Academic Officers Research Articles

Informant characteristics as moderators in higher education research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a survey of business schools examining the impact of market orientation on overall business school performance. The authors extend previous research by examining the possible moderating influence of accrediting body affiliation and administrative position of key informants on the relationships between the components of market orientation (customer orientation, competitor orientation, and inter-functional coordination) and overall performance for each of three markets (student, parent, and employer). Research objectives are stated in terms of 18 hypotheses. Design/methodology/approach – The authors apply moderated regression analysis following the methodology used by Sharma, Durand, and Gur-Arie (1981) and Slater and Narver (1994), examining the variable relationships within schools affiliated through two accrediting bodies, from the perspective of business school deans and chief academic officers. Findings – Results suggest moderating effects for three of the 18 relationships that were tested. Intelligence gathered from survey research within higher education is indicated to vary somewhat depending on key informant characteristics (accrediting body affiliation and administrative position in this study). Practical implications – These results have practical implications for strategic planning within higher education. A better understanding of the differences within higher education will assist decision makers in responding to intelligence gathered within their own university, and will also assist them with strategies involving other universities (such as competitors or global partners). Originality/value – These results within higher education have implications for survey research more broadly, supporting concerns by Phillips (1981) and others that researchers be mindful of key informant characteristics and other factors that could bias their judgments regarding organizational properties and other variables under investigation.

Cosmopolitans or Locals: Who Will Lead the Next Generation of Community Colleges?

The impact of cosmopolitan and local latent social roles on different professional occupations and organizational behavior has been studied since Gouldner’s seminal study was published in 1957. This study was conducted to understand the relationship between the latent social role of the public community college chief academic officer and his or her intent to pursue a community college presidency.

Who governs? Academic decision-making in US four-year colleges and universities, 2000–2012

This study compares the explanatory power of two models of academic governance: dual and managerial control. The research is based on characterizations by chief academic officers of the primary decision-makers involved in 13 types of recurrent academic decisions. We examine change between responses to surveys fielded to US four-year colleges and universities in 2000 and 2012. We find limited support for the dual control and the managerial control models in both years. As an alternative to the two dominant conceptual models, we develop an empirically grounded classification based on multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis. In each year we find high faculty participation and management-dominant clusters. The other identified clusters do not map well onto either of the two dominant conceptual models. Given these results, we argue that configurational analysis should be used as a supplement to future studies monitoring the incidence of dual and managerial control in academic governance.

The Role of Key Administrators in Internationalizing the Community College Student Experience

This chapter examines the roles, reasons, facilitators, and challenges of chief executive, academic, and student affairs officers in internationalizing the community college student experience.

Integrating Stakeholder Preferences and GIS-Based Multicriteria Analysis to Identify Forest Landscape Restoration Priorities

A pressing question that arises during the planning of an ecological restoration process is: where to restore first? Answering this question is a complex task; it requires a multidimensional approach to consider economic constrains and the preferences of stakeholders. Being the problem of spatial nature, it may be explored effectively through Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) performed in a Geographical Information System (GIS) environment. The proposed approach is based on the definition and weighting of multiple criteria for evaluating land suitability. An MCDA-based methodology was used to identify priority areas for Forest Landscape Restoration in the Upper Mixtec region, Oaxaca (Mexico), one of the most degraded areas of Latin America. Socioeconomic and environmental criteria were selected and evaluated. The opinions of four different stakeholder groups were considered: general public, academic, Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and governmental officers. The preferences of these groups were spatially modeled to identify their priorities. The final result was a map that identifies the most preferable sites for restoration, where resources and efforts should be concentrated. MCDA proved to be a very useful tool in collective planning, when alternative sites have to be identified and prioritized to guide the restoration work.

Amina Ali is chief academic officer at the College of Health Sciences in Zanzibar, east Africa.

Amina Ali is chief academic officer at the College of Health Sciences in Zanzibar, east Africa.

