<p> The report, <i>A Crucible Moment,</i> published in 2012 by the National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement described a crisis in higher education surrounding the lack of civic learning and engagement opportunities for students. This crisis has led to decreased political participation and a general lack of knowledge in civics education (National Task Force on Civic Learning and Democratic Engagement, 2012). Educating students for citizenship in America's colleges and universities will assist with sustaining the country's democracy by engendering a sense of civic responsibility in young adults that will last throughout their lifetime. This qualitative case study examined the relationship between two institutions of higher education (IHEs) and AmeriCorps programs to determine how the partnerships operated and whether they addressed the recommendations for higher education cited in <i>A Crucible Moment. </i> </p><p> IHEs are using <i>A Crucible Moment</i> as a guiding document to think about civic learning and democratic engagement. While many are in the process of creating new initiatives and programs to address those issues, this study focuses on two existing programs that may provide a framework for strategically integrating civic engagement into higher education using a readily available government resource&mdash;AmeriCorps. With recent budget cuts impacting education, it is difficult for many IHEs to obtain additional funding to support initiatives directly related to student learning. As a result, finding resources to implement civic learning and democratic engagement opportunities that are often perceived as tangential to the education process is nearly impossible. AmeriCorps, now in its 20^th year of implementation, has had a steady stream of funding and bipartisan support from the government over the years. IHEs that sponsor an AmeriCorps program have the potential to civically engage students and promote mutually beneficial community partnerships. </p><p> Using inteorganizational collaboration theory as a framework, I examined two different models of IHE-AmeriCorps partnerships. Based on the levels of collaboration, I was able to assess the degree to which these types of partnerships could be feasible at distinctly different IHEs given their organizational structure and resources. Although the findings of this research are not generalizable, they provide insights into how IHE-AmeriCorps partnerships operate and demonstrate that, in the cases examined, they do implement the key recommendations of <i> A Crucible Moment.</i> As a result, an IHE-AmeriCorps partnership could be an effective and relatively inexpensive way for an IHE to enhance their civic engagement opportunities.</p>

<p> Recent changes surrounding the profession of pharmacy resulted in a growing number of new pharmacy programs as well as expansion of existing class sizes. This extreme growth, coupled with changes to accreditation standards which require volunteer licensed pharmacists to supervise student interns for a minimum of thirty percent of the Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum, have created a great burden amongst higher education administrators to meet these requirements, specifically in terms of recruiting, training, and retaining a qualified and committed pool of preceptors. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to identify what strategies the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Experiential Education Section members utilize to recruit, train, retain, and acknowledge volunteer pharmacist preceptors. The following research questions were answered in this study: 1) What are the strategies utilized by American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) schools to: a) recruit, b) train, c) retain, and d) acknowledge volunteer pharmacist preceptors? 2) What are some of the practices associated with ways AACP Experiential Education Section members handle the supply and demand issues associated with training future pharmacists? 3) What are the characteristics of respondents in terms of institutional demographics (geographic location, three- versus four-year programs, private versus public, class size, teaching or research focus, etc.)? </p><p> An extensive review and report of the literature (AACP, 2004; AAMC, 2008; ACPE, 2007; ACPE 2011; Bandura, 1977; Brown, 2010; Cotter, 2010; Dewey, 1938; Dziedzic, 2010; Freire, 1970; James, 1907; Kolb, 1984; Knowles, 2005; Lewin, 1951; Lillibridge, 2007; NABP, 2012; Rogers, 1961; Zlatic, 2001) preceded design of the survey instrument utilized in the study. Experiential education theoretical frameworks highlighted adult learning theories which showed how hands-on, learning in real world settings promoted meaningful learning experiences. The history of pharmacy education, changes in the profession, and updated accreditation guidelines, including standards which required increased intern hours to be completed under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist preceptor emphasized the necessity for a strong group of volunteer preceptors to successfully fulfill the needs of the Pharm.D. curriculum. Additional literature (ACCP, 2012; Bird, Duong, Hagemann, Burton, Britton, &amp; St. Cyr, 2012; Bock, Duong, &amp; Williams, 2008; Brown, Barner, &amp; Shepherd, 2004; DiFrancesco, 2011; Flaherty, 2011; Hill &amp; Kirkwood, 2005; McDonough &amp; Bennett, 2006; Mersfelder &amp; Bonthillier, 2012; O'Neil &amp; Berdine, 2007; Popovich, Katz, &amp; Peverly, 2010; Rodis, Legg &amp; Casper, 2009; Yorra, 2012) highlighted how such practice opportunities benefited students, preceptors, and positively impacted patient care. Coupled with the positives of such experiences were the realities of the challenges to recruitment, training, and retention faced by higher education administrators. Barriers (Assemi et al., 2011; Cerulli &amp; Briceland, 2004; Crill, 2009; Duncan-Hewitt, 2005; Gulseth et al., 2006; Karimi et al., 2011; Lee et al., 2006; Lillibridge, 2007; Marrs &amp; Rackham, 2010; Marriott et al., 2006; McBane &amp; Karr, 2012; McKauge &amp; Coombes, 2005; Medina, 2008; Reid et al., 2007; Scarvell &amp; Stone, 2010; Snyder et al., 2010; Sonthisombat, 2008; Talley, 2006; Verstraten et al., 2006; Warren &amp; Denham, 2010; Wuller, 2008; Zarembski et al., 2004) to effective precepting listed in the literature included lack of training, insufficient resources and personnel, lack of confidence, workload and time stressors, handling difficult students, and balancing resident, clinician, and student roles. Practices in related fields of international pharmacy, nursing, and medicine provided studies of best practices in regards to preceptor recruitment, training, acknowledgement, and retention. </p><p> This study utilized a survey design methodology with thirteen quantitative survey items as well as eight open-ended commentaries allowing for qualitative analysis to address the research questions. Active members of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Experiential Education Section were voluntarily surveyed and 233 participants answered using online survey collection in the summer of 2013. Data was analyzed and reported in descriptive statistics. Results identified current strategies utilized by Doctor of Pharmacy programs who are members of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Experiential Education Special Interest Group to recruit, train, retain, and acknowledge volunteer pharmacist preceptors. Additionally, the study provided information related to the practices associated with supply and demand issues associated with training future pharmacists. </p><p> Findings of this study are useful for those involved in academia in the health professions, specifically higher education administrators looking to fulfill accreditation guidelines for experiential education in a Doctor of Pharmacy curriculum. Conclusions and recommendations revealed opportunity for growth and development in the areas of experiential education especially as related to preceptor recruitment, training, retention, and acknowledgement, as well as for future research.</p>

