The purpose of this study was to determine the extent of congruence between teachers' and undergraduate education majors' learning styles in selected colleges of the Tennessee Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, and to determine if the style congruence was related to student perceptions of the classroom learning environment. A related purpose was to identify needed changes in classroom environments based on the characteristics of the actual and ideal classroom environments as perceived by students, characteristics of the actual classroom environment as perceived by their teachers, and characteristics of actual and ideal classroom environments as perceived by men and women students. A relationship of classroom environments was also examined. Kolb's Learning Style Inventory and the Adult Classroom Environment Scale were administered to students and teachers in selected colleges for teacher education that were members of the Tennessee Association of Colleges for Teacher Education during the Fall, 1994. Data were analyzed using measures of central tendency and measures of dispersion, t-tests for dependent (correlated) means, t-tests for independent means, and Pearson Product Moment Correlations. Results indicated that the predominant learning style for both students and teachers was Accommodator. The students preferred Diverger as their second dominant learning style while the teachers preferred Assimilator. The teachers incorporated logical thinking, systematic thinking, and intellectual thinking in their learning behavior, while the students preferred to learn by viewing situations from different points of view and to observe without taking action. Matching students' learning styles with those of teachers was not found to be related to the ratings of the classroom environment. Significant relationships were found to exist between all classroom dimensions except Task Orientation and Student Influence. Both teachers and students viewed Teacher Support as the most prevalent element of the actual classroom environment and Student Influence as the least noticeable element of the classroom environment. However, the teachers' views for the actual classroom environment were higher than students' views in all subscales except for Organization and Clarity.

This study examined the level of acceptance of marketing by colleges and universities in the United States. It was based upon the "Four Stage Model Reflecting the Acceptance of Marketing in Higher Education Institutions" developed by Simmons and Laczniak (1992). The primary purposes of this study were to validate the model and to identify the operational level of marketing acceptance at colleges and universities. Secondary purposes were to determine if the level of acceptance differed according to source of control/affiliation (public v. private), highest level of degree awarded (associate, baccalaureate, master's, doctors), regional location, urban location, and institutional size. Variables were measured through a survey instrument developed by the researcher. A pilot test was conducted for reliability and validity testing of the instrument. It was then sent to a random sample of institutions which was chosen from the population of all nonproprietary colleges and universities in the United States. Responses from 243 institutions were used for data analysis. Major findings include: (1) stage completion was associated with the source of control (public v. private), a greater percentage of private institutions have completed each stage; (2) source of control/affiliation should be controlled for when comparing marketing of institutions; (3) most colleges have completed Stage One (marketing as promotion), with fewer than half completing Stage Two (marketing as market research), and about a quarter completing Stages Three (marketing as enrollment management), and Four (strategic marketing management); (4) there were no differences in stage scores based on the highest level of degree awarded, regional location, urban location, and institutional size when controlling for the source of control/affiliation; (5) the Four Stage Model has some validity, but more research is needed, particularly regarding the latter stages. Several recommendations were made. They primarily focus on the model, sampling and measurement, and future research needed on marketing acceptance.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine if a relationship existed between the financial health of academic institutions and the leadership style of college and university presidents. Financial health was defined as the ability of an institution to pay its current debts. Secondly, the study tested a number of hypotheses derived from the contingency model of leadership effectiveness. Lastly, the study attempted to determine if there was an association between two lists of institutions considered to be led by effective presidents. The study involved a stratified random sample of 263 private institutions accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Data analysis for seven of the eight null hypotheses posed was based upon the scored responses from 77 presidents and financial data from 53 of their associated institutions. Financial data from 199 institutions was used to test the remaining hypothesis. The data were analyzed by means of the Jaspen's M correlational technique, one-way analysis of variance, directional t tests for independent data, and a point-biserial correlation. From the data analysis, it was determined that a significant association did not exist between financial health and leadership style and financial health and institutional degree granting status. The scored data failed to support, as well, the major tenets of the contingency model. In addition, a significant association was not established between institutions led by presidents with reputations for effective leadership and institutions led by presidents who were considered effective by the terms of this study. The data analysis did establish that the majority of the responding presidents were task-oriented leaders operating in high control situations and that institutions which offered the bachelor's degree as their highest degree awarded were those most frequently found in the good financial health category while those which offered the master's degree as their highest degree awarded were those most frequently found in the poor financial health category.

