This study explored perceptions of teacher retention from the lens of veteran teachers in an effort to examine why teachers remain in the classroom. According to Carver-Thomas and Darling- Hammond (2017), teacher turnover negatively impacts student achievement and the efforts to replace teachers puts school districts in a financial bind. Through…

This study investigated the use of othermothering as a relationship building approach in student affairs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and its association with job burnout outcomes in HBCU student affairs professionals. Job burnout outcomes affect job turnover intention decisions (Michaels & Spector, 1982); therefore,…

This study was conducted as a qualitative, single case study. This study obtained data from online Zoom interviews collected from semi-structured, open-ended interview questions. This study aims to examine what role servant leadership has in employee work performance in higher education institutions in West Virginia, from the lived experiences and…

Every person in leadership sees themselves as the conduit between the success and failure of an institution or business. This most likely comes from the idea that "everything rises and falls on leadership" (Covey & Maxwell, 2007, p. 7). Educational campus administrators, also known as principals and lead learners, are responsible for…

The purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to determine if, and to what extent, there were differences to the propensity to trust in information technology individual team members based on their work setting when covarying for years of experience. The theoretical foundations comprised the social presence theory and the quantum of trust…

This quantitative methodological research study explored the relationship between compassion and mattering experience from the perspective of leaders and direct reports working in administrative and support functions at a higher education institution. The following two research questions are explored: (1) What is the relationship between…

Mid-level administrators occupy a complex position within higher education institutions, a role defined by "middleness" (Gleeson & Shain, 1999, p. 488), which characterizes their place in institutional hierarchies between superiors and subordinates. Mid-level administrators often feel isolated since they cannot be seen as having…

Introduction: This dissertation focuses on how informal educators learn through conversations during meetings, planning sessions, and other discussions with colleagues. These on-the-job learning experiences remain relatively understudied, and this dissertation aims to illuminate the dynamics of informal educator relationship-building within…

Minorities working at predominantly white institutions (PWI's) of higher education face many challenges both professionally and personally. One critical challenge for minorities is feeling a sense of belonging (SoB) in their organization. Workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion have become crucial for many organizations as they look for ways to…

This dissertation presents three separate studies related to the experiences of university professional staff, including their work stress and relationship to undergraduate students. Findings from these studies show that professional staff are well-positioned to act as institutional and empowerment agents (Stanton-Salazar, 2011) on behalf of…

In the United States, the K12 public school district's task is educating our country's youth. This task is supported by educators, bus drivers, maintenance and construction staff, information technology staff, financial staff, and executive staff, to mention a few of the district features that support our educational responsibilities to our youth.…

The purpose of this qualitative study is to describe the experiences of professionals of color in SkillsUSA. In this study, four professionals of color shared their experiences in SkillsUSA. A focus group was conducted, along with a document analysis. The study explored the following research questions: How do professionals of color in SkillsUSA…

This dissertation aims to bridge the gap between validity theory and the practice of validation. The dissertation employs a three-article approach. Following the introduction in Chapter I, three independent manuscripts representing three empirical studies are presented (i.e., Chapters II - IV). Each chapter is a stand-alone publishable manuscript,…

Higher education is weathering a tsunami of declining student enrollment, budget cuts, and hiring freezes. Academic libraries have been downsizing and reorganizing for decades in the midst of their own identity crisis from increasing automation. Traditional librarian duties are increasingly becoming the responsibility of library staff. The stress…

The purpose of this study is to determine what factors affect teachers to stay or leave Illinois public school districts that are classified by their state report cards as having 95% or greater low-income student enrollments. Many teachers are dropping out before getting much experience. These teachers are either going to higher socioeconomic…