This dissertation examined the leadership strategies used by rural, public-school superintendents in the Central Appalachian region of Eastern Kentucky during and following the flood of 2022 that was considered a natural disaster. The context of this study was framed by a 1 in 1000-year flooding event that devastated school districts and…

Challenges in higher education continue to arise, providing administrators with insights into how prepared--or unprepared--their institutions may be for future crises. The purpose of the study is to examine how mid-level leadership, staff, and students perceived the disaster response to Hurricane Ida during the 2021-2022 academic year. Using the…

This study seeks to understand the effectiveness of impact mitigation strategies developed to assist college students displaced by institutional closure following a natural disaster. A case-study approach focuses on a subset of students displaced by Hurricane Katrina, who enrolled at Syracuse University for the Fall 2005 semester. The study found…

Over the last 10 years, institutes of higher learning (IHLs) in the southeastern United States have endured natural disasters that have caused flooding, water, and wind damage and resulted in student evacuations, class disruptions, and building damage. IHLs are further challenged with resuming campus operations despite the emotional impact…

After natural disaster, survivors may experience moderate to severe signs and symptoms of emotional distress which may subside or worsen as time passes (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2022). Adults pursuing higher education when natural disaster strikes experience an additional array of unique issues which may…

During times of climatological crisis, leadership is a crucial component of postsecondary education administrators' arsenal, specifically regarding their ability to execute strategies in action plans aimed at restoring the normal operations of institutions. This comparative case study aimed to examine how strategies in crisis leadership plans were…

The realities of the community colleges along any coastal region involve the constant threat of a hurricane crisis. One of these realities is that colleges near the coast in North Carolina will face another hurricane; it's just a matter of when and how severely. In turn, this means that community colleges need to be prepared and especially for the…

Disasters can cause school closures for an extended duration, causing equity and engagement gaps for students. Children and adolescents also suffer social, emotional and health problems associated with remote schooling and lack of physical and interpersonal activities. School leaders and teachers are well-practiced in traditional emergency…

The purpose of this dissertation in practice was to explore the experiences of Gulf Coast State College faculty in the wake of Hurricane Michael, in an effort to better understand how both the storm and the institution's response shaped instruction and student success. The intent of this study was to determine if the policies and practices…

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand and describe the lived experiences of school counselors in South Carolina regarding natural disaster trauma and their perceptions regarding their ability to work effectively with students during and after disasters. The experiences of school counselors regarding their…

Spatio-temporal processes are ubiquitous and prevalent across disciplines. Understanding the mechanisms underlying processes and integrating this information into models is of great interest, as it can improve forecasting accuracy and align with scientific motivation. Examples of such models include Partial Differential Equation (PDE) Models or…

The purpose of this historical case study is to examine the response of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) to Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. The AJCU is a voluntary association of 28 Jesuit higher education institutions rooted in the Jesuit charism that centers on God's desire for a direct relationship with creation,…

This study delves into the critical issue of principal burnout within Houston's uniquely challenging environment, marked by socioeconomic disparities, Hurricane Harvey's aftermath, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing Maslach's three dimensions of burnout model, it explores the manifestations of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced…

Natural disasters such as Hurricane Harvey, which hit the Gulf Coast region of Texas on August 25, 2017, may have potentially devastating effects on the local community and especially the public education system. Adverse health consequences because of this traumatic event may include Compassion Fatigue, a condition of emotional, physical, and…

Providing early intervention and continuous service provision to children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and their families in Puerto Rico can be complex due to multiple factors including limited resources, difficulty accessing service providers, and yearly environmental impacts such as hurricanes (Chandra et al., 2021). Implementing…