About the Book
Across higher education, professionals are expected to lead departments and divisions with limited preparation in the day-to-day realities of management. While many texts focus on leadership theory, this book bridges the gap between theory and practice by equipping leaders with concrete tools to build efficient, student-centered offices.
What you’ll find inside:
A ten-part operational framework tailored for higher education leaders
Chapter-by-chapter strategies covering budgets, data, strategic planning, onboarding, policies, and more
Practical tools and templates you can use immediately
Reflections and insights from over a dozen expert contributors across diverse institutions
Lessons shaped by leadership realities before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic
Who This Book Is For
New directors or first-time managers in higher education
Mid-level leaders navigating increased responsibility
Senior administrators looking to build stronger infrastructure
Faculty teaching higher ed, student affairs, or nonprofit leadership
Graduate students preparing for careers in educational administration
What Makes It Different?
This is not a theory-heavy academic text—it’s a playbook. Each chapter delivers actionable content you can implement right away. You'll finish this book not only with ideas—but with checklists, templates, and tools in hand.
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Ten Steps Toward Operational Efficiency in Higher Education: An Administrator Playbook
Edited by Carlos Gooden, Ph.D. & Mike Hoffshire, Ph.D.
Published by Taylor & Francis | Expected Publication Date: December 29, 2025
Welcome
Welcome to the official resource hub for Ten Steps Toward Operational Efficiency in Higher Education, a practical guide designed to help new, mid-level, and senior leaders across higher education streamline their operations and lead with purpose.
If you've ever been promoted into a leadership role and felt under-prepared to manage people, budgets, or strategy—you’re not alone. This book offers a solution.
Key Features
✅ Designed for managers, directors, deans, and AVPs in higher education
✅ Includes case studies, sample documents, and reflection questions
✅ A flexible model that adapts to your institutional context
✅ Focuses on equity, efficiency, and practical leadership
✅ Each chapter ends with a ready-to-use deliverable
Meet the Editors
Carlos Gooden, Ph.D. (he/him), began his career in admissions 15 years ago as a student tour guide at his alma mater. He has since held professional roles in admissions, marketing, and orientation at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Gooden has served at a variety of institutions – including large public universities, private universities, a Catholic university and a historically Black college and university (HBCU) – bringing a broad and diverse perspective to his work. He earned his Ph.D. in Educational Administration, with research focused on admissions policies and access at urban public institutions. Gooden currently serves as Executive Director at the Marilyn Davies College of Business, University of Houston-Downtown.
Mike Hoffshire, Ph.D. (he/him), is a student affairs and higher education professional, educator, consultant, and speaker with a passion for student success. He currently serves as the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs at the Herbert Wertheim School of Optometry & Vision Science, University of California, Berkeley. Hoffshire's work focuses on best practices in admissions, student retention and academic success. His professional experience spans multiple functional areas, including academic affairs, admissions, gender and sexuality centers, new student orientation, student success and residence life. He continues to lead an active research agenda aimed at addressing challenges faced by educational institutions. In addition, he serves as an adjunct faculty member in certificate and master’s-level based higher education programs.
Meet the Contributors
Christian Alberto, Ed.D. (he/him), is the Director of Admissions & Enrollment Management at the SUNY College of Optometry, where he brings over a decade of experience leading holistic admissions, recruitment, enrollment, and orientation efforts while advancing equity and inclusion. A data-driven scholarly practitioner, he serves on the Institutional Research and Planning Committee and recently led the development of a recruitment, branding, and strategic-partnerships plan for SUNY Optometry’s forthcoming extension campus. Beyond SUNY, he has co-taught an Educational Policy course in the University of Pittsburgh’s Ed.D. program, offering practitioner insights on leading effective change in education. Dr. Alberto earned his Ed.D. from Pitt—where his dissertation focused on culturally responsive strategies to expand the racially minoritized student pipeline—along with an M.S. in Higher Education Administration from CUNY and a B.A. in Psychology from the University at Buffalo. A 2022 SUNY Hispanic Leadership Institute Fellow, he is intentional about advancing institutions, empowering teams, and helping students unlock and realize their full potential.
