604 Nghiên cứu thị trường nhóm sản phẩm chăm sóc da tại Việt Nam và giải pháp Marketing của Công ty quốc tế Minh Việt

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THE USE OF RELATIONSHIP MARKETING TECHNIQUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION: A CASE STUDY

by

Judy Mary Campbell B.A., Otterbein College, 1984

M.S., Chapman University, 1997

A thesis submitted to the University of Colorado at Denver

in partial fulfillment

of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

Educational Leadership and Innovation

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UMI Number: 3056513

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unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Cade

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This thesis for the Doctor of Philosophy degree by

Judy Mary Campbell has been approved

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Campbell, Judy Mary (Ph.D., Educational Leadership and Innovation) The Use of Relationship Marketing Techniques by Institutions of Higher Education: A Case Study

Thesis directed by Professor Michael Murphy

ABSTRACT

Relationship marketing is a business technique that focuses on the customer as a distinct individual with unique wants and needs This focus leads

organizations to develop relationships with the customer that may eventually lead to customer loyalty and retention There are five basic concepts to relationship marketing: creating personal bonds, concern for the welfare of the customer,

commitment to the personal growth of the customer, customer fit, and

retaining/terminating the relationship with the customer Accountability

measures and competition are driving institutions to develop strategies that assist them in their retention efforts This exploratory case study examines the use of relationship marketing techniques by public institutions of higher education in Colorado

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mission statements and other documents were evaluated for relationship marketing techniques

The research seems to indicate that these five public institutions of higher education are using three of the five concepts of relationship marketing: creating personal bonds with students, concern for the welfare of the student, and

commitment to the personal and academic growth of the student The questionnaire, and the document review supported statements made by the participants in their interviews

This abstract accurately represents the content of the candidate’s thesis I recommend its publication

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to acknowledge and thank the Chair of my Dissertation

Committee, Dr Michael Murphy for his support, patience, and advice over the last two years I would also like to extend my warm thanks to the other members of my committee, Dr Laura Goodwin, Dr Michael Martin, and Dr Clifford Young for their generous support

I would also like to acknowledge Dr Maria Gier, she gave me my first job in higher education and has been a good friend for many years Her

encouragement and guidance throughout the years has been immeasurable

In addition, I wish to acknowledge Mark Velat for his continued

understanding and patience throughout this process And lastly, a very special thanks to Peter Bemski for his friendship and support throughout the last four

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CHAPTER 1

2

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTIƠN .- 0 nhe Hi rHag 1 Background of the Problem -. -ccằcàs‡eiiằ 3 Conceptual Frameworf cà snnnnnhnhhhhhnhiie 6

Research Questions . - nhu 11

Methodology - 55 nhe ereg 13 Structure of Dissertation - nen 14

LITERATURE REVIEW nhe 15 Relationship Marketing -. SseneehhehHrrrre 16 Relationship Marketing and

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4 5 Participant

Research Design - nhe I0 §@0J)(-v:) PP

Data Analyses - - - ¡(nhu hiờ In :riodEFlr daaiiiidia3ÝŸ4Ả l6 0 6/1/22: College Coin College ®9I-.: 0P Cross Case AnalyS1s Sàn nhhhHhhhhhhrrrrrrhrere

Institutional Similarities and

Differences - TQ TQ ng kg hen Retention Strategies Similarities

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Summary of Findings - heo 86 Limitations PP 93 Conclusions - Sàn Hà HH Hà 94 Discussion of Findings cà hneerhhHide 95 Recommendations for Practice . -ccccnsàe 100 Recommendations for Future Study . - 102

APPENDIX

A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK MODELS . 104

B CASE STUDY METHOD . cnànhhnHdnHrrre 109

C ®9091)/€59:125 01057 111

D INSTITUTIONAL PROFILES AND

CARNEGIE CLASSIFICATIONS OF INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER

EDUCATION 115

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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

Higher education is facing a variety of challenges as we enter the 21" century These challenges will inevitably change the way higher education thinks about its students Many of the issues confronting higher education are in response to a changing marketplace Higher education is no longer a luxury but a requirement for employment and prosperity for not only the individual but for the United States Higher education is the investment of an educated, productive workforce that will benefit society (Callan, 2000; Carnevale, 1999)

