Exemplary Leaders in Higher Education: A Focus on Academic Deans at a Historically Black University

• In Event: Roundtable Session 30
  In Roundtable Session: Race, Gender, and Leadership

Abstract

This instrumental case study was conducted to document the leadership behaviors of exemplary academic deans in higher education.. The primary purpose was to 1) identify the characteristics of exemplary academic deans, and 2) identify destructive behaviors of academic deans in higher education. The analyses of the data from the dean show that passion, commitment, character, integrity, trust, excellence, and stability were important characteristics of exemplary academic deans in higher education. The data from students, faculty, and staff show that building a caring and supportive relationship, stability, self confidence, resource manager, and fairness were the most important leadership behaviors of academic dean in higher education. Autocratic leadership style, inflexibility, closed-mindedness and self-centeredness were identified as destructive behaviors of academic deans.

Authors

• Comfort O. Okpala, North Carolina A&T State University

• Helene Cameron, North Carolina A & T State University

• Amon Okey Okpala, Fayetteville State University