MCP, University of Cincinnati, 2010, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Community Planning

As campus design and planning evolves to meet the needs of modern society, changing lifestyles, the movement towards sustainable growth and the lack of space, universities must become more innovative and be able to assess what the current needs are for the student body. While many factors contribute to the manner in which a university grows and evolves one important feature that ties all American campuses together is the idea of placemaking and the creation of a sense of place, that can be defined as a specific connection to the location and that illustrates an emotional bond to the environment. The lasting impressions will affect those that choose to attend and those who visit the university as well. The campus becomes a tangible illustration of what the mission for that particular institution is and a representation of the institution's identity. By understanding these historical influences and reviewing how universities have chosen to execute them, will allow planners to assess what the trends have been and what can be done to either rectify past misapplications of campus design or to better incorporate the influences to modern day approaches. The purpose of this thesis is to extract what those specific influences are, based on the available literature, and discuss how these influences have affected two selected universities in Ohio and to make recommendations on what are potential solutions and factors that will affect universities as they continue to strive to achieve their original goals. The research is based on a historical analysis of the evolution of the American campus with a detailed overview of two Ohio institutions and the similarities and differences they have experienced throughout their evolution process.

Doctor of Education, University of Toledo, 2024, Higher Education

This dissertation explores the impact of physical campus spaces on the sense of belonging among commuter students. Drawing on qualitative data collected through photography, videos, interviews, observations, and campus materials, this study investigates how the physical campus environment shape students' perceptions of connection, inclusion, and belonging. By analyzing the themes of functionality, ownership, departmental environment, and external surroundings, the research delves into the intricate interplay between physical spaces and students' sense of belonging. Findings reveal the significant role that functional spaces, amenities, building efficiency, department-specific resources and tools, architecture and the surrounding environment, and community dynamics play in fostering a supportive and inclusive environment for commuter students. Ultimately, this study contributes to the understanding of how physical spaces can influence the sense of belonging and overall student experience on campus.

Master of Science in Criminal Justice, Youngstown State University, 2023, Department of Criminal Justice and Consumer Sciences

This exploratory study examines the difference in reporting of Clery Act crimes at public institutions of higher education with and without a designated campus police department. This study examines the differences in Clery Act reporting within four categories: criminal offenses, arrests, student disciplinary referrals, and Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) offenses. Secondary data analysis was selected from the U.S. Department of Education's Campus Safety Data Analysis Cutting Tool and College Navigator along with a purposive and random sample comprised of 31 institutions with and 31 institutions without a designated campus police department with student enrollment over 10,000. As anticipated, results showed a statistical difference in criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary referrals, and VAWA offenses. Additionally, specific institutional characteristics such as, enrollment, student-to-faculty ratio, tuition, minority population, graduation rate, retention rate, and poverty rate, appear to increase higher crime rates on campus. Lastly, the presence of a designated campus police department is not the most significant predictor for criminal offenses, arrests, disciplinary referrals, and VAWA offenses. Further research is recommended, such as a longitudinal study, to further examine the role of a designated campus police department.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2014, Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Technology

Educational technology is prevalent in higher education. An example of educational technology that has become ubiquitous at colleges and universities is a course management system (CMS). Although numerous benefits are associated with course management system use, both for students and faculty members, not all faculty members utilize a CMS. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence CMS adoption for faculty members from community colleges in different Carnegie classification location settings. By determining the factors that most influence CMS adoption, college administrators and state leaders could initiate policy changes to attempt to influence all faculty members to adopt a CMS into their instructional practices. The study found that a reward structure was the factor that most faculty members acknowledged would be most effective in influencing faculty CMS adoption. Further, the study found that different adoption factors affected faculty members differently based on their community college Carnegie location setting. Specific differences regarding the different adoption factors with faculty members from different community college locations were discussed. Finally, several topics for future studies were recommended.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2023, Higher Education

