<p> This historical study explored and chronicled the history of institutional responses to underprepared students at the University of Georgia including its two primary historical branches, the State Normal School and the State College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts, from 1801 to 2001. This study examined the evolution of responses to underprepared students at the University of Georgia with a view to how these responses reflected the larger social, economic, and political context of Georgia history. Archival research was conducted at University of Georgia Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library in Athens, Georgia, the State of Georgia Archives in Atlanta, Georgia, the Georgia Historical Society Library and Archives in Savannah, Georgia, and other archives or document repositories identified during the research phase of the study. The study revealed significant efforts throughout the history of the University of Georgia in support of underprepared students.</p>

In this study the researcher explored the types of organizational culture at selected doctorate degree granting HBCUs to determine if there were differences in organizational culture that appeared to be related to institutional effectiveness. Specific attention was given to identifying the dominant culture and characteristics of three public doctoral degree granting historically black institutions. The primary focus of the study was the relationship between effectiveness and organizational culture in selected higher education institutions. Using a case study methodology, that was exploratory and descriptive in nature, the researcher identified the characterizations and dominant organizational culture for each of the participating institutions. Organizational theory was used as the conceptual framework for distinguishing between types of organizational culture. The study was primarily driven by semi-structured interviews and document analysis. The following questions guided this study: (1) What characterizes the organizational culture of the three HBCUs selected for study? and (2) Are there differences in the organizational culture of the three HBCUs that appear to be related to institutional effectiveness? Several recurring themes emerged among the institutions: (1) lack of communication, (2) increased faculty expectation, and (3) under-developed partnerships. Themes unique to each institution were also identified. These unique themes included: (1) poor customer service, (2) strained relationships between the chief research officer and the research community, (3) lack of research mission, and (4) pride and solidarity of purpose. Implications of this study can be used in assisting university leadership understand and utilize the knowledge pertaining to organizational culture and performance on both the organizational and sub-unit levels. The study findings also inform institutional leaders of the advantages of developing a balanced culture thereby positioning them to make / A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2011. / Date of Defense: January 14, 2011. / culture, higher education, effectiveness, HBCUs, organizational behavior, management / Includes bibliographical references. / Joseph C. Beckham, Professor Directing Dissertation; Peter N. Kalu, University Representative; Peter Easton, Committee Member; Robert A. Schwartz, Committee Member.

<p> A gap in research on the impact of a university-based laboratory school on a campus-based educator preparation program and a decrease in the number of university-based laboratory schools requires current laboratory school programs to evaluate strengths and weaknesses to provide quality evaluative data to ensure continued viability. This qualitative study sought to expand the extant research by identifying perceptions of stakeholders, educator preparation program students, faculty, administrators, and laboratory school teachers, parents, and administrators&mdash;to examine the impact of a laboratory school on an educator preparation program. The case study outlined stakeholder perceptions at one university and one laboratory school and investigated the perceptions of stakeholders regarding the impact of a university-based laboratory school to a campus-based educator preparation program. Four major themes emerged related to the impact of a laboratory school on an educator preparation program include: experimentation, early practice and ability to bridge theory to practice, expertise of faculty and teachers, and safety and support of environment to practice new learning. A fifth overarching theme was identified as significant to research: complexity of the organization.</p><p>

<p> The State of Vermont has long had one of the highest high school graduation rates in New England, hovering around 87.8% with a lagging college enrollment rate of 52.3% at any 2- or 4-year postsecondary institution in the country (New England Secondary School Consortium, 2015). This research explored the factors that have the greatest effect on the college enrollment patterns of Vermont high school graduates. Specifically, this study explored the relationship between the following factors and 2- and 4-year college enrollment: (a) academic preparation, (b) access to college information, (c) early career exploration and education planning, (d) gender, (e) grade point average, (f) parent educational attainment, (g) parental expectations, (h) student location, and (i) student perception of affordability. </p><p> This descriptive, correlational quantitative study used binomial logistic regression to determine which of the factors listed in the preceding section had the greatest impact on the college enrollment patterns of Vermont high school graduates. The dataset for this research was the Class of 2014 Senior Survey from the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, administered to all students graduating from Vermont high schools in 2014. This research looks to inform work currently being done at the state level to raise the number of adults living in Vermont with a postsecondary credential to 70% by the year 2025</p><p>

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Lehigh University, 2009. / Adviser: Perry A. Zirkel.

<p> The current study reviews the responsibilities and benefits of institutions in receipt of federal funding to provide bystander education as a primary prevention program to students per current federal regulations and guidance. Existing bystander intervention programs have the potential to 1) train key staff by experts; 2) continue training of other staff via train-the-trainer efforts; 3) implement a variety of student-specific programming (such as gender neutral, gender-specific, student athletes, Greek students, and other student organizations and leadership groups); and, 4) obtain/maintain compliance with federal guidance and recent legislative mandates. Per Potter and Stapleton (2011), practitioners need to decide if purchasing an existing program, developed and evaluated at another institution, will in fact be successful at the investing institution. </p><p> Metropolitan universities typically have student populations of that are older (non-traditional), have lower socioeconomic statuses, have minority backgrounds (Barnett &amp; Phares, 1995); commute, are more likely to be employed (Muhollan, 1995); and, are first-generation college students (Barnett &amp; Phares, 1995). Vast diversity can present challenges to engaging a student body with a one-handed type of approach. Metropolitan universities would be benefited most by 1) purchasing an existing train-the-trainer bystander intervention program; 2) identifying the needs of unique metropolitan university student groups; 3) modifying the program to meet these needs; 4) developing a strategic implementation plan; 5) pre/post assessment plans; and, 6) identifying accompanying social marketing campaign strategies. Considerations for developing a modified bystander intervention program at a metropolitan university and meeting these needs are discussed.</p>

