This qualitative study examined how the conforming pressures related to physical appearance influenced the career experiences of senior-level Black women administrators in higher education. Employing a phenomenological approach, the research utilized semi-structured interviews and document analysis to delve into the participants' lived…

Students who struggle to build strong relationships with their teachers are more likely to drop out of school. This problem directly impacts high school graduation rates in urban areas. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore best practices urban high school teachers in NYC used to develop positive relationships with their students…

Despite the growing visibility of equity and access work in higher education, increasing the college degree attainment of Native Hawaiian students remains an urgent goal. The University of Hawai?i-West O?ahu, a regional public university, has the vision and location to realize this kuleana. Colonization and the illegal occupation of Hawai?i led to…

Student affairs professionals (SAPs) are no strangers to experiencing secondary trauma as their work in multiple fields brings them in close contact with students in crisis. During the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education found its world turned upside down and students were facing heightened trauma due changing class modalities, problematic…

For years, researchers have been vocal about teacher burnout; however, to date, no legislation is in place to reduce or curtail burnout of the people responsible for shaping this world's future. While we would agree that we sometimes need good stress or "eustress" to push us to our maximum potential, it is a concern that bad stress or…

Current literature shows a trend away from hiring faculty on a tenure line and instead hiring full-time non-tenure track faculty. Full-time non-tenure track faculty are becoming the majority base of the full-time faculty. It is unclear how this new majority of full-time non-tenure track faculty perceive shared governance at their respective…

Pursuing postsecondary education is complicated for adult learners with children, also known as parenting adult learners (PALs). PALs must consider family expenses in addition to college expenses and make tough decisions about how to spend their time across their academic, work, and family responsibilities. Nonetheless, PALs are highly motivated,…

There is a serious problem worldwide as a result of the continuing decline in teacher retention rates. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States fell short of the required teaching staff; this decrease perpetuated the national special education teacher shortage. The COVID-19 pandemic brought education to the forefront of many homes and…

Men comprise the majority within science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), yet efforts to generate more inclusive environments within these disciplinary cultures often focus their attention on shifting women's behaviors. However, a limited number of formal training initiatives have demonstrated the efficacy of men allies for their women…

The current study examined teachers' perceptions of online and blended professional development and their implementation of acquired learning in the classroom. Interviews with K-12 teachers from across the United States revealed key themes and implications for professional development practices. Collaboration emerged as a crucial element, with…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the root cause of the increased rate of employee turnover at a higher educational institution and how to retain their current employees. The importance of this study was to help the educational institution reduce their employee turnover so they do not continue to struggle to find new talent to replace…

As the entry point into higher education for over half of the bachelor's degree earners, (Trapani & Hale, 2019), community colleges are positioned to have a positive impact of bringing a more diverse student group into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. However, the vertical transfer function from community…

The undocumented student experience has been a topic of interest for educational institutions since the passing of AB 540 in 2001 and has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon amid emergent legislation, ever-changing political climates, and the rise of Dream Centers and undocumented student liaisons across higher education systems. However,…

The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to investigate the teacher's perceptions of their principals performing as rural instructional leaders in Alabama school systems based on the gender of the principal, years of acquaintance with the principal, and teachers' work experience. Influential instructional leaders practice…

This dissertation tested the control-value theory of achievement emotions (CVTAE) in an instructional communication context. Based on the assumptions of CVTAE, the researcher predicted that when instructors were clearer, students would feel more confident in their abilities to perform well in their class and, in turn, experience positive…