The purpose of this study was to explore the extent that contingent faculty from Michigan's 15 public universities engage with on and off-campus professional development (PD) to improve their teaching practice. Addressing a spectrum of research questions, this study utilized an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews, to provide a nuanced understanding of the experiences and motivations of contingent faculty members. The initial quantitative phase surveyed 4,745 contingent faculty members through a web- based survey, exploring the availability of on and off-campus PD offerings and the factors influencing their participation. The subsequent qualitative phase was conducted through ten Zoom interviews with contingent faculty from nine universities. This phase delved into the various PD resources utilized by contingent faculty and the underlying motivations driving their engagement. The on-campus exploration revealed the prevalence of in-person seminars and computer-based training from Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs), that aligned with broader institutional trends. However, faculty interviews exposed discontent rooted in CTL unfulfilled promises, insufficient communication, and a perceived emphasis on theory over practical application. Contingent faculty expressed a strong desire for peer interactions, mentorship, and discipline-specific development, emphasizing the importance of immediately applicable knowledge. The study further explored on-campus factors influencing contingent faculty. Transitioning to off-campus PD, the study uncovered a significant commitment to continuous learning among contingent faculty. Engagement in live in-person seminars, conferences, social media, and internet resources emerged as critical elements in their professional growth. Notably, the unexpected involvement with artificial intelligence (AI) in discussions around lesson planning and academic integrity reflec (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), University of Dayton, 2023, Educational Leadership

The college student experience was severely altered due to the COVID-19 pandemic during the spring semester of 2020. At that time, college administrators had no idea what was in store for their students in the coming weeks, months, and ultimately years. Because the pandemic is still a new phenomenon, little research exists on the effect of COVID-19 on sense of belonging for college students. This study aimed contribute to that literature base and focused on better understanding the lived experience of students at a small, private institution in the Midwest during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically looking at sense of belonging and use of campus space through a third space framework. Third spaces are widely studied in the fields of education, cultural studies, and architecture to examine how cultural, human, and physical factors come together (Oldenburg and Brissett, 1982). Third spaces, unique from an individual's home (first space) or work/school (second space), encompass all the other spaces a person occupies (Oldenburg and Brissett, 1984; Bhabha, 1990). These spaces on college campuses are places like student unions, coffee shops, lobbies, and outdoor common spaces. Examining sense of belonging and use of campus space through the lens of third spaces allowed participants to reflect on their experience and offer valuable insights into how they navigated the pandemic, both on and off campus. Five themes emerged from this study. Those themes are: 1) People make the space; 2) Mental Health and Imposter Syndrome affect how people show up to different spaces and present themselves; 3) University-imposed restrictions affected students' ability to make friends and build community; 4) Favorite spaces on campus were overwhelmingly identified as third spaces; and 5) Participants felt a sense of ownership over their sense of belonging.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2021, Educational Studies

Midlevel student affairs professionals are integral to supporting the mission of higher education institutions. These professionals work closely with a diverse array of campus stakeholders, helping to implement strategy and facilitate information throughout the organization. Yet the midlevel nature of their role can be a source of frustration for these professionals. Despite their talent and expertise, midlevel student affairs professionals often feel as though they have few opportunities to provide input on the policies they are asked to implement and enforce (Donaldson & Rosser, 2007; Rosser, 2004; Wilson et al., 2016). In recent years, many scholars have explored tensions associated with free speech events on college campuses (Ben-Porath, 2017; Chemerinsky & Gillmam, 2017; Morse, 2017; Palfrey, 2017). Few, however, have studied this topic from the perspective of midlevel student affairs professionals. This is an oversight because midlevel professionals comprise the majority of staff in student affairs organizations (M. B. Cooper & Boice‐Pardee, 2011). Furthermore, the midlevel nature of their position within the campus hierarchy suggests that these individuals can illuminate tensions and conflicting priorities associated with campus free speech events in ways that have been previously unseen. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to illustrate how midlevel student affairs professionals navigate the personal and professional tensions that arise through their involvement with campus free speech events. Research questions included: 1) What policies and practices inform the ways in which midlevel student affairs professionals navigate campus free speech events?; 2) In what ways do campus free speech events create conflict for midlevel student affairs professionals concerning their professional roles and individual values?; and 3) How do systems of power shape the ways in which midlevel student affairs professionals negotiate these tensions that arise th (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Education, Cleveland State University, 2020, College of Education and Human Services

The study was aimed at investigating the relationships between international students' perceived barriers in seeking campus services offered by campus services providers and their reported underutilization of those services. The study assessed several potential barriers that impact international students' engagement and related student satisfaction, with a focus on underutilization of campus services. Drawing from concepts of acculturation (Berry, 2005) and diverse learning contexts (Hurtado et al., 2012), the study evaluated the potential role of international students' internal and external barriers. The researcher sampled 320 international student participants from institutions across the state of Ohio and a few from US institutions in other states, using the newly developed International Students Perceived Barriers and Service Utilization [ISPBSU] survey instrument. Factor analysis and multiple regression analyses were employed to determine factor structure and to examine the relationships between barrier variables and underutilization of campus services. Results of the factor analysis provided a six-factor solution, with internal barriers consisting of English communication difficulties (ECD), unawareness of services (UOS) and difficulties navigating intergroup relations (DIR). External barriers were comprised of experiences of campus exclusion (ECE), difficulties accessing services (DAS) and racialized experiences on campus (REC). Results of multiple regression analyses indicated that both groups of perceived barriers were significantly (statistical) related to underutilization of campus services. Implications for building theory, research and practice to explore intersectional subjective barriers of international students, promote greater levels of international student engagement and related service utilization have been discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Ohio University, 2020, Higher Education (Education)

