The Perceived Roles of Student Affairs Administrators in Public Higher Education

150 Pages·2017·1.86 MB·English

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UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations Student Scholarship
2017
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Luisa C. Martinez
University of North Florida, [email protected]
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Martinez, Luisa C., "The Perceived Roles of Student Affairs Administrators in Public Higher Education"
(2017). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 772.
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The Perceived Roles of Student Affairs Administrators in Public Higher Education

by
Luisa C. Martínez

A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Leadership, Counseling, and Instructional
Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

Doctor of Education

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH FLORIDA
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES
December, 2017
Unpublished work © Luisa C. Martinez
This Dissertation titled The Perceived Roles of Student Affairs Administrators in Public Higher
Education is approved:

Dr. Warren Hodge, Committee Chair

Dr. Chris Janson, Committee Co-Chair

Dr. Matthew Ohlson, Committee Member 2

Dr. Lucy Croft, Committee Member 3

Accepted for the Leadership, School Counseling & Sport Management:

Dr. Elizabeth Gregg, Department Chair

Accepted for the College of Education and Human Services:

Dr. Diane Yendol-Hoppey, Dean

Accepted for the University:

Dr. John Kantner
Dean of the Graduate School
iii

DEDICATION
This dissertation is dedicated to my husband, Aaron, who has been a constant source of support
and encouragement during the challenges of graduate school, work, and life. I am truly grateful
to God for having placed you in my life. Thank you for holding down the fort on those long
evenings and weekends. It was hard being away from the “youngins,” but mama needed to get it
done.
This dissertation is also dedicated to my parents, Mike and Gloria, who have always loved me
unconditionally and whose good examples have taught me that the most dedicated individuals
are those that succeed.
iv

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and
obstacles vanish.”
John Quincy Adams
Thank you to my Martinez and Joyce Families for all your words of support and encouragement
through this process. I appreciate all you have done for me while on this journey. I am truly
blessed to have you in my life; through you I have learned what the word FAMILY means.

Many thanks to all of my dissertation committee members. Special thanks to Dr. Warren Hodge
who agreed to chair my committee, and more importantly who constantly offered me words of
support. I always appreciated the opportunities for development, it’s your actions that inspired
me to learn more, do more, and become more that’s what leaders do.

Dr. Christopher Janson thank you for your help on the final push to the finish line and thanks for
all those weekend meetings. Dr. Lucy Croft thank you for being a member of the committee and
for hooding me during commencement. Dr. Matthew Olhson I appreciate your thoughts and
support with finishing this life-long goal.

I’ve always wanted a doctorate and never gave up on achieving this goal, and of course, here we
are! "I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength" (Phillippians 4:13).
v

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page

Dedication ...................................................................................................................................... iii
Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................... iv
List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... viii
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ iv
Abstract ............................................................................................................................................v
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Study ................................................................................................6
Statement of the Problem .............................................................................................................9
Purpose of the Study ..................................................................................................................10
Theoretical Framework ..............................................................................................................11
Research Question .....................................................................................................................18
Definition of Terms ...................................................................................................................18
Significance of the Study ...........................................................................................................21
Assumptions ...............................................................................................................................22
Delimitations ..................................................................................................................................23
Summary and Organization .......................................................................................................23
Chapter 2: Review of the Literature ...............................................................................................24
A Framework That Informs the Practice of Student Affairs .....................................................24
History of Student Affairs ..........................................................................................................27
Student Affairs Administrators ..................................................................................................30
Student Development Theory ....................................................................................................33
The Challenges Facing SAAs ....................................................................................................34
Empirical Research on Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity of SAAs ........................................37
Empirical Research on the Role of SAAs ..................................................................................40
Conceptual Framework ..............................................................................................................44
Summary ....................................................................................................................................45
Chapter 3: Methodology ................................................................................................................46
Research Design ........................................................................................................................47
Q Methodology ..........................................................................................................................47
vi

