Date
7-22-2025
Department
School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Administration (PhD)
Chair
Shanna Baker
Keywords
student conduct, student discipline, student conduct administrator, student affairs administrator, conduct administrator, conduct, adjudication, decision making, higher education decision making
Disciplines
Education | Higher Education
Recommended Citation
Palmer, Kupenda, "The Decision-Making Process in Student Conduct: A Qualitative Study" (2025). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 7204.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/7204
Abstract
The purpose of this collective case study was to understand the perspectives and experiences toward decision-making for student conduct administrators at various institutions in the Midwest and Northeast regions. The theory guiding this study is Westaby’s behavioral reasoning theory, as it explains the relationship between decision-making and reasoning for leaders. The central research question for the study is: How do student conduct administrators make decisions concerning student conduct matters? This study adopts a qualitative approach grounded in constructivist philosophy to understand how Student Conduct Administrators (SCAs) make decisions regarding student misconduct. A case study design was chosen to explore the in-depth experiences of SCAs in a higher education institution. This design allows for a detailed examination of the decision-making processes within their real-life context. The target population is a purposive sampling of 10-15 SCAs with diverse backgrounds and experiences. This sample size ensures a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon while remaining manageable for in-depth analysis. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, journaling, and document analysis, which will provide flexibility to explore participants' insights. An interview guide was developed to ensure clarity and relevance. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the interview data, using NVivo software to assist in coding and identifying patterns. The analysis will follow Braun and Clarke’s (2023) six-step process, including familiarizing oneself with the data, generating initial codes, searching for themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming themes, and producing the report.
