Public Higher Education (PHE) reflects a drastic reduction in funding to subsidize its day-to-day functioning, increasing dependence on tuition fees to be operational, the existence of outdated government funding policies, and the lack of a sustainable funding mechanism. Notwithstanding, the plethora of research attempting to understand different…

This qualitative study explores the transformational leadership strategies used by university leaders to transform their respective institutions of higher education in the post-pandemic era. The study builds on Bass's (1985a) transformational leadership model, and the guiding research question is, "What transformational leadership strategies…

Despite the increase of African American women on college campuses, African American women leaders in higher education administration in the United States are significantly underrepresented and under-retained. This lack of representation has lasting effects on leadership pipelines and how African American women leaders are perceived and valued in…

This dissertation introduces and employs the HERC model, a novel conceptual framework developed to critically analyze the intricacies of town-gown relationships during a boundary-spanning crisis. Situated in Tucson, Arizona, the study delves into the nuanced communication dynamics of two key higher education institutions: The University of Arizona…

A series of highly publicized off-campus acts of racial violence between February and September 2020 ignited a national reckoning on race, racism, anti-Black racism, and the role of higher education in systemic discrimination. In response, a number of college and university leaders published public statements attempting to address anti-Black…

The purpose of this study was to explore how academic leaders are involved in fundraising efforts in public research institutions. The findings contribute new knowledge about fundraising structure and processes occurring between development staff and academic leaders. Fundraising accounts for a large part of the operating budget of public research…

As institutions of higher education in the United States manage pressing health and well-being issues on campus, some are designating a new executive to lead institutional strategy-the university chief wellness officer (CWO). Increasingly, colleges and universities are purposefully shaping an organizational culture of well-being to positively…

This is an institutional history for the period between 1964-2005 examining the branch expansion of Troy University. Troy University, which began as Troy Normal School in 1887 evolved a great deal during the 20th century. Much of this evolution took place in the latter half of the century, as the institution grew from a single campus institution,…

The purpose of this sequential explanatory study was to examine, through the lenses of sensemaking theory and professional authority, the relationship between how largely non-educational professionals in New Jersey experience their fiduciary responsibilities as trustees of the state's public colleges and universities and to what extent their…

Navigating change and managing conflict is a critical skill set to the effectiveness of any leader. In California public post-secondary education, this has centered on traversing diminishing public financial support while maintaining education quality and access. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the role conflict plays…

While students are the center of dual enrollment programs, high school counseling professionals, often called guidance counselors, and college/university administrators are vital to the success of these programs. High school guidance counselors coordinate schedules and ensure student awareness, registration, and participation in the program.…

This qualitative research utilized the descriptive case study approach to examine the lived experiences of twelve 1.5- or 2.0-generation Hmong American women who occupy leadership positions in public schools (K-12) and colleges (community colleges, state colleges, and universities) in California. It delved into their gendered, racial,…

In this study, I examined the student experience of transferring technical credits from community college institutions under the State Center Community College district umbrella to California State University, Fresno. I focused on two different participant populations to glean perspectives that would construct a well-rounded view of the students'…

In the current environment for higher education, it has become critical for all of the departments and colleges within a university to become more aware of their place in the overall mission of the university. This is especially true of the academic library, which had relied upon a reputation as the "heart" of an academic institution for…

This study is an investigation of how a graduation initiative at a single university was implemented in ways that reveal approaches that do not prioritize what I consider to be the goal of higher education--"the common good of all." Using autoethnography combined with an indigenous-oriented approach I borrowed from another dissertation…