Higher education disruption: an intrinsic case study examining the change response of multiple constituencies to a mandated change at a small, private, liberal arts college.

• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2047/D20319838

Small, private, liberal arts colleges are in a time of crisis. Many of these colleges are undergoing significant changes as a result of the external forces driving declining enrollment and increasing operating costs. At the same time, the average age of college presidents is increasing and average tenure is decreasing. In response, this intrinsic single-site case study engaged 12 individuals across multiple constituencies at a small, private liberal arts college and examined their change response to change initiatives mandated by a new college president in her first year. Findings indicated the president played a substantial role in the planning, implementation, and ongoing outcomes of the change initiative. The key factors determined to influence change response were alignment of the change initiatives with the organizational culture and norms, the communication and engagement of constituents in the process, the alignment of the president's vision with the organizational culture and norms, and the willingness of the president to make strategic decisions and act on them to increase the changes to organizational viability. Keywords: leadership, change response, change management, vision, trust, communication, engagement, change process, dimensions of change.