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Improving Faculty and Staff Giving at Radford University

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This study provided Radford University with an opportunity to better understand the motivating behaviors of faculty and staff while distinguishing the strategies that influence their interest in giving or choosing not to give. In this study, I used a mixed-methods approach for data collection to answer my research questions and…

This study provided Radford University with an opportunity to better understand the motivating behaviors of faculty and staff while distinguishing the strategies that influence their interest in giving or choosing not to give. In this study, I used a mixed-methods approach for data collection to answer my research questions and to inform the development of the Employee Engagement Plan. The quantitative data was obtained through an online survey provided to Radford University faculty and staff; qualitative data were gathered through focus groups with faculty and staff, and peer institution interviews. The four constructs focus on: effective engagement and solicitation strategies of faculty and staff, the value and gratification associated with giving, the significance of understanding the impact of giving, and the likelihood of making a gift. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) guided my thinking and approach to the entire research process. The TPB includes an initial understanding of whether a person feels they know how to complete a certain behavior (action), whether they can do it successfully, and if they have a favorable attitude towards the behavior. The results indicate there is an immense opportunity to increase faculty and staff giving through making changes to engagement strategies and focusing on the impact of giving. The results show a strong likelihood to give, adding immense value to the timing of the development of the Employee Engagement Plan. Additionally, this study demonstrates the value of connectedness as expressed by respondents and provides the instances where these connections are key. Employees appreciate having multiple options when choosing to support Radford University and their preferred method of giving is discussed. Furthermore, the significance of peer-to-peer engagement and understanding the impact of charitable support and transparency are addressed.
ContributorsLowery, Wendy Ann (Author) / Judson, Eugene (Thesis advisor) / Klotz, Ann Marie (Committee member) / Ross, Lydia (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
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Measuring the Impact of Professional Development on Community College Faculty and Students

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The problem of practice addressed in this mixed-methods research study is assessing whether participating in professional development workshops helped community college instructors improve their pedagogical practices, leading to improved student success and achievement rates. In this study, I explore the effects of an intervention I designed to help English 101…

The problem of practice addressed in this mixed-methods research study is assessing whether participating in professional development workshops helped community college instructors improve their pedagogical practices, leading to improved student success and achievement rates. In this study, I explore the effects of an intervention I designed to help English 101 instructors teach a new, direct-placement composition class, which was created to comply with the mandates of AB-705, an educational reform bill in California. I used three guiding theories to undergird and evaluate the intervention: Darling-Hammond et al.'s Accountability Approach (2014), Freire's Critical Pedagogy (1970), and Kirkpatrick and Kayser-Kirkpatrick’s Model of Training Effectiveness (2009). To address the research questions of this study, I analyzed pre- and post-surveys, faculty interviews, and student success and retention data. The results from the data were mixed. While the quantitative survey data did not support the claim that the College of the Canyons (COC) SkillShare Workshops affected instructors’ attitudes about teaching and their teaching behaviors, the qualitative interview data showed that the workshops did improve instructors’ professional capacities and were a valuable professional development resource. Additionally, the quantitative institutional data demonstrated that workshop participation significantly increased instructors’ student success and retention rates.
ContributorsTerzian-Zeitounian, Alene (Author) / Judson, Eugene (Thesis advisor) / Ross, Lydia (Committee member) / Meuschke, Daylene (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022