Graduation Term

Spring 2026

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Department of Educational Administration and Foundations: Educational Administration

Committee Chair

Mohamed Nur-Awaleh

Committee Member

Lydia Kyei-Blankson

Committee Member

John Rugutt

Abstract

Using Moss’s Leadership Attributes Inventory (LAI), which contains 37 attributes categorized under 6 core leadership roles (inspire a shared vision and establish standards; foster unity, collaboration, and ownership; exercise power effectively and empower others to act; exert external influence to set the right context, establish an environment conducive to learning; and satisfy the job-related needs of individuals in the organization), and descriptive and inferential statistics, this study examined the perceptions of Chief Academic Officers (CAOs) leadership at four-year public colleges and universities from the perspectives of the CAOs who self-evaluated themselves, and their colleagues (presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other direct reports known collectively as observers) who assessed the CAOs. The study found a high degree of convergence between CAOs’ self-perceptions and their colleagues’ evaluations. The leadership attributes such as “Committed to the Common Good,” “Ethical,” “Insightful,” “Visionary,” and “Willing to Accept Responsibility,” which emphasize vision, ethical grounding, innovation, and strategic foresight, consistently emerged as the main leadership attributes from the perceptions of both groups of raters. Meanwhile, institutional and social demographic differences had only a limited influence on how the attributes were perceived. Although slight variations appeared across the demographic groups, most of the differences in perceptions were found to be not statistically significant. The study’s findings highlight the value of using the LAI framework to assess perceived leadership of CAOs in higher education research and underscores the relevance of both transformational and transactional leadership approaches for CAOs. By highlighting the similarities and subtle differences in how CAO leadership is understood, this study contributes to a field of research that has received comparatively limited attention. It also provides practical insights that could guide leadership development, succession planning, and the preparation of future academic leaders.

Access Type

Dissertation-Open Access

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