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Editor's Comments, Michael T. Miller

Journal of Research on the College President

We are pleased to present Volume 7 of the Journal of Research on the College President. In the pages that follow, you will find a variety of research methods exploring the incredibly complex world of the contemporary college president. Wepner, Henk, and Broege explore a model for understanding how a president can survive in the presidential role, Ruch, Coll, and Ruch discuss presidents and college student success, and Jack offers a profile of Black women serving in presidential roles. In total, we have five original research articles included in this volume of the journal.

Profile Of Black Women Presidents At Four-Year Colleges And Universities, L. Hazel Jack

Journal of Research on the College President

While women represent the majority of college students, they are underrepresented in positions of leadership in higher education. The presence of Black women in positions of leadership is even less. This article sought to identify how many Black women are presidents of four-year colleges and universities, what types of institutions these women lead, and their path to the presidency. This research identified 83 Black women college presidents, 55 of which represent some type of first for their institution and, in some cases, even the system or state. Their pathway to the presidency was consistent with the literature finding that women’s …

A Conceptual Framework For Understanding Presidential Longevity, Shelley B. Wepner, William A. Henk, Nora C. R. Broege

Journal of Research on the College President

High turnover rates with college and university presidents make longevity an important matter for higher education. This paper provides a conceptual framework that identifies factors affecting presidents’ ability to stay in their positions, especially when their longevity is desirable. The framework builds upon 26 years of previous work involving the leadership practices, characteristics, and longevity of education deans, academic deans, and Chief Academic Officers. Four major categorical factors, both internal and external to self, are described that contribute reciprocally to presidents’ ability to last on the job. These four factors—personal identity, professional identity, professional capacities, and professional environment—are connected with …

Presidents And Student Success: Repositioning To A Student-Centered Institution, Charles P. Ruch, Kenneth M. Coll, Cathleen B. Ruch

Journal of Research on the College President

Now reopened following the pandemic, each institution is in the process of assessing its impact and adjusting its institutional model to assure sustainability in the future. Returning totally to the ‘status quo ante’ is not a viable option as some repositioning is required. This study highlights three critical elements that inform this process from the perspective of the presidency. First, significant environmental trends and their impact are presented. Upon analysis, improved student success emerges as a critical driving force in repositioning. Second, an overview of successful institutional programs and initiatives that foster a student-centered institution are examined concluding with a …

Exploring Non-Traditional Presidents In Higher Education, Susan L. Gorman, David C. Hood, Tania C. Reis

Journal of Research on the College President

Higher educational institutions (HIEDs) are complex organizations at a pivotal moment in history (Bourgeois, 2016; Guskin & Marcy, 2002; McGee, 2015). This qualitative study sought to understand the leadership traits of nontraditional college presidents, particularly those with business management backgrounds, to determine whether HIEDs could benefit from hiring them to help face challenges today. Results of the study were based on data collected from eight current college presidents collected April–August 2022. Three major findings and several subthemes emerged. Two major findings were expected: college presidents with business management experience are business driven and turnaround driven. A third major finding was …

Leading For What, Leading For Who? An International Comparative Analysis Of University Presidents’ Leadership Amid Covid-19, Santiago Castiello-Gutiérrez, Jon Mcnaughtan, Sarah Maria Schiffecker, Hugo A. García

Journal of Research on the College President

The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique shared challenge for all HEIs leaders around the world. Besides balancing institutional tasks and ensuring the health and safety of the campus community, university presidents were challenged with promoting equity and showing empathy in their leadership. Framed by Henry Mintzberg’s (1973) theory on managerial roles, this study uses in-depth interviews of 14 university presidents in eight countries, to understand how they enacted different roles in leading their institutions through a global crisis. Despite differences among presidential leadership styles in diverse contexts, findings from the study show that leadership roles shifted from securing their institution’s …

A Simulated Qualitative Study Exploring Higher Education Faculty's Perceptions Of Factors That Influence Dynamic Decision-Making When Choosing Opportunities For Student Engagement In Asynchronous Online Courses, Leticia De La Garza

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore higher education faculty’s perceptions of factors that influence dynamic decision-making when choosing opportunities for student engagement in asynchronous online courses. More specifically, this study sought to understand how faculty in higher education perceived these factors to prevent and facilitate dynamic decision-making when designing instructor presence, student-to-student collaboration, and student-to-academic content engagement opportunities in asynchronous online courses, as Garrison et al. (1999) suggest, for a community of inquiry. There has not been much focus on the dynamic decision-making of online instructors in higher education and a call to continue exploring factors that influence …

