Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Total quality management (TQM) aspires to customer satisfaction through the continual improvement of processes, products, and services. TQM has been widely applied in business and industry, but less so in higher education. One reason may be the problems associated in defining the customer in higher education. On the other hand, stakeholder theory holds that businesses must create value for a wide variety of stakeholders, including customers, suppliers, employees, and the community. It is widely recognized that higher education has many stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, employers, and the community. Thus, a stakeholder-based TQM may be more relevant for higher education than a customer-based approach.
The purpose of this study was to use an adapted instrument to measure the stakeholder-mindset of faculty towards two stakeholder groups—their students and their students’ future employers. In business, customer-mindset refers to an attitude where employees are focused on understanding, satisfying, and providing value to customers. The customer-mindset instrument (CMSI), which was developed by Kennedy et al. (2002) to measure this mindset, was applied by Guilbault (2010) to higher education, with faculty functioning as employees and students as customers. However, the identification of student-as-customer is not universally accepted in higher education. The present study replaced a customer-centric approach with a stakeholder-oriented one. Although higher education has many stakeholders, this study focused on two groups—students and their future employers. To measure the mindset of faculty toward these groups, the CMSI was adapted into two instruments, the stakeholder-mindset instrument with students as stakeholders (SMSI-S), and the stakeholder-mindset instrument with students’ future employers as stakeholders (SMSI-E). The survey was administered at a public institution with a Carnegie classification of Master’s College and University (medium programs), and it was distributed to faculty within three colleges: Arts and Letters, Science and Mathematics, and Business. Three research questions were studied. First, could the CMSI be successfully adapted to measure stakeholder-mindset? Second, does stakeholder-mindset vary by academic college? Third, does stakeholder-mindset vary by teaching load?
The study found that both stakeholder-mindset instruments, SMSI-S and SMSI-E, met acceptable measures concerning unidimensionality, validity, and reliability, with the SMSI-S being less clear-cut concerning dimensionality. Both instruments were correlated with reported faculty behaviors. Faculty from Business scored significantly higher on the SMSI-E, on average, than faculty from Arts and Letters or Science and Mathematics. However, the stakeholder-mindset of faculty was not correlated with teaching load. Of the three pillars of stakeholder-mindset (understanding, providing value to, and satisfying stakeholders), faculty responses to satisfying stakeholders had the lowest means for both instruments.
Although higher education involves a complex web of stakeholder relationships, this study is the first to investigate the stakeholder-mindset of faculty in higher education. As such, it may help to provide a foundation for the application of both stakeholder theory and total quality management to higher education.

STAKEHOLDER-MINDSET OF FACULTY IN HIGHER EDUCATION

The purpose of this case study is to examine the perceived college readiness, overall transition into college, and perceived self-efficacy as it relates to college-level course work for Howard E. Ivester Early College (Ivester) graduates upon matriculation into the University of North Georgia (UNG). Early college is one delivery method for dual enrollment, a fast-growing program in Georgia. Ivester opened in Fall 2016 and is an independent campus formed through a partnership with Hall County Schools, UNG, Lanier Technical College, and Brenau University. Currently, data on dual enrollment and early college students are significantly limited across Georgia. Participants were recruited based upon their Ivester participation and UNG matriculation. Data were collected using the National Alliance for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP)’s Student Alumni Survey Essential Questions One Year Out of High School questionnaire, adapted with permission, coupled with an individual interview. Twenty-nine participants spanned every year that Ivester has been open between Fall 2016 and Spring 2020 and represented six of the seven Hall County high schools. Ivester graduates reported feeling better prepared academically for college, having more realistic college expectations and more confidence in their ability to succeed, having improved study skills, developing enhanced time management skills, gaining increased belief in their talent and abilities, and feeling better prepared to begin college overall. While the research was conducted, the COVID-19 pandemic occurred. The Ivester students of this time period had a very different experience from those attending prior to the pandemic, yet their positive feedback remained consistent. Participants reported support from faculty and staff, experience with college-like scheduling, optional transportation, and opportunities for independence as critical contributors to their perceived college readiness, overall transition into UNG, and perceived self-efficacy towards college-level coursework.

