Dr. Francis Atuahene

Title: Professor
Location: 537 BPM Center
Email: fatuahene@wcupa.edu
Phone: 610-436-3417

Biography

Dr. Atuahene joined the Department of Public Policy and Administration after serving 14 years in the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies and Academic Support Programs. During these years, Dr. Atuahene held multiple faculty and administrative positions as the Director of Exploratory Studies, the Associate Vice President for Student Success, the Academic Success Program Director, and chaired the Department of Educational Development Services (now IDSASP). He serves on various shared governance committees, such as the Recording Secretary of CAPC. He chairs the Committee for Advising Excellence’s (CAE) assessment sub-committee and the Frederick Douglass Institute Academic Board. Dr. Atuahene is honored to serve on the Moon Shot for Equity Advisory Board, supporting the University’s mission to close the institutional equity gap. Dr. Atuahene holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Policy, a Master of Arts in International Affairs (MAIA), and a Master of Public Administration (MPA), all from the Ohio University. He also earned a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) in Political Science with Philosophy from the University of Ghana. Dr. Atuahene enjoys teaching and working with students. Dr. Atuahene's research focuses on public policy focusing on college student success and retention. 

Education

  • Ph.D., Ohio University, 2006
  • M.P.A., Ohio University, 2004
  • M.A., Ohio University, 2002
  • B.A., (Hons.), University of Ghana, 1999

Research Interest

Dr. Atuahene has a two-pronged research interest in higher education policy and finance, student success, and retention. 

Courses Regularly Taught

  • PPA 501 Public Policy Analysis and Decision Making I
  • PPA 505 Public Sector Organization Theory 
  • DPA 700 Doctoral Seminar in Public Policy and Administration 
  • DPA 701 Advanced Practice and Applied Theories of Public Policy and Administration 
  • DPA 705 Research Design for Program and Policy Evaluation 

Selected Publications

  • Atuahene, F. (March 2021). An Analysis of Major and Career Decision-Making Difficulties of Undecided College Students in a Mid-Atlantic University. Springer Nature Social Science Journal. Accessible from https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-021-00082-0
  • Atuahene, F. (December 2020). Predicting the Academic Success of Minority Male Students in a Public Four-Year Institution in the United States. Journal of African American Studies. Accessible from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12111-020-09512-4
  • Atuahene, F. and Russell, T. (2016). Mathematics Readiness of First-Year College Students. Journal of Developmental Education, Volume 39(3) 12-32 accessible from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1130188.pdf
  • Atuahene, F. (2014), "Charting Higher Education Development in Ghana: Growth, Transformations, and Challenges", The Development of Higher Education in Africa: Prospects and Challenges (International Perspectives on Education and Society, Vol. 21), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Bingley, pp. 215-263. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-3679(2013)0000021011
  • Atuahene, F. & Owusu-Ansah A. (July 2013). A Descriptive Assessment of Higher Education Access, Participation, Equity and Disparity in Ghana. Sage Open, available online at Sage Open
  • Atuahene, F. (2012). The Impact of “Tuition-paying” Policy on Retention and Graduation Rates at the University of Ghana. Journal of College Student Retention.
  • Atuahene, F. (2012). Enhancing Teaching, Learning and Research via Technology: Challenges of ICTs and Curriculum Transformation in Africa’s Educational Institutions. In Jotia & Mokgosi (eds.) Transformative Curriculum. Zebra Publishing. 
  • Atuahene F. (June 2011). Re-thinking the Missing Mission of Higher Education: An Anatomy of the Research Challenge in African Universities. Journal of Asian and African Studies. https://doi.org/10.1177/0021909611400017
  • Atuahene, F. (2010). Financing Higher Education with Value Added Tax: A Review of the Contributions of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) in Fulfilling the Objectives of Act 581.  Journal of Higher Education in Africa, JHEA/RESA Vol. 7, No. 3, 2009, pp. 29–60; Council for the Development of Social Science Research in Africa 2009 (ISSN 0851–7762).

On-Campus Community Service

  • Curriculum and Academic Policies Committee (CAPC), UGPC and Recording Secretary
  • Moon Shot for Equity, Advisor Board Member
  • Council of Advising Excellence, Assessment Chair
  • Frederick Douglass Institute Board, Chair
  • FYE Program Review Taskforce, Member

Off-Campus Community Service

  • United Methodist Children’s Center Board, President
  • United Methodist Church, West Chester, Leadership Committee