<p> For-profit colleges and universities and accrediting agencies have been the subject of criticism and scrutiny over the past few years. This dissertation examines the primary reason for this scrutiny: the seeming conflict between profit motive and student success. It ascertains the educational values of three regionally accredited for-profit college presidents and explains the differences in how presidents and institutions balance profit motive with student success. To do so, it focuses on three central questions: first, how do for-profit colleges and universities acknowledge and address this central dilemma of balancing profit motive with student success? Second, is accreditation a constructive force or an obstacle in resolving this dilemma? And third, what other institutional factors play a role in resolving this dilemma? </p><p> Using a case study approach, this dissertation examines three "best in class" for-profit institutions, all of which are regionally accredited with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. It concludes that each of these institutions uses a business model that ensures fiscal responsibility but not profit maximization. It also shows that accreditation in each acts as a constructive force, motivating the institutions' focus on assessment of student learning and improvement of student outcomes. Accreditation can also further legitimize these institutions' educational quality in a competitive marketplace that includes both for- and non-profit institutions. Finally, other factors for these institutions' success include family ownership, small enrollment numbers, and constant program evaluation. These factors enabled both a greater focus on student success and the flexibility to retool, add, or eliminate programs to ensure financial viability and stability.</p>

<p> The purpose of the study is to learn about how students who transfer from community and technical colleges to a private four-year research university experience the transfer process at both institutions. The study followed Merriam's (2009) basic interpretive qualitative design. A sample of 20 participants was recruited for the study. Semi-structured, in-depth, face-to-face interviews were conducted with each participant. Each interview was audio recorded and transcribed by the researchers. Data in the study is presented using Merriam's (2009) narrative analysis format. In the narrative analysis of the data, themes identified through the analysis are described at length including exemplar excerpts from the interview transcripts. Long quotations from the participants and rich description of the interview context from the researcher create the narrative. Quotations from various participants are organized in a way that demonstrates to the reader how the participants' responses form a theme. Aspects of the theories of involvement (Astin, 1984/1999), integration (Tinto, 1993), and engagement (Kuh, 2001; Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, &amp; Whitt, 2005) were applied by the researcher to the analysis of the experiences of the study participants. These findings can be organized into an institutional strand and a student strand. The institutional strand of findings includes threads related to the institutions' role in engaging students both academically and socially as they travel between the institutions throughout the transfer process. The student strand of findings includes threads related to aspects of the students' experiences that demonstrate how the act of transferring changes how they participate in the academic and social environments of the institutions. The findings of this study have implications for students who transfer from community and technical colleges to private universities as well as for transfer students in general. Recommendations are offered by the researcher to improve future policy, practice, and research related to these student populations.</p>

<p> Athletic programs have been an exciting staple of the higher education experience for over a century. Although student athletes have been studied near exhaustively in higher education research, less attention has been paid to the relationship of athletic academic staff members and corresponding institutional operations in supporting student athlete goals. This study was designed to create a full, rich description, ultimately contributing to the literature of the cultural, social, economic, and academic environment of the staff of the athletic academic support unit from 1991-2014. The overall research question is thus: How has NCAA legislation shaped the administrative institutional action at the "Big Football University" athletic academic support unit from 1991-2014? </p><p> A case study methodology was chosen for the research design. The study utilized a constructivist epistemological orientation and two theoretical lenses: Organizational Identity Theory and Social Identity Theory. Data collection was conducted through interviews with key informants and primary and secondary document analysis. Data displays, domain analysis, and open coding was be used to answer the research question. To increase both internal and external validity, trustworthiness tactics were used ensuring that the results matched reality, that there was a saturation of data, and that a truthful portrayal was created by providing a clear synthesis of patterns found. During data analysis, four constructs were used as macro categories for themes including University Responses, Identity Changes, Legislative Influences, and Leadership and Role Conflict.</p><p> The results from this study led to three major findings. First, the data collected has the ability to contribute data furthering research in the fields of Social Identity Theory, Organizational Identity Theory, and constructivist epistemology influences in higher education environments. Next, the hyper focus of the study on one institution's administrative choices was a pragmatic choice by the researcher to be able to recommend how other schools can adjust their own support services if they are faced with similar scenarios. And lastly the study highlights the need for more athletics research to improve practice within the field.</p>

<p> The purpose of the study was to determine if the eight steps of the Continuous Improvement Model (CIM) provided a framework to raise achievement and to focus educators in identifying high-yield literacy strategies. This study sought to determine if an examination of the assessment data in reading revealed differences among schools that fully, partially, or did not implement the CIM. The research focused what happened during the school year 2011-12 in nine schools. The qualitative research attempted to discover the relationship among the eight steps of the CIM and the educators who implemented the model. The design of the qualitative research focused on the schools that implemented the CIM including the perceptions of participants regarding the impact upon reading/literacy proficiency. Interviews with leadership teams in six schools that implemented partially and fully were conducted. A survey was conducted among teachers from six schools that implemented the CIM. Quantitative data were collected from student results on the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program Reading/Language Arts assessments for school years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012. The results showed practical and significant differences in achievement scores among those schools that partially and fully implemented the model compared to those schools that did not implement. The study also highlighted positive and negative perceptions of the model and identified high-yield strategies. The findings suggest a carefully orchestrated plan to address literacy should be implemented during the early stages in a child's education. The CIM provides a framework for educators to design a literacy plan that comprehensively addresses the needs of teachers and students.</p>