Theses and Dissertations from UMD
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New submissions to the thesis/dissertation collections are added automatically as they are received from the Graduate School. Currently, the Graduate School deposits all theses and dissertations from a given semester after the official graduation date. This means that there may be up to a 4 month delay in the appearance of a give thesis/dissertation in DRUM
More information is available at Theses and Dissertations at University of Maryland Libraries.
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Item To Be in the Middle: A Collective Case Study Exploring Neoliberalism, Learning Analytics, and Middle Management in Academic Research Libraries(2024) Gammons, Rachel Wilder; Espino, Michelle; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This dissertation explores the intersections of neoliberalism, learning analytics, and middle management within academic libraries. Utilizing a qualitative collective case study methodology, it examines how nine women-identified academic librarian middle managers at U.S. public research institutions interpreted and responded to the integration of library metrics with learning analytics. The study addresses the interplay between professional values, gender identity, and faculty status, revealing five core assertions drawn from the experience of participants: the pervasive sense of “middle-ness” in organizational hierarchies, psychosocial tensions of dual roles as administrators and practitioners, systemic setup for failure within the system, personal sacrifices required to maintain professional standards, and the high costs of resisting neoliberal directives. By positioning learning analytics as a manifestation of neoliberal ideology, this research provides critical insights into the impact of market-driven policies on academic librarianship, emphasizing the need for ethical considerations and a balanced approach to integrating learning analytics while preserving traditional library values. The findings have significant implications for library policy, practice, and future research, highlighting the importance of ethical leadership amidst evolving market dynamics.Item The Certainty of Navigating the Uncertain: Resource Allocation Decisions of Business School Deans at Public and Private Research Universities(2024) LaRiviere, Kristin; O'Meara, KerryAnn; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Business school deans at public and private research universities today face particular fiscal challenges due to declining MBA enrollment, shifting student enrollment choices and changing international student enrollment trends. Social and political forces such as the COVID-19 pandemic and recent social justice movements also impacted college campuses as a whole. As a result, business school deans are pivotal decision makers who must make difficult choices, such as initiating layoff or eliminating programs. Given this milieu of factors, understanding how business school deans make resource allocation decisions provides value to understanding college-level leadership. This study examined how organizational factors impact business school deans’ resource allocation decisions. Decisions are also impacted by personal perspectives, which were explored in this study. Framed by Hackman’s Theory of Resource Allocation (1984) and Bolman and Deal’s (2017) Four Frames of Leadership, the findings from written artifacts and oral interviews with 13 business school deans indicated that business deans’ resource allocation decisions were motivated by a desire to increase revenue and generating prestige for their college. Resource allocation choices were also focused on mitigating conflict, managing their personal and college’s relationship with central university leadership, and adjusting their college’s structure to efficiently meet the college’s goals. As such, business school deans most often relied on Hackman’s (1985) environmental power and Bolman and Deal’s (2017) political and structural frames. Implications for preparation and professional development of business school deans emerged, as well as propositions for future research regarding college-level resource allocation decisions.Item STUDENT AFFAIRS AND INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT PARTNERSHIPS AT CATHOLIC COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES: A CASE STUDY(2024) Puma, Michael A.; O'Meara, KerryAnn; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Catholic institutions of higher education have continued to operate at a crossroads as challenges to long-term financial sustainability have intensified the need to reduce costs and increase revenue. Institutional personnel must find ways to streamline offerings in academic programs and student services while maintaining a commitment to their distinct Catholic identities. Given the primacy of academics to the educational enterprise, student affairs divisions are particularly vulnerable in an environment aiming to reduce operating expenses. For student affairs, fundraising may serve as an avenue to offset the impact of budget cuts, enhance cocurricular programs, and promote mission-specific strategic initiatives. Conversely, leaders of institutional advancement divisions may expand and diversify their donor base by partnering with student affairs colleagues. Student affairs initiatives may appeal to donors who value contributing directly to student success and well-being. The purpose of this multisite, case study was to understand how Catholic universities create third-space organizational partnerships between their institutional advancement and student affairs divisions. The third space of partnership was defined as “an emerging technical and sociocultural entity distinct from those within the partnership’s