The purpose of this study was to describe how Black males access and perceive academic discourse when situated in an academic probation class. Recognizing time management, test preparation, and other learning and study strategies as hidden features of the curriculum, the academic probation course addressed these features through explicit…

This case study focuses on out-of-state undergraduate student recruitment at a small, private liberal arts institution in the southeastern United States. Wolpert's place utility theory, from the field of urban planning, was used as a framework for the study to help explain some of the reasons why a student may choose to attend a private university…

This qualitative study provides interpretations of the nature of strategic plans at small private liberal arts institutions. The study explored the concepts of innovation, entrepreneurship, and transformation detailed in the plans. This study included a specific cohort of eight United States small private liberal arts colleges with similar…

Alignment of revenues and expenses at small, private, nonprofit colleges and universities is a growing challenge for leadership at these institutions. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate what strategies the researcher's university has implemented to potentially lead itself to financial sustainability. Participants and data…

More and more, colleges and universities across the United States and throughout the world are relying on adjunct instructors (sometimes called casual academics or part time instructors) to teach classes in their field of expertise. Often, those classes require a blending of theory into practical application, such as in business, accounting and…

The purpose of this action research study was to understand and strengthen staff and administrators' sense of workplace belonging in a small, private, family-founded college. In Cycle 1 the researcher aimed to understand factors that contributed to participants sense of belonging. Cycle 1 participants responded to a survey to provide insight on…

The faculty composition in U.S. higher education has changed significantly over recent decades (AAUP, 2020; Hurlburt & McGarrah, 2016b; Schuster & Finkelstein, 2006). What was once a faculty model dominated by tenured and tenure-track faculty has shifted to majority contingent. As of 2020, contingent faculty composed nearly 70% of the…

As colleges confront challenging circumstances, the prospect of small, private college closures remains pertinent. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of displaced employees due to college closure. For this study, Schlossberg's (1981) transition theory was used as a foundational lens. Although there…

Decades of research indicate that formative assessment promotes achievement (Black & Wiliam, 1998a; Hattie & Timperley, 2007) and that we must learn more about how to implement formative assessment effectively in higher education settings (Bennett, 2011; Kingston & Nash, 2011; Morris et al., 2021) where most instructors deliver…

Across the U.S., but especially in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, certain higher education institutions are struggling to stay afloat under the weight of decreasing enrollments, high tuition, high tuition discounting, and other threats to their continued existence in their current form. The institutions in the most precarious situations are…

Universities have grappled with declining enrollment over the past decade and have explored various strategies to boost enrollment and enhance student success. To compete with other universities nationally and align their academic calendar with traditional semesters, the university in this study transitioned from four 11-week to five 8-week…

The purpose of this qualitative feminist phenomenological study was to explore women's perceptions of professional advancement to the president role within higher-education administration due to the lack of progress of diversifying college presidencies. To examine challenges that women face as they navigate the career advancing pipeline, it…

This study investigated the predictive relationship between grit and its components (perseverance of effort and consistency of interest) on GPA among students at a small Midwestern private college. Using archival data from 234 participants and drawing upon the grit theory and Tinto's integration Model, the research aimed to determine these effects…

The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to highlight the characteristics that first-time, first-year students at a small, private, faith-based university in South Florida perceive as part of quality advising, what qualities of advising this group of students perceive as most important for their retention, and whether the advisors…

A workforce with highly developed communication skills, also known as career and life skills (CLS), is critical to America's ability to compete in the technologically advanced global and capricious economy. Although the number of college graduates entering the workforce is rising, there remains a perceptible gap in their communication skills,…