ERIC Number: ED662645
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 219
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 979-8-3836-8565-5
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Navigating a Campus Crisis: A Feminist Inquiry Examining Care and Social Transformation
Stacey L. Allan
ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Bowling Green State University
One of the most challenging times for campus communities is when a crisis occurs. It often causes higher education to question their policies, missions, and values. Additionally, the crisis managers and those affected by it may experience trauma as they navigate the crisis (Bataille & Cordova, 2014; Lynch 2023). Despite the research on crisis management, there are still gaps in knowledge. Because no two crises are alike, it is difficult to nuance how care is provided throughout a crisis and if communities transform post-crisis. This general descriptive-interpretive qualitative study aimed to understand how student affairs crisis managers incorporate ethics of care strategies in crisis management practices to aid social transformation. Two research questions guided this study: (1) How do crisis managers provide care for those affected by a crisis? (2) How have campuses and community members transformed after a crisis? Branicki's (2020) feminist crisis management framework underpinned this study. This framework considers the relationship between the cared-for and caregiver, the use of networks to provide care, and how the community recovers and transforms after a crisis. Twelve participants engaged in this general descriptive-interpretive study and participated in one semi-structured interview. They self-identified as middle managers during the crisis they discussed. All participants reported to a senior student affairs officer or the chief student affairs officer. Seven key findings emerged from this study. The first set of findings addresses how crisis managers provide care during a crisis and includes actions of care, provision of care, receipt of care, and influence on care. The second set of findings describes how campuses and their members transform after a crisis and includes middle managers reflecting on transformation. These findings contribute to a better understanding of how middle managers in student affairs provide care throughout a crisis. Furthermore, it showcases the limited knowledge regarding how transformation occurs within a higher education context. There are several implications for practice and future research. Implications for practice include the need for student affairs professionals to build relationships and networks and university leaders to create and identify care structures. Also, there is a need for graduate programs and job onboarding to include crisis management in the curriculum and training. Implications for future research include the need to understand transformational change processes within the context of higher education. Second, future research studies should explore the role of middle managers in change processes. Lastly, what does being a future student affairs professional mean, and what is their role in crisis management? These implications are applicable to student affairs and higher education professionals, university leaders, supervisors and higher education and student affairs graduate preparation programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Campuses, Crisis Management, Higher Education, Caring, Student Personnel Workers, Student Personnel Services, Trauma, Employee Attitudes, Staff Role, College Environment, Transformative Learning, Middle Management
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A