home organizations” (Hora & Millar, 2011, p. 16). The research design included 41 semistructured virtual interviews, three virtual focus groups, document analysis, and site visits at three Catholic institutions over a span of 18 months. Interestingly, the findings did not indicate a distinct third space was necessary to create and sustain partnerships between institutional advancement and student affairs divisions. Still, the following organizational practices supported the development of partnerships: presidential and divisional leaders supported the partnerships and were motivated by enlightened self-interest (Hora & Millar, 2011); leaders agreed on clear goals, scope, and objectives; and adequate resources were dedicated to the partnership. There were also similar characteristics of partnerships between the three institutions. Characteristics included the embrace of a mission-informed approach to the partnership; institutional advancement boundary spanners guiding the development of structures and routines governing the partnership; the creation of workflows around annual events; and consensus on how to communicate and use technology across divisions and with prospective donors. Definitions of success and effectiveness of the partnership varied by campus and constituent group. Institutional advancement participants defined success through traditional fundraising metrics such as dollars raised and increasing the number of donors who make annual gifts. Student affairs participants tended to conflate success and effectiveness as they were more focused on operational efficiencies, expanding student programs, and developing connections with alumni and parents. These findings led to the development of a best-practice model to inform future student affairs fundraising partnerships. Suggestions for future research on student affairs fundraising partnerships at both Catholic and nonreligiously affiliated institutions are included in the final chapter.Item EXPLORING THE IMPACT OF EXPENSE DISAGGREGATION AS A FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT TOOL IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION THROUGH A MIXED METHODS APPROACH(2024) Baker, Dylan R; Joyce, Philip; Public Policy; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This mixed methods dissertation investigates the impact that cost-disaggregating tools like the Delaware Cost Study (DCS) have on the expenditure patterns at large, public research universities. It draws on public budgeting and higher education finance literature to form a theory of action that hypothesizes that expense management at such institutions will result in the internal realignment of resources but will not alter the total amount spent. The quantitative model employs a 15-year panel data set comprised of financial and operational activity data for 69 R1 universities to tests the influence of DCS participation against this idea. The primary quantitative outcome shows that total costs are indeed not altered by cost disaggregation efforts, but that spending at universities employing such approaches is, on average, higher for Instruction and Scholarships and lower for Institutional Support and Student Service activities than the spending at non-DCS participants. The results inform the contrasting case selection strategy that highlights three similar constituted universities with differing quantitative results in an extensive interview-based qualitative analysis. The interviews detail the varied positive and negative outcomes of the use of DCS and similar tools, sheds light as to why the quantitative results occurred at each university, and documents the commonalities. Recommendations derived from the combined results of the two research methods signal key tenets that policy makers may utilize to enhance the effectiveness of public financial management for large, complex state-sponsored universities.Item “SCREAMING DOWN THE HALLWAY”, BUT NO ONE IS LISTENING TO ME: EXPLORING THE LIVED EXPERIENCES OF BLACK RESIDENTIAL STUDENT AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS REGARDING OCCUPATIONAL WELLNESS AT HISTORICALLY WHITE INSTITUTIONS(2023) Dissassa, Di-Tu; Moore, Candace M; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Amid ongoing occurrences of racism in the United States, consideration of the campus climate for Staff of Color remains under explored in literature. Specifically, Black student affairs employees who both live and work on campus are an understudied population regarding how race intersects with their residential life roles and how their wellness is impacted through these intersections. Through this study’s use of critical frameworks, the coresearchers and I sought to uncover their lived experiences through interviews, reflections, and focus groups. Four themes emerged from the findings of this research: (a) The Live-In Experience as Socialized and Conventional, (b) Belonging as Dualism, (c) Physical Safety as an Impediment to Occupational Wellness, and (d) Performativity as Racism. The coresearchers articulated that they were socialized into their experiences, yet (a) felt little belonging on campus due to their race and (b) felt a misfit when living in residence halls. Although the sense of belonging findings were consistent with existing campus climate research, articulated aspects of physical safety-related occupational health theories regarding occupational wellness suggested the coresearchers felt occupational distress surrounding their physical safety. The coresearchers also highlighted clearly that they experienced high levels of performative antiracism efforts from their departments and institutions, leading to feelings of isolation. Despite these challenges, the coresearchers described finding solace in community with other Black people and People of Color to provide aspects of