The purpose of this study was to identify important educational goals and valid and feasible outcome measures that could be used in the design and development of campus based service-learning programs. The study was designed to utilize the consensus of a panel of experts responsible for the administration notable college or university campus-based service-learning programs. In addition to responding to questionnaires that indicated the perceived importance of the identified goals, followed by the validity and feasibility of the identified outcome measures, the selected panelists were asked to identify potential problems associated with using the outcome measures. The findings may be useful in understanding which goals and outcome measures would be most valuable in the design and development of a campus based service-learning program. Utilizing the Delphi method, three structured questionnaires designed by the researcher were used to collect responses by the identified experts. The first questionnaire included important core goals and related outcome measures for campus-based service-learning centers as identified through an extensive review of the literature and constructed based on sequential reasoning. After each set of outcome measures, respondents were asked to evaluate each goal according to their perceived importance, and each outcome measure according to their perceived validity and feasibility using Likert-type scales. The panelists were then asked to identify potential problems associated with using the outcome measures and suggest additional outcome measures. A second and third questionnaire was distributed to the panel members, with a summary of responses from the previous round. Panel members were asked to review their individual response in comparison to the group mean score and reevaluate their response if it fell outside the interquartile range (IQR) of the combined response ratings. Responses stabilized following round three and the process ended. Statistical analysis of inter-rater agreement and agreement between rounds was done to determine if the Delphi process was successful in promoting consensus on ratings. A final review of ratings of goals and outcome measures was used to identify the important goals and the outcome measures identified with the highest validity and feasibility ratings. In addition, panelist comments were used to interpret final ratings.

Mid-level administrators comprise the largest group of administrative professionals on college campuses today. These professionals affect the daily lives of students and contribute significantly to the overall coordination of institutional resources and activities. Despite the importance of their role in administering programs, services, and other functions central to the mission of the university, little research has been conducted examining the issues that impact their motivation and job performance. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to increase understanding of the factors affecting work motivation of mid-level student affairs administrators through the identification of motivational determinants and an exploration of whether these determinants differed based on the career stage of the mid-level administrator. This study used Vroom’s theory of work motivation, specifically valence, instrumentality, and expectancy, to determine the factors motivating mid-level student affairs administrators to perform in their work roles. Ten mid-level student affairs administrators at a large, public, Hispanic-serving institution were interviewed. Findings suggest that mid-level student affairs administrators are motivated by the opportunity to serve students and influence the development of their subordinate staff. Participants cited internal drives, such as work ethic and a need for achievement, and external factors, such as opportunities to engage in their own professional development, recognition, and pay, as motivators. Some participants maintained that the culture of the institution had an impact on their motivation to perform. Individually and collectively, these motivational determinants influenced the effort and performance of these mid-level administrators in their work roles. Overall, the participants reported that they enjoyed their work and felt rewarded for their efforts in their work roles. Findings suggest that important differences in motivational determinants as a function of career stage are negligible. Implications and recommendations to implement initiatives to promote and support the identified motivational factors are discussed.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2001. / Bibliography: leaves 169-188.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2000. / Bibliography: leaves [62-64].

Thesis (D.Ed.)--University of Delaware, 2009. / Principal faculty advisor: Barbara Curry, School of Education. Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis uses Native American Student Affairs (NASA) at the University of Arizona (UA) as a case study to see where NASA matches and diverges from the current literature on Native American Cultural Centers (NACC). Twenty-eight current Native American undergraduates and graduates were surveyed about their views on NASA, and their responses were then analyzed for common themes. The findings showed that NASA was similar to the current research when it came to themes of community, promoting culture, feeling less isolated, networking, and having an independent space. It diverged on one demographic aspect, namely a significant portion of student respondents came from reservations, which is not reflective of the Native community in the United States as a whole. Additionally, it mentioned the importance of event hosting, which is not mentioned in the current literature at all. The majority of students identified NASA as creating a space for them to feel supported, provide resources, network, and host events that promote awareness of Native American issues. The thesis ends with recommendations for NASA based on the responses, and advocates for further research to delve deeper into the nuances of NACC's and their responsibility to continuously adapt to the needs of their students.

