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Full-Text Articles in Educational Leadership

The Effectiveness And Priorities Of The American College President:Perceptions From The Faculty Lounge, G. David Gearhart, Daniel P. Nadler, Michael T. Miller Dec 2020

The Effectiveness And Priorities Of The American College President:Perceptions From The Faculty Lounge, G. David Gearhart, Daniel P. Nadler, Michael T. Miller

Journal of Research on the College President

The American college presidency has become increasingly complex, particularly due to the wide variety of demands placed on the position. Indeed, the effectiveness of a president is often seen through the lens of different constituents. Historically, the faculty have played a key role in determining the success of a president, and the current study sought to identify the perceptions of faculty members regarding the effectiveness of presidents. Additionally, the study sought to compare faculty perception of desired versus actual effectiveness of presidential responsibilities.


Welcome From The Guest Editor, Daniel P. Nadler Dec 2020

Welcome From The Guest Editor, Daniel P. Nadler

Journal of Research on the College President

I am truly grateful to the staff of the National Lab for the Study of the College President for allowing me to be a part of their family during this very strange and challenging academic year. I have been impressed by the Arkansas team, and will be excited to see their Handbook on College and University Leadership in the summer of 2021.


Editors' Remarks, G. David Gearhart, Michael T. Miller Dec 2020

Editors' Remarks, G. David Gearhart, Michael T. Miller

Journal of Research on the College President

Dr. Miller and I are most pleased to share with you the fourth volume of the Journal of Research on the College President from the National Lab for the Study of the College President at the University of Arkansas. While this year has been a great challenge for everyone given the Covid Pandemic the Lab continues to work on a wide variety of issues about the contemporary college president.


Liaison, Delegates, And Advisors:An Examination Of The Chief Of Staff Role On College Campuses, Laura Jacobs Dec 2020

Liaison, Delegates, And Advisors:An Examination Of The Chief Of Staff Role On College Campuses, Laura Jacobs

Journal of Research on the College President

The chief of staff role first emerged as a military and government position to strategize battles and advise generals centuries ago (O’Brien, 2020). It has been more common in the United States to find chiefs of staff (or COS) in political environments: The White House chief of staff often comes to mind when the title is mentioned. In recent years the role has been adopted by corporate entities. Companies often create and hire individuals into the title to organize senior level, institution work (Ciampa, 2020) and the corporatization and resulting organizational changes in higher education (Bleikliea & Kogan, 2007) have …


The Impact Of Graduate Assistantships On The Preparation Of Early Career Student Affairs Professionals, Mary L. Skinner Jul 2020

The Impact Of Graduate Assistantships On The Preparation Of Early Career Student Affairs Professionals, Mary L. Skinner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the graduate assistantship experiences of early career master’s prepared student affairs professionals and examined the role these assistantships played in the preparation for their current position. The study included 10 participants who had all graduated with a master’s in higher education within the past 5 years, had participated in a graduate assistantship within student affairs, and worked full-time within a student affairs department at the time of the study. Each participant took part in a one-on-one interview that was recorded, transcribed, and reviewed for themes. I followed Braun and Clarke’s (2012) six-phase approach to thematic …


Influencers Of Succession Planning Among Rural Community College Chief Executives, Ashley Aylett Dec 2019

Influencers Of Succession Planning Among Rural Community College Chief Executives, Ashley Aylett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The challenge of maintaining strong leadership within many community colleges has been exacerbated by many factors including demographic shifts, therefore, succession planning is one tool used by institutions to offset the challenge of dealing with aging leaders, retirements, and a limited pool of competent applicants. Many senior administrators have and will continue to retire at rapid rates and fewer well-prepared individuals seem to be available or willing to move into these roles. Higher education literature has explored the future of community colleges during this time of change, some examining critical factors for the future of community colleges by asking questions …


What College Presidents Need To Know About Student Success, Trevor Francis Sep 2019

What College Presidents Need To Know About Student Success, Trevor Francis

Journal of Research on the College President

Advocated is this article is the transformative effect of understanding a student’s unique educational story through dataanalysis and effective interpersonal-questioning techniques. As stories are understood and trust established, institutions can respond by helping each student design an ongoing personalized success plan. The result is the creation of a campus culture of student success where rhetoric, policy, and practice are aligned.


