Does a Nexus Exist Between the Work of Administrators and Student Outcomes in Higher Education?: An Answer from a Systematic Review of Research

Journal articles within the field of higher education that focus on college and university administrators, have for the most part, examined topics such as leadership, governance, and institutional effectiveness. Recently, internal and external critics have questioned the ability of college and universities to impact educational outcomes, more specifically student outcomes. In this regard, this study sought to examine how the work of administrators in higher education affects student outcomes. From a systematic review of 10 years of research studies on higher education that focus on administrators as a unit of analysis in higher education, the researchers found that the nexus between the work of administrators and student outcomes was nascent.