In this longitudinal qualitative study, we examined how 23 undocumented college students with and without DACA navigated the college graduation process and transitioned out of higher education. Despite the growing number of undocumented students with and without DACA enrolling and graduating from college over the past 10 years, few studies have…

The purpose of this study was to examine international students' racial sensemaking and perceptions of race, racism, and racial conflict in the United States in the years 2020/2021. The past year was one filled with contention, including the politicizing of a global virus and racial conflict from anti-Blackness and anti-Asian violence. Although…

Economic information may close aspiration disparities for postsecondary education across socioeconomic, ethnic, and partisan divides. In 2017, we estimated impacts of information on such disparities by means of a survey experiment administered to a nationally representative sample of 4,214 adults. A baseline group was asked whether they preferred…

The world is rapidly becoming more educated at higher education level. In nearly all countries with per capita GDP of more than about $5,000 per annum there is a long-term tendency to growth of participation. The worldwide Gross Tertiary Enrollment Ratio (GTER) increased from 10% in 1972 to 32% in 2012, and is now rising by 1% a year. By 2012 the…

What explains the different levels of tuition and financial aid observed in the United States? This study hypothesizes that state-level political characteristics account for much of the variation observed. Of particular importance are the ideology of state legislators and the relative influence of public and private institutions. Estimates of a…

Our fixed-effects panel data analysis of state spending on higher education fills a near void of studies examining capital expenditures on higher education. In our study, we found that political characteristics (e.g., interest group activity, organizational structure, and formal powers) largely account for differences between general fund and…

This paper presents a framework informed by spatial models of politics to explain the dynamics of political competition in higher education policy and, in particular, the observed instability in the relationship between political variables and policy outcomes. To this end, I explore competing hypotheses for the relationship between government…

This longitudinal study examines factors that explain differences in levels of state appropriations for higher education across states, sectors, and institutions between 1984 and 2004. The study sheds light on the complex relationship between institutional mission, state fiscal health, and state political context in explaining appropriations for…

State funding remains one of the most prominent and debated issues confronting U.S. higher education. In this paper, the authors report the results of a longitudinal analysis of factors associated with state funding efforts for higher education. They begin by developing a conceptual framework that more closely integrates key state political…

A growing body of research indicates that the manner in which states govern higher education "matters." Thus, the restructuring of governance patterns may hold important implications for higher education policy, finance, and management. Somewhat more abstractly, shifting governance patterns afford researchers an excellent opportunity to test…

Analyzed are some of the political problems encountered in conducting evaluations in higher education. An operational university evaluation system which minimizes some of these problems is cited. (Editor)

The special consideration given to academics in American higher education creates a relatively closed political environment that increases higher education's resistance to change and diversification. However, since in this system the consumer has recognized rights, more study should be made of the interplay of consumers, academics, and political…

Analyzes the higher education lobby conceptual framework (based on constituent interests) and political framework (based on lobby resources and interorganizational relationships) concluding that while the interest groups have unique characteristics, the associations reflect the decentralized, fragmented, and nonideological character of the…

Common strategies for making public educational policy are outlined and a variety of indirect and slow as well as direct uses of policy are examined. Some suggestions are provided for policy analysts to make their work more relevant to current policy debates. (MSE)

Study of the inclusion of students on boards of trustees. (IR)