There is also a greater emphasis on accountability, assessment, technology, and learning then in years past Constituents such as the federal

government, state legislatures, the community, students, and their parents are

demanding more from institutions of higher education The future prosperity, growth, and develop of the economy is dependent upon the educational

achievement of its people Higher education is in part responsible to ensure the continued growth of the nation by developing an educated workforce (Callan, 2000)

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over the accountability of higher education to its constituents One such accountability measure is retention Retention is defined in the study by two characteristics: persistence and completion Persistence is defined as a student who has returned to college after her/his freshmen year Persistence rates for four-year institutions varied from 62% in Idaho to 84% in Connecticut Completion rates are defined by the number of students who make progress toward and complete their certificates and degrees Nationally, only 52% of the full-time, first-time freshmen at four-year institutions earn a bachelor’s degree within five years

Legislators, administrators and the community are obviously concerned about the drop out rates of students Low retention rates can reflect a poor image to students and can reduce the institution’s ranking in academic circles Low

retention rates can also mean reduced tuition dollars, which can affect

institutional budgets In addition, a high drop out rate can lead to reduced state appropriations, which can also affect operating funds

A survey by The Nelson A Rockefeller Institute of Government found that at least 50% of the states are moving toward the use performance indicators,

such as persistence and completion, and tying those indicators to state

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The State of Colorado has yet to tie funds to accountability measures but it does expect state-funded institutions to meet certain quality indicators The State of Colorado General Assembly passed the Higher Education Quality Assurance Act in 1996 (HB96-1219) It was not until 1999 under the administration of Governor Bill Owens that SB 99-229 established specific directives for public institutions of higher education One of those quality indictors measures freshman persistence and assesses the institution’s ability to retain a student through the first year and beyond (Executive Summary, 2000) Even though state appropriations are not tied to the quality indictors, public institutions of higher education in Colorado are held accountable for retention

Retaining students and seeing them through to graduation is an important responsibility of higher education With 56% of all jobs requiring a bachelor’s degree, it is even more important to see students complete their degrees and graduate (Carnevale, 1999) The marketplace demands an educated workforce but that can only happen if students persist and graduate The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of relationship marketing by public institutions of higher education in Colorado as a tool for retention

Background of the Problem

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education to better themselves and their community Therein lies the problem: how to retain and graduate students so that they can become productive citizens

Higher education has begun to see a number of external pressures that make it more difficult to retain students The growing economy, changes in

student demographics and attitudes about education have made the retention of college students difficult Career oriented students, who are market savvy consumers, are making decisions that affect persistence and completion of degree programs Traditional as well as non-traditional adult students are placing greater emphasis on degrees and courses that lead to well-paid jobs rather than the importance placed on the educational experience by institutions of higher education (Ehrlich, 2000; Hendley, 2000)

Levine (2000) suggested there will be many changes facing the future of higher education in response to these external pressures According to Levine, there will be an increase in educational providers and their offerings will become more diverse There will be a shift from teaching to learning and college degrees will become less valuable Higher education will also focus more on the

individual student with customized learning plans and services

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providers are mimicking business with customer service, individualized

education programs, and attention to the student’s educational desires These providers are presenting alternatives that are attractive to the consumer-minded student and creating a more competitive environment

“As institutions of higher education struggle for competitive advantage, they must examine new ways to compete and improve service and responsiveness Increasingly, institutions are

recognizing that administrative and bureaucratic functions, rules, and regulations can be eliminated with no corresponding

diminution in quality of service of program Competitive

advantage grows from improvement, innovation, and change It involves the entire value system of the organization It can often only begun if we break the mold with which we currently work It can only be sustained through relentless advancement (Penrod &

Dolence, 1992, p 19).”

Penrose and Dolence (1992) discussed the need to change the

organizational culture of higher education to meet the future, in order to respond

to the concerns over costs, student consumerism, and changes on the horizon for

higher education

“The first is customer focus There are internal customers such as students, staff, or other academic or administrative units; and there are external customers including taxpayers, parents, alumni,

donors, and outside agencies Customer focus means meeting the customers’ real needs The best way to do that is by asking how their needs might be better met and then doing it (Penrose &

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The student in higher education is both a customer as well as a product of the educational system This means that the student is both an external and internal customer at the same time The student as both customer and product should be reflected in the marketing and retention strategies that are established by the institution (Conway, 1996)

