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

Summary

The findings of this study, in light of previous literature and theory outlined by Birnbaum (1988), illustrate that presidential decision making in KCTCS is characterized primarily by bureaucratic and political elements, but also by anarchical elements.

Although quantitative results suggest that participants perceived differently the location of decision making, qualitative findings evidenced a combined effort in decision making as well as an awareness of various locations of authority belonging to particular governance structures or positions. Qualitative findings further revealed various complexities that affect presidential decision making and how presidents navigate shared decision making. These complexities emerged as tension between flexibility and alignment in decision making, as well as multiple governance structures and environmental constraints, which reduce college autonomy and the authority of presidents. What these structures and constraints necessitate is a combined effort in decision making so that local needs may be incorporated in a way that still promotes the needs of the system, which are closely tied to the needs of the state.
With the inclusion of both quantitative and qualitative methods focusing on a single community college system, this exploratory study highlighted additional facets of presidential decision making not examined in previous studies. Particularly, this study noted additional locations of authority outside the system and colleges to include the boards and state postsecondary agency. Furthermore, this study illustrated that decision making cannot be accurately portrayed as occurring at the system level, shared, or at the college level. Instead, the complexities and nuances of presidential decision making in KCTCS illustrated multiple issues and concerns as presidents navigate decision making
processes. Furthermore, these issues and concerns are best framed by both structural and human condition elements of governance theory. As such, studies exploring presidential decision making in a single community college system framed by both elements of governance theory can best advance our knowledge and understanding of presidential decision making in community college systems.