Date

8-20-2026

Department

Graduate School of Business

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Organization and Management (PhD)

Chair

Jimmy Payne

Keywords

Tenured Faculty, Emotional Well-Being, Leadership Practices, Administrative Policies, Higher Education

Disciplines

Business | Leadership Studies

Abstract

The emotional well-being of tenured faculty members, which can include stress levels, job satisfaction, morale, and mental health, has been shown to directly influence faculty retention, student outcomes, and institutional performance. Despite the considerable body of research on leadership and faculty well-being, few studies focus specifically on how leadership practices and administrative policies influence the emotional well-being of tenured faculty members at public colleges. This qualitative single-case study examined the impact of institutional leadership practices and administrative policies on the emotional well-being of tenured faculty members at a large, multi-campus, publicly funded college in the Southeastern United States. The study was guided by a constructivist paradigm, grounded in Emotional Intelligence (EI) and Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) theories, and employed a flexible single-case study design. A total of 13 tenured faculty members participated through semi-structured interviews, journaling, and document analysis. The data were analyzed using Atlas.ti and Dedoose. The analysis yielded 10 emergent themes, eight of which were anticipated and two unanticipated, providing a rich, contextually grounded account of how leadership and administrative practices shaped faculty emotional well-being at this institution. The findings revealed that transparent communication, supervisory relationships, professional autonomy, recognition, and shared governance were among the most significant factors shaping the emotional well-being, job satisfaction, and stress levels of tenured faculty members. These findings may inform the development of more effective leadership practices and administrative policies in public higher education, contributing to improved faculty well-being, enhanced job satisfaction, and stronger organizational performance.

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