<p> This research highlights the scenarios that might serve as a strategic vision to describe a future beyond the current library, one which both guides provosts and creates a map for the transformation of human resources and technology in the university research libraries. The scenarios offer managerial leaders an opportunity to envision new roles for librarians and staff which brings a much needed focus on the development of human resources as well as a thought-stream to understand decisions which effectively and systematically move the organization toward a strategic vision.</p><p> These scenarios outline possible future directions research libraries could take by focusing on perspectives from library directors, provosts, and administrators for human resources. The four case study scenarios introduce potential future roles for librarians and highlight the unsustainability of the current scholarly communications model as well as uncertain factors related to the political, social, technical, and demographic issues facing campuses. Given the changes institutions face, scenarios allow directors to include more uncertainty when developing and articulating a vision. These scenarios may start a discussion, before a strategic planning process, to sharpen the evaluations and measures necessary to monitor achievements that define the value of the library.</p><p> This dissertation highlights the importance of research library managerial leaders developing a strategic vision and introduces scenarios as way to communicate that vision with provosts, the senior leadership team, librarians, and staff. How the library directors approach the strategic vision scenario provides insight into the challenges and barriers identified within the existing organizational culture.</p>

No description available.

abstract: It is commonly accepted that undergraduate degree attainment rates must improve if postsecondary educational institutions are to meet macroeconomic demands. Involvement in co-curricular activities, such as student clubs and organizations, has been shown to increase students' satisfaction with their college experience and the rates by which they might persist. Yet, strategies that college administrators, faculties, and peer leaders may employ to effectively promote co-curricular engagement opportunities to students are not well developed. In turn, I created the Sky Leaders program, a retention-focused intervention designed to promote commuter student involvement in academically-purposeful activities via faculty- and peer-lead mentoring experiences. Working from an interpretivist research paradigm, this quasi-experimental mixed methods action research study was intended to measure the intervention's impact on participants' re-enrollment and reported engagement rates, as well as the effectiveness of its conceptual and logistical aspects. I used enrollment, survey, interview, observation, and focus group data collection instruments to accommodate an integrated data procurement process, which allowed for the consideration of several perspectives related to the same research questions. I analyzed all of the quantitative data captured from the enrollment and survey instruments using descriptive and inferential statistics to explore statistically and practically significant differences between participant groups. As a result, I identified one significant finding that had a perceived positive effect. Expressly, I found the difference between treatment and control participants' reported levels of engagement within co-curricular activities to be statistically and practically significant. Additionally, consistent with Glaser and Strauss' grounded theory approach, I employed open, axial, and selective coding procedures to analyze all of the qualitative data obtained via open-ended survey items, as well as interview, observation, and focus group instruments. After I reviewed and examined the qualitative data corpus, I constructed six themes reflective of the participants' programmatic experiences as well as conceptual and logistical features of the intervention. In doing so, I found that faculty, staff, and peer leaders may efficaciously serve in specific mentoring roles to promote co-curricular engagement opportunities and advance students' institutional academic and social integration, thereby effectively curbing their potential college departure decisions, which often arise out of mal-integrative experiences. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2011

