A freshman student posts on her social media account remarks that reflect intolerance and bigotry. Fellow students and faculty are upset, and disciplinary action follows. Was the student's right to free speech ignored or were the rights of others to a welcoming and inclusive environment infringed upon? This case guides the reader through some…

Educational leaders are increasingly required to become effective change agents as schools and universities are faced with pressures to cut costs and adapt to stakeholder demands. This case details the administrative challenges of restructuring a private-sector higher education provider from a traditional to an enterprising university capable of…

The case positions the reader as a faculty member who must advise a student who is struggling in his administrative internship. The case walks the reader through a set of internship experiences that place the intern in an increasingly uncomfortable position with his internship sponsor. These experiences encourage the reader to reflect on the…

This case describes a strategic planning process initiated by the division of student affairs at a small, private college. It presents several issues related to institutional identity, strategic planning initiative development, faculty and staff buy-in and stay-in, and the changing landscape of higher education. The case is designed for usage in…

The cases presented describe two levels of struggle. One level identifies two student teachers (ST) and their mentors failing to meet one another's expectations. Another level presents school administration as it seeks to find ways of meeting STs' needs while maintaining a positive and productive school climate. Relevant research is…

Mixing political appointments and university operations can prove challenging and, in this case, caused the resignation of three senior officials at State University. Bolman and Deal's four frames provide a structure for analyzing this complex case. The political frame and issues of power and coalitions offer a particularly useful lens to…

This case details the challenges faced by various members of a 4-year university regarding Kathryn, a non-traditional transfer student and military veteran who recently returned from a traumatic deployment in Afghanistan. Precisely, this study identifies ambiguities pertaining to (a) threat assessment, (b) university weapons policies, (c) transfer…

Provision of transcripts and certificates at the time of graduation, a normal expectation in higher education in developed countries, was a challenge in the case-study university, which risked affecting stakeholder satisfaction and student enrollment. A group problem-solving method was used to identify the scope of the problem, the goal, and to…

This fictional case study examines crisis response in higher education settings. Information about current crisis response procedures, plans, and trends was gathered from informational interviews, current crisis management literature, and multiple college and university websites. The information was synthesized into a fictional case study using…

This disguised case features a marketing major, Susan Lafleur, who presented Professor Higgins, the Department Chair, with a dilemma. She needed a petition signed to enroll in a capstone course while simultaneously taking a prerequisite course. She received an employment offer from a prestigious overseas corporation, which required a baccalaureate…

This case was developed for use in a variety of leadership courses from contemporary issues to policy analysis or school-community relations. A narrative is presented about a superintendent, Kenny, who is faced with two new cases of student homelessness in his affluent suburban community. Students must consider the federal policy context (the…

This case disrupts some of the prevalent myths about families from low-income and poor households held by educators. Recognizing the inherent tensions, this case demonstrates the importance of creating equitable and inclusive learning environments. We presented some of the challenges faced by Marcus, a progressive principal, as he attempts to…

This case explores the first two years of the Lorreltag Partnership Initiative (LPI), an urban, community-5 school-university partnership. It provides a history of the community and elucidates key factors influencing partnership development. The case relies on the perspectives of a community leader, a university faculty member, a new principal,…

This case involves a high school principal dealing with increasing numbers of students with “invisible disabilities” in his school while faced with ever-present budgetary cuts, perennially substandard academic performance, and low teacher morale. This case seeks to investigate how a principal, faced with an unsupportive Board interested only in…

This case study discusses some of the issues that "Adelante," a 6-year university-school-community partnership, continues to encounter in addressing college access and parent and community leadership in a community of color. It provides the sociopolitical context as well as a description of the university and community partners that make…