Virtually absent: searching for journalism and mass communication deans of color

Journalism and mass communication (JMC) administrators lead unique academic programs because many of their graduates will have a direct impact on the way countless members of society view themselves and their neighbors. This study’s purposes are to add to the limited body of research focused on JMC administrators, and to contextualize the experiences of JMC administrators of color through a higher education administration conceptual framework. A repository of JMC program leaders does not currently exist, so a list of the top administrators at 101 JMC colleges and schools in the United States was compiled via a virtual census of the programs’ websites. These programs were selected because, unlike smaller JMC programs, their websites consistently included photographs and biographies of their top administrators. This virtual census of the programs spurred a mixed methods study on the leaders who oversee some of the preeminent JMC programs in the country. The quantitative portion consisted of a 38-question Qualtrics survey that was emailed to 113 current (n=102) and recent (n=11) JMC deans/directors. Current JMC administrators (n=31) completed the survey, and their responses illuminate qualities needed to successfully lead their programs, and factors that impact their willingness to lead. Descriptive data gleaned from cross-tabulation tables and demographic responses paint a picture not seen in previous JMC administrator studies. There were 24 current (n=19) and immediate past (n=5) JMC deans/directors of color emailed to participate in the qualitative portion of the study. The self-identified JMC leaders of color (n=4) contextualized their experiences utilizing pseudonyms in an online discussion board. Two coders independently conducted qualitative coding utilizing thematic analysis, which revealed three main themes: leading with a purpose, value in differences, and enduring hardships. “Some people might underestimate how well-versed administrators of color are in many topics, challenges, realms. We have to be. We don't get where we are just because of color -- often, in spite of it.” This is just one example of the information shared on the discussion board by one of the leaders of color who, like the other respondents, seemed to bring a higher purpose to leading their organization. This study holds implications for better understanding the JMC program deans/directors within the context of higher education, and provides insight into the value leaders of color bring to JMC programs

Report of the Global Strategy Task Force

The Global Strategy Task Force created a final report documenting its findings and recommendations. The intent of this report is to provide a framework through which the University can articulate and pursue an ambitious set of institutional goals that will increase its global connectivity and impact.To guide our work, the Task Force articulated a Global Vision for 2020:To establish Northwestern as one of the world's premier universities. To develop a culture and an infrastructure that link our intellectual communities to larger international idea and innovation networks and enable our faculty, students, and staff to lead and to learn from global advancements in research and teaching critical to human development and understanding.The Task Force identified three guiding principles for how we enact our vision.An ambitious intellectual agenda, not an economic one, must drive Northwestern's global investments. Northwestern should hire new faculty and staff, open new facilities, and initiate new dialogues and collaborations to the extent that it has a clear and compelling intellectual mission guiding each decision.Northwestern must focus on excellence to gain greater prominence in the world's leading innovation and idea networks, by identifying and investing deeply in select areas of strength and impact.Being global requires a bi-directional orientation. Northwestern must, with equal focus and vigor, expand its outward horizons while integrating global perspectives into the rich intellectual life of its US campuses and activities

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE OF LEADERS IN HIGHER EDUCATION AND ITS IMPACT ON EMPLOYEES

The purpose of this quantitative research study was to further understand the relationship between the emotional intelligence of faculty who have moved up into administrative positions and nonfaculty leaders within university academic affairs. Higher education institutions have a history of high employee turnover. There is a lack in the hiring process within higher education, and the lack of a hiring process causes difficulties when leaders go from faculty or staff roles to administrative and supervisory roles with little training on managing their emotions and employees’ emotions, hindering leaders from thriving in their leadership positions. The sampling was leaders from traditional 4-year state institutions in Texas. The Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Tests (MSCEIT™) were used to measure the emotional intelligence of leaders. A total of 489 participants were contacted via email, and 124 attempts were made to complete the survey; 54 surveys were fully completed and used for this study. The statistical analyses used included descriptive statistics, correlation coefficient, analysis of variance (ANOVA), t test. No statistically significant differences or relationships among variables were found, and the descriptive statistics found the mean score for overall emotional intelligence score was 91.5, which was slightly over the standard score. The consider developing level of the MSCEIT™ has a standard score range ending at 89. The raw data showed that 20 of the 54 participants had levels of emotional intelligence below the competent level. Therefore, these leaders should consider enhancing these skills as interacting and leading employees is essential to being a leader

African American Public School Principals in East Tennessee: Motivation for Leadership.

The purpose of this study was to explore and document the factors that motivated African American public school administrators in a selected school system in East Tennessee to become school leaders. The study highlighted barriers and challenges, support mechanisms, and perceptions of training. If minority educators are to be actively recruited and retained, there must be an understanding of the factors that motivate them to progressively seek administrative leadership positions. The African American public school administrators\u27 experiences were collected through 17 one-on-one personal interviews. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, coded, and used to answer the 4 research questions. The primary factors that motivate African American public school administrators to become school leaders are a desire to help the students and to make a broader impact on education. These public school administrators had to overcome the barriers and challenges of racial and/or gender discrimination while working in a system that was not supportive of these endeavors. As a result of this study, recommendations were made for the school system, the African American public school administrators, and for further research

African American Public School Principals in East Tennessee: Motivation for Leadership.