UTAUT Model for Blended Learning: The Role of Gender and Age in the Intention to Use Webinars

Introduction Asynchronous information and communication tools like discussion forums, electronic mails, blogs, and wikis have been used for several decades in many fields. In the education context, asynchronous electronic means were used to reinforce interactions between students and teachers. In 2009, more than 74% of American higher educational institutions agreed that online education is an important component of their long-term strategy (Allen & Seaman, 2010). Even though the results about the acceptance of online instruction by faculties are mixed, Allen and Seaman (2010) have confirmed that the percentage of chief academic officers that think that students' retention is a greater problem for online courses was twice as large as those who disagree. According to some authors (Allen, Bourhis, Burrel, & Mabry, 2002; Muilenburg & Berge, 2001), interaction is known to be a sine qua non condition to students' satisfaction and retention. Synchronous tools were, therefore, seen as an additional component to strengthen live communication between the different stakeholders of the distance-learning environment (Johnson, 2006). The accessibility and ease of use of both asynchronous and synchronous technologies made it easier to respond to various students' needs by providing courses and even programs fully online. In the last decade, there has been a great amount of interest in mixing the advantages of online courses with those of face-to-face courses by offering another type of course delivery mode called blended learning. Blended learning consists of blending face-to-face and online delivery in order to reinforce the interaction and direct contact of students with the other participants in a course (Allen et al., 2002). To do so, technologies like webinars offer support to instructors by ensuring efficient synchronous communications. As technologies represent the spearhead of blended learning, their acceptance by students is essential to the success of their use. However, empirical studies that have tried to evaluate the acceptance of webinars by students are not abundant. We deem it important to explore this avenue because student readiness is one of the success factors of blended learning (Graham, 2006). In this study, we aim to identify factors that motivate students to use webinars in a blended learning course. These factors were further analyzed according to age and sex. Obtained results will not only add scientific evidence to the literature about blended learning, webinars, and technology adoption, but they could also lead to a better practical understanding of the factors that may incite or discourage students to use webinar technologies in blended higher education. The following section includes a background about blended learning, the webinar concept, and the acceptance models used in the information systems field. The research objective and questions are then proposed, followed by the research model, variables, and hypotheses. The description of the sample and the procedure is provided before presenting and discussing the results. Background Blended Learning According to Graham (2006), blended learning is a buzzword that is still ambiguous. Most authors agree on the definition of blended learning systems as a combination of face-to-face instruction with computer-mediated instruction (Graham, 2006; Rooney, 2003; Young, 2002). This definition overrides the broad vision of blended learning as a combination of instructional modalities or methods. As such, blended learning is the result of the convergence of two archetypal learning environments: distributed environments that have been strengthened thanks to the communication and interaction features of new technologies (synchronous and asynchronous) and the traditional face-to-face learning environment (Graham, 2006). These environments were matched in different forms and combinations in order to facilitate teaching and learning (Duhaney, 2004). …

Dillman and Birch's "C(H)AOS Theory: Reflections of Chief Academic Officers in Theological Education" (Book Review)

Dillman and Birch's "C(H)AOS Theory: Reflections of Chief Academic Officers in Theological Education" (Book Review)

The Effect of Academic Development Initiatives on Student Performance at a South African University: A Case of Finance Modules

The retention and the success of undergraduate students is a concern in South African universities which have been faced with a major challenge of low graduation rates. To respond to this challenge, South African universities adopted various academic development initiatives to provide support to students who are at risk of not completing the undergraduate qualification within the required time. This study used multiple regression analysis to evaluate the contribution of academic development initiatives in improving the academic performance of ‘at risk’ students within discipline of finance at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, during the period 2009-2011. Results showed that some of the initiatives, such as revision workshops, contributed significantly to student performance while others, such as one-on-one consultations between students and Academic Development Officers (ADO’s), had no significant effect on student performance. This study found that making academic development initiatives inclusive to all willing students did not disadvantage ‘at risk’ students. It was therefore concluded that academic development initiatives can only succeed when there is full commitment from students involved. This study recommends that one-on-one discussions between students and ADO’s should be supplemented by other strategies, such as timely and regular revision workshops, in order to yield positive results. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013.v4n3p717