abstract: Most research on the experience of young women in student service roles in higher education is focused on a reflection of the early career experiences of mid and senior level professionals. Young women enter the field with a set of expectations about the work and their early career experiences need to be uncovered in order to better understand what they expect from their roles in student services. This study focused on the experience of young women in student services and the dynamics they identify as being significant to their work experience. Six women in their mid-twenties working in student service roles participated in two dialogic interviews regarding their work experience. Findings from these women's stories suggest that women are aware of internal and external dynamics that shaped their work experience, and are engaged in their journey toward Self-Authorship along intrapersonal and interpersonal dimensions. Specifically, the women actively chose their career path, looked for opportunities to develop their professional cache, and were impacted by their relationships with their supervisors and colleagues. The women are interested in their professional development in student services in higher education and are active in shaping the experience to meet their expectations. The findings suggest that to understand the experience of young women in student service roles in higher education, women should be asked to share their stories on their early career experiences, including interactions with supervisors and other professional colleagues. By representing these voices in the dialogue on the experience of young women in student service roles, the dynamics that shaped those experiences can be better understood. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Higher and Postsecondary Education 2011

abstract: Higher education institutions in the state of Arizona have experienced a reduction in government funding due to the economic challenges the state is facing combined with an ongoing national recession. Three higher education institutions studied are located in Phoenix, Arizona. The three higher education institutions are Phoenix College, Arizona State University and The University of Phoenix. An analysis of documents made public by each institution was conducted and high level administrators at each institution were interviewed to learn about revenue streams currently active and planned. The results of this set of analyses were presented to the leadership team of Phoenix College in a three-hour strategic planning and priority setting meeting. The action research study assisted Phoenix College administrators in gaining knowledge about and initiating action plans to increase revenue through entrepreneurial strategies. Increased funding is necessary to offset reductions in state aid and property tax revenues. Implementing entrepreneurial strategies to increase funding can promote self-reliance and flexibility and can mitigate the damage to institutional mission success that is threatened by reductions in traditional funding. The strategic planning and priority setting exercise conducted at Phoenix College produced three immediate outcomes: it informed the community of practice about entrepreneurial strategies to increase funding that are in use by higher education institutions located in greater Phoenix, Arizona; it influenced the community of practice to examine entrepreneurial revenue streams and; it committed the leadership team to pursuing and enlarging three additional revenue streams. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies 2011

abstract: To sustain world preeminence, 21st century university and college leaders in the United States are redesigning their institutions organizationally and culturally to align with the direction of local and global societies and markets. The New American University enterprise model at Arizona State University has become one of the leading organization and cultural redesigns in United States higher education since its inception in 2002. Yet, sustaining a 21st century model such as this one means every individual in the college or university must understand his or her specific role to further progress the new model forward. Therefore, to advance and sustain a 21st century higher education redesign model at a U.S. college or university, it becomes imperative that every master-level professional who works in the academic/student services field at the institution understand his or her specific role in helping to further progress the new model forward. To this end, there is a need to change the way graduate students in higher education/student affairs masters programs are educated to work in the 21st century institution. This change can prepare new professionals to understand these enterprise models and how to integrate them into their practice in order to meet the needs of the institution, local and global societies and markets. The purpose of this action research study is to highlight one program, the ASU M.Ed. Higher and Postsecondary program, and show how graduates from 2007 - 2011 understand New American University concepts and integrate them into professional practice within higher education. Through use of a quantitative approach, this action research study described how the ASU M.Ed. in Higher and Postsecondary program graduate students' understanding of New American University concepts informs their thinking and practice to lead and respond to changes and challenges facing today's 21st century higher education field. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Higher and Postsecondary Education 2011

abstract: Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University (ASU) serves as a universal role model for organizing the resources of an institution to support highly motivated and prepared students. In 2009, Barrett, The Honors College (Barrett) opened the nation's first purposefully designed undergraduate honors residential college campus. Given the current demand by other American higher education institutions who wish to better understand how Barrett emerged as a distinct and singular model for an honors residential college experience, this action research study explores the effectiveness of the decisions, execution and outcomes central to Barrett's development. Five senior administrators of college units or universities were interviewed and provided insight for constructing a design for how other honors programs and colleges can learn from the challenges and accomplishments presented in developing an honors college for the 21st century while replicating Barrett's success. The study is framed in the overall context of how Barrett actualizes the New American University at ASU in meeting the demand for producing students that can compete in a global marketplace. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Higher and Postsecondary Education 2011

This dissertation examines the relationship between living learning programs (LLPs) and student success at Boston University, a large, private research institution. The focus of this research was to better understand the distinctions between different types of living learning program formats (honors, academic, and special interest) and traditional housing in terms of the types of students they attract and what relationship they have with academic performance, retention, and student perception. Using the conceptual frameworks provided by Astin’s “I-E-O” model and Tinto’s longitudinal model of student departure, a mixed method design employing both quantitative (binary logistic and linear regression) and qualitative (interviews with LLP program faculty, staff, and student advisors) components was used. Results indicate that there were significant differences in student characteristics, academic performance, and perception between LLP participants and students in traditional housing. LLP participation was found to be positively related to retention, academic success and a student’s evaluation of the overall environment of the University. Academic LLP participation was linked to increased retention and first year cumulative GPA, while honors LLP participants were more inclined to rate their overall experience as excellent. These findings demonstrate that LLP format and composition are important in evaluating how these programs impact first year students. While research was limited to the students enrolled at a single institution, this study provides information about LLPs with varying level of academic integration, which can be useful to administrators looking to establish or review LLP programs on their own campus.