College Rankings: Creating an Equitable Model of Transformation and Institutional Effectiveness

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-97
Author(s):  
Allison Hurst
Keyword(s):  
Social Mobility ◽  
Alternative Model ◽  
Institutional Effectiveness ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
Sat Scores ◽  
Relative Lack ◽  
Ranking Systems ◽  
Working Class Students ◽  
Effectiveness Data

Colleges that serve working-class students show up poorly in traditional rankings of US colleges. Without appropriate outcome measures, measures of ‘quality’ of inputs drive most current ranking systems. The trouble is that quality is often just a measure of pre-existing privilege (e.g., selectivity, average SAT scores). In this article, I demonstrate the viability of a model that uses economic returns data while factoring in the relative lack of privilege of students attending any particular institution as a way of ranking that institution’s transformative efficacy and institutional effectiveness. The model was then tested on a diverse sample of 655 US colleges and universities for whom reliable economic returns and institutional effectiveness data are available. Unlike widely used rankings models, this proposed alternative model can distinguish between reproducing privilege (high economic returns as expected, low defaults, timely year to degree and fewer incompleters) and facilitating social mobility (higher returns and persistence than would be expected given the incoming characteristics of students). The article concludes with a discussion of the uses to which such a model could be best put.

Economic returns of family planning and fertility decline in India, 1991–2061

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-33
Author(s):  
Srinivas Goli ◽  
K. S. James ◽  
Devender Singh ◽  
Venkatesh Srinivasan ◽  
Rakesh Mishra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Planning ◽  
Return On Investment ◽  
Unmet Need ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
Reproductive Health Care ◽  
The World ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Education And Employment ◽  
Global Evidence

Abstract Investment in family planning (FP) provides returns through a lifetime. Global evidence shows that FP is the second-best buy in terms of return on investment after liberalizing trade. In this study, we estimate the cumulative benefits of FP investments for India from 1991 to 2016 and project them up to 2061 with four scenarios of fertility levels. The findings suggest that India will have greater elasticity of FP investments to lifetime economic returns compared to the world average (cost–revenue ratio of 1:120). We have taken four scenarios for the goalpost, viz., 2.1, 1.8, 1.6, and 1.4. Although different scenarios of total fertility rate (TFR) levels at the goalpost (i.e., the year 2061) offer varied lifetime returns from FP, scenario TFR < 1.8 will be counterproductive and will reduce the potential benefits. With a comprehensive approach, if the country focuses more on improving the quality of FP services and on reducing the unmet need for FP to enhance reproductive health care and expand maximum opportunities for education and employment for both women and men, it can improve its potential to reap more benefits.

scholarly journals Towards Developing a Framework to Analyze the Qualities of the University Websites

Computers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
Maliha Rashida ◽  
Kawsarul Islam ◽  
A. S. M. Kayes ◽  
Mohammad Hammoudeh ◽  
Mohammad Shamsul Arefin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
University Ranking ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Ranking Systems ◽  
Notice Board ◽  
Academic Websites ◽  
Multi Method Approach ◽  
The University ◽  
University Ranking Systems ◽  
Ranked List

The website of a university is considered to be a virtual gateway to provide primary resources to its stakeholders. It can play an indispensable role in disseminating information about a university to a variety of audience at a time. Thus, the quality of an academic website requires special attention to fulfil the users’ need. This paper presents a multi-method approach of quality assessment of the academic websites, in the context of universities of Bangladesh. We developed an automated web-based tool that can evaluate any academic website based on three criteria, which are as follows: content of information, loading time and overall performance. Content of information contains many sub criteria, such as university vision and mission, faculty information, notice board and so on. This tool can also perform comparative analysis among several academic websites and generate a ranked list of these. To the best of our knowledge, this is the very first initiative to develop an automated tool for accessing academic website quality in context of Bangladesh. Beside this, we have conducted a questionnaire-based statistical evaluation among several universities to obtain the respective users’ feedback about their academic websites. Then, a ranked list is generated based on the survey result that is almost similar to the ranked list got from the University ranking systems. This validates the effectiveness of our developed tool in accessing academic website.

scholarly journals Subjective social mobility, quality of life and mental health of asylum seekers/refugees in Germany

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
D Costa ◽  
L Biddle ◽  
C Mühling ◽  
K Bozorgmehr
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Social Mobility ◽  
Asylum Seekers ◽  
Country Of Origin ◽  
Subjective Social Status ◽  
Downward Mobility ◽  
Asylum Seekers And Refugees

