Critical race theory, shared-leadership, and organizational change at Savannah State University

Savannah State University, a Historically Black University in Georgia, faced the possibility of extinction because of a number of factors, not the least of which was a crisis in leadership. Two new leaders, a president and vice president, working as a team and developing a model of shared-leadership, were able to not only address the leadership crisis, but also to bring about significant reform in every area of the university, including academic programs, finances, and student services. This study utilized critical race theory as an epistemological lens and a basic form of qualitative research to explore the shared-leadership of these two administrators and organizational change they initiated at an HBCU. The primary purpose of the study is to analyze how shared-leadership can successfully impact positive outcomes for all stakeholders, and in turn empower the stakeholders to carry out successful organizational change. The questions that guided the study were: (a) How can the leadership of a public HBCU be reframed through critical race theory? (b) What elements constitute the perspectives of a shared-leadership model in the reorganization of a public HBCU? And, (c) How did the beliefs of the influential stakeholders support or negate the perspectives of a public HBCU?Following critical race methodology, this study drew on in-depth, open-ended interviews as the principal method of data collection. The analysis of the data produced both narratives and counter narratives of the shared-leadership process at Savannah State University. The counter narratives challenge the existing stereotypical perceptions of HBCUs and HBCU leadership. The results deomonstrate how two senior administrators used shared leadership to reengineer Savannah State University, an HBCU. The data and analysis are presented in the form of a play in which characters who represent the two senior administrators are joined by a composite character who represents the streotypical narrative about HBCU leadership and two characters from traditional African story telling, the Griot and Gullah Woman, who challenge the stereotypical narrative.