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Balancing profit motive and student success: A case study of three regionally accredited for-profit higher education institutions.
- Format:
- Book
- Thesis/Dissertation
- Author/Creator:
- Moore, Kelly Thumm, author.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Higher education.
- Higher education administration.
- Higher Education Management--Penn dissertations.
- Penn dissertations--Higher Education Management.
- Local Subjects:
- Higher education.
- Higher education administration.
- Higher Education Management--Penn dissertations.
- Penn dissertations--Higher Education Management.
- Genre:
- Academic theses.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource (165 pages)
- Contained In:
- Dissertation Abstracts International 76-09A(E).
- Place of Publication:
- [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania] : University of Pennsylvania ; Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest, 2015.
- System Details:
- Mode of access: World Wide Web.
- text file
- Summary:
- For-profit colleges and universities and accrediting agencies have been the subject of criticism and scrutiny over the past few years. This dissertation examines the primary reason for this scrutiny: the seeming conflict between profit motive and student success. It ascertains the educational values of three regionally accredited for-profit college presidents and explains the differences in how presidents and institutions balance profit motive with student success. To do so, it focuses on three central questions: first, how do for-profit colleges and universities acknowledge and address this central dilemma of balancing profit motive with student success? Second, is accreditation a constructive force or an obstacle in resolving this dilemma? And third, what other institutional factors play a role in resolving this dilemma?
- Using a case study approach, this dissertation examines three "best in class" for-profit institutions, all of which are regionally accredited with the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. It concludes that each of these institutions uses a business model that ensures fiscal responsibility but not profit maximization. It also shows that accreditation in each acts as a constructive force, motivating the institutions' focus on assessment of student learning and improvement of student outcomes. Accreditation can also further legitimize these institutions' educational quality in a competitive marketplace that includes both for- and non-profit institutions. Finally, other factors for these institutions' success include family ownership, small enrollment numbers, and constant program evaluation. These factors enabled both a greater focus on student success and the flexibility to retool, add, or eliminate programs to ensure financial viability and stability.
- Notes:
- Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 76-09(E), Section: A.
- Adviser: Joni E. Finney.
- Department: Higher Education Management.
- Thesis Ed.D. University of Pennsylvania 2015.
- Local Notes:
- School code: 0175.
- ISBN:
- 9781321762006
- Access Restriction:
- Restricted for use by site license.
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