The problem was that much effort was being put into an alliance for preparing school leaders with little evidence concerning how effective such groups were in promoting positive change. The purpose of this study was to provide a historical background for the National Alliance for Developing School Leaders that included the rationale for the endeavor, the identification of key actors and their roles, and perceived changes resulting from Alliance affiliation. The information gleaned from the study was intended to answer the formulated research questions. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and through examination of relevant documents. Data were coded and clustered to assist with the organization of a plethora of information. The information was then used to tell the story of the National Alliance for Developing School Leaders as told by those directly involved in the conception and development of the Alliance. Evidence indicated that change had occurred as a result of the National Alliance for Developing School Leaders, however, the degree of change experienced varied across university sites. Conclusions drawn indicated that the Alliance provided faculty and students exposure to new materials and teaching techniques, opportunities for increased presentations and publications, higher visibility, professional development opportunities that included area school administrators, and increased professional dialogue regarding changes needed in administrator preparation programs. Evidence existed that more on-site visits and opportunities to dialogue about the successes of each program as well as the difficulties encountered by the universities attempting to change their preparation programs were desired by Alliance participants. Participants reflected on their experiences resulting from involvement with the National Alliance for Developing School Leaders and then shared insights regarding essentials necessary for successful multiorganizational collaborative efforts.

The concept of locus of control, as an aspect of the human personality, has remained of interest to researchers since its identification by Julian Rotter in the 1960s. Beginning with the work of French and Raven in the 1950s, the concept of power and its interrelationship with leadership ability has also continued to be of interest to social scientists and educators. This study was completed in response to the lack of previous research on the relationship of locus of control to power style usage and preference. Four hundred and eighty academic deans from one hundred and nine Comprehensive II institutions within the Southern Region completed the Rotter Internal/External Locus of Control Scale and Hersey, Blanchard and Natemeyer's Power Perception Profile-Perception of Self to identify: (1) their locus of control orientation and (2) their preferred power style(s). Other variables examined were age, gender, and academic discipline. These variables were measured through responses to a demographic survey developed by the researcher. Patterns of power style preference endorsed by deans were independent of locus of control orientation, age, and gender for the coercive, connection, expert, information, legitimate, referent and reward power styles. A statistically significant relationship was found between deans with undergraduate majors classified as "hard, nonlife" and the expert power style. Deans in "hard, nonlife", disciplines scored higher, and more frequently selected, items on the expert power style than did deans in "soft, life" disciplines. Years of experience in the deanship was found to be significantly related to the preference for and usage of connection power. Connection power was selected more frequently by the responding deans with the fewest years of experience than by deans with the greatest number of years of experience. A greater percentage (87.2%) of the respondents were found to be internally oriented with a Rotter Scale mean score of 6.84. The most frequently endorsed power styles were expert, legitimate and reward. The mean number of years in the deanship was 7.7 with 67.7% aged fifty-five and younger. The ratio of males to females was 4.4 to one. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The purpose of this study was to determine if a gap analysis model (SERVQUAL) of service quality measurement could be appropriately applied to higher education. The researcher asked doctoral students from six doctoral-granting, state-supported universities in Tennessee to complete a service quality survey, comparing their experiences with their expectations, thereby giving a measure of gaps in educational service quality at their institution. The research design included five research questions, with five null hypotheses testing the relationship between students' expectations and experiences, between overall satisfaction and service gaps, and between overall satisfaction and certain demographic variables (age, gender, ethnicity, type of degree, and class load). Analysis of the data revealed gaps between students' expectations and their actual experiences with services delivered at their university. A comparison of mean expectation scores to mean experience scores revealed a statistically significant difference between the two scores for 25 of the 26 items on the scale. Expectation scores exceeded experience scores for all items. The researcher found a statistically significant relationship between only one demographic variable (age) and overall satisfaction scores. The researcher also found a statistically significant relationship between the gap scores for scale dimensions and some demographic variables. However, because of the strength of the relationship between the demographic variables and either gap scores or overall satisfaction, the researcher concluded that none of the demographic variables were of practical value in predicting gap scores or overall satisfaction. In addition, a statistically significant relationship was found between overall satisfaction and the composite gap score for the scale. This indicated that gap scores, as produced by this scale, can be a valid measurement of the overall satisfaction of doctoral students with the delivery of services by their university. Because the gap scores were inversely related to the overall satisfaction of doctoral students, this would seem to indicate that university programs designed to reduce the size of expectation/experience gaps, thereby improve service quality, would also enhance the overall satisfaction of doctoral students.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of graduate classroom environments as perceived by the graduate students and faculty in technology courses, at Chinese universities. Relationships between the different dimensions of the social environment of the graduate technology classrooms were examined. The Adult Classroom Environment Scale (ACES) was used to measure the actual and ideal classroom environments on seven dimensions. The research was conducted during Fall 1998. Participants in this study included 317 graduate students and 8 teachers in 8 classes from 6 universities in Beijing, China. The results of data analysis showed that there were significant differences in graduate students' perceptions of the actual and ideal classroom environment. Perceptions of teachers and graduate students in each class differed in their views of the actual classroom environment. Students felt that courses were well-organized, clearly-delivered, and task-focused. Students felt they needed more influence in the classroom, and that instructors should focus on individual development. Teachers perceived Organization and Clarity and Teacher Support as more characteristic of their classrooms but did not see Student Influence and Personal Goal Attainment as important. There were few significant differences on most of dimensions of the actual classroom environment, when contrasted according to age, major, and work experience. Males and females did, however, see Organization and Clarity, Personal Goal Attainment, Affiliation, and Involvement differently. When contrasted with the results of other studies conducted with American students, ratings of the Chinese students were consistently lower. These findings indicate that graduate technology classrooms in Chinese universities are still quite teacher-centered.

