In this dissertation, I quantify the impact of uncertainty on schooling postsecondary choices, study the returns to higher education degrees, and analyze the effects of policies that intend to reduce college education costs. In the second and third chapters, I employ structural Roy models and data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth…

Academics are becoming more thoughtful on where they want to live as the culture war on queerness has entered higher education. Universities, in order to recruit the best and the brightest, need to consider how to create an environment that retains and attracts diverse talent. In this article, we examine how to recruit and support LGBTQIA+…

Four cycles of a value creation conceptual framework including: immediate value; potential value; applied value; and realized value, were used to analyze the role of social capital in the creation of experienced and aspired value in collaborative learning. Students' narratives on team development dynamics in a Team Lecture Hybrid (TLH)…

The representation of women in faculty roles within universities broadly and within public affairs departments specifically has been evolving over the past three decades. However, diversifying gender representation in public affairs faculties is not sufficient. Barriers for success remain for women in public affairs departments. Bias exists in…

Group assignments are a near-universal feature of classrooms around the world. They are broadly viewed as more effective than passive forms of learning and are assumed to position students for success in fields that demand high levels of interpersonal communication, like public affairs. But does research support that view? This article examines…

The issue of faculty sexual misconduct is pervasive within academia, and more specifically, our public affairs graduate programs. At least 13% of women in academia experience sexual harassment by a faculty member. For too long, we have relied upon an underground network of individuals who work behind the scenes to protect our students. In this…

The work of crafting sustainable solutions to complex policy problems requires decision makers and implementers to secure buy-in from a diverse set of stakeholders. Those stakeholders operate in policy ecosystems that span public, for-profit, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial sectors. This increasingly complex landscape requires schools of public…

The purpose of this three-essay dissertation is to explore important topics in higher education. In 2010, the Department of Education proposed the controversial Gainful Employment (GE) Regulations that represent a major shift in federal policy and raises the question of the future of higher education. Under GE, certain institutions, mainly…

There is an issue around getting students engaged in subject matter about which they may have little interest. Often, such subject matter is essential to their studies. The module Essential Public Affairs is such a concern for students of journalism. It is essential for their professional qualification. This article explores a pilot project which…

Purpose: This purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which accreditation of public affairs programs can be a tool to advance social equity, diversity, and inclusion. The paper is presented in the context of the widespread acceptance of the importance of addressing social inequalities in Latin America and the critical role that public…

Though the specialty of the public affair management has been developed for ten years, but it is still facing the actuality that the orientation and development are difficult. Only by confirming the cultivation target and the development orientation, the development of the specialty could find the development approach and method. According to the…

Describes a new doctoral program in "public intellectualism" at Florida Atlantic University intended for journalists, artists, and activists. Two year-long required courses, "Public Matters," and "Rhetoric and Principle," form the centerpiece of the curriculum. Students then concentrate in one of 13 areas and also…

Using his experience with rankings of Master's degree programs in public affairs, one public administration professor provides lessons for those in other disciplines who are about to be ranked, explaining what he learned from being ranked and how to improve the process. A sidebar presents U.S. News & World Report rankings in Master's Degree…

Describes how academic and administrative buildings can be designed to support learning into the next century in the following examples: an applied science an engineering facility; a college greenhouse; and a public affairs classroom building. Photos and floor plans accompany each example. (GR)