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Date Available

4-30-2026

Year of Publication

2026

Document Type

Doctoral Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

College

Education

Department/School/Program

Educational Policy Studies and Eval

Faculty

Jane Jensen

Faculty

Eric Weber

Abstract

This qualitative multi-case study investigates how higher education institutions and their divisions of student affairs publicly discuss and define non-academic student success through their strategic planning, within the context of external pressures from state legislatures and accrediting bodies. Grounded in Organizational Learning Theory, Transition Theory, and Theory of Student Involvement and Engagement, this study analyzes the alignment and divergence between external policy expectations and internal institutional and divisional strategic plans.

The findings reveal a fundamental tension; while external stakeholders increasingly demand quantifiable outcomes tied to economic productivity - like post-graduate wages and employability metrics - divisions of student affairs continue to prioritize holistic, developmental markers like belonging, well-being, and experiential engagement. This study identifies a 'measurement gap' where institutions often rely on easily countable proxies to satisfy accountability requirements, potentially flattening the complex multi-dimensional growth that occurs during the student journey. This dissertation explores how divisions translate their developmental work into accountability language to maintain institutional legitimacy while promoting a more comprehensive definition of student success.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2026.191

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