The contemporary university presidency is undergoing structural transformation. Declining public confidence, shorter tenures, reduced state funding, heightened accountability, growing fundraising pressures, governance strain, commercialization demands, and political polarization are reshaping executive leadership. This study uses a structured integrative literature review with staged thematic synthesis to examine how these pressures alter the institutional environment and whether leadership preparation has adapted. Evidence draws on peer-reviewed scholarship and high-credibility sector data on trends in public trust, tenure, state finance, and philanthropy. Findings show a shift from internal stewardship to cross-domain leadership under volatile conditions. Six core domains emerge: strategic systems leadership, financial and resource orchestration, relational legitimacy, political intelligence and narrative leadership, entrepreneurial ecosystem integration, and adaptive resilience with ethical stewardship. Case illustrations indicate these domains are operational requirements, not aspirational traits. The study concludes that recalibrating presidential qualifications and preparation systems is essential. Without alignment between expectations and leadership development, institutions risk persistent turnover, weakened governance legitimacy, and declining public trust.
Mathematics assessments in higher education are often treated as neutral measures of student understanding, yet assessment design strongly shapes what multilingual learners (MLs) can demonstrate. Linguistic complexity, implicit curricular and cultural assumptions, and representational demands embedded in assessment tasks can obscure mathematical reasoning and compromise validity. This mixed empirical and conceptual study examines how common mathematics assessment practices function as barriers for MLs—not because of mathematical rigor, but because of avoidable design features. Analysis of assessment tasks, practitioner observations, and professional learning artifacts identifies three recurring barriers: linguistic density and ambiguity, hidden curricular and cultural assumptions, and representational overload. Situated within scholarship on language, validity, and equity in mathematics education, the findings illustrate how construct-irrelevant variance is introduced through assessment design in postsecondary and teacher preparation contexts. This article reframes assessment challenges for MLs as design issues rather than learner deficits and advances practical, design-oriented strategies to support more equitable and instructionally useful mathematics assessment.
Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) enables students to produce polished assignments without demonstrating the intellectual effort that higher education is meant to cultivate. This paper reframes GenAI not as a detection problem but as an instructional design challenge. Drawing on experiential learning theory and behavioral objective design, we develop the Delegation Spectrum Model and the Intellectual Effort Inflection Point (IEIP) to describe how epistemic labor is distributed between students and GenAI across stages of mediation. Using Refined Disclosure of Support Statements from a senior communication course and AI prompt stress testing of a high-stakes memo assignment, we illustrate how task architecture can permit cognitive displacement while preserving surface quality. We then propose design principles for epistemically visible objectives that require source engagement, evidence appraisal, and claim warranting. The framework offers a transferable diagnostic tool for AI-resilient curriculum reform and for clarifying when epistemic delegation supports learning and when it undermines it.
With the growth of performed suffering in public discourse, contemporary critical theory faces challenges in both its practical application and public scrutiny. This study calls for alteration in the pedagogy of critical theory that re-centers the field with needed examination of the historical foundations that drove its origins, namely economic despair and dangerous oppression, with an effort to improve the instruction practices of critical theory with principles that focus on prudent student application. A richer integration of historically grounded examinations of suffering equips students with a reflexive lens for addressing challenges across different ages.
Over the last few decades, Spain and Italy have undergone profound shifts in their demographic structures as other European countries, resulting in significant fluctuations in enrollment rates across Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and a remarkable expansion of private education providers. Focusing on both national contexts and their respective central Higher Educations hubs -Madrid Region (Comunidad de Madrid) in Spain and Lazio Region (Regione Lazio) in Italy- this paper analyzes demographic trends and the evolution of student enrollment in public and private universities. Furthermore, the study provides a projection of the potential student population through 2040, revealing an imminent long-term contraction of the student body. The findings highlight key implications, including a potential threat to the financial sustainability of public institutions and an intensification of institutional competition against a backdrop of population decline. Finally, based on the comparative regional analysis, this paper offers public policy recommendations and structural reforms aimed at mitigating the impact of this future sociodemographic reality in the two countries studied, ensuring long-term resilience and strengthening higher education on the international landscape.
This study analyzes the factors affecting women’s access to education in North Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of Congo, where prevailing customs and practices often limit their educational opportunities. Using a qualitative approach based on interviews, discriminant analysis and multinomial logistic regression were conducted to identify the variables that discriminate against and/or explain women’s access to education. The results indicate that parents’ level of education, the type of union between parents, parental income, and the religious affiliation of the head of household significantly influence the level of education attained by women.