"_ higher education must adjust to accommodate learners Consumers will exert their inexorable influence on higher education The era of a campus- centric model is ending (Twigg & Oblinger, 1997, para 34).” The sheer

numbers of potential students, both traditional age and adult learners, combined with changing student attitudes about education, are moving the needs and wants of the student to the forefront There has been a significant call to transform higher education by borrowing from business and re-engineering higher education (Dolence & Norris, 1995; Penrod & Dolence, 1992)

Conceptual Framework

“There’s no doubt that the university of the future will require some out- of-the box thinking, and a major revision in culture and organization (Peppers & Rogers, 1998, p 67).” The revision or re-engineering of higher education has already begun with the look, language and strategies of business In order to meet the increasing demands and needs of students, institutions must recognize

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“To meet the challenge posed by these external influences, colleges and universities must cultivate a continuous stream of leadership and develop an administrative infrastructure which is optimized for service, speed, quality, and productivity (Katz & West, 1992, p 1).”

One vision for the student-customer is through the use of relationship marketing, which has its roots in business (Appendix A) The purpose of relationship marketing is to

“ establish, maintain, enhance and commercialize

customer relationships (often but not necessarily always long term relationships) so that the

objectives of the parties involved are met This is done by a mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises (Gronroos, 1990, p 5).”

Relationship marketing strategies are characterized by several attributes, which enhances the rapport with the customer in such a way that it leads to a long-term, mutually beneficial interaction for both parties

Relationship marketing focuses on the customer as a distinct individual with unique wants and needs This focus leads organizations to develop individualized communications, customized goods and services, and creates a learning relationship with the customer (Gilmore & Pine, 2000; Peppers &

Rogers, 1993, 1997; Peppers, Rogers, & Dorf, 2000; Pine, Peppers, & Rogers,

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In addition, the organization makes a commitment to the customer to be honest, fair, provide excellent service, and quality products (Buttle, 1996) A key to this commitment is that it needs to be mutually beneficial The organization and the customer must both be satisfied and remain loyal to each other

However, there are times in the organization-customer relationship that the interaction is not mutually beneficial and the organization or the customer must decide to leave the relationship A relationship, which is not mutually beneficial, is not conducive to good business practices (Peppers & Rogers, 1993, 1997, Shani & Chalasani, 1993) Relationship marketing and its characteristics lead to a long-term relationship that keeps the customer loyal to the organization (Peppers & Rogers, 1993, 1997)

Ultimately, strategies for retention aim for satisfaction by the customer or

student, so he/she will continue to purchase that item, service, or education that is

provided by the organization or institution There are many factors that influence the level of satisfaction by a customer or student Two such factors, consumer culture and expectations are affecting the attitudes of customers not only in business but in higher education

Consumers as well as students expect more from the companies and the educational institutions that they patronize These expectations for high quality

products, excellent service, individual attention, and anytime transactions are

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in the consumer’s attitude Consumer culture and consumer demand is being driven by many factors including, an increase in availability and variety of products, increase in shopping opportunities, and consumer protection (Lury,

1996) This demand has pushed the envelope of expectations that customers

have on businesses or institutions (Gray, 1983; Lury, 1996; Stark, 1977)

Consumers today are used to making purchases and communicating anyplace and at anytime This customer is accustom to buying on-line, using cellular phones and communicating via e-mail This new student-customer

will neither understand nor content themselves with less from their campus environments (Katz & West, 1992, p 16).” Students now expect to purchase books, register, pay bills, and review transactions all on-line In order for

institutions to attract and retain student customers, higher education must change the way it thinks about its students

Expectations and satisfaction are interconnected If expectations are not met then satisfaction by the customer is not met and the customer leaves the relationship Bluedorn’s (1982) unified model of turnover by employees parallels the behavior of consumers The individual employed by an

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Satisfaction is key to retaining customers Stodt (1987) suggested that

there are three institutional factors that influence retention of students: academic,

administrative policies and student life Dissatisfaction of the academic

performance by either the college or the student indicates a need to discontinue the relationship Research has shown a high correlation between academic performance and persistence (Getzlaf, Sedlacek, Kearney, & Blackwell, 1984;

Pantages & Creedon, 1978; Tinto, 1975, 1993; Webb, 1988)

