This thesis tests the validity of three theories purporting to explain the attrition of stop outs -- why students interrupt their studies with the intent to return to school. Data were gathered at two schools, Portland State University and Reed College. Two theories, those of social class and involvement, were tested at each school as contending explanations of attrition by path analysis of parsimonious models derived by factor analysis. These theories were found to explain little of the variance of attendance pattern (less than 4.3 percent) at either school. No particular lines of causation could be demonstrated at either school. The third theory, that of career planning, asserts that students interrupt their studies to re-evaluate their course of action upon recognizing that chances of employment in their field are not good. This proposition was supported by the data at Portland State University.

This study compares the instructional, academic support, and student services needs of international and American students at Portland State University (PSU), Portland, Oregon. Variables measured include the perceived importance of university-related services, and the level of satisfaction with services received. A questionnaire with 26 background questions and 41 service-related items for ranking and discussion was mailed to 225 undergraduate international students and 225 undergraduate American students, with a response rate of 52%. Responses were tabulated to ascertain demographic profile of PSU students, importance of university services to international students at PSU, current level of satisfaction of international students in regards to university services received, importance of the various university services to U.S. students at PSU, current level of satisfaction of U.S. students in regards to these university services, if U.S. and international students at PSU differ in the importance they assign to university services, if U.S. and international students differ in their level of satisfaction with services at PSU, relationship between perceived importance and level of satisfaction for U.S. and international students, relationship between perceived importance and level of satisfaction for international students, perceived reasons for dissatisfaction concerning service quality for U.S. and international students, and any suggestions these students have for improving the quality of services. Respondents' descriptive characteristics were reported and tabulated as background information. Frequency distribution, the chi square test of significance, and means were calculated using responses to queries about the service-quality items, and responses of international and American students were compared. Major findings included that there are many areas of agreement between international and American students. However, significant differences were found: 2 "need" items under instruction, 5 "need" items under academic support, and 13 "need" items under student services. Focus group interviews were also conducted. Researchers can use this additional data to develop theories about answers given; university administrators could use this information to develop programs to ameliorate perceived problems, or make changes in the quality or delivery of existing student services.

This study examined the heuristic value of applying the organizational model of Jablin, Putnam, Roberts, and Porter (1987), who studied newcoming employees assimilating into an organization, to the study of newcoming students integrating into an educational institution. Three hundred and fifty-five college students were surveyed. I used an adapted version of Mowday, Porter, and Steer's (1982) Organizational Commitment Questionnaire. Two hypotheses were tested. Hypothesis One states: The higher the level of expressed commitment the more likely it is that the student will express the intention to remain. Hypothesis Two states: Within Terms One, Two, and Three, the higher the level of expressed commitment, the more likely it is that the student will express an intention to remain. A Pearson Correlation test revealed no significant correlation between commitment and intent to remain for either hypotheses. The high percentage of the subjects who reported that they were 80 to 100 percent certain that they intended to remain and receive their degree yet whose commitment levels were low, suggest that personal goal commitment to receiving their degree is stronger than commitment to the institution. Commitment to the institution was not supported. Therefore, it was determined that the organizational model had little heuristic value in leading to a clearer understanding of the integration process of college students. However, the survey was distributed to students attending an urban university. This element alone may be a mitigating factor in students' institutional commitment.

This study investigated the effects of selfesteem, controllability, and optimism, the constructs inherent in positive illusions, on perceived racism. The perceived racism scale in this study was found to contain two dimensions, Equal Opportunity (EO) racism and Authority (AUT) racism. Thirty-seven AfricanAmerican, 64 Asian-American and 100 White-American students at Portland States University {101 females, 100 males and mean age of 25 years) served as subjects. The findings revealed that both African- and AsianAmerican students perceived a racist atmosphere from peer students {EO racism) significantly higher than did the White-American students. However, only AfricanAmerican students perceived greater racism from faculty members (AUT racism) than the White-American students. None of the illusions had an effect on perceived EO racism. However, all types of illusions (self-esteem, controllability and optimism) had a significant effect on perceived racism from faculty members {AUT racism). Higher perception of AUT racism was correlated with less self-esteem(~= -.089, R = .12), less controllability(~= -.319, R < .001), and less optimism (~ = -.144, R = .03). The results of this study support empirical evidence showing that the illusions, especially controllability, change individuals in how they perceive racism when the racism is practiced by authorities.

The nature of this study is exploratory. It aims to explore the financial situation and the resources which students can use to cope with their problems. The primary purpose is to obtain a clearer picture of the situations of certain Chinese foreign students, to help those who intend to study abroad with their budgeting and planning. A secondary aim is to draw the attention of authorities concerned to improve or expand services to foreign students who already have overwhelming adjustment problems and who still have to carry the additional burden of pressure from restrictive regulations.