National events highlight a critical need for refined decision-making skills; tragic ethical shortcomings are all too common in our society (James Madison University, 2013; Smith, Fulcher, & Sanchez, 2015). While employers around the world seek professionals with developed reasoning abilities (Hart Research Associates, 2013; Lau, 2010), higher…

The University of New Hampshire (UNH), Virginia Tech (VT), and Texas A&M University collaborated to envision and plan (all) and then create (UNH and VT) the National Extension Web-mapping Tool (NEWT) to increase the use of spatial data in planning and programming decision making throughout Extension. With NEWT, Extension professionals can…

Leaders must be agile decision makers, engage in critical self-reflection, integrate reflection with action, and collaborate with those who are diverse in considerable ways to be successful in a multifaceted global environment. This quantitative study examines relationships between agile leadership factors and curriculum reform in higher education…

A few years ago, in "Student Success in College (SSiC)," the authors profiled twenty colleges and universities that were unusually effective in fostering student engagement and success, defined as better-than-predicted scores on the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and better-than-predicted graduation rates. These schools are…

Given their value to the student experience, institutional identity, alumni loyalty, and economic welfare, historic preservation efforts must unite with institutional sustainability efforts and other high priorities to develop an approach for mutual success. Further, it is important to recognize the limits in the current milieu of economic…

The U.S. Department of Education recently released a "College Completion Tool Kit" intended to support the higher education attainment goals set by the Obama administration. These goals are consistent with the state's Strategic Master Plan for Higher Education. The tool kit lays out strategies for achieving higher levels of attainment…

This paper examines a burgeoning network of organizations that is inventing new forms of community renewal and citizenship education. Their names vary--some call themselves public policy institutes, others centers for civic life--yet they share a common methodology, one aimed at tackling tough public issues, strengthening communities, and…

Decision cases have been used in the United States for higher education in agriculture and natural resources, as well as in extension education. Few cases have been developed for secondary education audiences and fewer yet for both secondary and higher education applications. This case was developed for use in both secondary- and university-level…

Descriptive statistics of grading scales used in 371 Virginia high schools are discussed in light of the admissions decisions at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. An analysis of the effect of grading scales on admissions decisions is presented. Nontraditional analysis is recommended as an alternative for interpreting the complex…

This directory, which updates and expands a 1989 version, provides information to guide students with disabilities, their parents, and school personnel in planning for postsecondary higher education opportunities. The guide is divided into seven sections to assist in planning and choosing the right college. A year-by-year plan stresses the need to…

Purpose: To measure the degree of implementation and satisfaction level with the outsourcing initiatives from higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach: Uses a survey questionnaire to measure the levels of satisfaction with the institutions' services and the questionnaire was based on six factors that are deemed significant in…

A case study of Sullins College, which in 1975 requested that the state of Virginia investigate the feasibility of incorporating the college into the state's public higher education system, is presented. This small, private, two-year college in southwest Virginia had been struggling for several years to maintain its small enrollment. Historical…

This booklet provides information about postsecondary educational opportunities and career planning for upper-level high school students in Virginia and their parents. The introductory chapter is a general overview of education after high school: decision making, finances, career exploration, and information seeking. Chapter 2 focuses on…

This minicourse, designed for use with "After High School, Book 5" of the Educational Opportunities in Virginia series, consists of six 50-minute guidance sessions to be conducted over 5 to 6 weeks. Session 1 is an orientation to course materials and a discussion of chapter 1 of the text. Session 2 is a decision-making activity to help…

A descriptive research study was conducted to determine those factors influencing people to select a career in agricultural education. Undergraduate students majoring in agricultural education at Virginia Tech and randomly chosen Virginia vocational agriculture teachers were surveyed by the use of a project-developed instrument. Among the findings…