wellness their institutions could not provide. Further research is needed to truly understand the implications of departmental and institutional leadership around performativity and lack of belonging for Staff of Color.Item Negotiating Values: A Narrative Study of Career Indecision for First-Generation College Students of Color(2022) Cho, Jeffrey; Turner Kelly, Bridget; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The prevailing narrative surrounding higher education in the United States is that completion of a bachelor’s degree leads to socioeconomic mobility through the attainment of a well-paying job. First-generation college (FGC) students of color are particularly attuned to this “promise of higher education,” but little is known about how they make career decisions during college and how they navigate challenges in career decision-making. This study sought to understand how FGC students of color experienced the phenomenon of career indecision under the broader scheme of their career development. Using a tripartite conceptual framework composed of social cognitive career theory, the four-factor model of career indecision, and community cultural wealth, this study was guided by the following research questions: (1) how, if at all, do undergraduate FGC students of color navigate career indecision? (2) In what ways, if any, do racial cultural values these students hold shape how they make meaning of their career indecision? Using narrative inquiry, this study adopted an asset-based lens to portray the stories of six undergraduate FGC students of color from a variety of racial and career backgrounds and their experiences with career indecision. Semi-structured interviews and document analysis revealed the racialized nature of occupational decision-making for participants. Furthermore, they needed to balance familial expectations for socioeconomic mobility through career success with their own personal occupational interests. This study’s findings provide implications for future interdisciplinary research that further investigates the roles intrapersonal and environmental factors play in the career indecision of FGC students of color during college and as they transition into the workforce. The findings also suggest ways in which colleges and universities can better support these students during their career development in ways that align with the latter’s cultural values.Item “Doing the Indian thing”: The influence of contrasting cultural norms on the decision making and development of second-generation Asian Indian American college students(2021) Parikh, Roshan; Park, Julie J; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Current research on Asian American college students articulates the impact of different aspects of life on the decision-making and development of Asian American college students. However, Asian Americans are comprised of people of many different ethnicities. Much of the research related to the Asian American population tends to highlight the experiences of East Asian Americans and often fails to disaggregate findings in a way that could accurately explain the unique life experiences of other Asian American ethnicities. The purpose of this study was to use social constructivist grounded theory to explore how contrasting cultural norms influence the decision-making and development of Asian Indian American college students. This study helps bridge a significant gap in the current body of research on the Asian Indian American. Asian Indian American college students are an understudied student population, and thus, they are poorly understood.The research questions that guided this study were: (1) What are key aspects of Asian Indian American students’ lives that influence how they think about American, Indian, and Indian American cultural norms? (2) How do these cultural norms influence the way in which Asian Indian American students make decisions related to their college experience and major life choices? Ten currently enrolled Asian Indian American college students at the University of Maryland participated in this study. Participants were interviewed twice. The first interview focused on life and family history, experiences during K-12 years, and more. The second interview focused on aspects of their understanding of Indian and American cultural identity. During the second interview, participants also presented an artifact they felt was meaningful to them, which represented an aspect of their identity they cherish. Key findings in this study highlighted the influence of family, identity salience of Indian identity, building a hybrid Indian American identity, decision making processes, and assertion of autonomy within participants’ lives inside and outside of college. A theory emerged from the data, which explains the influence of cultural norms on students’ lives and decision making.Item In Pursuit of the Academic Deanship: Women's Considerations, Choice Environments, and Career Paths(2021) Templeton, Lindsey Lee; O'Meara, KerryAnn; Counseling and Personnel Services; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)Fewer women than men hold leadership roles in many fields, including higher education (Johnson, 2016). Despite changes in the demographics of college students (Lumina Foundation, 2015) and the traditional definitions of leadership (Kezar et al., 2006), the number of women declines as rank increases, starting at the role of full professor (Dominici et al., 2009; Johnson, 2016). The traditional path to the pinnacle of academic leadership – the role of the academic president – typically flows from faculty to department chair, dean to provost to president (Moore et al., 1983). Based on this pathway, the academic deanship is frequently viewed as a critical point in the path to academic leadership (Moore et al., 1983; Thrash, 