Editorial

In seeking to serve and strengthen institutions of Christian higher education around the world, this journal welcomes article submissions that represent both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, as well as theoretically-grounded thought pieces and descriptions of best practices that will serve our collective mission. This issue brings together four articles that emerged from qualitative research projects that focused on various dimensions of institutional culture. Offering a distinctive learning environment is one of the hallmarks of Christian higher education, as boards and institutional leaders seek to protect theological fidelity. Simultaneous to this commitment to guarding what is often considered a sacred mission, these same leaders face mounting challenges and calls for innovation and change.

Although Tierney (1988, 2008) and other scholars have articulated the benefits of institutions operating from a strong and integrated institutional culture, that same culture can create feelings of marginality and exclusion among those who don't fit the mold. Schein's (1992) classic definition of culture illustrates this potential tension between those who belong and those who feel that they do not: “[A culture is] a pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to these problems” (p. 12).

Feelings of being part of a community, a construct often referred to as psychological sense of community (PSC), contributes to the full investment of students, faculty, and staff in creating a transforming learning environment. Indeed, as Schreiner et al. (2013) have noted, PSC “encourages an interdependence, emotional connection, and sense of ownership” (p. 54) within the campus community; thus, PSC represents a key contributor to thriving in college students (Ash & Schreiner, 2016; Pothoven, 2015). The articles in this issue of CHE reflect the benefits of creating and maintaining a coherent organizational culture, yet also illustrate the potential shadow side of high levels of homogeneity.

This issue opens with an article derived from dissertation research by Jessica R. Daniels titled “An Exploratory Comparative Case Study of Employee Engagement in Christian Higher Education.” Using data from two institutional case studies, Daniels examined the contributors to flourishing organizational culture at two “best of the best” U.S. Christian universities. These institutions were selected based on their atypically high ratings over the past decade on the Best Christian Workplace Institute (BCWI) “Employee Engagement and Organizational Culture” survey. Specifically, the research involved interviews with 53 employees on the two campus in seeking to understand what dimensions of institutional culture and leadership contributed to high levels of employee engagement. After a case study of each institution was completed, cross-case synthesis was used to identify similarities and differences between the two cases (Yin, 2009). The findings were then compared and contrasted, with the primary themes reported in this article and discussed in light of relevant literature. The “Implications for Practice” section may benefit institutional leaders, given that specific characteristics (e.g., highly favorable perceptions of the human resource departments as shaping a positive employee experience; what leadership described as a “secret sauce” or energizing sense of momentum) were identified as contributing to the atypically high employee engagement levels that resulted in a positive and empowering organizational culture on both campuses.

The influence of an institution's founding personalities on organizational culture, its geographic location, and the theological perspective that guides the development of practices and policies is presented in Rose and Firmin's article titled “Racism in Interracial Dating: A Case Study in Southern Culture and Fundamentalism.” Specifically, this article provides a historical analysis of the religious, cultural, and social influences that shaped the history of Bob Jones University (BJU), a fundamentalist Christian institution founded in 1927 and located in South Carolina. The authors note that social scientists have identified five hallmarks of the “Deep South” geographic region of the U.S.: violence, anger, racism, culture, and religion; the influence of the latter four on the institutional culture of Bob Jones University is discussed. Additionally, the fundamentalist theological convictions of the founder, Bob Jones, Sr., and family members who subsequently led the institution (i.e., Bob Jones, Jr. and Bob Jones III) are presented. An overview of the historical development of the fundamentalist movement in the United States provides framing for the institution's conservatism on multiple levels, including its policies and practices related to race. The authors contend that these policies were heavily influenced by the institutions geographic setting (e.g., the culture-of-honor that has existed within the Deep South) and its fundamentalist moorings. Transferable lessons might be gleaned about the variety of contributing factors that can shape institutional cultures in other settings.

The third article in this issue of CHE also touches upon issues of institutional culture related to race within the southern region of the U.S. Drawing data from three case study institutions, an article by Smith and Mamiseishivili (“A Christian Value? Faculty Diversity at Southern Evangelical Campuses”) examined efforts by these member institutions of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU) to increase faculty diversity. Specifically, the study sought to address two research questions: (a) What diversity efforts do southern Christian colleges and universities employ to recruit and retain faculty of color and how do these efforts relate to their institutional missions? and (b) What aspects within the history of evangelicalism promote or deter the hiring of faculty of color at Christian colleges and universities in the South? After analyzing data from on-campus interviews, observations, field notes, documents, and textual analysis, the findings documented a need for more intentional and systematic processes in order to increase faculty diversity. Readers may be particularly interested in the discussion section of the article, including strategies used by these institutions to attract and retain faculty of color.

Another article that addresses the issue of “fit” within the culture of Christian colleges and universities was authored by Alleman, Robinson, Leslie, and Glanzer. Titled “Student Constructions of Fit: Narratives about Incongruence at a Faith-Based University,” this article represents a continued line of inquiry by Alleman, whose 2012 article in this journal examined the experiences of faculty members who perceived themselves to be outsiders because they were not part of “their employing institution's dominant religio-cultural tradition or affiliation” (Alleman, 2012, p. 228). The current article reports on the findings of a qualitative study involving 21 first-time, full-time students at a single institution who self-reported feeling that they did not fit for religious reasons. Given that the concept of institutional fit is integral to most theories of student retention (Bean & Eaton, 2001–02; Tinto, 1987) and that such fit is particularly predictive of the intentions of students of color to graduate from a CCCU institution (Ash & Schreiner, 2016), it is important for Christian higher education leaders and practitioners to consider how best to serve students who bring different perspectives on various matters, including theological beliefs. Although the academic reputation of the institution that was the focus of this study may have influenced students' decisions to stay even when they felt a lack of fit religiously, transferable lessons may be found in the potential role of university staff to assist students toward identifying points of environmental congruence, or in appreciating the perspective of others in ways that could be beneficial to them both professionally and personally in the future.

With this issue, the co-editors are pleased to announce that the Christian Higher Education will become a “member benefit” for three organizations: the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU), the International Association for the Promotion of Christian Higher Education (IAPCHE), and the International Council for Higher Education (ICHE). This arrangement will provide organizational members electronic access to the CHE journal, beginning with the first volumes in 2002 and continuing through the current issue.

One of the goals of the co-editors is to more fully represent the research and best practices of institutions of Christian higher education across the globe. Article submissions are welcome as the journal increasingly becomes the “go to” place for scholars and practitioners whose professional commitments and research interests align in some way with the mission that has inspired this journal over the years. Please join us in encouraging colleagues and friends to submit articles that can benefit an ever-widening audience!