What College Presidents Need To Know About College Students With Learning Disabilities, Wanda Hadley Sep 2019

What College Presidents Need To Know About College Students With Learning Disabilities, Wanda Hadley

Journal of Research on the College President

Increasing numbers of students with learning disabilities are attending colleges and universities each year. Transitioning from high school to college poses challenges for many students but particularly students with learning disabilities. They move from the secondary school system that provides much oversight and guidance to the college environment that expects them to be more independent and self-regulating. Research in the field offers that college students with learning disabilities who understands how their learning disability influences their learning, self-advocates for services, self-discloses to the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) and meets with their professors are more successful in the college …


What College Presidents Need To Know About Governing Boards, Randall Brumfield Sep 2019

What College Presidents Need To Know About Governing Boards, Randall Brumfield

Journal of Research on the College President

This article focuses on several keyaspects that college presidents and/or chancellors should bear in mind as they work with their governing boards. Above all else, presented here is the idea that organizational goals need to supersede individual goals, and that ultimately, the success of an institution is predicated on its ability to meet the needs of its society.


Crafting The Message: The Complex Process Behind Presidential Communication In Higher Education, Jon Mcnaughtan, Patricia Ryan Pal Sep 2019

Crafting The Message: The Complex Process Behind Presidential Communication In Higher Education, Jon Mcnaughtan, Patricia Ryan Pal

Journal of Research on the College President

University presidents engage in formal and informal communicationthrough multiple modes of communication. While scholars have studied the content and motivations behind presidential communication, this study provides insight into the process that university presidents engage in when crafting public statements. Utilizing interviews with presidents (8) and vice-presidents of communication (4) at U.S. flagship universities, we employ the cognitive process writing theory to develop a process model of presidential communication,while highlighting how presidents describe their experiences crafting communication. Results highlight thepresident’sperception of theirroleas instigator of communication, the involvementof other senior leaders (e.g., legal counsel, chief of staff, etc.), andinsight into thecomplex process …


Community Builders And Campus Bureaucrats: Student Leadership On College Campuses, J. Douglas Stump Sep 2019

Community Builders And Campus Bureaucrats: Student Leadership On College Campuses, J. Douglas Stump

Journal of Research on the College President

Most universities provide many opportunities for students to be leaders. By placing students in these positions there exists the potential to create a unique set of challenges. This research focused on the challenges associated with leading peers on a university campus. The primary research question was, “In what ways are student leaders able to identify and describe their experiences leading their peers?” This was a case study, collecting data through focus groups and interviews, where participants discussed the experiences of leading peers. Four types of student leaders participated: Sports Team Captains, Resident Assistants, Academic Mentors and SGA Officers. The data …


Women And The University Presidency: Increasing Equity In Leadership, Tania Carlson Reis, Marilyn L. Grady Sep 2019

Women And The University Presidency: Increasing Equity In Leadership, Tania Carlson Reis, Marilyn L. Grady

Journal of Research on the College President

Women remain underrepresented in university presidential positions (American Council on Education, 2017). In this narrative study, eight women presidents of Carnegie Classified public doctoral granting universities were interviewed to understand how they navigated a routeto the position. Findings indicate that perceptions of gender,and opportunities for professional development, complicated the presidential path for women. Also, building leadership capacity was noted as important to sustaining and increasing women leaders in higher education.


Editor's Remarks, G. David Gearhart Sep 2019

Editor's Remarks, G. David Gearhart

Journal of Research on the College President

We are pleased to share with you our third volume of the Journal of Research on the College Presidentfrom the National Lab for the Study of the College President at the University of Arkansas. The Lab continues to work on a wide variety of issues about the contemporary college president.


Who Did They Just Hire: A Content Analysis Of Announcements Of New College Presidents And Chancellors, Jessica J. Fry, Z. W. Taylor, Del Watson, Rebecca Gavillet, Pat Somers Sep 2019

Who Did They Just Hire: A Content Analysis Of Announcements Of New College Presidents And Chancellors, Jessica J. Fry, Z. W. Taylor, Del Watson, Rebecca Gavillet, Pat Somers

Journal of Research on the College President

Historically, women and non-binary conforming individuals have not held executive leadership positions at U.S. institutions of higher education at the same rate as men. And although the presidency or chancellorship may be the single most powerful executive leadership position in U.S. colleges and universities, no research has examined how new presidents or chancellors are announced to the public through official, institutional websites. This study analyzes a three-year dataset (2016–19) of 443 press releases announcing new presidents or chancellors at U.S. institutions, paying close attention to how press releases differ based on gender. Findings reveal that men were more likely to …


Faculty Senates And College Presidents: Perspectives On Collaborations, Daniel P. Nadler, Michael T. Miller, Eid Abo Hamza, G. David Gearhart Sep 2019

Faculty Senates And College Presidents: Perspectives On Collaborations, Daniel P. Nadler, Michael T. Miller, Eid Abo Hamza, G. David Gearhart

