Although higher education institutions may be described as forward-thinking in areas such as research, their teaching practices are often perceived as lacking in innovation. This disjunction has led educators, researchers, and policymakers to question the role and implementation of change in higher education contexts and the factors that affect…

The universe of small institutions includes "special mission" institutions. Although these institutions share several similarities, each plays a special and distinct role in higher education, providing a unique culture and experience for their students. They include women's colleges, Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs),…

Online undergraduate students are isolated and transactional, rarely engaging with the institution through student services. This study investigated a small, Midwest private institution's lack of engagement and opportunities to engage online undergraduate students. The administration at the institution worried that the lack of engagement would…

Planned giving is a critical source of funding for higher education institutions. Smaller institutions receive fewer of these gifts in comparison to larger research institutions of higher education. Higher education leaders have recognized these benefits and suggest that these gifts would create a substantial opportunity for changes in smaller…

Students in private, nonprofit (independent) higher education institutions, particularly those who are economically disadvantaged, often struggle with the costs of course materials like textbooks. However, much less is known about these students and how to assist them with these cost barriers compared to their peers at public institutions. It is…

In the early years of our nation, the increasing demand for an educated population led to the founding of many small colleges. Almost all of them had religious roots and had as their main goals the moral development of students. Education was strongly tied to Western intellectual traditions dating back centuries. Over time, they underwent…

Purpose: This study aims to use life cycle assessment to determine the environmental impact of food purchases at a small, liberal arts college. The authors also use the results to develop a simple decision-making tool for college and university dining services administrators, attempting to make their food purchases more sustainable.…

Alignment of revenues and expenses at small, private, nonprofit colleges and universities is a growing challenge for leadership at these institutions. The purpose of this action research study was to investigate what strategies the researcher's university has implemented to potentially lead itself to financial sustainability. Participants and data…

More and more, colleges and universities across the United States and throughout the world are relying on adjunct instructors (sometimes called casual academics or part time instructors) to teach classes in their field of expertise. Often, those classes require a blending of theory into practical application, such as in business, accounting and…

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the ways that college men experience, interpret, and understand their perceptions of masculinity. This qualitative, phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of 28 second- and third-year men students. Three primary themes emerged from the analysis: navigating and adjusting to change; managing social…

Teacher education programs at small liberal arts colleges and universities are among the most vulnerable to decreased enrollment, yet they are uniquely positioned to provide well-rounded future teachers and educational leaders for a democratic society. To inform recruitment efforts, this study examined students' perceptions of teaching careers and…

This study addresses business student preferences regarding class scheduling. How much input do students really have in the scheduling process. What percentage of business students prefer early morning classes? What percentage of business students prefer evening classes? Do upper level business students scheduling preferences differ from lower…

Student academic success depends on a variety of factors, one of which is self-regulation of learning. An important part of self-regulation involves selecting from a myriad of course resources available and planning to use those resources. This study explores the use of an online tool to help undergraduate students improve self-regulation by…

We developed a framework for characterizing an institution's quantitative skills/reasoning support ecosystem to consider how various activities contribute to student success in areas connected to students' quantitative preparation. Through discussions with faculty and staff stakeholders at eight selective small liberal arts colleges, we…

U.S. schools have long experienced shortages of special education teachers (SETs), challenging the nation's capacity to ensure qualified SETs for students eligible for special education services. Addressing SET shortages requires preparation programs to supply sufficient numbers of new SETs to meet demand, yet prior research provides few insights…