This qualitative study explores the perceptions of value added to the lives of graduates who borrowed money to fund their college educations. Through the lens of cognitive dissonance theory, five themes emerged. Overall, the study participants agreed that the ability to take on student loans to fund their education was worth it, but on the other…

U.S. legislators recently brought back thirty-four tax programs from legislative limbo, extending them for three years. This includes the tuition and fee deduction, used by taxpayers to save on college expenses. This regressive tax policy flows heavily towards higher-income levels, with almost a third of the deduction going to those with incomes…

This two-way, fixed effects analysis examines the relationship between local appropriations and community college state governance structures while examining governance's moderating impact on state-level factors. We find that any type of state-level organization for community colleges does not impact local appropriations, and that in states with…

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the Trump administration ban on individuals from 7 Muslim-majority countries (i.e., Executive Order 13769), influenced prospective international graduate applicants to two Texas institutions. Inferential statistical procedures revealed the presence of a statistically significant, sharp…

Underrepresented students attain a lower proportion of graduate degrees in the United States (US), demonstrating inequity in higher education. The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program has been providing underrepresented students with supports to increase their ability to attain a graduate degree. A systematic literature review…

"Operation Varsity Blues" (OVB) indicted coaches and administrators from eight universities for accepting bribes in exchange for admitting fraudulent athletes. As part of the conspiracy parents paid university officials to admit students with little-to-no sport experience as college athletes. Court filings in the case contrasted OVB to…

Community colleges in the United States have historically held a unique position within the system of higher education because of three characteristics. These characteristics include their doctrine of open access, their consistent affordability in comparison to other higher education options, and courses that are directly applicable to the…

Contextualizing the recent "Fisher v. University of Texas" ruling and how state institutions address diversity and affirmative action, the authors sought to determine how explicit institutions are being with regards to diversity strategic planning. The findings from a qualitative policy analysis determined that while 70% of State Higher…

This integrative analysis will assess the case study of Towson University and the renaming of campus buildings that do not align with the institution's mission regarding its "commitment to diversity and inclusion" ("Mission & Strategic Plan," 2017). The case study will be analyzed using the following organizational…

Faculty work now includes market-like behaviors that create research, teaching, and service opportunities. This study employs an embedded case study design to evaluate the extent to which faculty members interact with external organizations to mitigate financial constraints and how those relationships vary by academic discipline. The findings show…

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to expand upon extant research and uncover trends observed among Black women who are in pursuit of -- or have recently attained -- their doctoral degrees within the United States. Exploring the voices of seven women, findings revealed three primary themes: (1) socialization experiences, (2) student…

Digital curricula and online learning materials are necessary to reach the next generation of teachers. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an online introductory multicultural education course on the culturally responsive teaching self-efficacy (CRTSE) and culturally responsive teaching outcome expectancy (CRTOE) of…

This review examines research regarding instructors' perceptions of the online teaching experience and explores ways in which university administrators can better support online faculty as their institutional online learning enterprises grow. The following sections examine how the growth in online education has led to increased interest in the…

This study examines college and university leaders' responses to student activism and protest on U.S. college campuses between Fall 2014 to Summer 2016. This study utilized a phenomenological research tradition, which facilitated a depth of understanding of how administrators' strategies, or other resources, enhanced campus leaders' ability to…

The purpose of the study was to understand how college counseling and student affairs graduate students make sense of their study abroad experience with cultural difference and how they describe their ability to work with diverse student populations as a result of studying abroad while engaging in intercultural pedagogy. The students in the…