Over the last two decades, twenty-two states have moved away from traditional defined benefit (DB) pension systems and toward pension plan structures like the defined contribution (DC) plans now prevalent in the private sector. Others are considering such a reform as it is seen as a means of limiting future pension funding risk. It is important to…

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that lead to the disproportionality of the graduation rates of African American and Latinx students at College X. This qualitative case study utilized interviews with faculty, staff, and administrators, document analysis, and site observations to study a small Midwestern college, College X.…

Some results of the basic school (14 years old) students' information and communication competence (ICC) in the digital environment study are discussed. About 30,000 students (14 years old) took part in the study. Information and Communication Literacy is considered as the ability to use digital technologies to search, manage, integrate, evaluate…

The current study explored individual differences in sensitivity to sub-phonemic variation of acoustic cues in the perception of a native language (L1) category in order to test the hypothesis that second language (L2) learners' different sensitivity to the L2-relevant acoustic dimension in L1 perception could explain individual variability in…

The primary purpose of this research was to examine the mindset of an effective superintendent, which successfully motivates employees of the Millennial and Generation Z generations. The research methodology for this dissertation was a phenomenological qualitative study that interviewed three superintendents across the United States who subscribed…

Previous studies show that linguistic information and talker information interact during processing. Familiarity with a language facilitates talker processing, and familiarity with a talker's voice facilitates linguistic processing. To probe the factors involved in talker processing, researchers examined how individual differences in reading…

The study of academic engagement has gained international visibility due to various factors operating in the social environment, such as fragmentation, 'liquidity' in interpersonal relations, etc., which end up affecting the persistence rates in studies, or its manifestation in an increasing rate of desertion in higher studies on the part of…

Data at the national, state, and local levels all indicate disproportionately low enrollment of Black/African American students in Advanced Placement (AP) classes at the high school level. Black/African American students are missing out on educational opportunities and access to an equitable education by not participating in AP classes in high…

This dissertation investigates the relationship between ethnicity and place among 44 young adult Latino English speakers in the state of Georgia using a mixed-methods approach. While varieties of Latino English have been studied in traditional destination communities (TDCs) like Texas, California, or New York, where the Latino populations are…

There is a consistent concern for students' success in undergraduate introductory cell biology as this foundational course may impact their persistence towards earning a degree in the health sciences. Institutions need to consider the delivery method of instruction and the potential impacts on student success and enrollment. For five years, the…

The purpose of this research was to determine if there was a significant relationship between scores on the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire (CSQ) scale of effective managerial communication and scores on the Job Descriptive Index (JDI) scale of job satisfaction for non-faculty staff members at the participating community college. A total…

It is no secret that women and those that identify as women have it hard in higher education. More women than men hold doctoral degrees. More women than men are currently in the faculty ranks. However, when a critical eye is turned toward upper leadership positions in higher education, women fall behind. Some theories exist as to why this…

STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) are a key source of economic progress in many countries. As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia works toward an innovative and knowledgeable economy, more qualified national professionals in STEM are needed. Nevertheless, the problem of STEM attrition is still insufficiently explored in Saudi…

Regardless of race, the mission and purpose of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) is to build upon students' skills and abilities and to train students as entrepreneurs and professionals, both locally and globally, in public and private working environments (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.). However, the creation of HBCUs can…

With nearly 20% of college students reporting having a disability, disability services play a critical role in supporting students' access to higher education. Disability services has been critiqued for practicing from a reactive mode and may benefit from the collaborative partnerships with campus disability studies and disability culture…