No description available.

This multi case study examined how leaders of color narrated their experiences regarding access to leadership positions at two universities in California before and after Proposition 209 (California's anti-affirmative action legislation) was enacted in 1996. The research focused on addressing a gap in the literature with regards to professionals of color and the barriers they may have faced in the hiring process in an era of anti-affirmative action legislation. Semi-structured interviews of eighteen Student Affairs leaders of color (with job descriptions no lower than assistant director) were conducted. In addition, critical discourse analysis as outlined by Fairclough (1995) was used to analyze affirmative action plans from both institutions before and after Proposition 209. Cultural capital and critical race theory were the theoretical frameworks used to analyze the participant narratives and the discourse within the affirmative action plans. Findings included: qualifications being more important than cultural forms of knowledge, more diversity among director level positions, the hiring process being described as complex and lengthy, the importance of professional mentors, and leaders of color needing to assimilate to valued norms representative of the status quo to be successful in the hiring process as well as in their professional work environments. Recommendations for further research as well as recommendations for leadership development for professionals of color in higher education institutions is discussed.

Senior Student Affairs Officers (SSAOs) play an important role in post-secondary institutions ensuring their institutions’ policies, goals and strategic plans are respected while simultaneously supporting students’ academic and campus life needs. Their work is complex, challenging and constantly changing; the decisions they make can impact reputations, academic careers and the integrity of programs and institutions. It would be assumed, then, that the literature is replete with first-hand accounts of how SSAOs do their jobs, what skills they need, and what tools they use. Surprisingly, this is not the case. While the literature is not lacking research about the profession generally, it has limited personal accounts by practitioners describing the work they do, and how they make their complex decisions. This dissertation addresses this issue by presenting a first hand account of my work as a SSAO. In addition to a commitment to add to the student affairs literature base, the purpose of this study was to develop a decision-making model that would provide a structure to my practice and guide a process to develop consistent and fair courses of action. I began the task by reviewing existing decision-making models and making a series of adaptations that would create a framework that would be useful in my decision-making efforts. I then constructed four vignettes, exemplifying the types of issues I encounter in my role as a SSAO. Each vignette was used sequentially to test and critique the decision-making framework thereby indicating places where refinements were needed. The first three vignettes were instrumental in illustrating and exposing the shortcomings of the framework. The fourth vignette provided a scenario that challenged the model and suggested where limitations lie not just in the framework, but also in the work of SSAOs. The end result of this iterative process is a refined two-stage decision-making framework. This work has added to the literature of the student affairs profession; it provides a much needed tool, a decision-making framework that can assist practitioners in their role of providing consistent and fair decisions in an environment fraught with change and uncertainties.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine how participation in learning communities in colleges and universities affected the behaviors of faculty and residence life staff regarding student learning. Learning communities have been identified as instruments of curricular reform in higher education that focus institutional energies toward student learning. Several studies have documented the benefits that learning communities provide to students, and to a more limited extent, faculty members. However, information was lacking in the literature regarding how partcipation in learning communities affected the interaction between residence life staff members and faculty members.Purposive sampling was used to identify respondents in this study. Faculty and residence life staff members from five public, Midwestern universities with residentially-based learning communities were identified by the researcher. A semi-structured format was used to interview all respondents in their respective offices at their respective universities.The findings suggest that faculty and residence life staff who participate in learning communities have greater understanding and appreciation of one another's roles, are more likely to communicate with one another about specific student concerns, and coordinate in-class and out-of-class activities. Learning community models that are structured in such a manner that residence hall directors and faculty members regularly meet and are working with the same group of students appeared to foster the greatest degree of collaboration, cooperation, and communication between faculty and residence life staff. Additionally, the findings of this study support previous studies (Astin, 1996; Clark, 1987; Kirp, 1997) which indicated that the research orientation of a university can have negative effects upon teaching. / Department of Educational Leadership