Date of Award
5-2019
Culminating Project Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Higher Education Administration: Ed.D.
Department
Educational Administration and Higher Education
College
School of Education
First Advisor
Steven McCullar
Second Advisor
Michael Mills
Third Advisor
Sandra Berkowitz
Fourth Advisor
Erin Heath
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
Schlossberg, Transition, Community College Deans
Abstract
Succession planning and the pending vacancies in leadership are both important topics in higher education in general and community colleges specifically. Faculty have historically played an important role in filling the leadership pipeline in community colleges, with the first step in this transition being from faculty to academic deans. However, there is little research focused on the role of the academic dean, let alone that transition from faculty to administration, in the community college setting. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the perceptions of faculty who have transitioned into academic dean roles on two-year college campuses. Through the interviews with the seven participants, we began to understand how one perceives the transition from faculty to administrator in the community college setting. Schlossberg’s transition theory (1981) was the theoretical framework that was used and modified to create the four major factors labeled the Four S's, in an attempt to understand an individual’s capacity to transition (Goodman, 2006; Schlossberg, 2008; Schlossberg, Lynch, & Chickering, 1989). This study found there is a wide range of motivations that prompt faculty to move into administration. Two themes emerged around the perceptions of the transition. The first was the fast-paced nature of the change, and the second was the changing relationship with faculty members. The participants were able to use their assets of situation, self, and strategies to overcome the liabilities of support to move into their new role. Implications for practice include: building a support system for new deans, developing practical training for deans, creating a greater sense of community among deans, and encouraging self-care.
Recommended Citation
Lindstrom, Derrick D., "From Community College Faculty to Dean: Using Schlossberg’s Transition Theory to Understand the Transition Experience." (2019). Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration. 31.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/hied_etds/31