THE PERCEIVED IMPACT OF EARLY COLLEGE ON STUDENTS’ SELF-EFFICACY AND TRANSITION POST-UNIVERSITY MATRICULATION

This quantitative study aimed to explore the impact of appreciative education methods on burnout in academic advisors, including differences between supervisors and non-supervisors. Two research questions guided this study: (1) What is the relationship between appreciative education approaches and levels of burnout among academic advisors? (2) After adopting appreciative education, how do the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory scores change in supervisors versus non-supervisors? Research indicates burnout has negative impacts on individuals and organizations. Previous research on burnout in student affairs professions and departmental level interventions to reduce burnout are limited. This research addresses these two gaps in the literature. Given the consequences of burnout on individuals and organizations, it is crucial to explore ways to decrease burnout. This study proposed an interrupted times series research design to explore the impact of appreciative education methods on burnout. The Oldenburg Burnout Inventory was used to measure burnout levels in academic advisors before and after introducing appreciative education methods at the department level. The researcher did not discover statistically significant differences in burnout levels before and after the introduction of appreciative education methods. Statistically significant differences were also not found in burnout levels between the supervisor and non-supervisor groups. Given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on burnout and stress, it is promising that there were not statistically significant increases in burnout levels. One question on the burnout inventory had statistically significant differences between the supervisor and non-supervisor groups during pre-training (p = .042). It is encouraging that while at pre-training assessment supervisors had a higher mean response for this question, at post-training a statistically significant difference was not found. Due to the limitations of this present research, specifically the impact of COVID-19, additional research is needed.

THE IMPACT OF AN APPRECIATIVE EDUCATION APPROACH ON BURNOUT LEVELS IN ACADEMIC ADVISORS

The role of the modern presidency is complex, requiring a multitude of skills. Women continue to be underrepresented in the presidency, with just a third of American higher education institutions led by women. In recent years, a rise in non-traditional presidents of higher education institutions has resulted in an increased focus in research on the pathways to the presidency and presidential preparation. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of women presidents within the boundaryless career competencies, to identify key competencies in the areas of skills, characteristics, relationship building, and motivations for the role. A summary of the findings of this research presents multiple themes across the three boundaryless career areas, as well as a fourth area identified as pathways to the presidency. When considering pathways to the presidency, the following themes were identified: all experience is good experience, teaching, experience in academia, non-academic experience, prior leadership experience, interim experience, and a boundaryless career path. Within the know-how competencies, the following themes emerged: problem-solving, financial acumen, communication, multitasking or pivot, self-confidence, decisiveness, vision, work ethic, and being ethical. Within the know-whom competencies, the following themes presented: mentoring, relationships with stakeholders, trust, boundary spanner, valuing perspectives, team building, and people skills. Finally, the know-why competencies, or motivations, revealed the following themes: the importance of motivation, a love of teaching, being asked to lead, institution above self, community impact, institutional fit, did not want to be president, desire for change, and changing lives. Experiences shared by participants across the areas of the boundaryless career competencies as well as their pathways to the role of president revealed a commonality of a servant leadership ethos, an acknowledgement of the realities of life as a public figure, and the importance of support networks.

THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN PRESIDENTS

Rates of anxiety in college students are at an all-time high (Anxiety and Depression Association of America [ADAA], 2019). Research indicates that excessive stressors specific to graduate school have resulted in high levels of anxiety and depression in graduate students (Flaherty, 2018). Hojat et al. (2003) report students with chronic anxiety describe an elevated incidence of sickness, musculoskeletal pain, decreased sleep, headaches, and chronic illnesses associated with exposure to stressful life events. Students with high levels of anxiety demonstrate impediments with academic performance including lower grade point average (GPA), difficulty with short term memory, difficulty concentrating, and test anxiety (Chin et al., 2017; Everly et al., 1994; Owens et al., 2012; Thomas et al., 2017). The purpose of this quantitative study was to test if and how personality traits, demographic characteristics, and coping strategies relate to state and trait anxiety in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students. To answer this question, a survey was sent to all eight DPT programs in the state of Georgia containing the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Brief COPE Scale, the Almost Perfect Scale-Revised, and a demographic questionnaire. This study enrolled 204 participants through convenience sampling. A hierarchical linear regression analysis found an association between use of maladaptive coping strategies, gender, and whether the student was in the first through third year of their DPT curriculum and state anxiety. Trait anxiety was associated with use of maladaptive copings strategies, maladaptive perfectionism personality traits, gender, and year within the DPT program. The results of this study have implications for decision-makers for DPT programs and warrant the need for stress management interventions.

ANXIETY, COPING STRATEGIES, AND  PERFECTIONISM IN DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS

The purpose of this quantitative study is to investigate the effects of differing leadership behaviors displayed by Tactical Officers at the United States Military Academy (USMA) utilizing the Full Range Leadership Model (Bass & Riggio, 2006) compared to cadet performance in the academic, physical, and military pillars. The problem this researcher is trying to study is twofold. This first problem is to contribute to the larger body of literature on leader development at the USMA and the second problem is better preparing future Tactical Officers for their roles as leader developers. This study utilized the Multi-factor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) to survey 265 freshmen cadets from all 36 cadet companies across the USMA. The cadets assessed their Tactical Officer’s leadership behaviors based upon their own perceptions. Each Tactical Officer was then assigned a primary leadership behavior and the results were statistically compared to cadet’s performance in the academic, physical, and military pillars. In addition, 24 Tactical Officers completed a self-assessed MLQ survey and the results were compared to their cadet’s perceptions. The difference between the two assessments resulted in a “self-awareness score” which was correlated to cadet performance in the academic, physical, and military programs. 
The findings of this study resulted in intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration behaviors approaching statistical significance for the academic program, and management by exception – passive approaching statistical significance for the physical program. In the military program, a statistically significant relationship was found between individualized consideration and cadet’s military GPA percentile rank. Finally, a statistically significant correlation was found between a Tactical Officer’s self-awareness score and the change in academic percentile rank. With these findings, this researcher can conclude that Tactical Officer leadership behaviors affect cadet performance. To help bolster these effective behaviors and cadet performance, this researcher recommends enabling future Tactical Officers to complete the Columbia Coaching Certification, espousing and personifying individualized consideration leadership behaviors, actively managing the cadet physical program requirements, and implementing company level command climate survey to increase self-awareness.

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A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TACTICAL OFFICER LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS AND CADET PERFORMANCE AT THE UNITED STATES MILITARY

The purpose of the present research is to investigate novice students’ strategic self-regulated learning of Russian as a foreign language and the role of the proposed self-efficacy-based instructional method in fostering the students’ strategic self-regulated language learning. Developing self-regulated skills in foreign language learners is an endeavor that leads to better control over personal goals, goal-achieving strategies, self-reflection, self-efficacy, and eventually performance (Zimmerman, 1990). Acquiring and developing strategies for better self-regulation in the process of a foreign language learning is viewed through the lenses of Oxford’s (2011) Strategic Self-Regulation framework (S2R). The framework outlines certain metastrategies that help regulate the cognitive, affective, and sociocultural-interactive dimensions of foreign language learning. In the present study, S2R is used as a conceptual model for analyzing the studying techniques of higher and lower self-regulated students of Russian at the novice level. A learner’s sense of self-efficacy plays an important role in the amount of effort the learner puts into studying and regulating the approaches to studying (Bandura, 1997). Thus, the proposed self-efficacy-based instructional method aims to foster the students’ planning, goal setting, effort management, monitoring, and self-evaluating throughout the language learning process. The study employs the sequential exploratory mixed-methods design that incorporates a quantitative phase for identifying higher and lower self-regulated students and a qualitative phase for investigating their approaches to studying Russian at the novice level and their perceptions of the proposed instructional method. The findings demonstrate that the higher self-regulated students rely more on metacognitive strategies whereas the lower self-regulated students mostly employ cognitive strategies; both groups of students expressed positive attitudes toward the proposed instructional method that helped them become more metacognitively aware in the learning process and reduced anxiety as they felt more confident in their content knowledge and language skills.

