This multiple case study research was conducted to study lone-arranger archivists at small colleges and universities who have utilized their archival collections to provide instruction to undergraduates. The study's primary research question focused on answering how university archives and archivists utilize the primary source materials in their…

Institutions of higher education increasingly have adopted high-impact practices (HIPs) as a means to increase student retention and engagement. Yet, the growth and assessment of these practices have primarily focused on a student's first and final years, which can contribute to a second-year slump. Administrative data from a small, 4-year liberal…

If the book in common is truly an institutional endeavor, campus stakeholders (i.e., faculty, staff, and administrators) should feel some sense of ownership during the development phase of common book programs. Faculty, staff, and administrators play a crucial role in student development, and to ignore the voice of those campus stakeholders would…

Increasingly, students training in the biological sciences depend on a proper grounding in biological statistics, data science and experimental design. As biological datasets increase in size and complexity, transparent data management and analytical methods are essential skills for undergraduate biologists. We propose that using the software R…

When Vicky Wood came to Washington State Community College as president in 2017, the college was investing limited resources in efforts to improve student success. Dr. Wood brought on a new leadership team, which has engaged faculty and staff throughout the college in making substantial changes to organizational practice and culture with the goal…

In this highly disruptive and uncertain period for higher education, while governing boards and the senior leadership of colleges and universities may be fulfilling their roles conscientiously, their efforts may not be enough to ensure the long-term viability of their institution's business model. Pre-COVID-19 market forces presented significant…

This longitudinal study evaluated the efficacy of a summer bridge program (SBP) and other support services on college graduation rates at a small liberal arts school in Purchase, NY. Financially disadvantaged students (n = 136) receiving a scholarship and a summer bridge curriculum within the Manhattanville Achievement Program were compared to…

This practice-based approach argues service learning can teach social justice in parks & recreation management education. The US parks system creation and history is rooted in injustice. Use of US parks and park service employment remain inequitable today. Significant work must be done in the provision of recreation and park services to all…

Small, private colleges in the United States provide students with close-knit and individualized college experiences. However, these institutions are increasingly vulnerable to closures, mergers, and acquisitions due to economic downturns, enrollment challenges, and many other internal and external factors. Compared to their larger public and…

This qualitative study aims to provide insight into why teacher candidates, interested in pursuing K-12 teaching, made the decision to leave their traditional teacher preparation programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers utilized sociocultural theory as the framework to ground the research. The study finds the educational disruption…

With high school populations declining throughout New England and in several other regions of the country, it's only natural to be concerned about the fiscal challenges confronting the nation's private colleges and universities. Forecasts by prominent higher education experts increasingly suggest that many, if not most, small private institutions…

Institutions of higher education have faced many challenges over the last few decades. Though many large institutions have the resources needed to respond to these challenges, small institutions have had to be innovative in the ways in which they are adapting. There are similarities between the external challenges that institutions face today and…

This qualitative study, using an ethnographic study design, examined small, private university faculty relationships, experiences, interactions, and perceptions of the community college transfer student. Sachs University faculty were interviewed to provide an insider view of the students' relationships with faculty, as well as the faculty…

This study investigated the relationship between faculty practices and student engagement at a small, Christian liberal arts university using survey responses from 158 undergraduate students and 47 faculty members. Student engagement was measured by academic involvement (AI), extracurricular involvement (EI), and sense of belonging (SB) [Student…

Poor retention and completion outcomes cast doubts about the ability of higher education to provide a return on the money, time, and resource investment. Accountability for the quality of higher education has been an increasingly significant national issue in higher education over the past decade. As pressures for accountability increase, so does…