I'm inviting you to participate in a nation-wide study of change resistance and paradox mindset in higher education.
Higher education is in the middle of a turbulent period: enrollment pressures, AI disruption, funding uncertainty, and rapid institutional restructuring are reshaping how we work. How higher ed professionals respond to these forces matters enormously, not just for institutions, but for the students and communities we serve.
As the final requirement for the Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Change Leadership, I am conducting a research study examining how higher education employees navigate organizational change, specifically the relationship between how we respond to change and the mindset we bring to organizational paradoxes, such as tradition and innovation, autonomy and accountability. Understanding this relationship could offer actionable insights for navigating today's challenges and developing professional development for tomorrow's skills.
The survey will take about 10 minutes.
Before you begin, I invite you to bring one specific organizational change to mind-a restructuring, a new policy or system, a leadership transition, a budget realignment-anything that meaningfully affected how you work. Reflecting on that experience as you respond will make your input especially valuable.
SURVEY LINK: https://wmich.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9uhFh4ZAy9xLG86
The survey closes in 14 days, on April 7, 2026. Your responses are completely confidential and will only be reported in aggregate.
As a full-time higher education professional, your perspective is exactly what this research needs. No one understands the complexity of change in this sector better than the people working through it every day.
For the most robust results, we need at least 450 respondents across all roles. After you've completed the survey, would you consider forwarding this invitation to your colleagues at your institution and in your professional networks? Posts on professional association listservs are also welcome.
Want to know what we find? You can sign up here to be notified when results are published: https://wmich.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7PWoSHJgTE8kIGq
Thank you for considering this request. Your participation will make a difference.
Mary O'Kelly
Candidate – Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Change Leadership
Western Michigan University
College of Education and Human Development
Department of Educational Leadership, Research, and Technology
mary.okelly@wmich.edu
https://www.linkedin.com/in/marykokelly/
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Mary O'Kelly
Associate Dean for Education and User Services
Western Michigan University
Grand Rapids MI
2693875239
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