Date of Award
12-2024
Culminating Project Type
Dissertation
Styleguide
apa
Degree Name
Higher Education Administration: Ed.D.
Department
Educational Administration and Higher Education
College
School of Education
First Advisor
Steven McCullar
Second Advisor
Rachel Friedensen
Third Advisor
Gresham Collom
Fourth Advisor
Michele Mumm
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
presidents, budget crisis, deficits, decision-making process, data, influence, reasons, change, president’s cabinet, structural, human resources, political, symbolic
Abstract
Significant budget deficits pressure university presidents to make changes that will transform higher education in the United States. Because many institutions are facing deficits, it is important to understand why presidents are making the decisions they do to help resolve these budget gaps. Staff reductions, program closures, and school closures will change their institution, thus impacting the communities and regions they serve. Understanding the why behind their decision is important so everyone can acknowledge how presidents got to their decision. My research aimed to identify patterns of why presidents chose their shifts and if one or more reasons influenced them more. Using Bolman and Deal’s four-frame change model, I interviewed a dozen presidents across the Midwest to identify these themes, influences, and reasons why they made their decisions in the structural, human resources, political, and symbolic frames. The results of this study help university leaders identify common reasons why leaders make their decisions and what affects their choices. Through the four frames of change, leaders have several common influences and reasons why they made their specific decisions. Knowing their reasons why they chose to do what they did during a budget crisis is important for higher education leaders to recognize. It is important for community stakeholders to be aware of this. It may also be helpful to everyone who is interested in leadership decision making.
Recommended Citation
Knudtson, Kyle, "Reflections in Time: Budget Crisis and Presidential Decisions" (2024). Culminating Projects in Higher Education Administration. 92.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/hied_etds/92