Association of Chiropractic Colleges Educational Conference and Research Agenda Conference 2013

Association of Chiropractic Colleges Educational Conference and Research Agenda Conference 2013

The Journey to Teaching Online: A Case Study of Faculty Preparation and Experiences in Online Teaching

When Bill Gates published his book “The Road Ahead” (1995), he summarized the transformative implications of the personal computing revolution and described a future profoundly changed by the arrival of a global information super highway. Almost twenty years later, the tsunami of online programs and the MOOCs (massive online open courses) is impacting the structural integrity of post-secondary institutions and changing the competitive landscape of higher learning at an unprecedented pace. When Allen and Seaman (2013) asked the question of whether faculty acceptance of online education increased in their Sloan Consortium annual report, only 30.2% of chief academic officers believe their faculty accept the value and legitimacy of online education. This rate is even lower than the rate recorded in 2004. With an apparent widening gap between institutional strategy and faculty acceptance, each organization needs to conceptually map its road ahead. However, only an institution as a whole can decide for itself what kind of change is needed and define what constitutes evidence of lasting change. This implies a unique transformation of institutional philosophy, culture, strategy, and reward systems for faculty members. Complex adoptive system (CAS) theory (Olson & Eoyang, 2001), suggests that the most powerful organizational transformations occur not at the macro level but rather at the micro level where behaviors and changes began to emerge. Thus, instead of trying to measure, evaluate, or categorize which faculty member fits into which stage of online faculty development under which framework, this study asked four tenured faculty members to reconstruct their experiences on why they teach online, how they learn to teach online, and what factors influences their journeys to teaching online. Their narratives painted a landscape of faculty acceptance in institutions and the online learning phenomena in our society. Ultimately, their stories are really about change. By studying the “change agents” in a changing organization in a changing industry, this study is not an exercise to identify the best practices. Rather, this study hopes to inspire new ideas for new ways to conceptually frame the problem facing the faculty, the institution, and the industry in their road ahead in teaching online. The researcher hopes that this study may be used by institution leaders, faculty developers, and other faculty members to: (1) assess the level of progress of their current and future distance learning program, (2) determine how distance learning programs should be established, (3) evaluate faculty development efforts, (4) improve strategies and implementations for institutionalization of their distance education programs, including academic programming and faculty reward structure, and (5) improve online student retention and learning outcomes.

Virtual Leaps in Distance Education: A Conversation with Dr. Naveed A. Malik, Founding Rector of the Virtual University of Pakistan

