Browsing by Subject "Educational Leadership"
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Item Forecasting the financial trends facing intercollegiate athletic programs of public institutions as identified by athletic directors of the ACC, Big 12 and SEC Conferences(Texas A&M University, 2008-10-10) Penry, Jason CoyThe purpose of this research was to provide a forecast of financial trends in major intercollegiate athletics over the next 15 years for strategic planning purposes. This study focused specifically on the trends of revenue generation and cost containment in the athletic departments of the public institutions in the ACC, Big 12 and SEC Conferences. Most of these large programs are expected to externally produce a majority of their fiscal resources and compete at a high level. This forecast is important because of administrator's increasing difficulty to find the fiscal resources to adequately subsidize their program. The mixed methods study uncovered the myth that intercollegiate athletic programs are in great fiscal health and outlined where leaders in intercollegiate athletics think the future will take us. Over 35 forecasts were identified through interviews with an intercollegiate athletic conference commissioner and an intercollegiate athletic consultant and were then rated by a panel of athletic directors from the aforementioned conferences based on their desirability, impact and likelihood of occurrence. After two rounds of a Delphi procedure, it was determined that over half of the issues, should they occur, would have a high impact. None of the 35 issues were rated as having no or low impact. One issue was rated as having the highest possible likelihood of occurrence. The issue was that employee compensation, utility bills, travel costs, and medical insurance will increase for institutions and athletic departments faster than the general, national rate of inflation. 32 issues were rated as having between a 21-80% chance of occurring, while two issues were given only a 0-20% chance of occurring within the next 10-15 years. The first forecasted that football scholarship limits will be lowered from 85 over the next 10-15 years. The second forecasted that an antitrust exemption will be implemented over the next 10-15 years for intercollegiate athletics by the federal government to cap wages. Over one-third of the issues obtained consensus in two of the three areas rated. Three of the issues obtained consensus in all areas rated.Item The Most Essential Leadership Responsibilities: Perceptions of Principals of Successful Middle Level Schools in Texas(2010-07-14) Carpenter, Bebe B.The purpose of this study was to determine what leadership responsibilities principals of successful middle level schools in Texas perceived as most essential to student achievement. The study was also intended to reveal how closely these principals? leadership responsibilities align with the literature. The Texas Academic Excellence Indicator System (AEIS) data were analyzed from 2005 to 2008. From this data, middle school campuses with 500 or more students, a free and reduced lunch rate greater than 50%, and AEIS ratings of ?exemplary? three of four years were identified. Thirty-nine campuses met the criteria and 15 of the principals agreed to serve as the expert panel. Using a modified Delphi technique, panelists completed a 26-item questionnaire and an open-ended comments section. This comprised Round One of the study. Data were analyzed for mean, median, standard deviation, and inter-quartile range (IQR). Unique questionnaires were developed based on panelist responses from Round One. Panelists were to review their responses to questions falling outside of the IQR and were able to change or maintain their responses after reviewing the data. Panelists repeated this procedure reviewing all questions with responses outside the IQR for Round Three. The major findings of this study revealed many of the critical leadership responsibilities are supervisory and not instructional. The five leadership responsibilities (ties are denoted) perceived by panelists as most critical to student achievement were: (1) ethical behavior, (t2) collaborative processes, (t2) visibility, (t3) collective vision, (t3) high expectations, (t3) instructional supervision, (4) professional development, and (5) intellectual stimulation. Through all three rounds, ethical behavior was identified as the most critical leadership responsibility. The findings of this study may potentially impact hiring practices of middle level campus leaders as well as their certification programs and professional learning opportunities. It is recommended principal preparation programs require an ethics course, and school districts provide annual ethics training for leadership teams. Additional professional learning should include team and collaboration building. Finally, based on the literature, it was recommended a principal certification specifically for middle level leaders be offered and/or middle level course work be included in the principal certification program.