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As the for-profit business model and a reliance on adjunct faculty continues to grow among faith-based institutions, little research exists on the differences in the characteristics of part-time online faculty in for-profit versus nonprofit environments that could provide guidance to administrators. This study utilized a descriptive, nonexperimental survey design employing the chi-squared test (χ2) as a statistical tool to analyze the categorical data. This descriptive exploratory study compares part-time online faculty in for-profit and nonprofit environments based on results from a convenience sample of 1,034 online instructors from 19 faith-based institutions in the United States. Information presented in this paper includes demographic characteristics, types of students served, religious commitment, course logistics, and student–instructor interaction. Part-time online instructors from for-profit or nonprofit faith-based institutions were similar in several personal characteristics such as age and household income, as well as in their motivation to become a part-time online instructor. However, there also were several statistically significant differences noted, most notably their religious commitment (χ2[40,N= 1,034] = 111.93,p< .001; Cramer's V = 0.329) and religious affiliation (χ2[20,N= 1,028] = 107.59,p< .001; Cramer's V = 0.324). Recommendations for faith-based institutions of higher learning by type included increasing the diversity of instructors at nonprofit institutions, screening applicants for mission fit at for-profit institutions, and increasing compensation at both types of institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After World War II, the American university emerged as a world leader in higher education. Economic development became a dominant value and its subsequent material success has been unrivaled. Many developing countries adopted characteristics of the model with the expectation that national economic growth would follow. Yet it has also been described as a lawless and confused conglomerate of competing interests with no common or unifying principle to tie the pieces together. It is made up of many cultures and seeks to accommodate all, but knows little about its own or others. The study of history and cultures in higher education has been marginalized because it is viewed as divisive. This paper focuses on five pivotal ideas that provide some explanation of the status of the modern American university and its current disorders. Each of these ideas has to do with truth and freedom, fundamental characteristics of the university. Three came to America from Europe and two were forged uniquely in the American experience. They explain changes in the concepts of truth and freedom and how politics and economics emerged as dominant values in the university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An interesting trend is sweeping the nation's Christian higher education movement. During the 20th century, Christian liberal arts colleges and universities were frequently established and founded with names that included their denominational affiliation or the word "Christian" in them. In recent years, the trend has been to omit any religious affiliation from an institution's name. This paper tracks the role of history in the naming of Christian colleges and universities since 1636 when Harvard College was founded as the first institution of higher education in America and the first college with a distinctive Christian mission. Although Harvard College was originally a Christian institution, it was named after its founder. Also relevant to mapping this trend is a case study of the evolution taking place in name changes among baccalaureate-granting, liberal arts colleges affiliated with Churches of Christ. The research findings conclude that although colleges and universities are making conscious choices to omit religious connotations from their official names, most due to the value of marketing themselves to broader audiences for varying reasons, their mission and environment remain firmly Christ-centered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Texas Baptists have long valued education for their pastors. The Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) has over a hundred years of involvement in the support of seminaries for the training of pastoral staff. This long and rich history has led to the establishment and operation of eight regionally accredited affiliate universities offering bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degrees. Additionally, two of these affiliate universities have seminary programs accredited by the Association of Theological Schools: George W. Truett Seminary (Baylor University) and Logsdon School of Theology (Hardin-Simmons University). The research reported in this paper examined the credentials of BGCT pastors based upon a survey conducted in the summer of 2003 with particular attention to the standing of the awarding institutions and their accreditation. Some pastors were found to hold degrees from what can only be characterized as diploma mills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]