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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rochester. Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, 2014., The dominant discourse on African American and Latina/o college access and choice describes general schooling, sociocultural, and historical factors associated with students’ likelihood to attend. The essential elements are fairly consistent in the higher education literature. High school grades, standardized test scores, pre-college experiences, family socioeconomic status, federal financial aid policy, state appropriations and residential proximity to college campuses, have all been shown to contribute to postsecondary enrollment (McDonough, 1997; Perna & Thomas, 2008; Tierney & Venegas, 2009; Turley, 2009). Non-dominant discourses of college access and choice for these populations draw on factors of de-facto segregation and the continued presence of racism shaping higher education opportunities for people of color (Minor, 2008; Harper, 2012). In an effort to challenge the dominant discourse and support non-dominant discourses of college access and choice, I employ a postcolonial geographic (PCG) framework. The use of postcolonialism as a research methodology in higher education is rare due to its focus on the third world and its origins in literary criticism (Barker, 2008). Nevertheless, in this study I aim to show how traditional access and choice factors function as elements of internal colonialism (Tuck & Yang, 2012) and how public transportation is a significant but understudied factor in access and choice for African American and Latina/o residents. Postcolonialism thus forms part of a three-pronged theoretical framework that also includes critical geographic theories and the spatial mismatch approach (Sanchez, Stolz, & Ma, 2003). The PCG framework orients this study toward a mixed-method research design. The reason is that postcolonialism challenges the dominant discourse, highlighting the value of the subaltern experience—the experience of groups and individuals on the margins of society. The PCG framework allows for both quantitative and qualitative modes

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Rochester. Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, 2011., Aim: The aims of the study are to: examine professional development socialization for students who have successfully completed the University of Rochester School of Nursing First Assistant Program from 2005-2009, describe role transition from an RN/APN to a RN First Assistant to identify the personal self, and develop a tool to measure professional development socialization and the personal self for RN First Assistants. Methods: Based upon the professional development socialization for advanced practice nurses as described by Hixon (2000), a professional development socialization model for the RNFA was developed and used as the conceptual framework to guide this mixed methods study. Qualitative data from former RN First Assistant students (n=9) was collected using semi-structured, open-ended questions by means of a sample of convenience. The data from the interviews was used to identify the dimensions of the personal self (items=8) and guide the revision of the quantitative survey. The survey was distributed to former RN First Assistant students who attended the University of Rochester School of Nursing RN First Assistant program from 2005-2009 (n=51). Results: The results from the interviews identified the eight dimensions of the personal self. Survey results revealed a response rate of 36%, (n=18) and showed minimal if any statistical difference for the eight dimensions of the personal self. The lack of statistical significance is most likely due to the small population size. Conclusion: The results from this study are preliminary and reflect the early work for examining professional development socialization and the process of role transition to identify the personal self for RN First Assistants. Although the role of the RN First Assistant has been recognized since 1977 when the American College of Surgeons issued documents supporting RNs as an assistant in surgery (Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, December, 2005, para. 1)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rochester. Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, 2010., The importance of encouraging greater study abroad participation in American college students is receiving increased attention from public, governmental, and higher education institutions. However, with increased attention comes scrutiny of the distinct and quantifiable gender and ethnic disparities that exist among those who take advantage of this educational opportunity. With the stated goal of increasing participation, more needs to be known about what differentiates participants from non participants, in particular what factors in college affect participation. This study applied a conceptual framework that explored the inter-relationships of background, personal beliefs, intention to study abroad, institutional factors, and academic and extracurricular involvement, to investigate this issue. It drew upon Astin’s (1993) Input-Environment-Output model (I-E-O), Astin’s (1999) student involvement theory, and Fisbein and Ajzen’s (Ajzen & Fishbein, 1970, 1980; Fisbein & Ajzen, 1975) theory of reasoned action (TRA). The goal was to provide evidence that would support governmental and college and university policies and initiatives to promote and increase minority participation and access to study abroad, as well as to reduce the gender disparity. Analysis of data from the Higher Education Research Institute’s (HERI) 2002 Cooperative Institutional Research Program Freshman Survey (CIRP) and the 2006 College Senior Survey (CSS) indicated an interplay between socio-cultural and institutional factors affected the participation outcome, with differences found between male and female and White and minority logistic regression models. Findings suggested that much like issues surrounding college choice, the study abroad outcome was influenced by the intersection of background, college involvement, and institutional factors.

