Current Issue: Higher Education Leadership: The Journal of Academic Innovation, Faculty Development, and Institutional Change
eISSN: 3144-6531
doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026
Volume 1 Issue 1 (Download Issue)
Received March 5, 2026; Accepted for publication July 22, 2026; Published Early Access September 11, 2026
Title: Faculty Entrepreneurship: Transforming Academic Expertise in the Evolving
Higher Education Landscape
Authors: Jonathan H. Westover, Utah Valley University, Future State University, Nexus Institute for
Work & AI, Catalyst Center for Work Innovation
Abstract: This article examines faculty entrepreneurship as a strategic response to the evolving higher education landscape, exploring how academics translate specialized knowledge into consulting, speaking, and content-creation ventures while maintaining scholarly integrity. Through a mixed-methods study combining a systematic review of 87 peer-reviewed studies, a survey of 246 faculty members across 38 institutions (response rate=20.5%), 32 semi-structured interviews, and comparative analysis of institutional policies from 24 universities, the researchers identified significant yet variable benefits at individual, institutional, and societal levels. Survey results revealed that entrepreneurially active faculty reported significantly higher job satisfaction (M=4.2, SD=0.7) than non-entrepreneurs (M=3.7, SD=0.8), t(244)=5.21, p<.001, d=0.67, 95% CI [0.41, 0.93], with institutional support moderating this relationship (β=.28, p<.01). Substantial demographic disparities were identified, with women faculty reporting significantly higher rates of entrepreneurial barriers related to credibility challenges (61% vs. 38%, χ²=11.76, p<.001, φ=0.22) and faculty of color experiencing greater constraints to entrepreneurial participation than white faculty (OR=0.58, 95% CI [0.37, 0.91], p=.018). Multiple regression analysis identified institutional policy approach as a significant predictor of faculty entrepreneurial engagement (β=.31, p<.001), with managed engagement policies associated with 42% higher participation rates than restrictive approaches. Despite potential advantages, substantial barriers persist, including restrictive institutional policies, academic cultural resistance, ethical concerns, and structural inequities in entrepreneurial access. The study presents evidence-based frameworks for supporting faculty entrepreneurship through policy reform, structured development programs, and practical resource provision, while acknowledging the tensions between market engagement and traditional academic values.
Keywords: Academic entrepreneurship, faculty consulting, knowledge commercialization, higher education policy, academic careers
doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.1
Suggested Citation:
Westover, Jonathan H. (2026). Faculty Entrepreneurship: Transforming Academic Expertise in the Evolving Higher Education Landscape. Higher Education Leadership: The Journal of Academic Innovation, Faculty Development, and Institutional Change, 1(1). doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.1
Received March 19, 2026; Accepted for publication August 5, 2026; Published Early Access September 16, 2026
Title: Faculty Satisfaction and Professional Commitment in Higher Education:
A Multi-Dimensional Framework and Assessment Model
Authors: Jonathan H. Westover, Utah Valley University, Future State University, Nexus Institute for
Work & AI, Catalyst Center for Work Innovation
Abstract: This research examines the dynamic relationship between job satisfaction and professional commitment among university professors, synthesizing empirical evidence and theoretical frameworks to provide actionable insights for academic leaders. This proposed multi-dimensional model addresses significant gaps in existing literature by clarifying the bidirectional and reciprocal relationships between environmental determinants, faculty satisfaction, professional commitment, and institutional outcomes. Drawing on established research and validation data from 347 faculty members across diverse institutional types, the analysis reveals that faculty satisfaction—influenced by autonomy, collegial environment, work-life balance, resource adequacy, and value alignment—demonstrates a strong positive correlation with professional commitment (r = .63, p < .001), with important variations by career stage, appointment type, and discipline. This relationship is further moderated by institutional context, with stronger effects in research-intensive settings (β = .71) compared to teaching-focused institutions (β = .58). The article outlines evidence-based strategies for enhancing both satisfaction and commitment, including developing supportive department leadership, implementing transparent workload policies, creating meaningful governance participation opportunities, and establishing robust mentoring systems. Through contextual applications tailored to different institutional environments, this research argues that systematic attention to faculty satisfaction and commitment represents not merely a human resources concern but a strategic imperative for institutional effectiveness, resilience, and long-term sustainability in today's challenging higher education landscape.
Keywords: Faculty satisfaction, professional commitment, faculty retention, academic workforce, higher education leadership, autonomy, collegiality, work-life balance, shared governance, faculty mentoring, institutional effectiveness, assessment instrument
doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.2
Suggested Citation:
Westover, Jonathan H. (2026). Faculty Satisfaction and Professional Commitment in Higher Education: A Multi-Dimensional Framework and Assessment Model. Higher Education Leadership: The Journal of Academic Innovation, Faculty Development, and Institutional Change, 1(1). doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.2
Received April 9, 2026; Accepted for publication August 19, 2026; Published Early Access September 21, 2026
Title: Navigating Academic Freedom and Political Constraints: The Challenges of DEI
Program Development in Higher Education
Authors: Jonathan H. Westover, Utah Valley University, Future State University, Nexus Institute for
Work & AI, Catalyst Center for Work Innovation
Abstract: This research brief examines the complex challenges faced by faculty attempting to establish a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion certificate program within a large regional teaching university's business leadership department, amid restrictive legislative measures, specifically a state house bill limiting DEI initiatives. Using institutional theory and critical policy analysis frameworks, this study investigates how administrative interpretation and implementation of legislation affected program development despite academic programs being technically exempt from such legislation. Through examination of relevant research, comparative institutional responses, and multiple stakeholder perspectives, this brief demonstrates how perceived political interference in academic affairs appears to be associated with decreased faculty morale and satisfaction, coinciding with the departure of three senior faculty members. The findings offer research-based strategies and practical implementation frameworks for academic leaders navigating similar political tensions while maintaining academic integrity and faculty support in contentious educational contexts, with implications for understanding cyclical patterns of political influence on higher education.