The Alumni Base Holds The Institution In Their Heart: Alumni Decision Making And Communication Strategies During University Leadership Change, Brandy Cox Jackson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the research was to understand how alumni executives make decisions and formulate communication strategies during university leadership change. The research was based on the trends found by the American Council on Education that the tenure of the college president has been on the decline since 2006 and is currently 5.9 years. Multiple factors have been identified in the literature that have led to this decline. The research focused on the largest constituency of most universities, its alumni base, and provides context and a description of decision making and communication strategies for alumni executives navigating leadership change. The …

Changes In Teacher Salaries Under The Arkansas Learns Act, Gema Zamarro, Andrew Camp, Josh Mcgee, Taylor Wilson, Miranda Vernon

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

• The LEARNS Act:
• Increased the state’s minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000,
• Guaranteed all teachers a minimum raise of $2,000, and
• Removed the minimum teacher salary schedule and relaxed other salary schedule requirements in state law.
• Before LEARNS, starting teacher salaries in almost all school districts were below the new minimum salary of $50,000.
• The average entry-level teacher salary for those holding a bachelor’s degree was about $38,000, with 39% of districts paying the pre-LEARNS minimum salary of $36,000.
• Starting teacher salaries under LEARNS are now more equally distributed, with minimal variation across districts.
• This school year, 97% of …

Does Reading Historical Drama Increase Historical Knowledge And Empathy? The Case Of Dorothy Sayers’S The Man Born To Be King, Albert Cheng

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Literary theorists have argued that literary reading fosters empathy, a claim that has substantial empirical support. In this study, I consider the more specific case of reading historical drama and its potential to foster historical empathy among secondary school students. Although several educational interventions for fostering historical empathy have been proposed, none have yet considered the potential of reading historical drama. I evaluate an intervention where students engaged with selected plays from Dorothy Sayers’s The Man Born to be King that depict the Nativity and Easter narratives. After the intervention, I find that these students, compared to students who did …

English Language Learners And Their Postsecondary Education Outcomes: Evidence From Arkansas, Rian Djita, Kate Barnes, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Nearly 10% of students enrolled in public schools in the U.S. are identified as English Language Learners (ELLs). The population of ELL students is expected to continue to rise, therefore research about ELLs is both timely and essential. An increasing body of literature addresses the experience and outcomes of ELLs in the context of both K-12 and postsecondary education. Most studies, however, focus on California, Texas, Florida, and New York (Aguilar, 2010; Callahan et al., 2023; Flores, Batalova & Fix, 2012) presenting a need for more research to make state-by-state comparisons especially from rural states that have become new destinations …

Teacher Attrition In Arkansas Public Schools: Perceptions Of The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Career Choices, Kirstyn Salehi

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on teacher attrition in Arkansas, with many educators facing unprecedented challenges and stressors in their work. However, public data does not give context to why teachers chose to leave. This study aimed to investigate teacher perceptions of the impact of the pandemic on attrition in Arkansas through a survey. To do this, the study set out to determine what factors influenced Arkansas teachers to leave or consider leaving, their positions and the impact that the pandemic had on those choices, and what factors influenced, or could influence, teachers to stay in their position. …

Using The Permah Model To Inform School Leadership Decisions To Promote Teacher Well-Being, Darlene M. Listro

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the status of teacher well-being and offer suggestions for supporting a culture that cultivates the qualities of well-being. The PERMAH Workplace Survey was administered to measure teacher well-being in the workplace. The survey results provided data for addressing research question 1: What is the status of teacher well-being at Pleasant Valley Public Schools? Using research on well-being intervention strategies, suggestions were offered to answer research question 2: What can administrators do to support a culture that cultivates the qualities of well-being? This quantitative study analyzed survey results from 104 PreK-12 teachers in …

“From An Elephant Into A Ballerina:” The Future Of Higher Education From Senior Leaders At Public Very High Research Institutions, Sarah Cathleen Rice Denison

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose for conducting the study was to identify how Very High Research university senior leaders at public institutions in the United States described their vision of the future of higher education over the next 25 years. Specifically, the study provided an opportunity for university chancellors and presidents to describe their versions of what the future holds for higher education and how they are preparing for that future. A vision for the future included senior leader’s perspectives on three elements of the university: the university’s mission and purpose, academics, and student services. Their experience in higher education combined with their …

Readiness To Lead: Novice School Leaders' Perceptions Of The Impact Arkansas Fellowship Experience On Their Preparedness To Assume School Leadership Roles, Allison Prewitt