Journal of Research on the College President

Colleges and universities have historically provided faculty members access to sharing authority, and this has been manifest in recent decades through the creation and use of a formal body called a faculty senate. These formal bodies have at times been highly effective at articulating faculty member interests, yet there are few formal definitions or boundaries concerning what areas senates are most appropriately engaged. College presidents similarly recognize that senates have a role in institutional decision-making, yet often lack a clear understanding of where and how they should be engaged. The current study explored faculty senate leader and college president perceptions …


What Professors Would Like Their New Presidents To Know, Jim Maddox, Jay Johnson Jan 2018

What Professors Would Like Their New Presidents To Know, Jim Maddox, Jay Johnson

Journal of Research on the College President

New college presidents are faced with many challenges; some known and some unknown. With the frequency of new presidents entering from outside the institution, a challenge exists to understand the culture and current state of the institution. Existing faculty are uniquely positioned to provide assistance in this regard. What is presented here are perspectives on what college professors would like their new presidents to know. The information is provided in the form of common challenges to be aware of and suggestions to consider. Future directions are offered to delve deeper into the potential insights to be offered from the faculty …


What College Presidents Need To Know About College Students And Student Affairs, Jennifer M. Miles Jan 2018

What College Presidents Need To Know About College Students And Student Affairs, Jennifer M. Miles

Journal of Research on the College President

The college presidency is filled with challenges and opportunities, ranging from maintaining communication with on-campus and off-campus stakeholders, coordinating work being done across campus, to simply keeping all of the institution’s operations up and running in an efficient manner. These activities are all designed around a specific purpose: providing opportunities for students to learn.


What College Presidents Need To Know About Adult Learners In Higher Education, David Deggs Jan 2018

What College Presidents Need To Know About Adult Learners In Higher Education, David Deggs

Journal of Research on the College President

American higher education has undergone a metamorphosis over the past three decades that has resulted in the emergence of new paradigms for academic program content, modalities for instructional delivery, configuration and delivery of student services, and expansion of outreach models. Central to this metamorphosis is the adult learner in American higher education. Once thought to be the minority in American higher education, adult learners now comprise 74% of all undergraduate college students in the United States (Radford, Cominole & Skomsvold, 2015). This marked shift in the student demographics has caused many American higher education institutions to reconsider the mission, purpose …


Chief Student Affairs Officers: Transforming Pathways To The Presidency, Quincy Martin Iii Jan 2018

Chief Student Affairs Officers: Transforming Pathways To The Presidency, Quincy Martin Iii

Journal of Research on the College President

This qualitative study examined a sample of former chief student affairs officers (n=12) who successfully attained a presidency at a four-year institution of higher education. Data was collected primarily through semi-structured interviews and supplemented by the curricula vitae of the participants. Through data analysis, three themes emerged: (1) institutional type and fit, (2) academic profile, and (3) fundraising. Findings from this study indicated the majority of participants were employed at small to medium-size institutions of higher education with preference given to small, private colleges and universities. Faculty skepticism was the most noted obstacle participants encountered. Accordingly, participants advised presidential aspirants …


The Impact Of A Positive Environment And Shared Leadership To Empower Collegial School Culture, Ben Pretz Dec 2017

The Impact Of A Positive Environment And Shared Leadership To Empower Collegial School Culture, Ben Pretz

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to develop an empowered collegial school culture to systemically improve the function of the academic institution through the impact of a positive environment and shared leadership. When compared to the other middle schools in the district, Eagle Middle School had the lowest math achievement growth index during the 2014-2015 school year. The discrepancy in math achievement is one element that has created a culture problem for the building. Additionally, the building has a reputation of poor customer service and not serving the community effectively. Because of the poor culture the staff had a lack …


College And Career Ready Through Personalized Learning: Business And Industry Perspective Of The Don Tyson School Of Innovation, Joe R. Rollins Dec 2017

College And Career Ready Through Personalized Learning: Business And Industry Perspective Of The Don Tyson School Of Innovation, Joe R. Rollins

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research study describes perceptions of Northwest Arkansas’ business, industry and post-secondary institutions as to the Don Tyson School of Innovation (DTSOI) and its ability to prepare students for Northwest Arkansas’ college and career needs. Designated as one of the first schools of innovation in Arkansas through ACT 601 of 2013 by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE), the DTSOI employs Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in every aspect of curriculum. The DTSOI represents the first school in Arkansas to hold the distinction of holding both school of innovation status as well as being a public, district- conversion …


Management Skills For The Contemporary College President: A Critical Review, David V. Tolliver Iii, Jahn W. Murry Jr. Jan 2017

Management Skills For The Contemporary College President: A Critical Review, David V. Tolliver Iii, Jahn W. Murry Jr.

