Three economists from the School of Business have received the 41st Annual Forum Best Paper Award from the Association for Institutional Research (AIR). The co-authors are Dr. Leslie S. Stratton, center, Dr. James N. Wetzel, standing, and Dr. Dennis M. O'Toole, right.

Their research paper was "Factors Affecting Part-Time College Enrollment With-in The First Year."
"We focused our attention primarily on the unemployment in the state of residence. The higher the unemployment rate in the state of residence, the less likely the individual could obtain a job, so the more likely they are to attend college full-time. Part-time attendance is also more common for Hispanic students, older students, married students, and those with children," explains Dr. Stratton.