This article shows how universities, like education and social services in general, are increasingly pressured to adopt neoliberal principles that encourage privatization, entrepreneurship, standardization, assessment, and accountability. The authors examine recent efforts in the United States to develop measurement and accountability systems that commodify higher education, and show how they reflect a neoliberal rationale that undermines the historical purposes of higher education, reduces faculty autonomy, and harms the common good. However, they propose ways in which assessment and accountability might be implemented in higher education so as to promote teaching and learning responsive to the interests of students, faculty, the university, and wider communities.

Building on the promise of interactive, multimedia education, this evaluation study examines an alcohol abuse prevention program, AlcoholEdu, delivered through an interactive Web-based format for the purpose of reducing the harm associated with student alcohol abuse. The study uses a clustered, randomly assigned post-test only evaluation design with 20,150 individuals to examine differences between individuals who have and have not yet received the educational program. Analyses examined the efficacy of the intervention among different groups of students: those who are members of Greek letter organizations, those referred because of judicial sanctions, or those entering their first year of study. Findings hint toward evidence that interactive health-related web tools can contribute to preventing high-risk student health behaviors in the campus environment, with self-reported evidence suggesting implementation among first-year students to be the most promising.

This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a pilot, multi-faceted, and multi-session alcohol abuse prevention program conducted in conjunction with two sorority chapters. The process and product of the pilot program are illustrative of the use of theory and evidence-based practices in the creation of innovative substance abuse prevention efforts among fraternal organizations within higher education. Findings point to practical implementation challenges and to promising evidence of program impact. Recommendations inform practitioners in implementing evidence-based practices with fraternal chapters.

This book of case studies is designed to serve as a resource guide to help higher education students apply higher education leadership and management theories to practice, and to allow them to actively engage in working through diverse institutional issues within assorted institutional contexts. Though this collection of cases was initially created to facilitate the application of theory to practice in small group discussions, individual cases can be easily utilized for more formalized written responses. The cases have been thematically organized within the following broad leadership and management categories: 1) leadership issues; 2) addressing mental health issues; 3) moments of crisis and campus safety; 4) technology in academia; 5) academic freedom; 6) campus diversity; 7) strategic planning and staffing issues; 8) working with student organizations; and 9) policy issues and fiscal tensions.

Research indicates that reasons for attending college influence college success and that college students of color (CSC) can be motivated to attend college for different reasons than White college students (WCS). The Need for Relatedness at College Questionnaire (NRC-Q) was developed and tested to provide an instrument for identifying and understanding the various ways in which needs for relatedness, a salient motivator for many CSC, affect college success. On the basis of the recommendation from D. Guiffrida’s (2006) cultural critique of V. Tinto’s (1993) theory, the scale was developed with a self-determination theory (E. L. Deci & M. R. Ryan, 1991) perspective. Results support the content validity, internal consistency, temporal stability, and construct validity of the scale items, and a confirmatory factor analysis supported the underlying structures of the scale. Results also suggest that college students’ needs for relatedness at home are more complex than previous research has suggested.

A survey of 2,520 college students was conducted to test relationships between academic success and college student motivational orientation, conceptualized from a self-determination theory (SDT) perspective, while also considering the moderating effects of background characteristics such as gender, socioeconomic status, race/ ethnicity, and institutional type. Findings indicated that going to college to fulfill intrinsic motivation needs for autonomy and competence was positively associated with intention to persist and GPA but that motivation geared toward the fulfillment of relatedness needs had a more nuanced relationship to the outcome variables. Implications for recognizing the importance of motivational orientation in student affair research, theory, and practice are provided.

One hundred and eighty-four undergraduate students participated in a discussion on common secondhand consequences of alcohol use, including concerns about personal safety and impact on living environments. Students participating in this discussion prior to completing an assessment of their support for change indicated significantly more support for education- and policy-based alcohol misuse prevention strategies than students completing the same assessment before the discussion. This easy-toimplement and brief intervention may strengthen student resolve to be more proactively involved in prevention of alcohol abuse for their campus community.