Disruptive activism has been a part of college campus since 1766 when the Bad Butter Rebellion at Harvard took place (Dickey, 2016; Ireland, 2012; Moore, 1976). More recently institutions have been facing an increase in disruptive campus activism (Dickey, 2016). When disruptive campus activism occurs on a college campus it is often the student affairs professionals that are asked to help manage the situation. These professionals serve as both the advisors to the student activism and campus managers representing the university. Understanding how student affairs professionals reconcile the role they play will add to the existing research on activism on college campuses. The findings of this study show that operationalizing a specific role can be challenging when it comes to disruptive campus activism. Reconciling the role is also challenging, especially if you don't have the preferred role of advisor. Student affairs professionals who perform the advisor role often understand what their role is and how to operationalize the function. Campus managers, however, have less of an understanding of how to operationalize their functions, and when disruptive campus activism occurs, they are forced into stressful situations. For both groups, there were six main factors that influenced how they reconciled their particular role. The student affairs professionals' personal identities played a major factor in reconciling the actions in their roles. This factor was particularly influential when the 4 professional held a minoritized identity. All participants believed that the advisor role was more central to their work than was the manager role. The advisor identity was based on a core value of student advocacy and education. Interestingly, this value was articulated more clearly by those participants who occupied professional roles that were more managerial in nature. For both advisors and campus managers, the issue at the heart of the disturbance played a major factor. When issues (open full item for complete abstract)

Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, 2020, Educational Leadership

Free speech movements in U.S. Higher Education are as old as the education system itself (Chemerinsky & Gillman, 2017; Hofstadter, 1970; Sun & McClellan, 2020). However, there has been a dearth of literature regarding the role of student affairs practitioners in managing issues of free speech events on campus. Further, recent works by Ben-Porath (2017), Chemerinsky and Gillman (2017), as well as Whittington (2018) highlighted the urgency in protecting free speech on campus as a democratic bedrock in the mission of colleges and universities. The purpose of this narrative inquiry study was to explore how new student affairs professionals engaged in sensemaking (Weick, 1995) about their roles and experiences with free speech events on campus. This study used a narrative approach (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) grounded in a constructivist paradigm which allowed participants the opportunity to name and vocalize their experiences. In total, 10 practitioners from two public institutions of higher education participated in a series of three interviews about their experiences. This study found five emergent themes that contributed to sensemaking about free speech events: 1) Pathways into the profession, 2) Identity salience, 3) Context, 4) Supervision and mentorship, and the 5) Role of higher education and student affairs. These themes offer important considerations when thinking about how new student affairs professionals engage in complex sensemaking. These assemblages extend the body of research on sensemaking (Weick, 1995) and provide insight into the valuable role these professionals play in responding to free speech events on campus. This study has broad applicability for those working as student affairs professionals, generating standards of best practice that support students and promote democratic aims of higher education. These findings also have meaningful implications for senior-level student affairs professionals, graduate preparatory programs that suppo (open full item for complete abstract)

PhD, University of Cincinnati, 2020, Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services: Educational Studies

Despite more than four decades of extensive research on student engagement and campus climate, researchers still do not know how to create undergraduate learning environments that promote student persistence. Undergraduate student graduation rate in the US has consistently hovered at around the 50 percent mark. In fact, the field of student engagement research is yet to arrive at consensus on how to define and measure campus climate and student engagement. The combination of the lack of definitional clarity and extreme complexity of some of the current models have made it challenging to translate student engagement theory into practice. The present dissertation takes a pragmatic approach to student engagement. First, it re-conceptualizes student engagement as a moderator of the relationship between student characteristics that predict academic success and their educational outcomes. The new conceptual model positions campus climate as the only component of student engagement that is within academic institutions' control and thus should be leveraged by institutions to promote student engagement on their campuses. Campus climate encompasses many aspects of student lives, not only their academic experiences. Second, this dissertation contains a systematic literature review of how campus climate and its relationship to student engagement is defined, discussed, and measured in the literature. The literature review identifies a critical gap: campus climate is studied exclusively from students' perspective and institutional perspective is not included. Third, a pragmatic action research study was conducted at a particular university and showed that substantial progress on promoting a pro-student campus climate can be achieved through the dialogue of all campus stakeholders. The results of this localized study were shared with a group of outside college administrators with a long term view of creating a community of practice as well as further refining the localized init (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2019, Industrial and Systems Engineering (Engineering and Technology)