Several researchers have reported that students who are dissatisfied with administrative policies or the resolution of problems are more likely to leave the institution (Demitroff, 1974; Heverly, 1999; Pantages & Creedon, 1978) The research also suggests that student’s perception of student life can lead to dissatisfaction and attrition Student life can reflect the relationship between the student and other students, faculty and staff (Beatty-Guenter, 1994; Jones, 1986;

Nippert, 2000-2001; Pantages & Creedon, 1978; Tinto, 1990) It also refers to

the student environment fit with the mission and vision of the institution (Peltier, Laden & Mantranga, 1999; Tinto, 1993) Students who do not feel this

connection or bond with the institution will not be retained

Tinto’s (1990) principles of retention match remarkably the characteristics and attributes of relationship marketing The first principle emphasizes the personal relationship and bond that is developed by the student with other students, faculty and staff The second principle reflects an enduring

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institutional commitment to the welfare of the student The third principle fulfills the promise to provide social and intellectual growth through a quality education The fourth principle underscores the importance of the student environment fit in determining what students should be retained Finally, Tinto points out that when the institution considers the welfare of the student a priority, it can mean letting a student leave rather than retaining that student

Relationship marketing and higher education retention strategies are attempting to achieve the same end result That result is the satisfaction and retention of students that ultimately leads to a long-term relationship

Relationship marketing is another vehicle that can assist institutions of higher

education in the satisfaction and retention of its student-customer

Research Questions

The retention of college students continues to be an issue of importance for higher education In recent years, it has become an important criterion in the accountability measures, which rely heavily on persistence and completion rates Retention of students is important to the survival of an institution as more competitors enter the market and attract students away from traditional avenues of higher education Pressures by external constituents including student-

customers are impacting the way higher education does business The purpose of

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this research is to investigate the use of relationship marketing techniques by public institutions of higher education in Colorado as a tool for retention

The specific research questions are:

1, What relationship marketing techniques are being used by public institutions of higher education in Colorado?

2 To what extent are relationship marketing techniques being used by public institutions of higher education in Colorado?

3 Why are these institutions of higher education using relationship marketing techniques?

4 What are the similarities and differences in the use of relationship marketing by different Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education?

Businesses are using relationship marketing strategies to gain competitive advantage, develop long-term relationships and retain customers for a life-time It can be suggested that higher education may be using relationship marketing for the same reasons that business use these techniques but it is necessary to

understand the institutional reason for using these strategies It is important to assess how much an institution has implemented relationship marketing strategies and to what extent are those institutions using those strategies

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Methodology

The methodology for this study was an exploratory case study This study did include the use of interviews, a questionnaire, and a document review for each institution Each institution was considered its own case study since their demographics and administrations were unique

The institutions studied were public higher education institutions in Colorado There were five institutions chosen and three Carnegie Classifications of Higher Education were represented The participants from the chosen

institutions were selected based on their responsibility for institutional retention The participants included such individuals as the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Vice President for Enrollment Management Other individuals

were interviewed, as needed

Data analyses resulted in a ‘portrait’ of each of the institutions This portrait or synopsis was used to define and describe relationship marketing and retention strategies used by these institutions In addition, the synopsis for each institution was used in a cross-case analysis to evaluate the differences found

between the institutions

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Structure of the Dissertation

This dissertation consists of five chapters Chapter One includes an introduction and background of the problem, conceptual framework, research questions and a brief overview of the methodology Chapter Two presents a review of the literature on retention in higher education and relationship

marketing Chapter Three describes the methodology of the research including the instrumentation, data collection, and data analysis Chapter Four presents the results of the research Finally, Chapter Five summarizes the findings and

implications of the research for institutions of higher education in Colorado attempting to utilize relationship marketing for retention purposes

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CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Higher education is facing a multitude of challenges in part from the growing demand for educated workers However, this demand is also fueling a greater emphasis on accountability, assessment, technology and learning Rooted within these values is a consumer-oriented environment requiring institutions of higher education to re-evaluate the way it thinks about the educational process

Businesses have already begun to change their approach to customers ‘based on this environment Consumerism and consumer expectations have

gained greater influence on customer satisfaction Customer satisfaction is vital

to the survival of the business, without satisfaction, there will be no customers

The purpose of this research is to investigate the use of relationship marketing by public institutions of higher education in Colorado as a tool for retention There are four questions that will be answered by this study What relationship marketing strategies are being used by institutions of public higher education in Colorado? To what extent are relationship marketing techniques being used by public institutions of higher education in Colorado? Why are these institutions using relationship marketing techniques? And finally, what are the