Journal of Research on the College President

This review of the literature related to the contemporary college president attempted to describe changes to the presidential role during the past 30 years. In addition to describing changes to the role, the review explores the personal, organizational, interpersonal, and leadership skills required for leading a contemporary university. The findings particularly note that with the changing demands for accountability in higher education, presidents are being forced to spend more of their time and be more focused on issues of finance, law, and public interactions. These issues tend to collide in discussions of public policy and within the framework of state …


Power Of The Faculty: Consequences Of No Confidence Votes For College Presidents, Daniel Nadler, Mei-Yan Lu Ph.D., Michael T. Miller Jan 2017

Power Of The Faculty: Consequences Of No Confidence Votes For College Presidents, Daniel Nadler, Mei-Yan Lu Ph.D., Michael T. Miller

Journal of Research on the College President

The roles of college faculty members have changed, often in relation to increased specialization of their functions as either teachers or researchers. Similarly, the college presidency has changed, relying less on faculty interactions and increasing reliance and interaction on external stakeholders. The result is a less faculty-centric college presidency. The faculty, however, still have significant expectations for involvement with the college president and have the use of a noconfidence vote to express their opinions about the performance of the individual in the presidential position. Drawing upon a sample of faculty senate leaders, the current study found that few of these …


Editor's Remarks, G. David Gearhart Jan 2017

Editor's Remarks, G. David Gearhart

Journal of Research on the College President

Welcome to the first issue of the Journal of Research on the College President, an outlet for the National Lab for the Study of the College President. The Lab is a new research unit within the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, and has been created to conduct research and provide leadership on the study of the American College President. Through policy briefings, publications, workshops, grant writing, and hosting speakers, the NLSCP provides national direction for research on college leaders.


The Acclimation Processes For New, First-Time Presidents At Public, Master’S-Level Comprehensive Institutions: Lessons Learned, Mark Allan Kinders Jul 2015

The Acclimation Processes For New, First-Time Presidents At Public, Master’S-Level Comprehensive Institutions: Lessons Learned, Mark Allan Kinders

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to learn the acclimation practices of new, first-time presidents at regional, public comprehensive institutions. An original survey conducted from January through March, 2015, was completed by 61 new CEOs for a 59% response rate. They reported numerous activities that were helpful to learn their organization so as to become sufficiently comfortable in their understanding of campus culture, governance processes, operational practices, regional partners, and state policy climate to lead their organizations forward. With experience they learned that acclimation took longer than they expected. The study found higher rates of female or minority CEOs, and …


The Role Of Trustees In A Capital Campaign At A Public Research University, Marcia Lynn Overby Aug 2014

The Role Of Trustees In A Capital Campaign At A Public Research University, Marcia Lynn Overby

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The changing financial environment of public universities includes competing priorities for state funding. In today's economy, state appropriations for higher education do not always keep pace with institutional need. During periods of declining state revenue, universities endure budget cuts reducing state funding. When tuition dollars cannot be increased further and state appropriations are decreased or flat, public university administrators rely on fundraising to meet their mission, goals, and vision for their institutions. The fundraising program believed to produce the greatest results is a capital campaign. Large and ambitious capital campaigns can help institutions of higher education respond to decreases in …


The Impact Of State Characteristics On College Graduation Rates At Land-Grant Institutions, Melissa Bridges May 2013

The Impact Of State Characteristics On College Graduation Rates At Land-Grant Institutions, Melissa Bridges

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As our nation's economy has become increasingly knowledge-based, an educated citizenry is paramount to maintaining a competitive edge in a global marketplace. Thus, college participation and completion have emerged as the gateway to survival and growth for individuals, states, and the nation, making college completion rates a top priority. Stakeholders have begun to equate graduation rates with institutional quality and performance and often use such data to make judgments, create policies, and allocate funding. However, graduation rates are not fully understood and numerous scholars urge caution when interpreting and utilizing single outcome measures. The purpose of this cross-sectional ecological study …


Climbing The Ladder: The Experiences Of Women Senior Leaders In Southern Baptist Colleges And Universities, Allison Barritt Langford Dec 2010

Climbing The Ladder: The Experiences Of Women Senior Leaders In Southern Baptist Colleges And Universities, Allison Barritt Langford

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this interview study was to explore the career pathways, barriers, and keys to success experienced by women senior administrators in Southern Baptist colleges and universities. The researcher conducted an interview study with both open-ended and closed survey questions. The interviews primarily involved open-ended questions without response options and were conducted via the telephone. The researcher targeted the population of 42 women senior-level administrators. From this population, 20 women participated in the study. The researcher interviewed the 20 participants and collected a vita for 16 of the 20 women in the sample. Interviews were recorded and transcribed. Member …