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research provides increasing evidence that school leadership correlates with school performance (Herman et al., 2016). The leadership skills of K-12 school administrators are linked with student achievement. Evidence indicates that school leaders’ roles continue to evolve as accountability measures change (Grissom et al., 2021). Historically, principal preparation programs emphasized developing management skills. According to research, this is insufficient to prepare instructional leaders for the complex social context of contemporary education (Hernandez et al., 2012; Kerston, 2010; Levine, 2005; Lynch, 2012; Miller, 2013; Zubnzycki, 2013). Unfortunately, most principal preparation programs (PPPs) have not kept pace with the expanding role of principals …

The Effects Of A Science Of Reading Professional Development Plan On Teachers’ Perceptions Of Content Knowledge And Self-Efficacy In Instruction: A Mixed-Methods Study, Mary K. Schaefer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to measure the impact of a year-long professional development plan designed to support K-3 teachers in two elementary schools in making shifts to align instructional practices with the science of reading. This mixed methods approach incorporated an action research design to answer the following research questions: What was the relationship between teachers’ understanding of the foundational skills of reading and teachers’ confidence in teaching the foundational skills of reading? What impact does strategic and ongoing PD in the science of reading have on teachers’ practice? What are teachers’ perceptions of year-long professional development in …

Autonomy And Self-Motivation Among K-12 Learners: An Examination Of Best Practice Research, Current Classroom Practices, And Teacher & Administrator Perspectives, Meghan Scales

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Are our schools doing enough to create environments where learners are motivated to learn, and can problem solve and be autonomous in their learning? The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine a sample of schools in Indiana and determine to what extent they are utilizing research-based methods to ensure an environment where learners are motivated and autonomous. Additionally, in school where these methods were identified as lacking, I investigated some of the reasons teachers struggle to implement these practices. Data was collected using classroom observations and teacher focus groups from four participating schools. The results were then …

Someday I Will Change The World: Creating Youth Change Agents Through Leadership Training, Colin Keady

Agricultural Education, Communications and Technology Undergraduate Honors Theses

No research currently exists on a leadership development program for secondary students that features project-based learning and connection with change agents. This project seeks to create a program that lives in that gap – informing a new generation with a modern method of leadership instruction. Through a one day conference, participating students should experience personal and professional growth. Not only will they grow in their communication, motivation, and managerial skills – but they will also put together a plan of action for when the conference concludes. Students will use this plan to address an issue in their city, county, or …

Arkansas Teachers' Grading Practices And Implications, Sarah C. Mckenzie, Josh B. Mcgee

Policy Briefs

In this brief, we assess current grading practices in Arkansas. We find teachers’ grading practices are inconsistent across the state. We suggest districts assess their grading practices and provide ongoing professional development opportunities for teachers to reflect on their grading practices.

A Glimpse Into Arkansas Teachers’ Grading Practices 2022-23, Sarah Morris, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Arkansas Education Reports

This case study assesses the current, self-reported grading practices among Arkansas teachers. We distributed a Teachers’ Grading Perceptions survey in November, 2022, and we conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers and principals in January-February, 2023. We gathered both quantitative and qualitative data from the teacher survey, and we used interviews to collect themes for current grading practices in Arkansas’s schools. We generated a grading equity scale from the survey questions, verified by a reliable alpha coefficient = 0.83, and we use this in a multivariate regression to explore teacher characteristics and their likelihood of favoring grading equity practices. We collected themes …

Teacher Turnover During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrew Camp, Gema Zamarro, Josh B. Mcgee

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

Teachers' levels of stress and burnout have been high throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, raising concerns about a potential increase in teacher turnover and future teacher shortages. We examine how the COVID-19 pandemic affected teacher turnover in Arkansas from 2018-19 to 2022-23 using administrative data. We find no major changes in turnover entering the first two pandemic years, but a large increase of 5.3 percentage points (26%) entering the third year, with variation by teacher and student characteristics. We also find that increases in teacher turnover are related to instructional mode and that this turnover may partially be explained by the …

A Glimpse Into Arkansas Teachers’ Grading Practices, Sarah Morris, Sarah C. Mckenzie

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

This case study assesses the current, self-reported grading practices among Arkansas teachers. We distributed a Teachers’ Grading Perceptions survey in November, 2022, and we conducted semi-structured interviews with teachers and principals in January-February, 2023. We gathered both quantitative and qualitative data from the teacher survey, and we used interviews to collect themes for current grading practices in Arkansas’s schools. We generated a grading equity scale from the survey questions, verified by a reliable alpha coefficient = 0.83, and we use this in a multivariate regression to explore teacher characteristics and their likelihood of favoring grading equity practices. We collected themes …

