groups, including Muslim American women.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to assess the extent to which policies and behavioral assessment teams exist at North Carolina community colleges, to determine the perceived ability levels of North Carolina community college counselors when dealing with students in crisis, and to identify the characteristics of community colleges in North Carolina who have implemented policies for the assessment of students in potential crisis. Research Question One sought to analyze policy implementation for the assessment of students in crisis and the implementation of behavioral assessment teams at community colleges in North Carolina. Research Question Two used descriptive data to report the levels of the counselors&rsquo; perceived confidence when assessing risk and what they perceive as needs to address crisis intervention and management at community colleges in North Carolina. Research Question Three had the purpose of determining if a relationship is present between the five levels of risk (Sokolow et al., 2009) and the perception of confidence as reported by community college counselors in North Carolina. Research Question Four explored what type of relationship exists between North Carolina community college demographic characteristics and policy implementation level.</p><p> The methodology implemented was a mixed-methods design. A purposeful sample of counselors employed at community colleges in North Carolina was used for this study. A survey was developed and was distributed to the sample to collect both quantitative and qualitative data.</p>

<p> Despite the fact that women have reached parity in entering and graduating from medical schools (AAMC, 2014), the percentage of women who advance to leadership positions is small. The purpose of this study was to explore the connection between self-efficacy and leadership development over a multi-year period among women in academic medicine following their participation in a specialized leadership development program. The purpose was addressed by analyzing secondary interview data from alumnae of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine&reg; (ELAM) Program for Women, using a content analysis research design based on a constructivist paradigm of inquiry. The research problem addressed in this project was that the existing literature is deficient in studies that focus on the exploration of self-efficacy and how it influences the leadership development over time of women in academic medicine. Using Bandura's (1997) self-efficacy theory, this qualitative study was based on the thesis that Bandura's four sources of self-efficacy (performance accomplishments, vicarious experiences, verbal persuasions, and physiological states) are determinants of success over time for ELAM alumnae who achieve leadership positions in academic medicine. </p><p> This study had five major findings. First, this study supports each of Bandura's (1997) four sources of self-efficacy. Second, the most robust evidence of self-efficacy was found in the performance accomplishments self-efficacy source. Third, there was development of self-efficacy over time with the greatest growth within the self-efficacy source of performance accomplishments in the area of skill development relating to negotiation, delegation, budgeting and finance, communication, political savvy, and leadership enhancement, followed by vicarious experiences, and verbal persuasion. Physiological states had the least growth. Fourth, the research and subsequent analysis of findings extend Bandura's (1997) previous research domains to include the demographic of women in academic medicine which could have transferability to highly educated and successful women professionals working in leadership roles in male-dominated fields. Fifth, Bandura's (1997) self-efficacy sources may need to be expanded. This study fills a gap in the research and adds to the body of knowledge related to self-efficacy and leadership development. </p>

<p> The White-Black achievement gap still persists, leaving Black children far behind their White peers. Research shows that children who struggle during their early childhood years are more likely to be at risk for academic failure in their elementary and high school years. Educators and social scientists continue to grapple with creating schools that improve Black educational achievement. </p><p> This study is grounded in the premise that racial perception is intrinsically linked to school success. Racial preferences are explored through participant selection in the forced choice questionnaire. Racial perceptions are examined in this study by how children take in racial stimuli and their reactions in response to these stimuli.</p><p> Two themes emerged from the participant responses: physical attributes (or visual cues) and behavioral attributes. Generally, participants perceived the physical traits of the Black doll positively. In the past, the studies of racial perception indicated that Black children were rejecting the visual images (dolls, pictures, etc.) that indicated internalization of negative physical (visual) perceptions of Black images. Unlike these former studies, the participants in this study show positive perceptions of physical characteristics of Black images. The participants ascribed negative behavioral characteristics to the Black doll, especially those related to school. The fact that Black children are ascribing negative behavioral traits to the doll they most identify with should not be overlooked. The consistent assignment of negative behaviors to the Black doll by Black children is problematic because the children identify with the group which they believes regularly behaves undesirably. This presents a conflict in how Black children are developing their racial perceptions and the perceptions of school success that may incorporate into their developing racial identity structures.</p><p> This study has raised several issues for further research and also suggests a need for intervention during the early childhood years. The disconnect between the students identifying positively with physical characteristics of Blacks but assigning negative behavioral traits to Blacks is too great to ignore. Given that racial perceptions are tied to school success, interventions that develop positive racial identity outcomes are necessary in schools.</p>

<p> This single qualitative case study was an exploration of the various ways elements of micropolitics influenced college department administrators and faculty members in their approach to plagiarism prevention, education, and response. The study parameters involved a purposive sample of seven education faculty members, one department chair, and two university administrators, along with an examination of artifacts related to academic integrity, and participant observation of applicable segments of the university&rsquo;s new student orientation. Five themes emerged from the data: shared mission is balanced with individual approach, formal policies accompanied by informal approaches, faculty serves as gatekeeper to the teaching profession, unused potential for maximizing resources, and faculty feel only limited direct and indirect pressures. The micropolitical considerations relative to each theme revolved around faculty members&rsquo; collaboration; gaps between formal and informal policies; faculty members&rsquo; self-pressures to support students and the teaching profession; tensions relative to how teaching loads impact faculty members&rsquo; time; and faculty collegiality. Given the collaborative nature of the department faculty members and the rather limited tensions that arose between them relative to their approach to plagiarism, the micropolitical perspective was deemed only marginally useful as a lens to examine plagiarism within this college department. Two main recommendations were presented. The first was the importance of creating spaces for faculty members to discuss academic integrity regularly and purposefully. The second was to re-examine formal policy and informal practice to help bridge some of the gaps identified in the study.</p>

<p> The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA, ACA) stipulates a full-time employee, defined as one who works an average at least 30 hours per week, merits a prescribed set of insurance benefits. Higher education institutions must determine whether a part-time employee meets the ACA definition of a full-time employee by calculating the average weekly working hours. Although challenges exist when defining and measuring academic instructional work, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the effect of various workload formulas as a means to measure the average weekly working hours of part-time faculty and to compare the results to the ACA definition of a full-time employee. The results, grounded in the Parametric Estimating Model framework, indicated that if the ACA was in effect in FY2013 several part-time faculty members met the ACA definition of full-time employee at one institution when utilizing workload formulas as a means to measure instructional work. The three common salient characteristics of these part-time faculty members include that they were either potentially loaded greater than 50% of a full-time faculty workload, reported excessive hourly-compensated work, or worked during the summer term. An organization risks the potential financial penalty of $2,000 annually for each full-time employee employed when an ACA defined full-time employee is not offered healthcare benefits. Therefore, the study recommends that the organization create methods to control and monitor hourly work and course assignments particularly of those offered in the summer term in order to avoid the risk of the ACA penalty or alternatively, provide access to healthcare coverage that meets the ACA requirements to its part-time employees. Part-time employees, including part-time faculty play a critical and important role for institutions of higher education.</p>