Finding the Balance: Leadership in Higher Education

Under Dr. Dunnagan’s leadership, the College of Health Sciences at Boise State University grew self-support online programming from 280 students to over 1,800 students generating an additional 35,000 new student credit hours across 12 programs while dramatically growing research activities. Significant growth also took place in face-to-face programming, including the addition of two doctoral programs. In 2025, the college became the largest college on campus and generated millions of dollars of new revenues to effectively support needed health programming and research across the United States. Over his decades of work, Dr. Dunnagan was seen as a collaborative leader who partnered and found ways to support faculty, staff, and students and dramatically grew programming, research, and services across his areas of responsibility. Much of the information in his book, Finding the Balance: Leadership in Higher Education, is based on his study of leadership, experiences, successes, and failures as a leader in positions such as dean at Boise State. He provides compelling and applicable insights for effective leadership based on his cumulative experiences.