Stranded credits, stranded students: how students make sense of institutional debt policies and holds

Over 6.6 million students in the United States owe financial balances—including unpaid tuition and fees—directly to higher education institutions, representing over 15 billion of crippling student debt (Karon et al., 2020). By reviewing extant research, I examine “stranded credits,” which exist when a student still owes an institutional debt, such as tuition and fees, directly to an institution after a deadline. Students with stranded credits and no degree are referred to as “stranded students” and experience a phenomenon that sets off a series of consequences prohibiting a student from enrolling, graduating, and securing employment (Ajinkya et al., 2019; Jones & Andrews, 2021; Karon et al., 2020; Kilgore, 2020; van Lier, 2020). The current methods of collecting institutional debt are at odds with state and institutional goals for student recruitment, retention, and degree completion by preventing registration, diploma, or transcript obtainment (Jones & Andrews, 2021). This study explored the use of financial holds, which prevent registration and transcript obtainment as collateral for institutional debt, and how students make sense of institutional-debt-related holds. By using sensemaking theory as a framework, I examined the factors students reported contributing to their overdue balances, how they became aware of their own overdue balances, and how institutional debt policies and expectations shaped their educational journeys. Two semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 UT Austin students with a financial hold and an owing balance of over 1,000 that prevented registration, transcript, or diploma issuance, before they were financially dismissed from the University. Data from the interviews were analyzed and summarized through an adapted model of student sensemaking from the prior work by Schudde et al. (2021). Students deliberated and approached their balance and hold either procedurally, with the hold as the primary motivator to pay, or strategically, whether their circumstances have changed and they required further assistance to pay for college. Each approach was influenced by the expectedness of the factors or events related to the overdue balance, whether the student had violated the policy previously or was a first-time violator, and if the student was dependent or claimed self-responsibility over their educational expenses.Educational Leadership and Polic

Internationalization at striving universities and the role of presidential leadership

Over the past two decades, there has been heightened awareness and intensified discussions on the importance of internationalization in the academy. There are also strong calls for action from university leaders, faculty members, and industry CEOs. Equipping students with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to live and thrive in today’s globally interconnected and interdependent world has never been an ambiguity. However, there seems to be little discussion and research on the limited role of presidential leadership in comprehensive internationalization efforts at U.S. universities (Hudzik, 2015). Motivated by the ACE model for comprehensive internationalization, this study explores actionable frameworks to support campus internationalization goals. This qualitative research project utilizes a multiple case study approach to better understand the role that presidential leadership plays in comprehensive internationalization at striving universities. I argue that the rise or fall of the internationalization agenda largely depends on Presidential leadership. Presidents must lead the charge for the work of internationalization to be effective and successful at higher education institutions.Educational Leadership and Polic

A discussion with Ahmed Kathrada - based on his memoirs

Ahmed Kathrada’s Memoirs give an insight into his remarkable life during which he observed and actively participated in the shaping of South Africa’s history

School improvement through government agencies: loose or tight coupling?

In seeking to improve student outcomes, governments may choose to exercise direct control over schools, as in many centralised systems, or to provide frameworks for intermediate bodies to engage in improvement activities. One such body is the National College for School Leadership (NCSL), now the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) in England. The Department of Education of the South African province of Gauteng (GDE) has also chosen to implement its school improvement programmes partly through two specialist units, the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, which focuses on maths, science and technology (MST), and the Matthew Goniwe School of Leadership and Governance (MGSLG), which specialises in school leadership, management, governance and teacher development. The purpose of this article is to report on an evaluation of the work of these two bodies, commissioned by the GDE as part of its 20th anniversary commemorations, through an analysis of relevant documents and interviews with 11 key actors in the operation of these specialist bodies. The article adopts loose coupling as its theoretical framework

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Annual Assessment Report to the College 2012-2013

Describes the Educational Leadership and Policy Studies Department's assessment activities for the academic year 2012-2013.The Educational Leadership and Policy Studies annual assessment report to the College for the Office of Academic Assessment. For the preliminary administrative credential, there are four transition points in which data is collected: 1) Entry to the program, 2) Entry to Clinical Practice, 3) Exit from Clinical Practice, and 4) a Follow Up once the student has graduated the program, as well as a follow up survey given to the employer. For each transition point there are key benchmarks aligned with coursework to assess knowledge, skills, and dispositions as they relate to the department student learning outcomes

Student Debate

Students from the University of Mississippi\u27s College Republicans (Tyler Craft, Martin Edwards, Cadley Burns, Billy Roach) and College Democrats (Brent Caldwell, Melody Frierson, Brent Clark, Jeff Dreste) debate domestic, foreign, and economic issues with insight into the positions of the respective candidates, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain. One of several academic activities held at the University of Mississippi preceding the first presidential debate of 2008