Concourse Development: From a Review of the Literature on the Role of SAAs ....................49
Concourse Development: From SAA Concourse Questionnaire ..............................................50
Creating the Q Sample ...............................................................................................................52
P Set (Participants) .....................................................................................................................54
Data Collection ..........................................................................................................................55
Data Analysis .............................................................................................................................59
Ethical Considerations ...............................................................................................................61
Summary ....................................................................................................................................62
Chapter 4: research findings ..........................................................................................................63
Q Data Analysis .........................................................................................................................65
Factor Correlation Matrix ......................................................................................................65
Factor Analysis ......................................................................................................................66
Factor Rotation .......................................................................................................................67
Correlations between Factor Scores ..........................................................................................69
Factor Scores and Arrays ...........................................................................................................70
Factor Characteristics ................................................................................................................72
Factor Interpretation ..................................................................................................................73
Factor 1 – Connective Leadership .........................................................................................75
Factor 2 – Instructive Leadership ..........................................................................................81
Factor 3 – Supportive Leadership ..........................................................................................86
Factor 4 – Constructive Leadership .......................................................................................91
Consensus Statements ................................................................................................................95
Conclusion .................................................................................................................................97
Chapter 5: discussion and suggestions for future research ............................................................99
Summary of the Study ...............................................................................................................99
Factor 1 – Connective Leadership .......................................................................................100
Factor 2 – Instructive Leadership ........................................................................................101
Factor 3 – Supportive Leadership ........................................................................................102
Factor 4 – Constructive Leadership .....................................................................................102
Implications .............................................................................................................................104
Theory ..................................................................................................................................104
vii

Practice .................................................................................................................................109
Policy Makers ......................................................................................................................112
Recommendations for Future Research ...................................................................................113
Limitations ...............................................................................................................................114
APPENDIX A: Informed Consent Form .................................................................................118
APPENDIX B: Involvement Email, Concourse Questionnaire ...............................................119
APPENDIX C: Involvement Email, Q Sample .......................................................................120
APPENDIX D: Thank You Email ...........................................................................................121
APPENDIX E: Reminder Email ..............................................................................................122
APPENDIX F: Q Sort Instructions ..........................................................................................123
APPENDIX G : Online Concourse Questionnaire ..................................................................126
APPENDIX H : Online Demographic Questionnaire ..............................................................127
References ....................................................................................................................................133
viii

LIST OF TABLES
Page
Table 1: Student Populations and Carnegie Classification of Schools ...........................55
Table 2: Correlations between Factor Scores .................................................................70
Table 2.1: Factor Characteristics ...................................................................................73
Table 2.2: Demographic Characteristics of Participants Loadings on Factor 1 .............76
Table 2.3: Demographic Characteristics of Participants Loading on Factor 2 ...............82
Table 2.4: Demographic Characteristics of Participants Loading on Factor 3 ...............87
Table 2.5: Demographic Characteristics of Participants Loading on Factor 4 ...............92
Table 2.6: Consensus Statements ....................................................................................97
iv

LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Figure 1.1: Conceptual Framework of Bolman and Deal’s Leadership Frames.............27
Figure 1.2: Conceptual Framework ................................................................................44
Figure 2.1: Sorting Matrix ..............................................................................................53
Figure 2.2: A Standard Convention for Q Sort Rankings ...............................................59
Figure 2.3: Correlation Matrix ........................................................................................66
Figure 2.4: Factor Loadings ............................................................................................69
Figure 2.5: Normalized Factor Scores for Factor 1 ........................................................71
Figure 2.6: Factor Q Sort Values for Each Statement ....................................................72
Figure 2.7: Factor 1 Q Sort Values for Each Statement for Factor 1 ..............................78
Figure 2.8: Distinguishing Statements for Factor 1 ........................................................79
Figure 2.9: Factor 2 Q Sort Values for Each Statement for Factor 2 ..............................83
Figure 2.10: Distinguishing Statements for Factor 2 ......................................................84
Figure 2.11: Factor 3 Q Sort Values for Each Statement in Factor 3 .............................88
Figure 2.12: Distinguishing Statements for Factor 3 ......................................................89
Figure 2.13: Factor 4 Q Sort Values for Each Statement ...............................................93
Figure 2.14 Distinguishing Statements for Factor 4 .......................................................94