Shaul 1

Where Have All the Men Gone: A descriptive study of the changing gender enrollments into the University of Idahos College of Agriculture
To: The National Science Foundation 20 April, 2014 Kylie Shaul College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Agricultural Education and 4-H Youth Development Students, faculty, and staff have observed that there are fewer males enrolling in college courses and a growing number of females enrolling into the College of Agricultural and Life Science (CALS). The purpose of this study was to explore changing enrollment trends of males and females in CALS and to describe the changing enrollments by academic programs within the college. Data was collected from the student registrar for the past 17 years including: age, GPA, gender, and their specific major. There was a total of 3005 cases were analyzed using Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) V.22. Trends found in CALS showed that female enrollment was slightly higher than males in 1996. Over time, female enrollment continued to sharply increase while male enrollment remained fairly constant. Looking only at the agriculturally-based departments, male enrollments were at one time higher than female enrollments but currently, female enrollments are higher. Female enrollment is growing steadily while male enrollment is dropping at a steady pace. Both male and female students are graduating at a younger age than they have in the past. GPA trends were found to be consistent within the college and departments for the past 17 years.

Shaul 2 Overview This study will serve as a basis for a future study to be done at all Land Grant Universities in the west. The purpose of the study is to describe the changing enrollments of males and females into the college of agriculture and the different departments within, we also wish to compare all of the universities to determine if there is a difference within the region. There has become a need to explore the changing enrollments due to observations by students, staff, and faculty within the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) that males are disappearing from the classrooms. Success will come from response rate of the Land Grant Universities and ability to compare each college across the region. Budget includes cost of the computer program The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) which will cost approximately $1,000 for a 12 month period. Literature Review There are very few studies about changing enrollments of males and females. One study done in 2007 titled: Why Are Some Academic Fields Tipping toward Female? The Sex Composition of U.S. Fields of Doctoral Degree Receipt written by Paula England, Paul Allison, Su Li, Noah Mark, Jennifer Thompson, Michelle J.Budig and Han Sun for the American Sociological Association explored two theories: the Devaluation and Tipping Theory and the Queuing Theory. The Devaluation and Tipping Theory describes the idea that as women become more numerous in a field men are less likely to enter into that field. Men do not enter the field because the idea that feminization will lead to lower pay. Tipping is caused by the initial feminization of a field. This theory also explores the idea that after initial feminization women also are less likely to enter a field. The Queuing theory explores that instead of feminization lowering the pay that lower pay will increase feminization. This theory believes that employers prefer men and will give men the higher paying jobs over a female. This theory is also known as relative attractiveness theory of segregation. A study done on the Gender Differences in Agricultural Productivity: A Survey of Empirical Evidence by Agnes R Quisumbing found that female farmers are equally as efficient as male farmers and that gender has nothing to do with efficiency of production. A study done in Manitoba on the Changing Patterns in Enrollment Among Men and Women in Manitobas Universities found that from 1996-2002 female enrollments went up by 19% while male enrollments only increased by 2.9%. This study also explores that the faculties that women were entering into were primarily female. This also found that by 2003 83% of the students were female and only 17% were male. Since there has been few studies on this topic this study will contribute to helping others on how to do replications. The literature from this will also potentially encourage others to explore the areas they are in and see how each region or even academic area compares to the western region Land Grant Universities. Methodology I will gather the data by sending a request to the student registrar asking for a copy of graduation information for each department in the College of Agriculture including age, gender, GPA, and major. When this information is received I will code each department into a number so analysis is easier. The data will then be analyzed in SPSS by sorting into the coded departments and by males and females. The data will then be analyzed by scatterplot. The same will be done for each age and GPA. This will help us determine if the student body has changed significantly over the past twenty years or if the observed changes are false. By sorting and analyzing by each department we can easily compare across the CALS

Shaul 3 to see if there are extreme differences in the departments. This is a collaborative effort on data analysis, I will be assisted by a graduate student in my department as well as a lead advisor to help with ensuring professional contact when requesting data, writing the paper for submission, and to help with understanding different parts of research. The information will take very little time to analyze once it is coded, the projected timeline is approximately two months. There is a separate variable to consider with this timeline, we are assuming a swift response from the student registrars, all other things considered this analysis will go quickly. We hope to start this project as soon as possible. Preparation The spring of 2013 I participated in another study done on the Perspectives of Agricultural Education at the University of Idaho. This study set the groundwork for what needs to be done and what is expected of a researcher. I have completed the IRB certification process and for both the previous study and this one have received exempt status. My advisor has had a lot of experience in research and is able to explain how to approach information and the people we are requesting data from. The graduate student that is involved in the project will help guide how the information is coded and work to help explain the data that is found from analysis. Line-item Budget Statistical Package for the Social Sciences= $1,000 My cooperating advisor will be responsible for this once the project has been completed.

Shaul 4 The Grant request is for the one at this link: https://bblearn.uidaho.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-561607-dtcontent-rid5371151_1/courses/201320_45879_master/Handouts/Option1_Engineering_Science_Proposal_RFPandIn structions.pdf