Karen Crist, in fulfilling the requirements of Antioch University’s EdD in Educational & Professional Practice, has written and published her dissertation titled My Ethic of Care: A Grounded Theory Study of Professional Staff Experiences in Small Private Universities.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education experienced reduced enrollment rates, altered course delivery models, and an increased need for student support. Crist’s study aimed to examine the impact on the student experience and addressed the question, “How do professional staff in small private universities (a) perceive their contributions to the retention of students and (b) perceive their overall value to the institutions they serve?”
For Crist, these questions were both personal and specific to Antioch. After holding many different roles at Antioch University, Crist currently serves as the University’s Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Success. In this role, she also is the University’s Chief Retention Officer and Chief Student Services Officer. Crist is responsible for assuring the quality and sufficiency of university academic and student support services. Her portfolio includes program administration, student conduct, Title IX, Veteran and military-connected student affairs, writing support, registrar, reaffirmation of accreditation, strategic planning, retention, and efforts related to creating inclusive learning environments for all students, especially underrepresented, marginalized, and vulnerable student populations.
Crist also had a part in launching the earliest asynchronous online learning model at Antioch University, provided faculty training in online teaching and student support, and has taught online courses in Prior Learning Theory and Practice, and Student Personal and Professional Development. Her priority is leading initiatives for student success at the university level in collaboration with student services areas, faculty, deans, and academic affairs with a focus on team-building, cross-functional collaborations, culture, and climate, and raising the visibility of student success staff university-wide.
In her dissertation study, Crist used a constructive grounded theory method and a qualitative approach of questionnaires and nine interview participants. The study focused on nonprofit 4-year institutions and examined topics such as the context of academic staffing trends, the experiences of professional staff, focus on critical connections between student and institution, student learning within liminal spaces, gender, and relational practice, while examining social justice leadership in postsecondary education staffing.
Crist found potential implications for improving student retention practices and eliminating barriers by rethinking staff structures, resource allocation, and investment in student support areas. She also found other implications related to staff role satisfaction, socially just models for professional development, and training the next generation of professional staff. She often finds her research interests include relational practices, adult learning, student retention and persistence, professional staff development, collaborative work between administration and faculty, student engagement, gender inequality, and systems thinking for social change. She believes that the future of higher education requires a bold reimagining of its structures and systems, including an examination of whose voices are considered in the process.
Read and download Crist’s dissertation, My Ethic of Care: A Grounded Theory Study of Professional Staff Experiences in Small Private Universities, here.