The purpose of this paper was to explore the influence individual and organizational factors exerted on technological innovations, programmatic innovations and combined technological and programmatic innovations. Student affairs divisions in Comprehensive I colleges and universities constituted the administrative unit examined. The two types of program innovations examined were substance abuse prevention/education programs and retention/academic support programs. The technological innovations examined were financial aid computerized award calculation and computerized career counseling. The individual factors examined were professionalism, gender and age of the chief student affairs officer. The organizational factors were vertical, horizontal and combined vertical and horizontal complexity, centralization and size. Size was measured as student body size, a combined staff size within the four units examined and combined student body and staff size. The method of study was survey. One hundred chief student affairs officers were surveyed for responses about their institutions' innovations and the factors of professionalism, age, gender, centralization, complexity and size. The findings were: (1) There was a significant relationship between professionalism and technological innovation. The more professional the chief student affairs officer was, the more technological innovation was reported. (2) There was a significant relationship between age and combined programmatic and technological innovation. The higher the age of the chief student affairs officer, the lower the level of combined technological and programmatic innovation was reported. (3) There was a significant relationship between complexity and programmatic innovation. The more complexity present, the more programmatic innovation was reported. This significance held across the three different measures of horizontal, vertical and combined complexity. (4) There was a significant relationship between complexity and combined technological and programmatic innovation. The more complexity, the more combined technological and programmatic innovation was reported. This significance held across vertical and combined measures for complexity. (5) There was a significant relationship between the size and programmatic innovation. The larger the size, the more programmatic innovation was reported. This significance held for staff size and combined size measures. The major conclusion was that different factors may impact programmatic innovation differently than technological innovation or combined programmatic and technological innovation. Future study of innovation should consider these differences.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the organizational structures and staffing patterns in campus activities offices or operations within selected institutions. These institutions were selected from the membership of the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) during the 1994-95 academic year which are also public, Master's (Comprehensive) Universities and Colleges I and II institutions. Focus was placed on identifying the sizes and types of the campus activities departments at the institutions surveyed. A survey was developed and administered to a population of 355 institutions. The data from 269 (76%) responses were then carefully analyzed. Frequency analysis produced a number of revelations about dominant staffing patterns, titles, and size. Analysis indicated that there is a relationship between organizational structure and its staffing pattern in small institutions. A direct relationship was identified between the size and type of the staff and use of technology. There was no relationship between the funding base and staffing patterns or between organizational departmental structures and the size of the departmental budgets. Further, no relationships between organizational structure and funding bases or between the size and type of staff and the organizational structure. Conclusions were drawn concerning organization and staffing patterns. These included the fact that most institutions have campus activities departments with a director as the head, reporting to a vice president or dean. Activity fees are a primary source of funding in nearly all institutions. Few institutions have more than 9 professional staff and 12 clerical staff. Currently there is little faculty involvement in campus activities offices. Basic, mainstream technology is used to support the efforts of the offices. It is hoped that the study will be useful as a proactive management tool for those administrators in higher education who are structuring or restructuring administrative offices supporting the campus activities functions at institutions of higher education.

Over the past 20 years, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals have made progress in attaining the same basic civil rights as heterosexual individuals. As in other civil rights movements, the college campus has played an important role. The LGBT community participates in academic and campus life, and numerous colleges are developing and supporting an inclusive, safe, and respectful culture. However, bias and prejudice continue to occur. While researchers have studied the repercussions of prejudice, discrimination, and low evaluation scores for LGBT faculty, little research has been done to explore professional identity and activism in LGBT faculty at traditional 4-year universities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore how the narratives of LGBT faculty at traditional 4-year universities inform the experience of professional identity and activism. Using social identity theory and the concept of activism as conceptual frameworks, 13 faculty from college campuses across the United States were interviewed. The data were analyzed using NVivo software and hand coding. Ten themes were identified: coming out, identity, gender fluidity, stigmatization, campus climate, blatant prejudice and discrimination, resources, advocacy, responsibility, and positive experiences. Participants described professional identity as being fused with their sexual and social identity and described activism as an obligation. The results of this study will be shared in the scholarly and professional communities to support civil rights, activism, and advocacy for the LBGT community on campuses. Future research is recommended regarding the struggles of coming/being out in the academic workplace, as well as activism for LGBT issues on college campuses.