Date of Award

Summer 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Organizational Leadership

First Advisor

Dr. Joshua D. Henson

Second Advisor

Dr. Debra J. Dean

Third Advisor

Dr. Marybeth Gasman

Abstract

There has been a notable increase in presidential turnover at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), leading to significant leadership challenges (Freeman & Gasman, 2014). Abrupt leadership changes create instability that impacts recruitment and retention of students, faculty, and staff, as well as overall morale on campuses (Gasman et al., 2010). Despite the importance of effective leadership, there is limited research specifically focusing on HBCU presidencies (Freeman & Palmer, 2020). Although the American Council on Education (ACE) has surveyed college and university presidents every 5 years since 1986, few studies have investigated HBCU presidents as a distinctive group. Existing research is primarily qualitative. St. Charles (2002) examined private HBCU presidents’ tenures and their links to various characteristics, while Henry (2009) explored personal and professional attributes using the Fisher/Tack Effective Leadership Inventory. Graham (2019) applied the ACE model to study presidential competencies, focusing solely on private HBCUs. A common limitation of these studies is their exclusive focus on institutions within the United Negro College Fund. Notably, comprehensive quantitative research on public HBCUs has not been conducted in over 25 years. Graham advocated for future studies on public HBCU presidential competency, highlighting the need to compare both private and public institutions. This study heeds that call, broadening the scope to include both public and private HBCUs, thereby enriching the understanding of leadership dynamics within these institutions.

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