Beyond Simple Ratios: Using Elastic Net Regression to Model Noninstructional Staffing at AAU Institutions

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Non-Instructional Staff at Postsecondary Institutions

Abstract

This study examines the institutional drivers of noninstructional staffing at American Association of Universities (AAU) institutions using elastic net regression. Drawing on Bowen’s Revenue Theory of Costs, Neo-Institutional Theory, and Organizational Contingency Theory, we identify key predictors—including institutional control, student-faculty ratio, and doctoral intensity—that explain 97% of the variance in staffing levels. The model distinguishes structural differences between public and private universities and identifies institutions that are over- or understaffed relative to empirical benchmarks. By integrating theory and data, this research offers a replicable framework for evaluating administrative staffing efficiency and guiding evidence-based resource allocation in research-intensive higher education settings.

Authors

• Mahmut Gundogdu, Texas A&M University

• Elif Aslaner, Claremont Graduate University

• Hasan Aydin, Florida Gulf Coast University