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted the CPA profession and Hispanic representation within it, yet post-pandemic evidence remains limited. After the pandemic, accounting degrees declined at HSIs and non-HSIs, and fewer graduates attempted the CPA Exam. While HSI graduates’ pass share improved, total sections decreased. The percentage of HSI candidates earning the CPA fell more than at non-HSIs, raising renewed concerns about Hispanic representation in the pipeline and prompting discussion of institutional and professional responses.
Drawing on findings from a recent study, this paper examines how genderism and cisnormativity shape identity development and academic experiences of Trans and/or Nonbinary undergraduates. Centering participants’ narratives on gender expressions and perceptions by others, the study revealed persistent invisibility of gender identity based on genderist and cisnormative expectations. Academic experiences and development diverged between students who passed and wanted to be perceived as Cisgender and those who could not or chose not to do so. The paper concludes with recommendations for educators and institutions to better support Trans and/or Nonbinary students’ academic success.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly reshaping healthcare delivery, offering new capabilities in diagnostics, treatment planning, patient management, and administrative efficiency. As these technologies rapidly expand across clinical and operational domains, healthcare professionals must be prepared to navigate both opportunities and challenges. This paper examines the need for integrating AI education into healthcare curricula to ensure graduates are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and ethical awareness required in an AI-driven workplace. Drawing on current research and emerging best practices, the implications of AI adoption for professional roles and competencies are highlighted, as are the barriers to effective curriculum design and strategies for embedding AI literacy within medical and health sciences education. Higher education institutions play a critical role in shaping the healthcare workforce’s readiness by fostering both technical fluency and critical reflection on AI’s societal impact. The manuscript concludes with recommendations for aligning curricula to support future healthcare professionals as competent, adaptive, and responsible users of AI technologies.
This qualitative case study employed validation and organizational theories to explore the nuanced ways in which a private university validates, supports, and promotes the success of undocumented and DACAmented students. The findings revealed that an institutional “shadow culture” exists to mobilize access to resources, community, and foster success to degree completion. The authors theorize that students are validated and affirmed by resources and support services faculty and staff establish and sustain within the shadows of the institution.
The aim of the research is to analyze the level of satisfaction of students at the University of Panama, Veraguas Regional University Center, with the academic and administrative services it provides. The research has a non-experimental design based on a quantitative approach. The study is exploratory and descriptive; a questionnaire was developed based on the approaches of Do Santo, (2014) and Álvarez et al., (2015). It was found that 89.89% of the students surveyed were dissatisfied with academic services and 34.20% were dissatisfied with administrative services. They suggested updating the methodology applied, the teacher evaluation process, and improving customer service.
As sustainability reporting standards evolve, accounting and finance students must be prepared to apply ESG concepts in enterprise systems and decision‑making. This study introduces an experiential design integrating the ERPsim Logistics Sustainability Game with an adapted EYARC “Solar Energy” case in a Managerial Accounting course to strengthen understanding of sustainability in logistics, supply chains, and financial reporting. Grounded in experiential learning theory, the design enables students to use managerial accounting tools while making real‑time decisions in a live SAP ERP environment. Post‑simulation survey results show improved ESG comprehension, higher engagement, and strong support for integrating sustainability into ERP‑focused curricula.
Artificial intelligence and automation are restructuring early-career knowledge-work roles by compressing the entry-level functions through which graduates historically built portfolios, developed professional judgment, and earned professional credibility. This paper argues that higher education has misdiagnosed the resulting challenge as curriculum misalignment—a content problem assumed to be solvable through revised syllabi, AI electives, and marginal expansions of experiential learning. Evidence from a systematic review of eighteen peer-reviewed studies and current labor-market analyses suggests a different conclusion: the informal post-degree apprenticeship system that historically completed graduate formation no longer reliably exists, and the architecture of the undergraduate degree is structurally incapable of replacing it through curricular revision alone. In response, this paper proposes the Embedded Formation Degree (EFD), a four-component framework consisting of accelerated domain entry, a four-year AI fluency track, an embedded practice firm, and structurally integrated employer partners. The framework reframes the education–employer gap as a structural failure in the pathway and outlines implications for universities, employers, accreditors, and policymakers.
Integration of project-based learning with undergraduate research provides a practical link between classroom learning, real environmental and social challenges. This paper examines how integrating undergraduate research with project-based learning can strengthen research practice, community engagement, and policy-relevant work in environmental and social science education. Using a case study of student-led research on food security policies in Hawaiʻi, with particular attention to SNAP (Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program)/Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) programs, the paper examines how applied research experiences contribute to student learning and community engagement. Institutional initiatives such as the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) and the CTAHR Summer Research Institute provide the structure and support necessary for these experiences. The paper also discusses implications for curriculum design, institutional support, and the role of undergraduate research in environmental education.
