“Everyone knows the adage 'If you give someone a fish, you feed them for a day. If you teach them to fish, you feed them for a lifetime.' Most leadership books give you the fish in the form of 'how to’s' for managing various challenges. Sticky Cases teaches you to fish by presenting complex, real-world case studies and leaving it to you to determine how best to navigate those challenges. Current and aspiring higher education leaders will benefit from wrestling with these thorny problems, developing skills that will enable them to fish for themselves no matter how choppy the waters of higher education become.”

Jacqueline E. King, Ph.D., Higher Education Leadership and Policy Consultant

“This comprehensive case study book is a must-have resource for higher education professionals, featuring 40 chapters that delve into relevant topics such as Collaboration, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Faculty-Administrator Relationships, and more. The cases are authored by 36 experts, each bringing a unique perspective that enriches the overall content and makes it a valuable resource for classroom use. Each chapter follows a consistent format – areas for reflection, the context, and conflict/challenge; this provides for ease of implementation in the classroom. The discussion questions at the end of each case are thoughtfully crafted to provoke deep reflection and stimulate engaging conversations about the issues presented. This book is not only well-written but also a valuable tool for anyone looking to understand the complexities of today’s educational environment.”

Dr. Peter J. Mcaliney, Director, Professional and Executive Education at Rutgers, and Director, Ragone Center for Excellence in Accounting, Rutgers University

“This wonderful book is a collection of lively and relevant cases suitable for a variety of leadership development programs. The dilemmas will be familiar to anyone in organizations where governance is a combination of applying legal rules, institutional policies, and humanitarian considerations. Thoughtful questions provide a basis for collaborative problem solving and encourage the reader to seek further knowledge. The authors have filled a gap in leadership preparation curriculum with a timely and useful publication.”

Rene Parmar, Ph.D., Dean, School of Education, SUNY New Paltz

“What a great book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sticky Cases in Higher Education. The authentic cases shed light on some of the truly contentious issues facing higher education institutions, such as the tension between historical recognition, first nation injustices, and contemporary values. It examines the rhetoric and the actual practice of equity, the realities of accessibility in virtual learning environments, and navigating hierarchical structures to ensure succession planning within university leadership. The cases and accompanying questions are sure to inspire thoughtful reflection and encourage key stakeholders to come together to find proactive solutions to some of the most pressing challenges we face in Higher Education.”

Professor Angela Carbone, Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor, Learning Teaching and Quality, STEM College, RMIT University, Australia

“In the last fifteen years, the United States has gone through a series of shocks: economic downturn, political turmoil, a racial reckoning, COVID, war in the Middle East. Higher education has not been immune to such unrest. In fact, far from it. And in the North and Midwest, where demographic decline has only sharpened our challenges, higher education leaders must be constantly watchful, thoughtful, and attentive. We need a guide in such turbulent times, one that helps us think through problems rather than offering ready-made, cookie cutter answers that do not meet the real needs of our institutions. Sticky Cases offers just that. This book provides readers with real world cases that require teams of diverse leaders to develop thoughtful responses that meet the demands of the day. For leaders looking for a book that offers an approach to solving real world challenges of today, Sticky Cases is mandatory reading.”

James Wolfinger, Dean, The School of Education, St. John’s University