Emily Erwin, Ph.D. (she/her), is an Associate Professor of Curricular Analytics in the School of Veterinary Medicine at Louisiana State University. She most recently served as the Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness for River Parishes Community College in Gonzales, Louisiana. Dr. Erwin brings over twenty years of experience in education, having served in roles related to institutional research, public policy, enrollment management, student services, academic affairs, and institutional effectiveness. She began her career as a high school teacher in the East Baton Rouge Parish Public School System in Louisiana. She then worked at Louisiana State University (LSU), serving in the Office of Budget and Planning and then as an Associate Registrar and Institutional Research Analyst at the LSU Law Center. She also served as Senior Policy Analyst for the Louisiana Board of Regents, playing a key role in statewide higher education policy development and analysis. Additionally, she served as the Chief Enrollment Management Officer for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. Dr. Erwin teaches as an adjunct instructor in the Graduate School of Education at LSU. She holds a B.S. in Secondary Education (History concentration) and an M.P.A. from LSU and obtained her Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration from the University of New Orleans.
Nick Fuselier, Ph.D. (he/him), serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Prior to his current role as a faculty member, Dr. Fuselier worked as a student affairs professional in a variety of functional areas including first year experience, college access and student success programs, leadership development, service learning, and community engagement. He was recognized as an Annuit Coeptis Emerging Professional by ACPA-College Student Educators International in 2017 and served on its Governing Board from 2020-2023. A qualitative researcher, his work centers on how colleges and universities can be radically transformed to meet the needs and lived experiences of those most marginalized in campus communities. His most established strand of research investigates the ways in which colleges and universities build capacity to serve, support, and advocate for undocumented students. His other research interests include critical perspectives on leadership education, trauma-informed practices in higher education, and the phenomenon of religious trauma and its impact on college student identity development.
Shawn Gaines, M.Ed. (he/him), is a management consultant, educator, and mental health professional. His academic background is in organizational communication and higher education administration, with a focus on counseling and helping skills. Shawn is passionate about creating space for folx on the margins. His work has primarily focused on higher education settings and supervising large teams to meet organizational objectives. His passion for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has been fueled by the love and support he received from his parents. Shawn has trained and supervised large staff, chaired departmental recruitment and selection efforts, and served as a crisis management first responder. An emphasis on social justice and equity has always spurred this blend of experiences, consistently returning to questions about equitable outcomes and diverse representation. Shawn seeks to push the boundaries of what is common/best practice in organizations to prompt real, sustainable change around DEI.
Christy Heaton, Ph.D. (she/her), is the Assistant Vice Chancellor of Student Transitions and Family Engagement at the University of Colorado Denver, where she also serves as a Lecturer in the School of Education. Her doctoral research centered around the exploration of undergraduate transgender students experiences, at institutions of higher education in the south. Other areas of focus include college student transition, first generation student support, leadership development, and community building. Dr. Heaton spent a decade at the University of New Orleans, focusing on orientation, transition, and retention.
Melvin (Jai) Jackson, Ph.D. (he/him), is a dedicated educator, researcher, and advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education. With a passion for empowering individuals and fostering inclusive environments, Jai has significantly contributed to educational leadership. His research contributions span adult and lifelong education, focusing on the experiences of adult learners and issues related to race and diversity within higher education. Jai has been instrumental in higher education administration in areas impacting students, faculty, and staff and has led grant writing and research projects within the field. Driven by a passion for equity and access in education, Jai's professional journey exemplifies his commitment to making a positive impact in the lives of stakeholders and communities.
Jeremy Lane, Ed.D. (he/him), earned his undergraduate degree from Kentucky State University and an Ed.D. from the University of Houston in Educational Leadership, with an emphasis on Special Populations. His doctoral research focused on the scholastic achievements of Early College High School graduates, specifically examining the college readiness rates of students from underrepresented minority populations. He has led university admission teams, developed institutional admission policies, and consulted chief enrollment officers on their new student enrollment and marketing strategies. As a first-generation college graduate, he believes in the effectiveness of college advising and the value of student-centered higher education initiatives. In his spare time, he enjoys visiting museums, watching documentaries, and spending time with his wife and their toddler children.