The purpose of this study was to explore and document the factors that motivated African American public school administrators in a selected school system in East Tennessee to become school leaders. The study highlighted barriers and challenges, support mechanisms, and perceptions of training. If minority educators are to be actively recruited and retained, there must be an understanding of the factors that motivate them to progressively seek administrative leadership positions. The African American public school administrators\u27 experiences were collected through 17 one-on-one personal interviews. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, coded, and used to answer the 4 research questions. The primary factors that motivate African American public school administrators to become school leaders are a desire to help the students and to make a broader impact on education. These public school administrators had to overcome the barriers and challenges of racial and/or gender discrimination while working in a system that was not supportive of these endeavors. As a result of this study, recommendations were made for the school system, the African American public school administrators, and for further research

Effective Organizational Practices for Middle and High School Grades

At the request of the Accountability Review Council, Research for Action identified effective organizational practices used by better performing schools serving substantial numbers of low income middle and high school students in the School District of Philadelphia. These practices are organized into three spheres: Conditions for Teaching, Student-Centered School Community, and Instructional Program. For each sphere, the report offers broad strategies and specific practices to enact the strategies. Nuanced school case studies show how the practices can work synergistically and coherently in schools to help students succeed

Building a Model and Framework for Child Welfare Supervision

This report, Building a Model and Framework for Child Welfare Supervision, presents the findings from an extensive review of the most recent literature combined with interviews of experts in the field of child welfare, currently practicing child welfare administrators, supervisors, frontline practitioners, and trainers. The report is organized into three sections: • Section I introduces seven elements of an emerging model of supervision in child welfare. • Section II presents an integrated organizational framework consisting of four components required to empower child welfare supervisors to effectively carry out their administrative, educational, and supportive functions. • Section III incorporates supports useful to agencies in implementing the recommendations contained in this report. These include our interview protocols, the annotated results of our extensive literature review, a sample job description, and our methodology

The need for culturally competent school principals : K–12 school district hiring practices

Previous studies have investigated principal perceptions of cultural competence of already employed principals, principal standards, hiring decisions of school districts and principals. However, there is a gap in identifying what school districts are advertising and recruiting for culturally competent principals. The purpose of this study is to examine how school districts advertise, recruit and hire school principals for cultural proficiency through the lens of cultural competency conceptual framework (Terrell & Lindsey, 2009). Research questions: 1. In a school district emphasizing cultural competence, what hiring practices are used for culturally competent school leaders? a. What are the hiring procedures included in advertising, recruitment, screening, interview, and selection of principals of the school district? b. What culturally competent knowledge, skills, and dispositions do school district representatives use when hiring principals? This study uses a qualitative single case study approach on one public school district, Texas ISD. The school district identified in the study was selected due to the size and location of the school district within a large city. The school district also makes mention of cultural proficiency in their utilization of the cultural competency conceptual framework (Tderrell & Lindsey, 2009). This study utilizes a qualitative research approach of interviews and document analysis as data collection. Content and textual analysis (Davis, Gooden, & Micheaux, 2015) was used to examine job descriptions and additional documents. Findings indicated Texas ISD was strategic and purposeful in their hiring practices from the recruitment to the selection of school principals. Cultural competencies were reflective in several different portions of the hiring practices however, was not reflective in all aspects of the hiring practices of the school district. The study provides knowledge to the body of research of culturally competent leaders. Assessing the hiring practices of school districts for school principals assist in understanding how school districts identify the leadership capacity of principals in their cultural proficiency. The focus is on school principals because of their vital impact on campuses including in both teacher and student success. A call to action for school districts to examine their hiring practices and how they are hiring the best candidates for culturally diverse schools. This research study supports the following areas of research: culturally competent leadership, leadership, human resource hiring practices, and K–12 public school districtsEducational Leadership and Polic

Effective Strategies to Reduce Employee Turnover at U.S. Higher Education Institutions

Employee intent to leave the organization has the potential for adverse business outcomes. Business owners are concerned with employee intent to leave, as it is the number one predictor of actual employee turnover. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies higher education institution (HEI) leaders use to minimize employees’ intent to leave. The participants were six leaders of two HEI sector organizations who minimized employee intent to leave. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a review of organization employee handbooks. Through thematic analysis, three themes were identified: (a) positive workplace culture characterized by transparent and efficient communication, (b) implementation of a salary and benefits strategy that incorporates rewards and recognition, and (c) promotion of employee empowerment through training and opportunities for personal growth. A key recommendation is for HEI leaders to implement a positive workplace culture through effective communication and monthly employee recognition activities. The implications for positive social change include the potential to retain valued employees, foster good social development, and support the local community workforce

Developing a competency model for head of departments at tertiary education institutions in South Africa

The increase in complexity of the Tertiary Education landscape has increased the pressure to perform. This forces employees on all management levels within Tertiary Education institutions to be highly competent and efficient. Excellent academic leadership is needed from all levels of management to reach strategic goals and to build the local and international profile of the university. The objectives of this study are firstly to determine which competencies are needed by Heads of Departments / Directors of Schools at South African Universities, and secondly to develop a proposed competency profile for Heads of Departments / Directors of Schools in Tertiary Education institutions in South Africa. Research design - A quantitative research approach adopting an explorative design was used and the data was collected via convenience sampling by way of an online questionnaire. Heads of Departments and School Directors completed the questionnaire (n = 37). Data from the questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics, t-tests and ANOVAs. The results of the descriptive statistics revealed that respondents considered the most relevant competency to have is Integrity, which falls within the Ethic and Values subscale. Leadership / Management Competencies as well as competencies from the Enabling Competencies subscale were identified as the 41st most relevant competencies. Functional competencies (Quality Assurance) only score from the 42nd place on the ranking order list. In a theoretical domain this study will prepare the ground for future studies, specifically those for developing training and development modules that will help to address the competencies that are lacking. In a practical domain this study will help universities to appoint more qualified Heads of Departments / School Directors and therefore establish a stronger and more efficient management structure to help the university to achieve strategic objectives