Abstract Background Changes in the subjective social status (SSS) of migrants, specifically between the pre- and post-migratory movement, can be a relevant determinant of their mental health condition. This study analyzed the effect of downward subjective social mobility to the mental health of asylum seekers and refugees (ASR) in Germany. Methods Through a random sampling procedure, 560 adult ASR (18+ years) were recruited across 58 collective accommodation centers in Germanys' 3rd largest state (2018). SSS was assessed with the MacArthur social ladder (10-rungs), in reference to the participants' position in the country of origin and in Germany. Quality of Life (QoL, measured with EUROHIS-QOL), anxiety (General Anxiety Disorder-2) and depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-2), were considered as mental health outcomes. Generalized linear regression models were fitted to measure associations between changes in SSS and each outcome. Results A loss of 3 or more steps in SSS from origin to Germany (compared to no-change) was significantly associated with poorer scores in QoL (B, standardized coefficient= -2.679, standard error, se = 1.351, p = 0.047), with more symptoms of depression (B = 1.156, se = 0.389, p = 0.003) and anxiety (B = 0.971, se = 0.432, p = 0.025), in models adjusted for SSS in the country of origin. The strength and direction of associations was unaltered after further adjusting for sex, age, educational level and time since arrival, although the coefficient for QoL was non-significant for those declaring a 3-step downward mobility (B= -2.494, se = 1.351, p = 0.066 for QoL; B = 1.048, se = 0.393, p = 0.008 for depression; and B = 1.006, se = 0.438, p = 0.022 for anxiety). Discussion The results suggest that interventions should focus on those experiencing social downward mobility and not only prioritize individuals with low social status. Early integration efforts and intersectoral measures to counter social downward mobility could prevent poor mental health among ASR. Key messages We analysed the impact to the quality of life and mental health of asylum seekers and refugees, of a change in subjective social status from country of origin to Germany. Asylum seekers and refugees residing in Germany, who perceived a downward social status mobility following their migration process, are at risk for poorer mental health.

scholarly journals By Slow Degrees: Two Centuries of Social Reproduction and Mobility in Britain

2007 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Lambert ◽  
Kenneth Prandy ◽  
Wendy Bottero
Keyword(s):  
Social Mobility ◽  
Social Reproduction ◽  
Linear Trend ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Quality Of Data ◽  
Term Change ◽  
Parental Background ◽  
Long Term Trends

This paper discusses long term trends in patterns of intergenerational social mobility in Britain. We argue that there is convincing empirical evidence of a small but steady linear trend towards increasing social mobility throughout the period 1800-2004. Our conclusions are based upon the construction and analysis of an extended micro-social dataset, which combines records from an historical genealogical study, with responses from 31 sample surveys conducted over the period 1963-2004. There has been much previous study of trends in social mobility, and little consensus on their nature. We argue that this dissension partly results from the very slow pace of change in mobility rates, which makes the time-frame of any comparison crucial, and raises important methodological questions about how long-term change in mobility is best measured. We highlight three methodological difficulties which arise when trying to draw conclusions over mobility trends - concerning the extent of controls for life course effects; the quality of data resources; and the measurement of stratification positions. After constructing a longitudinal dataset which attempts to confront these difficulties, our analyses provide robust evidence which challenges hitherto more popular, politicised claims of declining or unchanging mobility. By contrast, our findings suggest that Britain has moved, and continues to move, steadily towards increasing equality in the relationship between occupational attainment and parental background.

scholarly journals Publication Anxiety, Quality, and Journal Rankings: Researcher Views

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Darryl Coulthard ◽  
Susan Keller
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Research Performance ◽  
Journal Ranking ◽  
Journal Rankings ◽  
Ranking Systems ◽  
Published Research

Journal ranking systems are increasingly used to measure research performance of academics and universities. A growing number of academic commentators have voiced concerns of possible undesirable outcomes such as increased publication anxiety and an increase in safe and conforming research, but there have been few empirical studies on the possible effects. To address this gap, we surveyed Information Systems (IS) academics who published in one of three key IS conferences in 2013, to gather their views of the effects of journal ranking systems. Overall, we found that the concerns in the literature were strongly reflected in the views of those surveyed. Academics believe the system has greatly increased their publication anxiety. While most believed that the quality of published research had improved, researchers believe the ranking systems inhibit innovative, risky research, and encourages safe, conforming, mainstream research.

