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Dwindling Graduate Student Enrollments in Distance-Based Programs: A Researched-Based Exploration with Underlying Findings and Premise

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Conference

2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Location

Salt Lake City, Utah

Publication Date

June 23, 2018

Start Date

June 23, 2018

End Date

July 27, 2018

Conference Session

Career Development for Engineering Professionals

Tagged Division

Continuing Professional Development

Tagged Topic

Diversity

Page Count

24

DOI

10.18260/1-2--30346

Permanent URL

https://strategy.asee.org/30346

Download Count

420

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Paper Authors

biography

Mitchell L. Springer PMP, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Purdue University, West Lafayette (College of Engineering)

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Dr. Mitchell L. Springer
PMP, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Dr. Springer currently serves as an Executive Director for Purdue University’s Polytechnic Institute located in West Lafayette, Indiana. He has over 35 years of theoretical and Defense industry-based practical experience from four disciplines: Software Engineering, Systems Engineering, Program Management and Human Resources. Dr. Springer possesses a significant strength in pattern recognition, analyzing and improving organizational systems. He is internationally recognized, has contributed to scholarship more than 200 books, articles, presentations, editorials and reviews on software development methodologies, management, organizational change, and program management. Dr. Springer sits on many university and community boards and advisory committees. He is the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, most recently, the Purdue University, College of Technology, Equity, Inclusion and Advocacy Award. Dr. Springer is the President of the Indiana Council for Continuing Education as well as the Past-Chair of the Continuing Professional Development Division of the American Society for Engineering Education.

Dr. Springer received his Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Purdue University, his MBA and Doctorate in Adult and Community Education with a Cognate in Executive Development from Ball State University. He is certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP), Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR & SHRM-SCP), in Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR), and, in civil and domestic mediation. Dr. Springer is a State of Indiana Registered domestic mediator.

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biography

Mark T. Schuver Purdue University, West Lafayette (College of Engineering)

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Mark Schuver is the Director for the Center for Professional Studies in Technology and Applied Research (ProSTAR) in the Polytechnic Institute at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He is responsible for the administration/operations of the Center with Program Management oversight of the Rolls-Royce Master of Science Degree, the Construction Management Master of Science Degree and Product Lifecycle Management Certificate Programs for working professionals. Prior to joining Purdue in 2002, Mark was employed by Caterpillar, Inc for 35 years with assignments in Product Design, Research and Development, Supplier Management, Quality Management, Logistics Management and various leadership positions. He holds an Associate Degree in Drafting Technology from North Iowa Area Community College, a BS in Business Administration and MS in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Mark is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education and serves on the Executive Board of the Continuing Professional Development Division. He is also a member of College/Industry Partnerships, Engineering Technology and Graduate Studies Divisions of ASEE. Mark is a Lifetime Certified Purchasing Manager with the Institute of Supply Management (formerly NAPM).

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Abstract

At the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), Conference for Industry & Education Collaboration (CIEC) 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida, the Special Interest Group on Administration (SIG-Admin) focused on individual college/university experiences of dwindling enrollments in graduate distance programs. Based on recent research, this paper focuses on the quantitative realities of this perception and the numerous multi-faceted complexities contributing to the underlying premise of the suggestion. The paper reviews the numerical basis for this concern, as well as looks at the many peripheral and cumulative factors contributing to the concern. This paper focuses on the current trends in declining on-campus enrollments and the offset increase in distance-based enrollments. From the perspective of declining tuition-based on-campus higher education enrollments, this paper will share insights into contributing population demographics, the rationale behind declining numbers of high school graduates, student preferences for staying close to home, and, the challenges of current and future learners. From the perspective of increasing distance-based enrollments, this paper will focus on the contributing factors of distance trend enrollments nationally and by region, by type of institution; public, private non-profit and private for-profit, and by sector of institution. The paper also draws from longitudinal data of the top 50 distance providers. Overall, this paper focuses on the many perceived separate, yet highly related, contributing factors to higher education enrollments, both on-campus and at a distance. While it is recognized these may not be representative of the entirety of those factors contributing to perceived distance dwindling enrollments, the contributing data that follows certainly appears, inductively, to be part of the underlying basis of the discussion.

Springer, M. L., & Schuver, M. T. (2018, June), Dwindling Graduate Student Enrollments in Distance-Based Programs: A Researched-Based Exploration with Underlying Findings and Premise Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Salt Lake City, Utah. 10.18260/1-2--30346

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