A rise in sexual violent crime at Ohio University led to this study. The purpose of this study is to analyze and determine potential associations between Ohio University students' perception of risk based on crime and lighting levels on campus, so that recommendations can be made to improve campus safety. Results from the analysis indicated that individuals related lighting levels to perceived safety but were unable to specify a crime area according to perceived risk. Recommendations include investigating lighting levels for pathways that are well traveled as well as considering other solutions preferred by students. These solutions could include a safety app that would document crime areas on campus, a nightly chaperon service, and self-defense classes for students are also recommended.

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2019, History

This is a case study of student activism in the 1960s at Bowling Green State University, located in Northwestern Ohio, that contributes to the growing historiography of student activism at non-elite state institutions. This study complicates the national narrative of student activism, which asserts that student activism was generally violent, radical, and largely restricted to elite universities. By examining student activism at BGSU, this study demonstrates that student activism was present at non-elite public universities and also introduces the concept of “educational activism,” a method of activism that focused on inclusive exploration of contemporary issues rather than radical violence. Prior to 1970, students and administrators established open channels of communication and formed an educational model of activism through the efforts of three areas of activism: the student power movement, the antiwar movement, and the Black student movement. The conservative nature of the university and its administration restricted radical and violent protest, which forced students to address their concerns non-violently. Student activists communicated with administrators to address their concerns and together they established a legacy of peaceful educational activism that mitigated the need for violent protest. Their efforts culminated in the formation of the New University, a series of teach-ins created following the Kent State Shootings. These teach-ins gave students agency in their education, allowed them to analyze contemporary issues, and explore topics that were non-existent in the university curriculum. As a result of the New University, BGSU faced no violent protest and was the only residential state university to remain open in Ohio following the Kent State Shootings.

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2018, Journalism (Communication)

Sexual misconduct, particularly on college campuses, has gained media attention in recent years due to policy changes in universities' handling of cases, student activism, and several high-profile cases involving universities. Student newspapers have been tasked with covering assault on their own campuses, and those student journalists are in the unique position of covering a sensitive issue that involves their peers and, in some cases, involves the journalists themselves. This thesis includes qualitative interviews with 20 current and former student journalists who covered campus sexual misconduct at their student newspapers. The journalists interviewed described their sexual assault coverage as different from other stories they had covered, and the journalists encountered several difficult ethical dilemmas throughout the reporting processes. Although the journalists dealt with internal biases and many struggled with emotional connections to the stories and their sources, they still strived for objectivity by focusing on the journalistic values of fairness and balance.

Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, 2016, Sociology (Arts and Sciences)

This research draws on survey data gathered from 234 undergraduate students to understand if rape myths are still endorsed. Previous research shows that students in general are prone to endorse rape myths. The current study uses the theoretical framework of radical feminist theory to evaluate the extent to which students, both women and men, endorse rape myths, as well as to see if fraternity members and male intercollegiate athletes have higher endorsement rates of rape myth acceptance. The findings indicate that there is an overall disagreement with rape myths, but certain subscales and myths were more likely to be endorsed than others. Additionally, men were prone to higher endorsement rates than women. However, there was no significant difference in fraternity members' rape myth acceptance rates when compared to men who weren't fraternity members. Furthermore, there was not large enough of a sample to make a conclusion comparing male college athletes' myth acceptance rates to male non-athletes.

Specialist in Education (Ed.S.), University of Dayton, 2016, School Psychology

This study utilized a quasi-experimental survey design to: a) examine the current level of knowledge of and training on concussion among college staff members, b) evaluate the efficacy of a one-hour training program on concussion recognition and management skills, and c) explore the impact of ongoing programming on college staff members' ability to meet the needs of students who sustained a concussion. Participants (N = 263) received the training as well as ongoing resources provided by email during a four to nine month period following the training. Prior and attained knowledge were measured by pre- and post-training questionnaires. A follow-up questionnaire was administered four to nine months post-training to assess if and how participants utilized knowledge gained from training in working directly with students who had sustained a concussion. Results indicated a 7% percent increase in knowledge across participants from the pre- to post-test questionnaire; however, results were not significant. Implications for college student personnel and college students are discussed.

