Date of Award

5-2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Educational Leadership, Research and Technology

First Advisor

Andrea Beach, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Louann Bierlein Palmer, Ed.D.

Third Advisor

Joshua Merchant, Ph.D.

Keywords

Group interaction, registrar, shared leadership, small college

Abstract

This study investigates the leadership relationship between the small college registrar and the people with whom they work most closely. The college registrar is not structured to be a strategic leader within the small college, but their leadership contributions across the campus are constantly felt. This research uses a qualitative case study approach to explore how three college registrars lead and participate with coworkers.

This investigation used a multiple case study design where data collection involved exploring three small colleges of fewer than 1,000 students. The study used semi-structured interviews with the registrar at each of the three colleges, and 10 additional employees who worked closely with these registrars at these colleges. The additional employees broadly represented student accounts, student affairs, admissions, teaching faculty, and executive leadership.

My analysis identified four primary themes: the registrar’s vision for their work, the coworkers’ description of the registrar, the interaction between the registrar and colleagues, and the registrar’s shared leadership principles. Within these four themes, 11 additional subthemes were identified: communication, collaboration, registrar tasks, registrar leadership, flexible boundaries, group problem solving, shifting positionality, a learning organization, broad expertise, flat leadership structure, and social interaction.

This research suggests that taking time to support employees’ curiosity and creativity can provide colleges with effective problem-solving groups within the director level of the small college. Furthermore, understanding how these groups of people interact will support supervisors of these positions, and positions that hope to get the most out of a team setting within a small college.

This study contributes to shared leadership theory and practice by revealing how this group of small college registrars navigates their daily work and leadership interactions with their coworkers. The study demonstrates how these college registrars are navigating their college context and finding ways to solve problems presented to them. These findings provide practical sugges-tions that can be used by other colleges seeking to support those in the registrar position and how to structure and support a team to facilitate interaction with various parts of the college.

Access Setting

Dissertation-Open Access

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