Karley Ann Riffe

Dr. Karley Riffe is an Assistant Professor of Higher Education at the University of Cincinnati. Her research uses qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the interrelationships between higher education institutions, those who work within them, and the external environment as they affect institutional mission fulfillment. Dr. Riffe has published on the organization and governance of colleges and universities and worked on several grant projects that addressed the administration and decision-making processes within and across colleges and universities.

Dr. Riffe’s work centers around the idea that the collective decisions, actions, and work of individuals within colleges and universities form the foundation of organizational change. Specifically, her work examines the changing academic profession, the influence of university trustees, the roles of support staff members, and updated notions of shared governance across diverse institutional contexts.

Ph.D., Higher Education: University of Georgia Athens, Georgia, 2018

M.Ed., Student Affairs Leadership: Widener University Chester, Pennsylvania, 2013

B.A., Spanish: Georgetown College Georgetown, Kentucky, 2010

Peer Reviewed Publications

Riffe, K.A. (2021. ) Exploring the changing academic profession: An ecology of academic labor .Journal of the Professoriate, ,

Barringer, S. N. & Riffe, K. A. (2022. ) At what cost? An exploration of the philanthropic engagement of trustees at elite research universities .Philanthropy & Education, , 5 (2 ) ,31-55

Toutkoushian, R. K., Riffe, K. A., Sanford, P., & Ness, E. C. (2022. ) How do faculty select between defined befit and defined contribution retirement plans? A Qualitative Investigation .Journal of Education Finance, , 47 (3 ) ,250

Riffe, K. A., & Barringer, S. N. (2021. ) The intersection of institutional and worker hierarchies: Understanding factors that influence staff salaries over time.The Review of Higher Education, , 44 (4 ) ,447-492 More Information

Barringer, S. N., Taylor, B. J., Riffe, K. A., & Slaughter, S. (2020. ) How university leaders shape boundaries and behaviors: An empirical examination of trustee involvement at elite US research universities.Higher Education Policy, , 1-31 More Information

Riffe, K. A. (2018. ) Ties to the outside: An exploration of faculty interactions with external organizations .Higher Education Politics & Economics, , 4 (1 ) ,295-313

Barringer, S. N., & Riffe, K. A. (2018. ) Not just figureheads: Trustees as microfoundations of higher education organizations.Innovative Higher Education, , 43 (3 ) ,155-170 More Information

Pifer, M. J., Riffe, K.A., Hartz, J. T., & Ibarra, M. V. (2022. ) Paradise, nearly forty years later: The liminal experiences of working-class academics.Innovative Higher Education, , More Information

Book Chapter

Riffe, K.A., Morgan, G., Johns, J. (2021 ) Faculty at broad access institutions Unlocking opportunity through broadly accessible institutions .(pp. 152).Routledge

Pifer, M. J., & Riffe, K. A. (2018 ) Working-class academics at work: Perceptions of and experiences within the academy On the borders of the academy: Challenges and strategies for first generation and working class graduate students and faculty .(pp. 67).Syracuse, NY, Syracuse University Graduate School Press

Technical Reports

Toutkoushian, R. K., Sanford, P., Riffe, K. A., & Ness, E. C. (2018. ) How do faculty and staff select between defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans? .TIAA Research Dialogue, 144 (December) ,

Toutkoushian, R. K., Sanford, P., Riffe, K. A., & Ness, E. C. (2018. ) How do faculty and staff select between defined benefit and defined contribution retirement plans? .TIAA Trends and Issues Report, Advancing Higher Education Series, (December) ,

Hearn, J. C., Burns, R. A., & Riffe, K. A. (2017. ) Academic workforce flexibility and strategic outcomes in four-year colleges and universities .TIAA Trends and Issues Report, Advancing Higher Education Series, (December) ,

Hearn, J. C., Burns, R. A., & Riffe, K. A. (2017. ) Academic workforce flexibility and strategic outcomes in four-year colleges and universities .TIAA Research Dialogue, 138 (December) ,