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The relationship between religiosity and ethical behavior at work has remained elusive. In combining both religion and higher education we can discover how these two systems thematically, may pose greater potential towards a better understanding of the factors that influence ethical judgements and behaviors in academic settings. This study intended to collect data to add to the body of research to explore the challenges academic leaders encounter when their beliefs and values are ethically challenged in an academic environment and how this may impact their ability to manage decisions. The study focused on four primary areas of inquiry prompting the following research questions: (1) What are the perceptions of academic leaders on integrating religious beliefs and values, on decision-making?; (2) What conflicts and/or successes do academic leaders experience as a result of their own personal religious beliefs and decisions they make in their professional roles?; (3) How do academic leaders mitigate conflict between their religious beliefs and decision-making?; and (4) Is there any difference and/or consistency between the decision-making in one's personal life and in one's professional life? The researcher conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with academic leaders that comprised of faculty, administrators, and staff in the state of New Mexico. Utilizing the qualitative grounded theory model, the researcher was able to take a systematic approach to capture experiential data. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]