Higher education system governance: an exploratory study of presidential decision making in the kentucky community and technical college system

Summary

Governance refers to the process or structure of decision making that often involves multiple constituents (Amey, Jessup-Anger, and Jessup-Anger, 2008; Ingram and Tollefson, 1996; Kezar and Eckel, 2004). Though higher education systems have become the dominant form of governance for public higher education, the classification of higher education systems has become increasingly varied and complex. As a result, the

literature on higher education systems often includes state boards for higher education and is limited in scope for specific types of systems, such as community colleges.
Literature on decision making in community colleges systems focuses on state boards for community colleges and further examine decision making occurring at the system level, as opposed to both the system and campus levels. Still, Henry and Creswell (1983) and Ingram and Tollefson (1996) indicate that decision making in multicampus and state community college systems occurs more frequently at the campus or local level for the specified academic, personnel, and administrative decision areas. Overall, more empirical evidence alongside a clear classification of systems is needed to understand decision making in community college systems, particularly as higher education systems continue evolving.
As an exploratory study, the researcher reviewed and applied theory following data analysis. Specifically, the researcher used the work of Birnbaum (1988) to frame the findings in order to develop an understanding of presidential decision making in KCTCS. These elements, along with an understanding of the context of the system, illustrates how presidents share academic, administrative, and personnel decision making.
The following chapter reviews exploratory research as well as selected data sources that help answer the research questions. Data collection and analysis procedures are outlined for the use of surveys, interviews, and documents. Additionally, validity and reliability of the procedures used for the study are outlined.
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
The Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997 resulted in the creation of a higher education system designed to govern the state community and technical colleges. The purpose of this exploratory study was to explore presidential decision making in KCTCS by examining the location of decision making and how presidential decision making is shared between the KCTCS president and college presidents for academic, administrative, and personnel decision areas.
According to Stebbins (2001), “researchers explore when they have little or no scientific knowledge about the group, process, activity, or situation they want to examine but nevertheless have reason to believe it contains elements worth discovering” (p. 6). As indicated in the review of literature, researchers need a better understanding of decision making in community college systems, particularly as higher education systems continue evolving to meet state needs. Because exploratory studies facilitate exploration of a phenomenon using a variety of data sources (Stebbins, 2001), this study used data obtained through surveys, interviews, and documents to examine presidential decision making in KCTCS. A modified survey instrument developed by Ingram and Tollefson (1996) was used to gather data on the location of decision making. Also, a semi- structured interview protocol was used to gather data on the decision making process.
Additionally, relevant documents were collected and analyzed.

This chapter will describe in detail the methodology to be used in this exploratory study. The major sections of this chapter include research questions, research paradigm, rationale for the study, approach to the study, methodological overview, role of the

researcher and ethical considerations, participants, data sources, quantitative data collection and analysis, qualitative data collection and analysis, and validity and reliability of the procedures.