Theses and Dissertations

Advisor

Molina, Danielle

Committee Member

Winkler, Christa

Committee Member

Oswalt, Katie

Committee Member

Blackbourn, Richard

Date of Degree

5-15-2026

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Educational Leadership (Higher Education Leadership)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

Department of Counseling, Higher Education Leadership, Educational Psychology, and Foundations

Abstract

Faculty perceptions of student populations have been widely discussed, but the conversation has seldom focused on the transfer student population. Because a third of community college students choose to transfer into four-year institutions, the elements of the environment awaiting them are worthy of exploration. The classroom setting is a shared experience for transfer students. Therefore, faculty can play a significant role in creating a climate of support for this population. However, the opposite may be true. Transfer students often arrive on campus to find an environment that is mostly focused on traditional students. The lack of a supportive environment may have consequences for the success of transfer students in the four-year college and university setting. Therefore, it is important to understand pathways to create successful outcomes for transfer students. One approach is to learn more about the factors that contribute to faculty members’ attitudes and beliefs surrounding transfer students. This study examined the variables that contribute to faculty perceptions of transfer students. By applying the 4 themes of faculty perceptions of transfer students identified by Botker-Crow (2024), predictor variables from the 4 dimensions of social identity of faculty members were evaluated to determine if a relationship exists with the outcome variable. A survey was used to collect data from faculty members who taught undergraduate courses at a large, public, land-grant institution in the southeastern United States in the fall of 2025. The data analysis from four linear regression models utilizing a stepwise regression approach indicated that three dimensions of the social identity of faculty members framework contained variables that were significant in the study. There were several variables showing significance that comprised the personal attributes of the faculty member, the professional experience in academia, and the faculty member’s current role dimensions. The findings from the research study support the conclusion that faculty predispositions influence their perceptions of transfer students. However, it is difficult to arrive at the extent of the influence. The results point to a need for further investigation to better understand the influence of the social identify factors on faculty perceptions of transfer students.

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