SELF-EFFICACY-BASED INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD FOR STRATEGIC SELF-REGULATION OF RUSSIAN AT THE NOVICE LEVEL

Student success for marginalized populations has become a priority for post-secondary institutions, especially Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI). As a factor in the institutional environment, the objective of this case study was to understand the advising experience of first-generation Hispanic students at a Georgia HSI. Using the lens of Sanford’s (1966) Theory of Challenge and Support, student interviews were conducted, and institutional documents and archival advising survey records were analyzed to understand the student perceptions of academic advising. Participants shared challenges as first-generation students with the lack of knowledge and family understanding and as Hispanic student with familial support, help seeking attitudes and legal status. In discussing their advising experiences, participants discussed various ways that advisors provided support and expressed the value they found in advising. Participants cited caring, communication, knowledgeable, and empathy as desired characteristics of a supportive advisor. Awareness of a student’s background, a limited presence of constructive challenges and inconsistencies in advising experiences highlighted issues that could prevent students from reaching the optimum growth part of the challenge-support continuum. Results provide insights for institutions to evaluate and create ways to improve their advising programs and support systems for first-generation, Hispanic students.

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGE AND SUPPORT OF ACADEMIC ADVISING FOR FIRST-GENERATION HISPANIC STUDENTS AT A RURAL HISPANIC SERVING INSTITUTION

One of the common strategies to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and attractiveness for higher educational institutions involves merging multiple institutions. These actions can create serious changes to culture and identity — impacting stakeholders like students, faculty, staff, communities, supporters and alumni. The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to explore ways alumni identity may have changed due to a merger between two higher educational institutions in the State of Georgia. Prior merger research has predominantly explored effects on other stakeholders, with limited emphasis on alumni issues. The theoretical framework for this study was organizational identity for alumni as based on social identity theory. Participants from an Alumni Association Board of Directors provided data, through semi-structured interviews, about the components of their identity to the newly-merged institution and how that may have changed from their alma mater. The results indicated that symbols, experiences, and value were the principal ways alumni identified with the new institution. These elements of identity can provide insight into alumni perspectives for administrators planning future higher education mergers as well as further research opportunities.

CHANGES IN ALUMNI IDENTITY DURING A HIGHER EDUCATION MERGER

Higher education policymakers throughout the United States continue to urge states to expedite students’ college completion as part of the 21st century thrust toward higher education relevancy. The University System of Georgia’s Nexus degree in Film and Video Production is one of the emerging variants of credentialed degree programs and delivery systems under development within higher education. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the Nexus degree in Film and Video Production as it fits into the broader higher education trend of non-traditional credentials and certifications that expedite a pathway to degree completion, student success, and programmatic goal achievement. This case study employed interviews, observations, and document analysis to examine faculty’s, administrators’, and other principals’ perceptions of the new Nexus degree. Using historic data such as news and public relations articles, program briefs, accreditation documents, meeting minutes, curricula and course descriptions, and credentialing data, this study considered the Nexus degree as an experiential pathway to degree completion under the lens of Clayton Christenson’s theory of innovation. Results of this study demonstrate that the Nexus degree—more legitimate than most stand-alone certificates—backed by a university system and by extension its accrediting body can prove viable and recognized, and with some collaborative effort, educational sectors may see more of them emerge, perhaps in various iterations.