Deans of students as crisis managers: perceptions of roles and leadership competencies in 12 public higher education institutions in Florida

This mixed methods study collected data from a sample of Deans of Students in
the Florida State University System (SUS). The study sought to determine deans of
students’ definitions for crisis and crisis management with an analysis of the institutional
chain of command for a more in depth understanding of crisis management response
processes. The study also sought to identify development levels of deans of students’
leadership competencies as crisis managers, gauge crisis management training
frequencies for each dean of students as it related to 14 crisis scenarios commonly found on higher education campuses, and identify crisis management program foci for the institutions participating in this study.