Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 5-2026

Abstract

Transfer is a critical step for community college students pursuing a bachelor’s degree, yet it remains a complex and inconsistent process. Transfer research highlights tensions related to student experience, institutional mission, and state transfer policy that higher education decision-makers must navigate.

This qualitative study examined how New Mexico higher education decision-makers experience these tensions in practice. Using narrative inquiry, thematic analysis was conducted on interviews with purposively selected decision-makers. Decision-maker stories were interpreted through a Critical Leadership Theory lens, examining how power, discretion, and institutional context shape transfer practices.

Findings indicate that policy is unevenly enacted, with institutional discretion significantly shaping implementation across contexts. Institutional priorities, authority, and capacity shape transfer support, often limiting alignment between mission and practice. As a result, responsibility for navigating transfer is frequently shifted to students, who rely on agency to navigate fragmented systems, reinforcing inequities in transfer outcomes.

Keywords

transfer, higher education, critical leadership, decision-making, New Mexico, state transfer policy

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Educational Leadership

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy

First Committee Member (Chair)

Trenia Walker

Second Committee Member

Allison M. Borden

Third Committee Member

Colette Taylor

Fourth Committee Member

Sydney Gunthorpe

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