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similarities and differences in the use of relationship marketing by different Carnegie Classifications of Institutions of Higher Education? |

This literature review will explore the definition of relationship marketing and the use of relationship marketing techniques in non-profit organizations It will also delve into the areas of consumerism and consumer expectations and how they are related to customer satisfaction Finally, this literature review will summarize results of retention studies and their findings related to higher

education

Relationship Marketing

The traditional marketing mix management paradigm is slowly shifting to an emphasis of customer retention, market economies and customer relationship economics (Gronroos, 1994) This concept is being driven by more intense competition, fragmentation of markets and more demanding customers who have rapidly changing customer buying patterns (Buttle, 1996) This change in

customer attitudes has changed the direction of marketing

The marketing strategy continuum reflects transaction marketing on the far left of the continuum and relationship marketing on the far right There are fundamental differences between transaction marketing and relationship

marketing Transactional marketing requires a short-term focus, quality products, price sensitivity and ad hoc customer satisfaction surveys

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Relationship marketing, however, has a long-term focus, quality interactions with the customer, not as price sensitive and real time customer feedback (Gronross,

1991)

The purpose of relationship marketing is to “ establish, maintain, enhance and commercialize customer relationships (often but not necessarily always long term relationships) so that the objectives of the parties involved are met This is done by a mutual exchange and fulfillment of promises (Gronroos,

1990, p 5).” This definition reveals a variety of underlying concepts that make up the relationship between the organization and the customer These concepts includes the development of learning relationships and individualized

communications (Peppers & Rogers, 1993; Peppers, Rogers, & Dorf, 2000; Pine,

Peppers, & Rogers, 2000), commitment and concern for the customer (Buttle,

1996; Gronroos, 1990, 1994), trust between the customer and the organization (Buttle, 1996; Gronroos, 1990, 1994), mutually beneficial interactions (Buttle,

1996; Gronroos, 1990, 1994; Peppers & Rogers, 1993), and long-term customer loyalty (Buttle, 1996; Peppers & Rogers, 1993; Shani & Chalasani, 1993)

Relationship marketing tackles the challenge of a changing marketplace by establishing a learning relationship with the customer (Peppers & Rogers,

1993; Peppers, Rogers, & Dorf, 2000; Pine, Peppers, & Rogers, 2000) The

learning relationship is a mutually beneficial set of communications where the individual customer teaches the company or institution about their preferences

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and needs The more the organization or institution can learn about the customer the better they will be able to respond and make it more difficult for the customer to be enticed away by a competitor (Pine, Peppers, & Rogers, 2000)

Individualized communication refers to collaboration, listening and engaging the customer in dialogue that appropriately assesses the customer’s needs, in relationship to what the company or institution is providing The organization or institution utilizes this dialogue as a way of gathering information from the customers so to better provide services and products It also allows for creativity and anticipation of future needs (Pepper, Rogers, & Dorf, 2000; Pine, Peppers, & Rogers, 2000)

In an attempt to further interact more effectively with the individual customer, organizations began to customize products and services to specifically meet their customers’ needs Customization of products and services has grown out of the era of mass production Mass production, the process by which standardized, low-cost, consistent quality products were created and sold on the market, no longer fits in the emerging marketplace (Pine, 1999) Mass

customization, on the other hand, is the answer to a society that wants a variety

of choices and products designed with their individual tastes in mind “Mass customization calls for a customer-centered orientation in production and delivery processes, requiring the company to collaborate with individual

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customers to design each one’s desired product or service (Pine, Peppers, & Rogers, 2000, p 55).”

Relationship marketing is the genuine desire of the organization or institution to be concerned for the welfare and satisfaction of its customer It is about preserving a long-term relationship with that customer through dialogue, excellent service, and an organizational commitment to quality in all aspects of its business (Buttle, 1996; Gronroos, 1990, 1994) “At its best, relationship marketing is characterized by a genuine concern to meet or exceed the

expectations of customers and to provide service in an environment of trust and commitment to the relationship (Buttle, 1996, p 13).”

