The evolution of human resources (HR) in higher education has been a relatively recent phenomenon
considering the tenure of most colleges and universities. Triplett (1997) reported that personnel
administration was one of the last specialty areas to emerge in higher education. When institutions first
originated, professors received annual or quarterly wages and were responsible for hiring and paying their
own assistants (Mackie, 1990). Prior to mid-1940, administrators handled HR functions as part of their
routine job responsibilities. However, in early