Executive SummaryBesides being an honest, knowledgeable, humble, and respected man, Dr. Naveed A. Malik is the Founder-Rector of the Virtual University of Pakistan. In his position as the Rector, Dr. Malik is the Chief Executive and Academic Officer of the University and his responsibility is ensure that the provisions of the Virtual University Ordinance, the Statutes, the Regulations and Rules are faithfully observed in order promote teaching, research, administration, general efficiency and good order of the University.Dr. Malik obtained his Master's degree in Physics from the University of Punjab, Pakistan and later the Doctor of Science degree from M.I.T. in the field of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science specializing in Digital Signal Processing. As a staff member at the University of the Punjab, Dr. Malik established the Spark Source Mass Spectroscopy laboratory and later, became the founder chairman of the Department of Computer Science. He was the principal architect and developer of the Punjab University's computerized examination system and was also responsible for the design and implementation of the University's fiber-optic campus-area network that was commissioned in 2000. He has been associated with the Virtual University project from its inception date. He has lectured extensively, has been an active systems and software development consultant and has published several papers on various technical subjects. Dr. Malik is currently coordinating an IDRC funded multi-country research effort in distance learning technologies. He is a life member of the Pakistan Institute of Physics and was awarded the Sitara-e-Imtiaz in 2008 for services education.Virtual University (lrU). The Virtual University of Pakistan, which is one of the first universities around the world that is based on modern communication technologies,1 was established by the Pakistani government as a public sector, not-for-profit institution with a mission to provide extremely affordable world class education aspiring students all over the As part of its education process, VUP uses free-to-air satellite television broadcasts and the Internet, which allows students follow its rigorous course and programs regardless of their ability attend face-to-face sessions or their physical locations. This process alleviates the lack of capacity in the existing universities while simultaneously tackling the shortage of qualified professors in each field of study. By identifying the best professors within the country or outside of the country in various subjects, regardless of their institutional affiliations, and requesting them develop and deliver hand-crafted courses, VUP aims at providing the very best courses students around the country. VUP's degrees are recognized and accepted all over Pakistan as well as overseas. VUP opened its virtual doors in 2002 and in a short span of time has reached throughout the country serving over 100,000 students. Furthermore, VUP is associated with more than a hundred institutions providing infrastructure support students across the country at a fraction of the cost of traditional educational organizations.VUP delivers education through a thoughtful combination of broadcast television and the Internet. VUP2 courses are designed and delivered by knowledgeable and published experts in the field. For each course's topics, professionally developed lectures are recorded at the school's studio environment and they are accompanied by relevant slides, video clips and other materials for broadcast students. Besides being broadcasted over the television networks, course lectures are also made available in the form of multimedia CDs which are sent registered students. These course lectures are also available as streaming media from the Virtual University's servers their students.The multiple formats allow flexibility for students who may view the lectures at a time of their choosing. …

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CPNP Announcements

An innovative web application for managing academic documents

Archiving versions of academic documents in consideration of green thinking was the motivation to develop an innovative tool that could organize academic documents in a centralized database. This paper presents a new web application, which aims to move towards a paperless University model for managing academic documents that are used within an educational institution, such as proposal courses, syllabuses etc. AcaDocMan, the developed application can be used by academic staff and quality assurance officers of institutions who are able not only to manage their course syllabuses but also to generate different consistent document formats for various purposes.