Making meaning of how, what, when, and where students learn is a vital, exciting, and inspiring component of higher education. Increasing external demands for accountability and internal commitments to improvement are amplifying the need for comprehensive assessment practices. Assessment Reconsidered: Institutional Effectiveness for Student Success promotes the shared ownership of assessment planning among faculty, student affairs educators, administrators, and students. As a project of the International Center for Student Success and Institutional Accountability (ICSSIA), Assessment Reconsidered focuses on the collaborative use of all campus resources in promoting student success. Written by an ensemble of educators with broad experience in assessment theory and practice in higher education, this illuminating work helps both student affairs professionals and faculty members address internal and public questions about the functioning of postsecondary institutions by reconsidering assessment policies, patterns, and practices in colleges and universities. While the book acknowledges and responds to greater expectations for institutional accountability, its focus is on building capacity to engage in evidence-based, reflective practice and supporting educators in doing their best work. Assessment Reconsidered is not primarily a workbook or “how to” manual; instead, it addresses the substantive aspects of assessment and prepares readers to begin or improve assessment practice; it lays the foundation of concepts, knowledge, and skills that is essential for effectiveness

The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of heavy alcohol use, related harm, and implications for prevention among community college students. We used data from 7,965 students at 19 community colleges who responded to the Core Alcohol and Other Drug Survey. This secondary analysis of the survey data found heavy consumption among 47% of 17- to 24-year-old community college students, a figure that reflects national trends at 4-year colleges, and a significant heavy consumption rate (23%) among students who are 25 or older. Similarly, the study found that consumption and harm varied by individual background, environment, and student attitudes. Community colleges are challenged to consider the role alcohol plays in student health and learning, and whether new efforts to ameliorate the harm from heavy alcohol use are warranted in an era of limited institutional resources.

Although datasets such as the Integrated Postsecondary Data System are available as inputs to higher education funding formulas, these datasets can be unreliable, incomplete, or unresponsive to criteria identified by state education officials. State formulas do not always match the state's economic and human capital goals. This article analyzes the Kentucky benchmark approach in light of priorities and goals that state funding for higher education should optimally achieve. The findings indicate that the formula does not directly produce the set of incentives it was designed to achieve, nor, at least in one example, does it assign institutions appropriate peer groups.

The authors examined the influence of fraternity men's expectancies regarding secondhand consequences of excessive drinking behavior on normative standards regarding alcohol use and consumption levels. Participants were 381 men from 26 chapters of 2 national fraternities. One organization participated in a brief intervention involving discussion of secondhand consequences of excessive drinking. Immediate influence of the intervention on perceived secondhand consequences of alcohol use was assessed using a posttest-only, randomized groups design. Results supported a hypothesized measurement model with 1 overall secondhand consequence expectancy construct and 4 subfactors: (a) Noise Disruptive of Sleep and Study, (b) Violence, (c) Sexual Assault, and (d) Property Damage. Cross-sectional analysis at the chapter and individual levels demonstrated that secondhand expectancies had an indirect effect on alcohol consumption, mediated by personal consumption standards for limiting alcohol consumption. The intervention had an effect on secondhand expectancies. Findings suggest that interventions with intact groups can increase secondhand expectancies regarding excessive drinking and may lead to a reduction in excessive alcohol consumption.

This paper examines the effects of the migration pattern of college students in the United States, particularly within Illinois. Some states send most of their best and brightest to in-state schools, while others send a larger portion out of state. A set of winning and losing states is created in the migration pattern and ensuing economic benefits that follow those workers that are highly educated. Illinois exports many more high school graduates to colleges in other states than it imports. This migration pattern is important because college students who attend college in other states are far less likely to live and work in their home state after graduation. Thus, when Illinois loses a college student, its ability to build a competitive workforce – human capital – is diminished.

The purpose of the evaluation was to examine the process that two campuses went through as a result of implementing alcohol abuse strategies. Specifically, the evaluation focused on the implementation and administrative experiences of those charged with preventing alcohol abuse on each campus. The results suggest that the evidence-based prevention grant program is a valuable tool for pushing campuses with prevention infrastructure forward.

