Candidate: Gregory A. Moorehead

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Teaching, Learning and Leadership

Title: The Impact of Values and Gender on Advising Satisfaction and Persistence of African Americans at Predominantly White Universities

Committee:
Dr. Mary Anne Bunda, Chair
Dr. Donald Thompson
Dr. Diane Swartz

Date: Thursday, June 21, 2001, 3:30 p.m.- 5:30 p.m., 3208 Sangren Hall

Abstract:
The impact of advising and values on the persistence of African American sophomores at predominantly white institutions was the focus of this study.  Using Vincent Tinto's Institutional Departure Model as a theoretical framework, six Doctoral I, MidAmerican Conference institutions were targeted for this study.  However, the number of participating institutions was reduced from six to four, because two to the institutions could not assist with the identification of a sample.

During the 1999-2000 academic year, 130 respondents completed a twenty-eight-item questionnaire.  Twenty-four items allowed respondents to rate aspects of their advising experience; one item allowed respondents to select extrinsic and/or intrinsic reasons for attending college; one item allowed respondents to indicate within .50 of a grade point, their cumulative gpa; another item asked students to indicate their gender; and the last tem asked respondents to indicate whether or not they intended to enroll during the next academic year.

Based upon responses, participants were categorized according to gender (female/male) and values (extrinsic/intrinsic).  Advising satisfaction was compared between genders, and between value groups (extrinsic/intrinsic), but no differences were found.  Further analysis of values determined a relationship existed between values and gpa but no values of persistence.  The study found that respondents with extrinsic values were more likely than respondents with intrinsic values to report higher grade point averages.

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