HIGHER EDUCATION PRACTICE RESEARCH ABSTRACTS

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1 1750 H Street NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC P F HIGHER EDUCATION PRACTICE RESEARCH ABSTRACTS March 2012 The following abstracts describe a sampling of projects commissioned by Hanover Members during March MARKET EVALUATION SURVEYING DATA ANALYSIS BENCHMARKING LITERATURE REVIEW

2 MARKET EVALUATION Peer Practices in Student Medical Insurance - In this report, Hanover Research provides an overview of student medical insurance policies at 16 peer institutions. Following a brief overview of recent trends in U.S. student health insurance, we provide detailed profiles of each institution, focusing on policy structures and associated costs. Comparative Analysis of Top Ranked Peer Institutions Entrepreneur Rankings - This Hanover report presents analysis and observations for the University s College of Business Administration regarding business schools ranked by the Princeton Review as having the best undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurship programs in the country. High-Growth Undergraduate Programs in Canada - In this report, Hanover Research identifies undergraduate education programs with high growth potential in Canada. Following an examination of five-year trends in undergraduate program enrollments, we provide an overview of occupations in Canada and the province with projected labor market shortages. Scan of Colleges Offering Developmental Science Courses: Northwestern States - In this report, Hanover Research provides a scan of colleges offering developmental science courses in the Northwestern region of the United States. Faculty Workload and Compensation Analysis - Hanover Research examines factors contributing to faculty salaries at institutions of higher education, particularly institutions with Catholic, Jesuit, or Lasallian affiliations. We explore the relationship between faculty workload in terms of teaching, research, and service in relation to historical compensation figures, supplementing publicly available data with information gleaned from faculty handbooks and a survey of selected institutional officials. Demand for Urban Agriculture Programming - In this report, Hanover Research examines broad trends in urban agriculture with a review of municipal and national programs and policies related to urban agriculture, an assessment of demand for such programming, an analysis of national and regional trends in degree conferrals, and profiles of relevant educational programs offered by academic institutions and non-academic organizations. Environmental Scan of Applied Doctorate Programs - This report assesses potential demand for applied doctorate degree programs nationally and in California. By analyzing degree completions data, occupational projections, and trends identified by professional organizations, Hanover Research identifies seven promising applied doctorate programs. Job Opportunities for Master s in the Teaching of Writing Graduates - This report provides employment projections and enrollment/completion data for Master s in the Teaching of Writing programs at the local, state, regional, and national levels. Cognitive Impairment Certification Program Demand Study - In this report, Hanover Research presents a comprehensive analysis of the demand for a graduate-level cognitive impairment certification program in Michigan. While special education enrollment and employment trends in the region have not been favorable in the last several years, demand for cognitive impairment certification both regionally and nationally appears to be greater than that for other special education concentrations. Market Analysis for a Proposed B.A. in Celtic Music and History - In this report, Hanover Research examines the potential market for a new Bachelor s of Arts in Celtic Music and History, including similar North American programs, innovative program designs, and potential advertising markets. 2

3 Doctoral Degree Program in Educational Psychology Feasibility Study - In this report, Hanover Research assesses student and labor market demand for a doctoral degree program in educational psychology at the University, taking into account not only enrollment and employment trends but also the licensing requirements established by professional psychological associations in Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. Master of Business Administration in Gaming and Casino Management Market Assessment - In this report, Hanover Research examines the potential market for a new Master of Business Administration in Gaming and Casino Management. Feasibility Study for Proposed Master of Arts in Engaged Religion - In this report, Hanover Research presents market research for a proposed Master of Arts in Engaged Religion degree program by examining degree completion trends, labor market projections, and the features of similar programs at both theological and secular institutions. Best Practices in Career Services for Graduating Students - In this report, Hanover Research provides a comprehensive overview of career services, with a specific focus on services for graduating students. Following an overview of relevant literature and best practices, we offer guidelines for effectively tracking student outcomes. The final section provides detailed profiles of the career services offerings at five peer institutions. Competitive Market for ESL Programs in CA, AZ, Border Region - In this report, Hanover Research provides an overview of the market for ESL programs in California and the surrounding area. The report is organized into three sections. The first section provides an overview of ESL programs offered by universities in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. The second section gauges prospective student demand by examining trends in U.S. census data for populations that are not fluent in English. The final section profiles five exemplary ESL programs offered by California universities. Market Demand for Special Education Teaching Certificates - In this report, Hanover Research presents information pertaining to the development of five special education-related teaching certificates and one post-secondary program for intellectually disabled young adults. Included in the research are school district data regarding special education, labor market projections, competitor program profiles, and information regarding special education legislation. Market Analysis for Ed.D. Degrees in Educational Leadership and Criminal Justice - This report assesses student and labor market demand for Doctors of Education in Educational Leadership and Criminal Justice. The assessment focuses on the Eastern United States and additionally includes profiles of potential competitor institutions. BENCHMARKING Visual Arts Programs and Centers - In this report, Hanover describes recent trends in Visual Arts programs at community colleges across the country, and provides key facts about 25 of the Community College s peer institutions Visual Arts departments and programs. We also briefly profile visual and performing arts centers at peer institutions. Academic Administrative Management Systems - In this report, Hanover Research examines trends in academic administrative management systems and organizational structures in place at the College s peer institutions. The report includes an overview of institutional characteristics that may affect academic unit organizational structures as well as profiles of specific structures in place at five peer institutions. 3