A rationale for providing high-quality support during teachers’ early years is to develop further the skills teachers acquire during preparation and to help overcome weaknesses that might lead them to abandon the profession. Yet, almost no consideration has been given to potential interactions between preservice preparation and induction support received. This study utilizes survey and administrative data to examine the effects, including interactions, of preservice preparation and early career support on new teachers’ career intentions and decisions. Consistent with previous research, we find a direct association between perceived preparation quality and leaving teaching. Moreover, we find the quality and comprehensiveness of mentoring and induction to be related to teachers’ intentions and decisions. Our results also suggest that comprehensive support moderates the relationship between preservice preparation and intentions to leave. The findings point to the importance of considering preservice preparation in combination with induction support in efforts to address teacher attrition.

This case explores various entrepreneurial initiatives introduced by Dr. Ron Dow, dean of libraries, at a private, research-extensive institution in the northeastern United States. The case serves as an example of how entrepreneurial ideas can be applied within educational contexts, specifically, the academic support context of the university library. The accompanying teaching notes facilitate analysis of the potential and limits of entrepreneurial practice for educational leaders who operate within the ever-changing fiscal landscape of academe.

This article presents the results of an experiment designed to determine the impact of a group discussion about second-hand consequences of alcohol use on college students' intentions to consume alcohol. Participants were students enrolled in two large Community Health courses at a large Midwestern university (n = 184). After randomization of class sections into an intervention or a control group, intervention group students participated in a class discussion on the negative consequences college students experience as a result of other students' drinking behavior, prior to answering survey questions regarding their drinking behavior intent. Compared to controls who completed the questionnaire only, intervention group participants reported intent to limit themselves to fewer drinks per drinking occasion (p = .003) and fewer drinks per week (p = .004). The effects of the brief educational intervention were analyzed using structural equation modeling, to test the feasibility of a hypothesized intervention mechanism.

Research indicates that reasons for attending college influence college success and that college students of color (CSC) can be motivated to attend college for different reasons than White college students (WCS). The Need for Relatedness at College Questionnaire (NRC-Q) was developed and tested to provide an instrument for identifying and understanding the various ways in which needs for relatedness, a salient motivator for many CSC, affect college success. On the basis of the recommendation from D. Guiffrida’s (2006) cultural critique of V. Tinto’s (1993) theory, the scale was developed with a self-determination theory (E. L. Deci & M. R. Ryan, 1991) perspective. Results support the content validity, internal consistency, temporal stability, and construct validity of the scale items, and a confirmatory factor analysis supported the underlying structures of the scale. Results also suggest that college students’ needs for relatedness at home are more complex than previous research has suggested.

Research indicates that reasons for attending college influence college success and that college students of color (CSC) can be motivated to attend college for different reasons than White college students (WCS). The Need for Relatedness at College Questionnaire (NRC-Q) was developed and tested to provide an instrument for identifying and understanding the various ways in which needs for relatedness, a salient motivator for many CSC, affect college success. On the basis of the recommendation from D. Guiffrida’s (2006) cultural critique of V. Tinto’s (1993) theory, the scale was developed with a self-determination theory (E. L. Deci & M. R. Ryan, 1991) perspective. Results support the content validity, internal consistency, temporal stability, and construct validity of the scale items, and a confirmatory factor analysis supported the underlying structures of the scale. Results also suggest that college students’ needs for relatedness at home are more complex than previous research has suggested.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Rochester, Margaret Warner Graduate School of Education and Human Development, 2010., Ethics is an important element of most graduate professional training programs. In the field of Library and Information Science (LIS) the inclusion of ethics in the curriculum is supported by a position paper by library educators and is monitored in the accreditation of graduate programs. Despite the many LIS programs which claim to integrate ethics, few authors have examined how they are accomplishing this integration, and fewer still have explored the nature of the integration. The purpose of this research is to expand the descriptive literature on the current teaching of ethics in graduate LIS programs by investigating ethics integration across the curriculum. The research describes the views and experiences of administrators and teachers on institution-wide tactics for integration of ethics across the curriculum. The research also details the strategies that teachers used to integrate ethics into existing core courses in LIS curricula. The conceptual framework, which grounds this study of the integration of ethics, is based on the taxonomy of the teaching of professional ethics. The research is based on a qualitative methodology that uses sequential data gathering, including document review, interviews and a focus group. The data analysis uses the constant comparative coding method for analyzing the documents, interviews, and the focus group. The findings of the research serve to answer the study’s two research questions. Investigation of the first research question, “How did teachers and administrators describe institution-wide ethics efforts?”, resulted in three key findings: the subjects recognized the importance of the teaching of ethics; the participants identified two types of challenges involved in promoting ethics, those across LIS schools and those effecting students; and the schools have devised processes to initiate, implement and evaluate the integration of ethics. Research required to answer the second research question that concerns the ways that t

