Defense Date
2024
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Education
First Advisor
Charol Shakeshaft, Ph.D.
Abstract
Department chairs serve not only as the leaders of their departments but also as middle managers in their schools, colleges, and universities. While many department chairs see their role as having little authority, they still play an integral role in day-to-day campus operations (Hunt & Jones, 2015). As leaders of their departments, chairs can directly influence the department’s organizational culture (Schein, 2010), including the culture of diversity and inclusiveness. Departments nationwide are being held responsible for increasing the diversity of the faculty and responding to students' calls for diversity. Departmental organizational culture and the role of the chairperson are essential factors that can help us learn more about how to successfully recruit and retain diverse faculty in a competitive hiring landscape (Kelly et al., 2017). The findings of this study suggest that department chairs can successfully shift the racial makeup of their department, specifically through their ability to change culture and promote diversity.
Rights
© The Author
Is Part Of
VCU University Archives
Is Part Of
VCU Theses and Dissertations
Date of Submission
5-13-2024
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Higher Education Commons, Organizational Behavior and Theory Commons, Public Administration Commons, Work, Economy and Organizations Commons