Baylor Conference Supports Grad Students As Leaders

Women are earning baccalaureate degrees in record numbers, said Dr. T. Laine Scales, but they encounter unique problems once they go on to graduate schools. Fewer women in the graduate school pipeline means fewer women to fill future faculty and administrative leadership positions. Baylor University in Texas is taking a proactive stance with its conference on Women in the Academy: Leadership in Graduate School and Beyond. Started in 2011 by graduate student Megan Oster, the annual conference aims to improve the retention and leadership skills of the private school's 2,500 graduate students, 45% of whom were women. Scales, associate dean of the graduate school and professor of higher education, joined two master's candidates in higher education and student affairs, Kaitlyn Rothaus and Christa Winkler to discuss their annual conference at the NASPA conference held in Orlando FL in March 2013. Rothaus is chair of the conference steering committee; Winkler and Scales are members. A look at the numbers shows the problem. The ACE publication The American College President 2012 lists the percentage of women presidents at 26.4%, while the Association of American Colleges and Universities (2011) reports it to be just 23%. Other numbers: ACE reports women comprise 41% of chief academic officers while AACU has it at 18%. Both groups report that the percentage of women presidents or women in the pipeline leading toward the presidency remains woefully low. That's why it's critical to keep female grad students enrolled, and to prepare them to assume leadership roles once they enter the academy as professionals. It's definitely not academic capability or an inability to do the work that's preventing graduate school women from succeeding. On average, women have higher GPAs and score higher on the GRE than male students. According to the National Center for Educational Statistics in 2012, women U.S. residents earn 57% of bachelor's degrees, 63% of master's degrees, and 53% of doctorates. Due to their many roles and lack of support on many fronts, women take longer to earn those degrees and are less likely than men to complete them once enrolled. Causes for the dropouts and stop outs include identity struggles, fewer women mentors and the time and energy required to balance school, family and perhaps a job. Woman of color have a path that's even more challenging. They're underrepresented as graduate students, faculty and administrators. The limited number of mentors who do look like them is overworked and overwhelmed. Women of color on the faculty also report being underemployed and overused, isolated and disrespected. They're torn between family, community and career. One black women on the faculty reported serving on 52 committees, leaving no time for her own research. Student affairs is generally seen as a professional support system for undergraduates, not graduate students. Yet these professionals can take the lead in improving the retention of women in graduate school by providing early support to survive the unique problems women graduate students face. For a registration fee of only $20, Baylor's Women in the Academy conference provides a one-day shot for grad students, faculty and staff to connect and network. While the topics are directed at women, some males attend. This can help to educate future leaders who are males on the challenges that women colleagues face. From 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on a Saturday in April, students can listen to a keynote speaker, choose one of four concurrent breakout sessions, eat lunch while listening to a panel and choose a repeat of the four morning sessions. This year's sessions focused on health and well-being, the special needs of women of color, gender issues surrounding leadership, and a primer on promotion and tenure issues. The lunch panel featured “herstories,” personal stories of those who have trod the same path. For 2013, the theme is Diverse Leadership. A woman college president gave the keynote, and women administrators led the sessions. The conference fills a critical niche and shows great potential. In 2012, more than 100 people from 20 schools attended, double the number at the 2011 inaugural conference. Attendance at the April 2013 session was lower due to problems with email publicity. But the Baylor chemistry department was well represented: It sponsored 11 women, eight grad students and three professors. Helping with publicity were the Texas Women in Higher Education organization with its 1,000 members and the National Association of Graduate and Professional Students. Funds also came from five university sponsors, including the school of education and the graduate school. The steering committee solicited door prizes. Grad students are the academy's future leaders. Baylor's Women in the Academy conference offers a model to support women grad students, to keep them enrolled and in the pipeline as future leaders, bringing their values to campus. Scales: Laine_Scales@baylor.edu or 254.710.4487 Rothaus: Kaitlyn_Rothaus@baylor.edu Winkler: Christa_Winkler@baylor.edu www.baylor.edu/graduate/index.php?id=80013

What Does It Take to Gain Approval of a New Program?

What Does It Take to Gain Approval of a New Program?

From intuition to database: Translating justice

The article tells the story of the development of a Sentencing Information System for the High Court in Scotland from its genesis as an exploratory research project to its final implementation in the court. The article uses Actor Network Theory to understand how the database was assembled through the social practices of academic researchers, government officials, judges and court officers. It offers a corrective to theories which exaggerate the de-humanizing effect of information technology and argues that an Actor Network Theory approach is not incompatible with an understanding of how institutionally located power operates through social practices.

The impact of founders' academic experiences on linking with local alma maters for Chinese start-ups

Are firms founded by alumni and former graduate students more likely to form technology transfer relationships with their alma mater than other firms? Given the importance of engagement with academic institutes, the vast amount of research on entrepreneurship and technology transfer has not yet answered this question. Drawing on previous studies on founder’s academic background and university-industry linkage, we attempt to answer the question in a Chinese metropolitan context. We found that firms whose founding teams have higher proportion of alumni and lower proportion of highly-educated individuals are more likely to form formal ties with the focal local alma mater. The findings have implications on academic entrepreneurs and university officers.

Association of Chiropractic Colleges Educational Conference and Research Agenda Conference 2012

Association of Chiropractic Colleges Educational Conference and Research Agenda Conference 2012

C(H)AOS Theory: Reflections of Chief Academic Officers in Theological Education. Edited by KathleenBillman and BruceBirch. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2011. Pp. xii + 399. $38.00.

C(H)AOS Theory: Reflections of Chief Academic Officers in Theological Education. Edited by KathleenBillman and BruceBirch. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2011. Pp. xii + 399. $38.00.