Quality over Quantity: A Lineage-Survival Strategy of Elite Families in Premodern Korea

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-61
Author(s):  
Sangkuk Lee ◽  
Jong Hee Park
Keyword(s):  
Social Mobility ◽  
Survival Strategy ◽  
Family Resources ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Multiple Generations ◽  
Related Family ◽  
Collective Goal ◽  
Korean Families ◽  
Stratification System

In this article, we study social mobility across multiple generations in premodern Korea. Using two extant oldest family records, jokbo, we construct a prospective genealogical microdata containing the entire records of public offices and reproduction over five generations of the two elite family lineages in premodern Korea. We argue that the confluence of an ambiguous stratification system with a limited number of high-ranking offices generated a trade-off for parents between the quantity and quality of positions attained by their offspring. The result of the trade-off was unequal distributions of mobility-related family resources to maximize the lineage’s collective goal, rather than to maximize individual children’s social ranks. Using a novel empirical strategy to consider the heterogeneous resource-allocation within elite families, we present empirical evidence on associations between parents’ and grandparents’ social ranks and quality of offices achieved by children of elite Korean families.

scholarly journals Transnational Social Mobility Strategies and Quality of Work among Latin-American Women Sex Workers in Spain

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 188-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Oso
Keyword(s):  
Social Mobility ◽  
Sex Work ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Working Conditions ◽  
Sex Workers ◽  
American Women ◽  
Informal Workers ◽  
Quality Of Work ◽  
Female Sex

The aim of this article is to analyse the quality of work of two of the main types of female sex work in Spain (clubs and in-call flats). In order to do so I will focus on the following working dimensions: wages, power relations, skills, alienation, health, violence, work life and stigma. Firstly, the article seeks to highlight the structural factors that condition the quality of work of Latin American female sex workers in Spain. These factors are closely connected to policies regarding migration and sex work, which foment irregular work arrangements (undocumented migrants and informal workers). Secondly, I analyse entry formats (indebted or autonomous migration) and how they impact on working conditions. Thirdly, the article considers the migrant women's work choices and the resulting living and working conditions they may encounter. I intend to show that Latin American women sex workers in Spain might opt for a certain type of work within the context of strategic decisions, as linked to their migratory and social mobility projects. These decisions have a family and a transnational scope (country of origin, country of destination). The analysis presented is based on qualitative fieldwork (semi-structured interviews) carried out in Galicia (north-west Spain).

Optimization and Means of Urban Traffic Structure

2014 ◽  
Vol 543-547 ◽  
pp. 4096-4099
Author(s):  
Chao Cheng Zheng ◽  
Xin Ren You
Keyword(s):  
Economic Efficiency ◽  
Rapid Growth ◽  
Evaluation System ◽  
Urban Traffic ◽  
Analytic Hierarchy ◽  
Relative Lack ◽  
Supply Capacity ◽  
Traffic Optimization ◽  
Hierarchy Process

With the development of society and economy of China, levels in urbanization and motorization levels are in a rapid growth, triggering a series of problems in socio-economic efficiency and the quality of residents, resulting in the relative lack of supply capacity. From this point, a analytic hierarchy process based on the acquisition of the economic attributes in the whole city's main transport was used to clarify the structure of urban traffic optimization goals ordered by priority modes of transportation in the evaluation system.

A Normative Foundation for the Social Investment Approach?

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Morel ◽  
Joakim Palme
Keyword(s):  
Academic Research ◽  
Capabilities Approach ◽  
Institutional Arrangements ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Amartya Sen ◽  
Social Investment ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
Normative Foundation ◽  
The Social

The SIA has been criticized for its productivist view of social policy and one-sided emphasis on economic returns. Indeed, it is fair to say that the social dimension of social investment has been paid lip service both in terms of policy developments and in academic research. In fact, it may be that one of the weaknesses of the SIA is its lack of clear normative underpinning or theory of social justice against which to develop a well-founded evaluative framework for assessing the quality of social policies and social arrangements both for society as a whole and from the life perspective of individuals. This contribution discusses the possible relevance of the capabilities approach developed by Amartya Sen, both in developing a normative framework for social investment, but also in developing indicators for assessing social outcomes, and for analysing how different institutional arrangements support or hinder agency and capabilities.

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