This article shows how universities, like education and social services in general, are increasingly pressured to adopt neoliberal principles that encourage privatization, entrepreneurship, standardization, assessment, and accountability. The authors examine recent efforts in the United States to develop measurement and accountability systems that commodify higher education, and show how they reflect a neoliberal rationale that undermines the historical purposes of higher education, reduces faculty autonomy, and harms the common good. However, they propose ways in which assessment and accountability might be implemented in higher education so as to promote teaching and learning responsive to the interests of students, faculty, the university, and wider communities.

This case explores various entrepreneurial initiatives introduced by Dr. Ron Dow, dean of libraries, at a private, research-extensive institution in the northeastern United States. The case serves as an example of how entrepreneurial ideas can be applied within educational contexts, specifically, the academic support context of the university library. The accompanying teaching notes facilitate analysis of the potential and limits of entrepreneurial practice for educational leaders who operate within the ever-changing fiscal landscape of academe.

Building on the promise of interactive, multimedia education, this evaluation study examines an alcohol abuse prevention program, AlcoholEdu, delivered through an interactive Web-based format for the purpose of reducing the harm associated with student alcohol abuse. The study uses a clustered, randomly assigned post-test only evaluation design with 20,150 individuals to examine differences between individuals who have and have not yet received the educational program. Analyses examined the efficacy of the intervention among different groups of students: those who are members of Greek letter organizations, those referred because of judicial sanctions, or those entering their first year of study. Findings hint toward evidence that interactive health-related web tools can contribute to preventing high-risk student health behaviors in the campus environment, with self-reported evidence suggesting implementation among first-year students to be the most promising.

A rationale for providing high-quality support during teachers’ early years is to develop further the skills teachers acquire during preparation and to help overcome weaknesses that might lead them to abandon the profession. Yet, almost no consideration has been given to potential interactions between preservice preparation and induction support received. This study utilizes survey and administrative data to examine the effects, including interactions, of preservice preparation and early career support on new teachers’ career intentions and decisions. Consistent with previous research, we find a direct association between perceived preparation quality and leaving teaching. Moreover, we find the quality and comprehensiveness of mentoring and induction to be related to teachers’ intentions and decisions. Our results also suggest that comprehensive support moderates the relationship between preservice preparation and intentions to leave. The findings point to the importance of considering preservice preparation in combination with induction support in efforts to address teacher attrition.

The purpose of the evaluation was to examine the process that two campuses went through as a result of implementing alcohol abuse strategies. Specifically, the evaluation focused on the implementation and administrative experiences of those charged with preventing alcohol abuse on each campus. The results suggest that the evidence-based prevention grant program is a valuable tool for pushing campuses with prevention infrastructure forward.

This book of case studies is designed to serve as a resource guide to help higher education students apply higher education leadership and management theories to practice, and to allow them to actively engage in working through diverse institutional issues within assorted institutional contexts. Though this collection of cases was initially created to facilitate the application of theory to practice in small group discussions, individual cases can be easily utilized for more formalized written responses. The cases have been thematically organized within the following broad leadership and management categories: 1) leadership issues; 2) addressing mental health issues; 3) moments of crisis and campus safety; 4) technology in academia; 5) academic freedom; 6) campus diversity; 7) strategic planning and staffing issues; 8) working with student organizations; and 9) policy issues and fiscal tensions.

Although datasets such as the Integrated Postsecondary Data System are available as inputs to higher education funding formulas, these datasets can be unreliable, incomplete, or unresponsive to criteria identified by state education officials. State formulas do not always match the state's economic and human capital goals. This article analyzes the Kentucky benchmark approach in light of priorities and goals that state funding for higher education should optimally achieve. The findings indicate that the formula does not directly produce the set of incentives it was designed to achieve, nor, at least in one example, does it assign institutions appropriate peer groups.