Missy, Great job with the presentation! Very informative and it greatly expresses the situation Higher Ed is currently facing. It surely demonstrates that today's education goes beyond a textbook. You did awesome!
Well done, Missy! Many great observations in the presentation and I agree that a larger sample size would greatly benefit this type of study. Great work!
Great presentation. I'd be really interested in seeing this study expanded to participants from other states and maybe stratified based on research status. Exciting stuff!
Very thought provoking. Definitely need a much larger sample size. I think some of the barriers of necessary degrees have been broken slightly in the past 25 years (my sample size) but agree that more needs to be done. Great job of breaking down the strengths and weaknesses of the study.
Thank you for the positive feedback! I agree a larger sample size from a larger pool of HEI's could change these results drastically. Sadly, I too am aware of a few areas that still view specific degrees as superior to others. I appreciate the reply!
Thank you for your insights! I agree, HEI's around the country could probably put more effort into ensuring their non-instructional staff are reaping the same benefits as fac/students. I was surprised in my research to find staff satisfaction in South Africa was more studied than in the U.S.
Hi Missy, thank you for sharing this! It underscores the necessity for further research on non-instructional staff within higher education. Since these positions vary greatly from instructional staff and attract diverse individuals, it’s crucial to analyze them separately to understand their unique perspectives on employment. I'm particularly interested in the part where you discussed degree requirements being excessive in some cases, which can make employees feel unfairly excluded from positions they qualify for. I believe this issue extends beyond academia and addressing it in higher education could inspire positive changes in private industry as well.
Missy, This study is great for someone who is deciding to stay in a position that deals with a higher education background. I love the inclusion of the little pop up quotes of your participant's of what they had to say about your findings. That was very unique. By including more participants in future research, I feel your study would be 10x stronger than what it already is now. This was a great topic choice.
Missy, your presentation was thoughtful and thoroughly covered the topic of Obstructions Associated with Attracting and Retaining Non-instructional Staff in Higher Education. Thank you for including me in your study and inviting me to view your final work. Great job!
Hi Missy, Great presentation! I appreciate the research topic and love the information that you included in your research and presentation. This kind of research should be used to increase retention and make higher education institutions an employer of choice! Thanks for sharing!
Great job, Missy! I thought the research was thorough and the conclusions sound. Your analysis indicates a deep dive into a complex subject and adds depth to existing literature on the subject.
Hi Missy, I can relate to your study from a higher education background perspective. It's crucial for those in leadership positions to consider the needs of staff, not just students, in order to ensure overall success. Staff members need to be properly supported, whether through fair pay or other essential factors. It raises the question of how staff can achieve success with the necessary tools provided by leadership. -Teina G
As a non-instructional staff member, I was super interested in your study and its findings. I think it is interesting that a staff member said they would be more likely to leave if remote work discontinued... especially in light of UT's return to work (in person) initiative. I really love how you presented your research methodology.
Thank you for the reply! My research interviews were completed in late January to early February 2024, long before UT announced it planned to bring staff back. I have not followed up with "Rachel" since the interview, but their role was inline with those few the article said would continue to be eligible for remote or hybrid work.
Missy, Great presentation! Very informative and clear. I appreciate your slides and the details you included. This helped me stay engaged with your points! The information you provided from your participants is very crucial in retaining employees. I see organizations putting more efforts in attaining employees rather than sharing those efforts in retaining their employees. Thank you! Tzitzi Daniel
Great topic, Missy! This is a problem our entire national educational system is facing, unfortunately. Recruiting and retaining quality instructional and non instructional staff is impacting our entire educational system from higher education to our public school system. There definitely should be a way to measure experience/skills in lieu of educational requirements when measuring whether a non instructional person is qualified for a position.
I enjoyed your findings. Non-instructional staff are the silent community that allow administrative functions to continue. Without them there is no organization. It is interesting that it was your focus since I think it is a large consensus that teachers are an essential part of society. Non-administrative personnel are an essential cog in the equation. Great study!
The research methods slide was quite well done. The quotes from your participants were an excellent touch and executed smoothly. "Educationism" was not a term I was familiar with; were there cases other than Monica's that mentioned this specifically? Fantastic presentation, I hope this topic gets more attention and research!
Hi Kandi, what a great question. Yes, one participant noted encountering departments that prioritize specific degrees, viewing all others as sub-par. For instance, there are departments that mandate a degree in a specific discipline for promotions, disregarding candidates from other fields as inferior, despite the candidate's relevant experience and the promotion being the logical next step in their career.