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the classroom is a timely concept that needs more exploration to understand its impact. Therefore, we investigated this concept with four doctoral students in the United States and their written reflections about such topics. Participants were involved in a graduate-based mentoring program, where the directors of the program introduced the concept of AI-based tools as part of their monthly reflection work. Coding was conducted on the reflections with four themes prevailing: Ethical Concerns, Quality Work, Time-consuming, and Time-saver. Sample participant reflections, as well as implications for future research, were also detailed.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is among the most common neurodevelopmental conditions affecting school-age children, yet questions remain about which interventions most effectively support academic performance across different student populations. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau's National Survey of Children's Health (n = 27,635), this study employs logistic regression to examine two questions: how does ADHD affect student grades, and which commonly used treatments are most effective at improving academic outcomes? ADHD was associated with a 12.2 percentage point increase in the likelihood of receiving low grades. Among treatments, medication and exercise were the only interventions that significantly reduced this likelihood, with effects varying meaningfully by gender and educational level. Notably, medication benefited male students but showed no significant effect for females, while exercise produced stronger academic benefits for females than males. No treatment showed a statistically significant effect for elementary school students. These findings suggest that more targeted, individualized treatment approaches may better serve students with ADHD across different demographic groups.
This mixed methods research study compares the diversity of challenges experienced by university students during COVID-19 across five institutional contexts in four countries: South Africa (two universities), the United States, Brazil, and Chile. Using previously published thematic findings, themes were quantitized and analyzed via the Shannon Diversity Index (SDI), yielding what is termed the Shannon-Based Thematic Diversity Index (SBTDI), which captures both the range and evenness of challenges. Results indicate variability in thematic diversity across institutions, with the New York sample showing the highest diversity and Wits University the lowest. Findings suggest that student challenges are multidimensional, underscoring the importance of designing comprehensive interventions for future pandemics and other large-scale disruptions.
In an increasingly data-driven world, Data Analytics and Statistics Instruction (DASI) has emerged as a transformative pedagogical approach that fundamentally reshapes how students engage with quantitative reasoning and evidence-based decision-making. This research paper examines the multidimensional impact of DASI on student learning outcomes, exploring how integrating real-world datasets, interactive analytical tools, and interdisciplinary applications enhances cognitive development, critical thinking, and practical skill acquisition. Through synthesis of empirical research, case studies, and theoretical frameworks, this paper demonstrates that DASI not only improves students' technical competencies but also cultivates essential 21st-century skills, including data literacy, analytical reasoning, and evidence-based communication. The findings reveal that effective DASI implementation requires careful attention to pedagogical design, technological infrastructure, instructor preparation, and assessment strategies that align with contemporary workforce demands and academic standards.
Google Gemini is a modern large language model (LLM) that has quickly become a “super tool for superusers.” Similar to garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) in statistics, in the hands of an expert user, Gemini is a tool indissoluble with speed and accuracy of answering important research questions. Knowing how to frame expert questions to prompt the LLM is essential. I ended up asking Gemini nine carefully crafted questions that evolved as Gemini answered each of my previous questions, respectively. By the time question #9 was answered, a “Dud Index” had been firmly established and justified. With the use of Gemini, I was able to developed a utility threshold to identify where journal “prestige” masks a lack of “utility.” This helps identify Type 1 Errors (False Positives: High rank but low impact) and Type 2 Errors (False Negatives: Low rank but high impact. Facts support the claim there is a Type 1 Error (Prestige Trap): ABDC Rank is A/A*, but the Dud Index is > 35%. Facts support a Type 2 Error (Hidden Gem): ABDC Rank is B/C, but the Dud Index is < 15%. Implications for business school deans and tenure review committees are critical and discussed regarding academic impact policies that inadvertently hurt faculty.
While care in higher education is not commonly discussed, the COVID-19 pandemic has placed a spotlight on why tertiary institutions must reevaluate their policies, practices, and support systems to better meet students' needs. Research conducted during and after the COVID-19 pandemic has revealed a rise in mental health issues, feelings of isolation, insecurities related to employment, housing, and food, as well as grief associated with losses amongst college and university students. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has ended, its impacts on college and university students continue to shape higher education. This discussion explores why caring in higher education matters more than ever and why post-secondary institutions must be intentional about embedding structures of care to support student learning and well-being.
