Although higher education institutions may be described as forward-thinking in areas such as research, their teaching practices are often perceived as lacking in innovation. This disjunction has led educators, researchers, and policymakers to question the role and implementation of change in higher education contexts and the factors that affect…

The purpose of this study is to understand how strategy and strategic decision-making have contributed to financial strength at those small, private, non-profit, less-selective, tuition-dependent institutions with small endowments that have established financial stability. Interviews were conducted of participants at three institutions, including…

Regional, private colleges that are heavily reliant on revenue from traditional, undergraduate students are facing mounting challenges in fulfilling their enrollment targets in an increasingly competitive educational landscape (Lederman, 2019). This scenario has placed a significant strain on the marketing function of these institutions, requiring…

Hospital-affiliated higher education institutions face a multitude of challenges and uncertainties, from a decline in enrollment to financial instabilities to large-scale health-system mergers. These higher education organizations must adapt in order to overcome challenges and remain sustainable in the future. Previous research was limited…

The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that influence the use of institutional assessment in support of student outcomes at four-year public institutions of higher education. This study focused on small institutions, defined as having enrollment below that of the median value, across the nation. An electronic survey was sent to chief…

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the reasons for small private college participation in intercollegiate athletics during the COVID-19 pandemic. The dissertation also provides context to institutional staff members' decision-making processes and experiences charged with overseeing athletics participation. Finally, the dissertation…

The percentage of full-time college students decreased by 7% in the United States between 2010 and 2018. Modern university leaders confront difficult decisions regarding their institutions' future because of financial challenges related to reduced tuition revenue. Grounded in the theory of diffusion of innovations and the balanced scorecard, the…

To continue to meet the changing needs of students and the evolving higher education environment, further exploration into the viability of an online career development course was needed. The purpose of this post-positivist, quantitative, quasi-experimental design study was to examine the effectiveness of an online career development course versus…

The purpose of this study was to gain essence of understanding of the phenomena of the influence of culture on the change process at small, private colleges. Research questions included cultural characteristics of a campus, the impact of policy and procedure on shaping culture, the role of leadership in shaping culture, and contextual conditions…

Although faculty members are the front line adopters of technology in education, some appear to be unhurried to accept and use technology as part of their curriculum to meet institutional and student demands. The problem was that there was not a complete understanding of how faculty members made decisions on whether or not to implement new…

Research on college student retention has been conducted for over four decades. However, the majority of this research focuses on first-year college students, with very few studies focusing on the retention of college seniors. While only a small percentage of college seniors withdraw from their universities, the impact of not obtaining a…

This study examines the factors that influence the creation, purchase, and selection of free instructional technology. Specifically, this study uses the RIPPLES Model to examine the perceptions and reflections of instructional technology directors and staff members with regard to the Resources, Infrastructure, People, Policies, Learning,…

This study explored whether financial leaders and institutional governing boards use financial indicators as a tool to inform decision making, solely as a compliance measurement tool, or not at all. The purpose of this qualitative study was two-fold to: (a) identify the use of financial indicators in strategic decision making, and (b) investigate…

In the 2000s, changes in the external environment, including changing student demographics, increased competition, and declining government support, are affecting public higher education administrators. The growth in online enrollment is increasing at a rate higher than the total higher education enrollment, and the majority of university…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of single college women who had an unplanned pregnancy while attending a small private four-year university in the upper midwest. The conceptual framework used to provide direction for this study was social constructivism. A phenomenological approach was used to seek the reality…