4 Benchmarking Community College Centers of Excellence - In this report, Hanover Research discusses best practices at Centers of Excellence across the country, and profiles 16 Centers of Excellence at community colleges in Texas. The Role of the Health Educator in Higher Education - In this report, Hanover Research examines standards and guidelines for health promotion in higher education and the hiring of professionals to support these activities. This is followed by a discussion of the health promotion efforts of three institutions of higher education. Finally, Hanover presents several recent job postings for health education/promotion positions at colleges and universities. Boosting Retention through Better Advising An Assessment of First-year Advising Practices for Undeclared Students - This report addresses the situation surrounding undeclared students and their likelihood of withdrawal. It relates how a student s status as declared or undeclared is often of little relevance to a decision to withdraw, noting the presence of other issues that may be masked by the easily-observed marking of undeclared. The report incorporates discussion of advising programs for undeclared students at other institutions, all of which emphasize campusinvolvement focused strategies to boost retention. QUANTITATIVE & QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS Non Pell and Federal Loan Student Disaggregation - For this project, Hanover used prior student enrollment and financial aid data reports from the University to identify cohorts of students who received a Pell grant while attending the institution, those who received a subsidized federal loan but not a Pell grant, and those who did not receive either type of aid. These cohorts were developed for each undergraduate class entering the institution between 2006 and 2011, fulfilling the Student Right to Know provision of Title IV of the Higher Education Act. ABET Outcomes Assessment - This report examines the correspondence between the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology s student learning outcome requirements and the curriculum at the School of Engineering. We gauge these outcomes through a well-defined assessment plan comprised of student surveys, standardized test results, and alumni feedback. NSSE Data Analysis - In this report, Hanover Research analyzes the results of the University's data from the National Survey of Student Engagement. International Models and Demand for Double Degree Programs - In this report, Hanover Research analyzes the combined degree offerings at a selection of universities located in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom, with a focus on common fields of study, program lengths, and policies regarding these programs. This analysis is supplemented with a brief literature review covering international joint/double degrees. Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Data Analysis (Students) Part 2 of 2: Data Analysis - This report follows an initial data preparation phase, provided in a previous report, in which we described the presence of a systematic ordering bias with respect to the order in which student raters viewed the DVD clips and the order in which the pre-test was shown in the DVD clips. No bias was present related to E&F or FU measures. The analyses in this report describe significance testing for select sub-sections of the data including treatment, functional status of the patients, and patient activity. We also include a discussion of student inter-rater reliability Architecture Alumni Survey Analysis - This report presents the responses of architecture alumni to the Institution s 2010 Alumni Survey, combining discussion of dominant trends in academic performance, student life and engagement, employment, continuing education, and assessment of the Institution s strengths and weaknesses with graphical depictions of those trends. 4

5 Update LSAC Data Analysis ( ) - In this report, Hanover Research provides an update to a previous report that analyzed LSAC application and acceptance overlap data provided by the Law School. The report provides a snapshot of where the law school stands in relation to its competitors. Attrition Rates: Online Courses versus Face-to-Face Classes - In this report, we describe attrition rates according to term and instructional modality and uncover the disciplines and courses with the highest and lowest rates of attrition. Special attention is given to a comparison of attrition rates in face-to-face and online courses. Alumni Survey Data Analysis - In this report, Hanover Research analyzes the responses to a survey designed to help understand the attitudes of alumni toward the College. The focus of the analysis is on the extent to which an education from the College adds value and alumni interest in postgraduation alumni activities. SURVEYING Responsibility Center Management (RCM) Budgeting and Departmental Costs Survey Methodology - This brief explains the methodology used by Hanover Research in the development of two surveys for the University. The first survey will benchmark the costs of non-academic departments at eight peer institutions, while the second survey will examine the strategies and accounting systems of universities using the RCM budgeting model. University Honors Program Alumni Survey Analysis - This report presents findings from a survey administered by Hanover Research to alumni from the University Honors Program as part of the University s periodic program review process. We analyze aspects of the survey including alumni s University Honors Program experience, post-university experience, and demographic information. LITERATURE REVIEW Delivery of Higher Education and Training Services in a Boomtown - In this report, Hanover Research examines the delivery of higher education and training services at four institutions located in boomtown communities. For each institutional profile, we provide a contextual description of the boomtown conditions affecting the institution; the measures taken to address both long and short-term education and training needs of the region; the characteristics of successful education and training services in these areas; the delivery mode of education and training programs; and any relevant research pursued or other actions taken to address community needs. Problem-Based Learning - This report provides a literature review of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as it relates to STEM education at community colleges in the United States. Subsections include a definition of problem-based learning, benefits of PBL to student learning, best practices for PBL programs, and areas for future research. Best Practices for the Design and Implementation of Diversity Scorecards - In this report, Hanover Research examines design and implementation strategies for diversity scorecards at higher education institutions. The general best practices for these types of assessment tools are established through a review of relevant literature and implementation examples. Additionally, the diversity programs and initiatives at several peer institutions are profiled. STEM Programs at Community Colleges - In this report, Hanover Research summarizes the obstacles that prevent students from entering STEM fields or completing degrees in STEM fields. We also review strategies that can be used at community colleges to attract students to STEM majors and encourage them to persist to graduation. 5

6 Health Information Technology/Health Information Management Database - In this report, Hanover describes the methods in use at HIT/HIM programs to provide students with a realistic healthcare database experience. We discuss the Professional Practice Experience required for all accredited programs; the AHIMA Virtual Lab program; and alternatives to this program. Hybrid Delivery Models for Graduate Nursing Degree Programs - In this report, Hanover Research reviews graduate-level nursing programs featuring a combination of online and on-campus instruction, also known as hybrid or blended delivery. Delivery models for Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and PhD Nursing programs are reviewed. Additionally, information on common marketing practices and MSN concentrations is summarized. 6