Complexities of Higher Education Administration: Case Studies and Issues

Mary Lou Higgerson is a seasoned academic administrator with 20 years of experience that spans every administrative level of multicampus university system. Higgerson holds a PhD from the University of Kansas where she studied and conducted research in organizational communication. Combining her knowledge of communication literature and skills with her administrative experience, Higgerson has focused her writing, consulting, and training activities on the application of communication and management theory utilizing video vignettes and case studies. Since 1990, Higgerson has taught on a variety of topics for the American Council on Education in seminars offered through the Department Leadership Program. Currently a professor of speech communication at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, Higgerson teaches courses in organizational communication and the university as an organizational culture. Higgerson has coproduced training videos on communication strategies relevant for higher education administrators and has written articles that have appeared in such publications as The Chronicle of Higher Education, Journal of College and University Personnel Association, Continuing Higher Education review, and The Department Chair. She coauthored a book titled Complexities of Higher Education Administration: Case Studies and Issues, which is designed for formal classroom use, workshops and seminars, and self-directed professional development.

Susan S. Rehwaldt's educational background is a combination of business and academic administration. She holds a bachelor's degree in business administration from Washington University (St. Louis) and an M.S. and Ph.D. in education from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. Her dissertation, funded by a research grant from the Midwest College Placement Association, focused on issues of gender discrimination in the corporate hiring process. Currently an assistant professor of communication, she teaches in the areasof business communication and technical writing. Her research and writing are focused on communication issues in the workplace. She has published a number of articles which have appeared in a variety of higher education publications including The Journal of Studies in Technical Careers and The Department Chair.