This paper presents the results of a model that simulates the effects of varying preferential admissions policies on the academic profile of a set of 35 small liberal arts colleges. An underlying assumption is that all schools in the set use the same ratio of preferential to non-preferential admissions. The model predicts that even drastic changes…

As both internal and external threats continue to arise and challenge the traditional mold of higher education, the role of the university president is becoming more and more important. The position is being required to serve in an ever-growing number of capacities in addition to steering the direction of the institution. The purpose of the…

This study examined whether a large group of postsecondary students participating in a support program for students classified as having learning disabilities (LD) met criteria for five objective diagnostic models for LD: IQ-achievement discrepancy (1.0 SD, 1.5 SD, and greater than 2.0 SD) models, a "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of…

This paper intends to describe the recent experience of a small, rural, two-year technical college. After four decades of success, the college had found itself in a difficult situation with a substantial loss in enrollment and diminished state and local support, coupled with low campus employee morale. In response, the college team closed ranks…

This non-experimental, regression study examined the relationship between leadership practices and academic achievement for a non-traditional student population. The study was conducted at a small, four-year private college in Eastern North Carolina. The sample consisted of N = 146 (73 male, 73 female) non-traditional students enrolled in an…

This collaborative self-study examines the impact of taking a listening stance in the collegial relationships and practices of three early-career teacher educators within a small, private liberal arts institution. We consider the consequences of a listening stance on students' experiences of our practices and their education program. In addition,…

The complex forces of globalization have transformed higher education institutions in two significant ways. First, they have been compelled to emphasize curricula and degree programs that complement the demands of the contemporary global economy. Second, their drive to expand existing dimensions of internationalization has become a new component…

If the United States is to succeed as a nation in reducing educational disparity, restoring social mobility, and retaining national competitiveness, it must make every effort to ensure that low-income and first-generation students have access to higher education and the support systems they need to obtain a college degree. This objective will…

The purpose of this research is to present a model for evaluating whether a study abroad experience increases intercultural competence as well as to examine whether undergraduate students who participated in a study abroad experience and intercultural competence building coursework demonstrate a significant increase in intercultural competence…

This article discusses the evolution of a single undergraduate computer graphics course over five semesters, driven by a primary question: if one could offer only one undergraduate course in graphics, what would it include? This constraint is relevant to many small and medium-sized colleges that lack resources, adequate expertise, and enrollment…

This study examines senior student affairs leadership through the diverse lenses of subordinates, administrative peers, presidents, and senior student affairs officers (SSAOs). Guided by an interpretive paradigm, a qualitative methodology was employed consisting of a six-case comparative analysis and grounded theory approach. The findings provide…

This dissertation presents a qualitative case study of students enrolled in online courses and how they perceived the orientation program they completed before starting these courses. The study was based on the perspectives of students enrolled in a fully online program at a small community college in western Maine. They were interviewed…

Recently, accrediting bodies are placing great responsibility for accountability on universities and academic schools, departments, and programs. The goal of the increased accountability is improved quality of teaching and learning. In this paper, we describe several levels of accountability for quality teaching and learning in a small, private,…

The College of the Atlantic (COA)--330 students and 43 faculty members ensconced on Maine's remote Mount Desert Island--has resisted growth, seeing smallness as key to providing an unusual education that cuts across disciplines, rejects academic conventions, and takes a highly personalized approach to teaching and learning. The emphasis on…

Some members of the Millennial generation entered postsecondary education at the end of the first decade of the 21st century. From 1980-2009, the importance of technology training for preservice teachers was increasingly recognized. During this same time period, administrators and educators of teacher education programs were urged to prepare…