Keywords: Academic freedom, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), anti-DEI legislation, political interference, higher education policy, institutional theory, critical policy analysis, curriculum development, faculty morale, faculty attrition, shared governance
doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.3
Suggested Citation:
Westover, Jonathan H. (2026). Navigating Academic Freedom and Political Constraints: The Challenges of DEI Program Development in Higher Education. Higher Education Leadership: The Journal of Academic Innovation, Faculty Development, and Institutional Change, 1(1). doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.3
Received April 28, 2026; Accepted for publication September 2, 2026; Published Early Access September 25, 2026
Title: Leveraging Ambidextrous Innovation for Organizational Resilience and
Sustainable Enterprise Growth: A Conceptual Model and Assessment Tool
Authors: Jonathan H. Westover, Utah Valley University, Future State University, Nexus Institute for
Work & AI, Catalyst Center for Work Innovation
Abstract: This paper presents an integrated theoretical framework examining the complex relationships between ambidextrous innovation, organizational resilience, and sustainable high-quality development in contemporary enterprises. Through systematic analysis of existing literature and empirical research across diverse industries, this study conceptualizes how an organization's capacity to simultaneously pursue exploratory and exploitative activities enhances its ability to anticipate and respond to disruptions, which ultimately enables sustainable value creation beyond traditional growth metrics. The research introduces a comprehensive model mapping these relationships, identifying key mediating variables including adaptive capacity and transformative capability, while accounting for moderating factors such as leadership approach, organizational structure, and industry context. Drawing on data from 45 organizations across multiple sectors, the findings demonstrate that ambidextrous organizations exhibit significantly higher resilience scores than those pursuing single-focus innovation strategies. The accompanying 20-item assessment tool operationalizes this framework, providing a validated instrument for diagnosing ambidextrous capabilities and resilience potential. This integrated perspective offers both theoretical insights into organizational adaptation mechanisms and practical guidance for executives navigating increasingly turbulent business environments, contributing to the broader discourse on sustainable enterprise development in complex adaptive systems.
Keywords: Ambidextrous innovation, organizational resilience, sustainable enterprise development, exploration and exploitation, high-quality development, adaptive capacity, transformative capability, organizational ambidexterity, strategic balance, paradoxical leadership
doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.4
Suggested Citation:
Westover, Jonathan H. (2026). Leveraging Ambidextrous Innovation for Organizational Resilience and Sustainable Enterprise Growth: A Conceptual Model and Assessment Tool. Higher Education Leadership: The Journal of Academic Innovation, Faculty Development, and Institutional Change, 1(1). doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.4
Received May 14, 2026; Accepted for publication September 15, 2026; Published Early Access September 30, 2026
Title: Organizing for Sustainable Futures: Micro and Macro-institutional Conditions
of Transformation: A People-centric Organizational Perspective
Authors: Jonathan H. Westover, Utah Valley University, Future State University, Nexus Institute for
Work & AI, Catalyst Center for Work Innovation
Abstract: This study advances structuration theory by examining the recursive relationship between micro-level agency and macro-institutional conditions in sustainability transformations. Through a mixed-methods research design combining quantitative survey data (n=234) with qualitative interviews (n=42) and comparative case studies (n=6) across multiple sectors, the article presents a people-centric framework that specifies the mechanisms through which individual agency both shapes and is constrained by institutional structures. Statistical analysis demonstrates significant relationships between integration practices and transformation outcomes (β=0.42, p<0.01), with power dynamics moderating this relationship. Qualitative findings reveal distinct transformation pathways across organizational contexts, challenging universal prescriptions for sustainability. The research contributes to theory by articulating how paradox navigation capabilities, power mobilization strategies, and multi-level learning systems mediate between structural conditions and transformation outcomes. For practitioners, these findings demonstrate that successful sustainability transformations require simultaneous attention to institutional environments, power structures, and human capabilities—recognizing that transformation emerges from their ongoing interaction rather than from either dimension alone.
Keywords: Sustainability transformation, structuration theory, people-centric organizing, macro-institutional conditions, individual agency, power dynamics, paradox navigation, multi-level learning systems, organizational change, mixed-methods research
doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.5
Suggested Citation:
Westover, Jonathan H. (2026). Organizing for Sustainable Futures: Micro and Macro-institutional Conditions of Transformation: A People-centric Organizational Perspective. Higher Education Leadership: The Journal of Academic Innovation, Faculty Development, and Institutional Change, 1(1). doi.org/10.70175/highereducationleadership.2026.1.1.5
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Orem, Utah, USA