Elizabeth Niehaus

Associate Professor & Graduate Faculty Chair

Department of Educational Administration University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Address: TEAC 133
Lincoln NE 68588-0360
Phone: 4029370307
Email: eniehaus@unl.edu
Social Media

Dr. Niehaus's research focuses how we can create and improve educational environments to facilitate learning and development in higher education, with a particular emphasis on issues of free speech and academic freedom. Her current research focuses on how students navigate discussing controversial issues in class discussions and how higher education institutions can create the conditions necessary for the practice of academic freedom. Prior research projects have focused on faculty-led short-term study abroad programs, student engagement in tertiary education in Trinidad and Tobago, student learning and development in the context of alternative break programs, and how graduate programs and early career work environments facilitate the development of research self-efficacy in scholars in the field of higher education and student affairs.

Watch Dr. Niehaus Faculty Profile Video

Education

Ph.D., College Student Personnel Administration, University of Maryland, College Park, 2012
M.A., American Culture Studies, Washington University in St. Louis, 2007
B.A., Linguistics, University of Virginia, 2002

Areas of Expertise

Academic Freedom
Free Speech
Study Abroad
Research Methods
Internationalization of Higher Education
Service-Learning/International Service-Learning

Select Publications

Niehaus, E. (2024, February 21). Introducing “Brought to You by Tenure”: A special series to showcase tenure as a public good. The Bugeater: A Publication of the UNL Chapter of the AAUP. https://thebugeater.com/tenure/introducing-brought-to-you-by-tenure/

Niehaus, E. (2024, February 9). Introducing “Shared Governance in Action”: A special series to broaden our collective imagination. The Bugeater: A Publication of the UNL Chapter of the AAUP. https://thebugeater.com/shared-governance/introducing-shared-governance-in-action-a-special-series-to-broaden-our-collective-imagination/

Niehaus, E. (2024). What’s up with faculty unions? The Bugeater: A Publication of the UNL Chapter of the AAUP. https://thebugeater.com/whats-up-with-faculty-unions/

Nyunt, G., Niehaus, E, & *Benevides, M. (2024). A catalyst for learning or reinforcement of inequities: Using a critical hope lens to understand the potential and limitations of short-term study abroad in fostering students’ ability to effectively interact across differences. Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, 17(3), 346-357.

Niehaus, E. (2023, August 24). No, there’s no free speech crisis: The “speech crisis” narrative is incorrect, even as it risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy – and even as lawmakers use it to hammer higher ed. (opinion). Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2023/08/24/speech-crisis-narrative-wrong-and-harmful-opinion

Niehaus, E. & Morley, A. (2023, January 11). The free speech “problem” on college campuses. Written debate published by Divided We Fall. https://dividedwefall.org/the-free-speech-problem-on-college-campuses/

Niehaus, E. (2023). Beyond the moral panic of “student self-censorship”: Students ethical framing of difficult classroom discussions. University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. https://freespeechcenter.universityofcalifornia.edu/fellows-22-23/beyond-the-moral-panic-of-student-self-censorship/

Nyunt, G., Niehaus, E., Light, A., Boryca, A., & Bryan, A. (2023). Online + International: Utilizing theory to maximize intercultural learning in virtual exchange courses. Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, 35(1), 325–344.

Niehaus, E. & Nyunt, G. (2022). Uncovering the potential of short-term study abroad. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 60(3), 417-432.

Niehaus, E., Williams, L., Person, K., & Zobac, S. (2022). Student development in a collectivist context: Intrapersonal and interpersonal development in Trinidad and Tobago. Journal of College Student Development, 63(6), 677-694.

Niehaus, E. (2021). Self-censorship or just being nice? Understanding college students’ decisions about classroom speech. University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. https://freespeechcenter.universityofcalifornia.edu/fellows-20-21/niehaus-research/

Gresk, R. & Niehaus, E. (2021). “You shall not pass”: Predicting attrition and completion of an Iraqi academic preparatory program. Journal of Higher Education Policy and Leadership Studies, 2(3), 140-158.

Niehaus, E. & Nyunt, G. (2020). Adding to our methodological toolkit: Identifying meaningful individual-level change in educational experiences. Journal of College Student Development, 61(5), 637-653.

Niehaus, E., Holder, C., Rivera, M., Garcia, C.E., Woodman, T.C., & Dierberger, J. (2017). Exploring integrative learning in service-based alternative breaks. The Journal of Higher Education, 88(6), 922-946.

Teaching and Advising

Dr. Niehaus advises PhD students in Educational Leadership and Higher Education and MA students in the Higher Education specialization. She looks for students with a clear vision for why they want to pursue a graduate degree as well as students with specific questions they are interested in exploring through research. Dr. Niehaus regularly teaches EDAD 832: Higher Education in America, EDAD 984B: Qualitative Techniques – Case Study Research, and EDAD 984E: Qualitative Techniques – Grounded Theory in Educational Administration. She has also taught special topics and hands-on research seminars for both masters and doctoral students, including recent courses on Unions and Collective Bargaining in Higher Education, Free Speech and Campus Climate, and Book Bans and Gag orders in P20 Education.

Current Research and Projects

Dr. Niehaus’s current projects focus on how we can create the conditions necessary for the practiced of academic freedom in higher education.

Courses Taught

EDAD 832: Higher Education in America
EDAD 984B: Qualitative Techniques – Case Study Research
EDAD 984E: Qualitative Techniques – Grounded Theory in Educational Administration

Honors and Recognition

2022-2023 Senior Fellow, University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement
2023 UNL Dean’s Award for Excellence in Graduate Education
2020-2021 Fellow, University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement
2017, Excellence in International Research Award, ACPA Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development
2017, Service to the International Community Award, ACPA Commission for Global Dimensions of Student Development

Experience

2019-Present, Associate Professor, Educational Administration, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2019-2025 Graduate Faculty Chair, Educational Administration, University of Nebraska – Lincoln
2013-2019, Assistant Professor, Educational Administration, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2012-2013, Postdoctoral Research Associate, NSF Advance Grant, University of Maryland-College Park, College Park Maryland
2012-2013, Assistant Director and Instructor, Master of Professional Studies in Leadership Education and Development (Navy LEAD), University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, Maryland
2010-2012, Coordinator, Grants & Assessment, College of Education Office of International Initiatives, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, Maryland
2007-2010, Graduate Coordinator, Minor in Leadership Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, Maryland
2007-2008, Facility Director, Kappa Alpha Theta Sorority, Gamma Mu Chapter
2005-2007, Clinical Program Coordinator, Washington University in St. Louis School of Law, St. Louis, Missouri
2004-2005, AmeriCorps VISTA, Ohio Campus Compact, The Ohio State University (Project Community)
2002-2004, Campus Organizer/Assistant Organizing Director, California Public Interest Research Group

Memberships

American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE)