In this study, an early warning system predicting first-year undergraduate student academic performance is developed for higher education institutions. The significant factors that affect first-year student success are derived and discussed such that they can be used for policy developments by related bodies. The dataset used in experimental…

The current exploratory study determined the prevalence of the sport management academic degree being offered in top-ranked institutions as based on "U.S. News & World Report" rankings. A focus on the differences of bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees being offered, or not offered, was placed on national universities and…

This article introduces a process for computational text classification that can be used in a variety of qualitative research and evaluation settings. The process leverages supervised machine learning based on an implementation of a multinomial Bayesian classifier. Applied to a community of inquiry framework, the algorithm was used to identify…

Duplicating processes and procedure with anticipation of deviating outcomes is the defining trait of insanity as attributed to a quote by Albert Einstein. It is the antithesis to innovation, which is what is needed in higher education to create impactful changes in the outreach we should be providing to the community. What is important for those…

Brian Martin describes a difficult committee meeting he once attended which consisted of one representative from each department. When the meeting ended it left a bitter taste for many who participated. Having learned from this experience, Martin became a chair of the committee and tried a new system that overcame many of the previous problems.…

Over the past decade, but especially in the past few years, programs with a "promise" label have been advanced at the local, state, and federal levels. To advance understanding of the design, implementation, and impact of the many different versions of emerging programs, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers need an organizing…

Recent calls to hold preparation programs accountable for outcomes have led states to develop and adopt preparation program accountability systems. A primary feature of these systems is a focus on outcomes such as placement rates, retention rates, and graduates' effectiveness in improving K-12 student achievement. Yet, little research has examined…

As the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) celebrates its fiftieth year, the organization has an excellent opportunity to reflect on how honors education has spread during its history. Tracking growth in the number of institutions delivering honors education outside of its membership has not been a priority for NCHC or for researchers in…

The National Postsecondary Education Cooperative (NPEC) of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) commissioned this research paper to examine the postsecondary certificate program landscape and to extend the 2012 NPEC report, "Defining and Reporting Subbaccalaureate Certificates in IPEDS", which clearly identified…

Unlike law, business, and medical schools, as well as universities in general, journalism schools and journalism programs have rarely been ranked. Publishers such as "U.S. News & World Report," "Forbes," "Bloomberg Businessweek," and "Washington Monthly" do not pay them much mind. What is the best…

The community college baccalaureate and the university-center baccalaureate models are gaining traction in the state of California as alternatives to addressing the need for greater access to baccalaureate degree programs and to increase the baccalaureate-educated workforce. Little is known about the characteristics and factors associated with the…

This research investigates the reliability and validity of three major publications' rankings of MBA programs. Each set of rankings showed reasonable consistency over time, both at the level of the overall rankings and for most of the facets from which the rankings are derived. Each set of rankings also showed some levels of convergent and…

This study examined the current state of online occupational programs in community colleges and explored issues related to institutional, economic, and social indicators that influence (a) the offering of online programs and (b) the programmatic connection to workforce development needs. The study is based on a random sample of 321 institutions in…

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree is arguably one of the longest-established and largest degree programmes in the Australian higher education system. Traditionally, the BA programme is a liberal arts degree that is considered the first step in the lifelong journey of learning and that is frequently marketed as such. Yet, in an increasingly…

Academic program rankings are highly anticipated by many university administrators, faculty, and alumni. This study analyzed the perceptions of agricultural education departmental contact persons to identify esteemed post-secondary agricultural education programs and the distinguishing characteristics of each program. The ten most distinguished…