Mid-level administrators comprise the largest group of administrative professionals on college campuses today. These professionals affect the daily lives of students and contribute significantly to the overall coordination of institutional resources and activities. Despite the importance of their role in administering programs, services, and other functions central to the mission of the university, little research has been conducted examining the issues that impact their motivation and job performance. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to increase understanding of the factors affecting work motivation of mid-level student affairs administrators through the identification of motivational determinants and an exploration of whether these determinants differed based on the career stage of the mid-level administrator. This study used Vroom’s theory of work motivation, specifically valence, instrumentality, and expectancy, to determine the factors motivating mid-level student affairs administrators to perform in their work roles. Ten mid-level student affairs administrators at a large, public, Hispanic-serving institution were interviewed. Findings suggest that mid-level student affairs administrators are motivated by the opportunity to serve students and influence the development of their subordinate staff. Participants cited internal drives, such as work ethic and a need for achievement, and external factors, such as opportunities to engage in their own professional development, recognition, and pay, as motivators. Some participants maintained that the culture of the institution had an impact on their motivation to perform. Individually and collectively, these motivational determinants influenced the effort and performance of these mid-level administrators in their work roles. Overall, the participants reported that they enjoyed their work and felt rewarded for their efforts in their work roles. Findings suggest that important differences in motivational determinants as a function of career stage are negligible. Implications and recommendations to implement initiatives to promote and support the identified motivational factors are discussed.

In spite of the research highlighting the significance of the presence of Black administrators to the success of Black students, there continue to be noticeable disparities in the representation of Black and White administrators in higher education. The racial and ethnic makeup of institutions of higher education does not reflect the demographics of the U.S. population. Black administrators are disproportionately underrepresented throughout academe, and are even more sparse at the executive levels of leadership. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and attitudes of mid-level Black administrators with respect to progressing into executive-level administrative positions at predominantly White institutions. Relevant scholarly literature on mid-level administrators, career advancement, and racial barriers in higher education were examined. Three major tenets of Critical Race Theory (CRT) in education were used as a theoretical lens to examine racial inequities and disparities Black administrators experience in the academy. To address the research question and to explore the subjective viewpoints of the participants, Q methodology was utilized. After IRB approval, purposive sampling was used to recruit 40 Black mid-level administrators to participate in the study. All participants held one of the following titles: Director, Associate Director, Assistant Director, Dean, Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, and Manager. They each worked for a bachelor’s degree granting public college or university. In addition to their title, the participants had to have earned at minimum a master’s degree. Semi-structured interviews were held with 8 of the 40 participants. Content from interviews, questionnaires, and literature contributed to concourse development. By removing redundant and useless items, the concourse was refined and condensed from 90 statements to develop a Q sample of 41 statements. Through an online process, 40 participants sorted the 41 item Q sample that represented the full gamut of perspectives regarding the subject of career progression in higher education. In the sorting process, the participants ranked the statements based on their personal views and beliefs. A review and analysis of data resulted in five factors that categorize and represent the subjective viewpoints of the participants. The factor arrays, post-sort comments, distinguishing statements, and demographic details aided in interpreting and naming each factor. The five factors were named: Factor 1: The Disconnected, Factor 2: The Disadvantaged, Factor 3: The Disrespected, Factor 4: The Dismissed, and Factor 5: The Disinterested. Each factor was analyzed and interpreted to provide descriptions of how Black administrators perceive career progressions in higher education. Recommendations to expand the study were included.

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