Kevin Lewis, M.S.Ed. (he/him), is a passionate educator, facilitator, and community builder committed to fostering belonging and equity in learning spaces. With a background in higher education, nonprofit leadership, and global consulting, Kevin has spent his career empowering students and educators to engage in meaningful conversations about leadership, identity, inclusion, and social change. He has facilitated DEI initiatives and trainings across Australia, Canada, and the U.S., and consults with organizations on the cultivation of spaces where all individuals feel valued and supported. Based in Detroit, MI (Waawiyatanong), he enjoys running, podcasts, and watching RuPaul’s Drag Race with his partner and puppy.
Kevin McClain, Ph.D. (he/him), serves as the Director of Academic Excellence at Woodland Community College located in Woodland, California. He earned his Ph.D. in Educational Administration from the University of New Orleans. Dr. McClain has held various roles within higher education across Louisiana and Nebraska. His work is focused on advancing student success and narrowing achievement gaps for young men of color.
Erica Ogburn, Ed.D. (she/her), is a student-centered leader with over a decade of experience in strategic planning and operating extension learning sites, academic and student success services, and retention-based program management. Her expertise lies in implementing high-impact advising case management and supporting the diverse needs of community college and university students to promote student persistence and completion. Currently serving as the Director of College Advising for the College of Business at the University of Houston-Downtown, Dr. Ogburn leads initiatives to enhance retention, persistence, and degree completion. She understands the importance of collaboration, partnering with faculty, department chairs, and deans to meet cohort degree completion goals. Dr. Ogburn ensures access to quality advising and support services for over 4,300 College of Business students.
Dr. Ogburn's career includes roles at Louisiana Tech University, managing an extension site, and as the Academic Success Center Manager. She led a diverse team, increased student awareness of online education, and improved student satisfaction through innovative student support approaches. With a Doctorate in Educational Leadership, (Higher Education concentration) and an M.A. in Higher Education Student Affairs, she is dedicated to student success and actively engages in higher education organizations, committees, and national conferences. Dr. Ogburn's dissertation focused on the socialization experiences of African American Women in Higher Education Student Affairs, providing higher education and industry leaders with support in socializing and retaining African American women.
Tracy Pascua Dea, Ph.D. (she/her), is the Academic Climate Program Director at the University of California, Berkeley. She was the former Chief Diversity Officer and Executive Director of Student Services in the School of Journalism. She has more than 20 years of experience in diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging and justice, organizational climate and culture, faculty development, student success, and leadership and systems coaching. Her higher education experience, research, and teaching focus on the lived experiences of first generation and historically marginalized populations, strengths-based institutional change, and the power of narratives for social change. Her experience as a first-generation student and her families’ immigration journey from the Philippines fuels her passion for transformational individual and organizational change. She holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and B.A. in Psychology from Saint Louis University, and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. She is a certified Organizational Relationship Systems Coach and Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach.
Nicole Caridad Ralston, Ph.D.(she/her), founded Caridad Consulting to support leaders in accessing more compassion, growth and integrity in the ways they lead their teams & initiatives. She is an experienced educator and leader with over 15 years of work in higher education, nonprofits, and racial equity consulting across various industries. She has dedicated her career to creating inclusive spaces, particularly for those pushed to the margins. In higher education, Dr. Ralston built an office focused on first-year retention, advised service learning programs, and developed social justice education cohorts. Her dissertation explored how women of color in higher education navigate the intersection of racism and sexism leadership roles. As an adjunct professor at The University of New Orleans, she teaches "Diversity in Higher Education." She is passionate about advancing equity, centering shared voice, and supporting leadership development. Outside of academia, she is a mom of twins, actively contributes to her community through the ACLU of Louisiana, provides service as a doula, and shares her love of New Orleans culture on Instagram as @EatenPathNola.