Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Public Administration (DPA)

Committee Chairperson

Angela Kline, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Kristen Crossney, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Francis Atuahene Ph.D.

Abstract

Leaders of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) institutions influence retention rates of HBCU employees. An organization's culture determines the behavior of its employees. When assumptions regarding organizational structure were made, communication about the company's expectations was often ignored, leading to employees becoming accustomed to the culture and resistant to change. This mindset hindered HBCU growth and the willingness to address the urgency for policy revisions. As institutions continue to transition post-COVID, adjusting human resource policies at HBCUs to cater to the individual needs of these employees is needed to maintain retention.

This exploratory mixed-methods research study investigated leadership in higher education to determine the influences that contributed to retention rates of HBCU employees, aiming to address the challenges these individuals faced and promote organizational success. By understanding the factors affecting employee turnover at HBCUs, the administration could allocate resources to employees to increase retention efforts. This research study used surveys and semi-structured follow-up interviews to determine how the impact of leadership in higher education influenced the retention rates of HBCU employee’s post-pandemic. The purpose was to observe and analyze HBCU employees' behavior and attitude towards returning to work in person at higher education institutions after teleworking a hybrid schedule for several years.

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