Movers, Switchers, And Exiters: Teacher Turnover During Covid-19, Andrew Camp, Gema Zamarro, Josh B. Mcgee

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

In this brief, we examine teacher turnover in the state of Arkansas both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In line with available reports from Washington State, North Carolina, and South Carolina, we find evidence of increased teacher turnover in Arkansas entering the current school year. However, a large proportion of this turnover can be explained not by teachers leaving the education sector but switching to non-instructional roles such as principals or instructional coaches. The use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds may be driving these transitions. A survey of schools conducted by the National Center for …

Technology And Care To Promote Students' Success, Adnan Alrubaye

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Join the Wally Cordes Teaching and Faculty Support Center for an informal conversation about teaching with the February Cordes Chairperson, Dr. Adnan Alrubaye. Alrubaye teaches courses in both the poultry science and biological sciences departments, and he serves as the associate director for the cell and molecular biology graduate program. He teaches multiple sections of the General Microbiology course, with courses sizes ranging between 30 and 400 students. Alrubaye’s topic will be about tools he uses to provide the best learning experiences for students to help them achieve their learning goals. His philosophy when it comes to working with students …

Showcasing Your Teaching For Promotion And/Or Tenure, Richard Cassady, Samantha Robinson, Jackie Wiersma-Mosley, Christopher Shields

TFSC Publications and Presentations

Have you heard stories about the stress of trying to apply for promotion and/or tenure? Do you know that faculty are required to show the quality of their teaching? This first of its kind session is appropriate for tenure track faculty and teaching faculty in the professorial ranks. It is designed for faculty considering promotion and/or tenure in the coming years. Attendees will see the guidelines with various items and examples provided on how to effectively showcase teaching. Faculty will also receive tips that can be started now to plan for preparation of the packets either for the current year …

Revisiting Ethnic Differences In In-Person Learning During 2021-2022, Andrew Camp, Alison H. Johnson, Gema Zamarro

Education Reform Faculty and Graduate Students Publications

During the 2020-21 school year, Black and Hispanic students were less likely to attend school in-person than white students. Prior research indicated multiple factors helped explain this gap. In this study, we revise these observed racial gaps in in-person learning to examine whether the relationship between these gaps and explanatory factors observed earlier in the pandemic changed during the 2021-2022 school year. We find that, while in-person gaps decreased, Black respondents continued to be less likely to report in-person learning than white respondents. Political leanings and COVID-19 health risks, which helped explain observed gaps in 2020-2021, lose explanatory power. But …

Advancing Women For The Presidency In Higher Education: Communication Competencies And Gender, Maria Dwyer, Surabhi Sahay

Journal of Research on the College President

The typical image of the academic president is shifting, with women occupying more presidential offices at colleges and universities, constituting an upward trend toward gender equity. An analysis of communication competencies and behaviors of academic presidents and governing board members in the context of hiring was conducted via interviews and surveys. Universities and colleges in the U.S. that had recently hired new presidents were sampled. Communication skills were identified as important factors that influenced board member’s perceptions of the candidates.

Student Government And The University Administrative Agenda Alignment, James M. Diloreto-Hill

Journal of Research on the College President

Within institutions of higher education, shared governance is an essential component to a healthy functionality. Among the many stakeholders at these institutions, students are the largest in number and hold primacy. Participation in student governance establishes a sense of shared ownership over their communities while also providing a unique avenue for students to gain wisdom and develop critical skill sets. Senior administrators at these institutions have many inherent challenges due to an organization that is largely decentralized and autonomous. The purpose for conducting this study was to analyze Student Government Associations (SGA) at 8 select land-grant institutions of higher education …

Investigating The Effect Of Perceived Social Support And Professional Support On The Ability To Persist As A Building Administrator In Arkansas, Jill Annette Larosa

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Across the United States, our K-12 public schools have very low levels of principals persisting in their jobs. The national average for principal tenure is four years, and one out of every five principals in poverty districts leaves after one year (Levin et al., 2019). The tenure average of four years is a devastating statistic because, according to an investigation commissioned by the Wallace Foundation (Leithwood et al., 2011), it takes an average of five years with a new administrator for a school’s performance to rebound to the level of achievement that existed before the administration change. At the current …

Editor's Remarks, Daniel P. Nadler

Journal of Research on the College President

This volume includes four articles from some very respected scholars and leaders around the country. Several of the topics cover critical, timely issues, such as mental health and gender equality, and two of the other topics represent growing trends that leaders must address. These four accepted and published papers are 25% of the submissions received this year. We are grateful to the 16 authors who submitted original work for possible publication in the journal and hope that they, along with others, will continue to consider the journal as an outlet for their academic work.