In order to better understand how play can be used as a learning tool to teach students in college writing courses, this dissertation examines how play is used in the undergraduate college writing classroom. Using a qualitative case study and narrative inquiry, instructors and students in the University of Minnesota's (UMN) Writing Studies…

Background: The purposes of this study were to (1) longitudinally examine US college and university COVID-19 dashboard content and (2) explore county-level population health and COVID-19 community indicators where colleges with large undergraduate enrollments were located. Methods: We identified 10 colleges with the largest undergraduate…

In December 2023, TICAS published new research on the College Affordability Gap--the gap between students' total cost of attendance and non-loan aid available to them--in California, Michigan, and New York, with a focus on students eligible for Pell Grants. Our new report builds on this research with data from nine additional states (Colorado,…

This brief is part of the Affirming Equity, Ensuring Inclusion, and Empowering Action initiative. The brief describes the emerging practice of direct admissions, including how the practice has been designed, what outcomes it has produced, and considerations for policymakers debating the implementation of a direct admissions program in their state…

This chapter describes a strong partnership with a long history between Rochester Community and Technical College (RCTC) and Winona State University (WSU), and focuses on the advising process utilized by a shared advisor employed by both institutions that has resulted in an improved transfer experience for students.

Performance funding policies for higher education allocate appropriations to public institutions based on student outcomes such as degree completions. This study investigates whether a special science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) incentive in 13 state performance funding policies leads to greater undergraduate degree…

This qualitative study examines the perceptions of faculty and administration of the value of service-learning in the promotion and tenure process at Minnesota State University, Mankato, a midsized, Midwestern public university. The study aims to determine the answers to three main questions: what barriers and logistical issues do faculty face? Is…

The 2020 General Assembly directed the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) to develop a plan for implementing a statewide survey of institutional expenditures by program and academic discipline at Virginia's public higher education institutions, and submit a report and recommendations to the Governor and the Chairs of the House…

Grant aid -- whether based on financial need, merit, or a combination therein -- is the primary form of financial aid awarded by states. States use grant aid to encourage academic preparation, enhance access to postsecondary education, affect students' choice of college, support persistence, and reduce out-of-state migration. State grant aid…

To explore the impacts on public universities of implementing an incentive-based budgeting system, this dissertation focuses on one university's extensive experience with Responsibility Center Management. The financial and non-financial impacts of Responsibility Center Management will be considered by examining the extent to which commonly held…

Michigan's public colleges and universities have become steadily less affordable over the past two decades, mirroring a national trend where state funding of public higher education has not kept pace with costs, leading to increased tuition and fees. States continually assess their higher education tuition and other policies in comparison to their…

Education policy has increasingly utilized collaboration as a critical mechanism for improving educational outcomes by encouraging alignment along the K-16 pipeline, making transfer processes more efficient and cost-effective, and striving to align education credentials with workforce demands. However, there is extensive variation in the degree to…

A growing number of public colleges and universities in the United States have hired management consulting firms to help develop strategies aimed at increasing institutional effectiveness and efficiency. The purpose of this paper is to explore the frames and strategies of consultants in US public higher education reform efforts. Drawing upon a…

This hearing of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions examines the role of states in higher education. Following opening statements by Honorable Tom Harkin (Chairman, Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions) and Honorable Lamar Alexander (U.S. Senator from the State of Tennessee), the following senators provide…

"Getting Prepared 2020" examines patterns of developmental education for Minnesota public high school graduates from the classes of 2012 to 2019 who enrolled in Minnesota postsecondary institutions. This report provides insight into the academic readiness of Minnesota public high school graduates. Developmental education adds to the…