Trust in the organization is key to the development of the long-term relationship with the customer (Buttle, 1996; Gronroos, 1994) An organization that gives promises but does not keep those promises, may initially attract customers and begin to develop relationships “However, if promises are not kept, the evolving relationship cannot be maintained or enhanced (Gronroos,

1994, p 9).”

In addition to trust, the relationship must be mutually beneficial There are times in the customer-organization relationship that one or the other discovers that the relationship is no longer valuable In order to develop a long-term

commitment, the relationship must be valuable to both parties (Buttle, 1996;

Gronroos, 1990, 1994; Peppers & Rogers, 1993)

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Relationship marketing changes the company or institutional focus from continuous recruitment to retaining existing customers and growing that bond Relationship marketing emphasizes the share of customer rather than share of market By concentrating on the share of customer, the organization or

institution focuses on building a long-term relationship that extends beyond one product but to a lifetime (Buttle, 1996; Peppers & Rogers, 1993; Shani & Chalasani, 1993)

Relationship marketing is a new approach to attracting and retaining customers It is a complex tool for developing relationships with customers and through the development of these relationships the organization strives for long- term customer loyalty

Relationship Marketing and Nonprofits/Higher Education

Higher education and other non-profits are not strangers to the traditional concept of marketing No matter the product, whether it is intangible such as education or as tangible as a book at the library it is “ an offering designed to prompt some kind of exchange relationship with members of the market (Berry & George, 1978, p 161).” In addition, the survival of the organization depends on a continuous stream of individuals wanting to be involved in that exchange relationship In order to engage new customers, whether they are students,

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donors or patrons, the organization must effectively market their goods and services

Marketing in higher education and non-profits has been difficult Many “simply see their product or service as inherently desirable They find it hard to believe that anyone would turn them down (Kotler & Andreasen, 1987, p 45)!” However, it is becoming more apparent that businesses and nonprofits are not as different as they seem Both face high competition from a variety of sources for the same potential customer (Berry & George, 1978)

This high level of competition is spurring businesses to utilize relationship marketing techniques to assist them in recruiting and retaining customers Institutions of higher education and non-profits can also utilize these techniques “Nonprofit agencies have unique characteristics that mesh well with a relationship marketing strategy (McCort, 1994, p 54).” Relationship

marketing and the non-profit organization both emphasize the need for fostering long-term and mutually beneficial relationships (McCort, 1994)

The use of relationship marketing in higher education will transform the way it does business Relationship marketing techniques such as individualized attention and communication, and developing long-term relationships will

change the way higher education thinks about its students In the near future, the success of an institution of higher education will depend on treating

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“ _.different customers differently based on whether a particular individual is looking for a four-year socialization experience, personal enrichment and the satisfaction of curiosity, preparation for the current job she has or the next one she wants, or something else (Peppers & Rogers, 1998, p 48).”

Peppers and Rogers (1998) relate a vision of the future of higher

education The future university would have on-line registration, personal course planner, web calendar, and customized enrollment statement (already available to students at the University of Minnesota) The student might also receive

individualized communications about upcoming events, registration information and career opportunities The university would know the student and his/her wants and needs This learning relationship benefits both the student and the institution with rewards of retention, satisfaction and loyalty

The key value to relationship marketing is the development of the long- term relationship and what that means to the institution

“The ideal expression of actual valuation is

customer lifetime value (LTV), that is, the stream of

expected future value, net of costs, of a student’s

monetary and other contributions, discounted at some appropriate rate back to its net present value (Pepper & Rogers, 1998, p 57).”

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The lifetime value of a student is more than just the price of tuition; it also includes referrals, donations, successful graduation and employment (Peppers & Rogers, 1998)

Consumer Culture

The university graduating class of 2001 was born into a society full of changes This society holds greater opportunities, advancements in technology, and immense political upheaval Along with societal and political changes came, what appears to be, greater material wealth, health, and a better world in which to live (Levine & Cureton, 1998)

College students of the 21* Century are much different from the traditional student of past generations Only one in six students is truly a

‘traditional student.’ In addition to non-traditional adult students returning to college, most students now work and have family obligations that keep them from the traditional concepts of campus life When asked by researchers what students did for fun, 30% said that they had no social life and 11% responded that they slept College students also put greater emphasis on higher education as a way to careers, jobs and financial security (Levine & Cureton, 1998) College students today, whether traditional or non-traditional see their future careers riding on the back of higher education It is no wonder that students demand

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