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Toledo, 2014, Higher Education

The purpose of this study was (a) to provide an analysis of the levels of college self-efficacy and of the campus environmental perceptions of African American males at rural, urban, and suburban two- year community colleges in the state of Ohio and (b) to determine whether there was a statistically significant relationship between college self-efficacy, campus environmental perceptions, and academic achievement at these types of community colleges (rural, urban, and suburban) in Ohio. Further, the study examined whether academic achievement could be predicted from academic self-efficacy and campus environmental perceptions at community colleges in the state of Ohio. Descriptive statistics and a chi-squared analysis were employed in this study to determine that respondents were representative of the entire population or sample. A correlational analysis revealed a statistically significant positive correlation between college self-efficacy and campus environment. This correlation suggests that students who perceive a more positive environment tend to have higher college self-efficacy. A statistically significant positive correlation also was found between college environment and two specific dimensions of college efficacy: course efficacy and social efficacy. Multiple regression analysis revealed that college self-efficacy is a significant predictor of expected GPA among African American males in two- year community colleges, but college environment was not a statistically significant predictor. Results of the regression analysis also indicated that course self-efficacy and social self-efficacy (the two components of college self-efficacy) were statistically significant predictors of expected GPA, but college environment was not. Results of the regression analysis revealed that college self-efficacy was a statistically significant predictor of past-term GPA, but college environment was not. Neither course self-efficacy nor college environment predicted past-te (open full item for complete abstract)

Master of Arts (MA), Wright State University, 2011, Educational Leadership

The purpose of this research study was to examine the relationship between financial aid and three aspects of students' first-year experience: grade point averages, persistence, and housing decisions. Analyses from data obtained from one public four-year institution in the Midwest found few differences in grade point averages, persistence, and housing decisions between students who received financial aid and those who did not. However, when examining the dependent variables among students who received different types of financial aid, several significant differences were found. Students who received scholarships and work study had significantly higher grade point averages than those who did not; student loans were the most common type of financial aid received; and students who received financial aid were significantly more likely to reside on-campus. Recommendations for future research include examining other variables, such as students' socioeconomic status, prior student achievement, net price, and combinations of types of financial aid received.

Master of City and Regional Planning, The Ohio State University, 2011, City and Regional Planning

The main objective of this research is to give insight into the relationships between bicycle mode share at universities and administrative structure, policies, programs, and facilities. This has been accomplished by analyzing seven universities with substantial bicycle policies, programs, and facilities. The seven universities are the University of California at Davis, the University of Colorado at Boulder, the University of Maryland at College Park, Michigan State University, the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Washington at Seattle, and The Ohio State University. This research is examining one component of sustainable transportation systems at universities. Limiting the number of universities researched to seven has allowed this project to compare and contrast specific details about administrative structure, policies, programs, and bicycle facilities however seven universities still allows for conclusions to be drawn about the relationships between administrative structure, policies, programs, and bicycle facilities with bicycle mode share.

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2006, Educational Policy and Leadership

The premise of this study was to explore the recollections of the experiences of African American graduates from a predominately White university and to understand how these experiences shaped them within the context of their professional and personal lives. Using a qualitative research design, this study uses Critical Race Theory, an emerging theoretical framework in the field of education to better understand the stories and cultural life worlds of the minority college student. Through in depth interviews the study draws from Sarah Willie's work, Acting Black (2003) as a starting point to understand what the researcher defined as The New Talented Tenth, a term coined by the great intellectual African American, W.E.B. DuBois in an effort to illustrate the responsibilities of the gifted of the race in regard to those who were unable to obtain a higher education. The major findings of the study were: African American students create a separate community with internal cliques. They transmit values to new members, however, the extent of this acceptance of values changes. They do not view the need for this community as one of protection from hostility on campus; rather, the community perpetuates itself for social and emotional purposes. The very nature of racial identifiability, all African American students who do not consciously choose to self-exclude from this community are a part of it, even if they see themselves as outsiders. African American students are dealing with tension between maintaining Africentric values of cooperation and collaboration while adopting more Eurocentric values of competition and individualism. The leadership of a African American president at a predominately White university greatly changed the perceptions of success for African American students on campus as well as the climate. Thus, his death retarded the development of diversity and inclusion and changed the campus climate forcing African American students to adopt new ways of coping o (open full item for complete abstract)