Three-Year Itch: Communicating Information to Minimize Faculty Anxiety During College and University Presidential Transition

Abstract Through a mixed methodology study of college and university faculty and presidents’ perceptions as they experience presidential change in Christian higher education, researchers addressed these research questions: Are there factors present that contribute to successful change during administrative transition in Christian higher education? If so, what are these factors? Faculty were surveyed using the Best Christian Workplaces (BCW) instrument. Following analysis of survey results, faculty participated in focus groups to qualitatively respond to the BCW survey. Finally, an interim president and newly elected president were interviewed to assess their perceptions of presidential transitions in Christian higher education. Researchers affirm conclusions from the literature and explain a key finding that contributes to the field of presidential change in Christian higher education.