2012; Wolverton & Gonzales, 2000). Yet little research actually examines individuals’ reasons for pursuing the deanship and women lack representation at this critical point in the pipeline (Almanac of Higher Education, 2014; Behr & Schneider, 2015). The purpose of this study is to understand how and why senior women faculty decide to pursue the academic deanship. Using a qualitative, collective case study and awareness of different aspects of identity, this study examines the choice processes for 12 women serving as deans at research-intensive institutions as they reflect on their decision to pursue the academic deanship. This research is framed by Social Cognitive Career Theory (Lent et al., 1984), choice architecture (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008), and decision-making theories (March, 1994). Data collection included a two-step interview process and analysis of participant-generated narratives and visual depictions. Key findings suggest: 1) women choose to pursue the academic deanship in order to make an impact on their college, institution, or discipline; 2) the decision-making processes of women in pursuit of the academic deanship are shaped by their local choice environments, individual ambition, and prevailing assumptions; and 3) previous leadership experience is a critical component in women’s decisions to pursue the role of dean. Implications for research and practice are provided, including a need to systemically challenge the traditional path to academic leadership and to create space for women to lead at their home institution.Item AN ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECTS OF RESPONSIBILITY CENTER MANAGEMENT ON COSTS AT TWO PUBLIC RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES: A SYNTHETIC CONTROL APPROACH(2020) Gray, Steffon Montrell; Titus, Marvin A.; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)This study examines the effect of responsibility center management (RCM), a decentralized budget model, on total operating costs at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and the University of Arizona (UofA). Both universities in the study implemented RCM with the primary goal of controlling costs, among other goals. To address the research question, this study draws from extant literature on RCM and higher education cost and is theoretically framed using the principal-agent theory and the revenue theory of cost. The synthetic control method (SCM) – an econometric technique used to estimate the causal effects of policies, programs, interventions, and idiosyncratic events – is employed to conduct the analysis. The main findings of the study indicate that RCM positively impacted total operating costs at UNH and the UofA. However, with regard to UNH, further analysis did not reveal a significant causal effect with respect to RCM’s impact on total operating costs. Additionally, as it relates to the UofA, the results revealed that RCM had a significant causal effect on total operating costs after the first year of implementation but not thereafter. The findings of this study contribute to research and practice. With regard to research, this study is the first to bridge the gap between the RCM literature and the higher education cost literature by providing empirical insight regarding RCM’s effect on total operating costs. Additionally, this study contributes to the use of theory in the RCM literature by using two theoretical frameworks to guide the inquiry. As it relates to practice, the results of this study – specifically that RCM positively impacted total operating costs – balance previous anecdotal claims regarding RCM’s utility by providing empirical insight on RCM at UNH and UofA to guide future decision-making. This study outlines several recommendations for future research to further develop empirical studies on RCM. Specifically, the study recommends the use of mixed methodologies to elucidate a fuller picture of RCM and ultimately help university leaders develop specific recommendations for policy and practice around resource allocation.Item HIDDEN FIGURES: AN EXAMINATION OF THE CAREER TRAJECTORIES OF BLACK WOMEN IN SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE POSITIONS(2020) Staples, Candice L; Griffin, Kimberly A; Education Policy, and Leadership; Digital Repository at the University of Maryland; University of Maryland (College Park, Md.)The purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze and examine the career development of Black women in senior academic administrative positions. Although every senior administrator does not aspire to become a college president, there is a traditional pathway for those who reach the presidency. Women are underrepresented in college presidencies, but Black women in particular are underrepresented as presidents of predominately White research institutions. The theoretical frameworks guiding this study are Black Feminist Thought and Community Cultural Wealth, which both provide a better understanding of the diversity within Black female experiences and the unique capital they cultivate to proceed through the academy. Narrative inquiry was the methodology selected to conduct this nationwide study of 15 Black women who had the career titles of a chair, dean, or provost. Each participant was interviewed once for approximately 90 minutes in a semi-structured format. The transcribed interviews were hand-coded to highlight the emerging themes: participants were recruited into administration, the significance of faculty rank and the department chair position, support was largely found outside of the participants’ institution. Participants acquired capital through their parents, partners, and sister circles (friends). The women were able to leverage their capital to help mitigate some of the obstacles and to influence their career decisions.