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thesis entitled
THE EFFECTS OF STUDENT ENROLLMENT SIZE AND SOURCE OF
FINANCE ON THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT TO THE PRESIDENT
IN SELECTED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED
STATES AS PERCEIVED BY THE INCUMBENTS

presented by

ROGER H. DILLON

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

PH.D degree in HIGHER EDUCATION

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flaw/4’1. 2% Vat/2’44

Major professor

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ABSTRACT

THE EFFECTS OF STUDENT ENROLLMENT SIZE AND SOURCE
OF FINANCE ON THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT TO THE
PRESIDENT IN SELECTED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSI-
TIES IN THE UNITED STATES AS PERCEIVED
BY THE INCUMBENTS

BY

Roger Howard Dillon

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects
of student enrollment size (small, medium, and large) and
source of finance (private and public) on the administra-
tive support role called assistant to the president as
determined by the competencies, responsibilities,
relationships, opportunities for personal growth and
development, and characteristics of incumbents which are
perceived by incumbents to be appropriate for the role.

Description of the Methods, Techniques,
and Data Used

A ten—member expert panel, consisting of seven
current or former incumbents of the position and three
presidents who have had an assistant to the president,
reviewed classification and questionnaire items and the

position definition for validity and clarity of content.

 

 

 

Roger Howard Dillon

A total of 1,647 presidents of senior colleges and uni—
versities was asked to identify persons in positions per—
ceived to be described by the definition provided. Of
the presidents queried, 1,138 identified the pOpulation
of 595 institutions with one or more identified persons.
The population was stratified by enrollment size: small,
l-2,000; medium, 2,001-5,000; and large, 5,001-above.

The population also was divided by private/public source

of finance. A sample of 30 institutions from each of 6

 

cells was randomly selected for data collection, and a 4
questionnaire mailed to one assistant and a classifi-
cation form sent to his president. Of 180 questionnaires
and 180 classification forms mailed, 158 questionnaires
and 169 classification forms were completed and returned.
Responses were required from both the incumbent and his
president at each institution. Due to the requirement,
158 sets of data were acceptable for data processing, for
multivariate testing of equality of mean vectors, and

for one—way analysis of variance for unequal subclasses.
Data were summed across sets of items to obtain a com-
posite measure on each dependent variable for each
respondent. The hypotheses of no difference due to the
effects of private and public; small, medium, and large;
and interaction between sources of finance and enrollment

sizes were tested at the .05 level of significance.

 

 

Roger Howard Dillon

Discussion, Summary, and
Conclusions

 

 

Results of the study failed to reject the null
hypotheses. A positive correlation was found between
ideal extent judgments and actual extent judgments of
statements on competence, responsibility, and relation-
ship. This measure appears to represent the incumbent's
positive identification with the senior college or uni—
versity and possible effective performance in the role of
assistant to the president. A low correlation was found
between the comparable classification judgments of the
incumbents compared with the classifications made by
the presidents. This measure appears to indicate the
potential for dysfunction/conflict between the incumbent
and the president.

This first attempt at the identification of a
true pOpulation, through the creation and use of a
definition, has provided a start toward establishing a
basis for clarification of various administrative roles.
Though findings failed to support the theoretical premise
of expected differences in the role of assistant to the
president being related to organizational differences,
indications have been found which suggest that sources
of ineffectiveness and dysfunction can be determined

by the methods used here.

 

 

 

THE EFFECTS OF STUDENT ENROLLMENT SIZE AND SOURCE
OF FINANCE ON THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT TO THE
PRESIDENT IN SELECTED COLLEGES AND UNIVERSI-
TIES IN THE UNITED STATES AS PERCEIVED

BY THE INCUMBENTS

BY

Roger Howard Dillon

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

Department of Administration and Higher Education

1973

 

6“ ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I wish to express gratitude to my wife, Georgie,
for her patience and understanding during the long
struggle toward completion of this dissertation.

A special note of recognition goes to my doctoral

 

committee: Dr. Floyd Parker, chairman, Dr. Betty Giuliani,
Dr. James Costar, and Dr. James McKee. The help and
patience of this committee in seeing my research effort
through to completion are greatly appreciated.

Many thanks go to Dr. Andrew Porter, Mary Kennedy,
Dr. Lawrence McKune, Marty North, Jim Totten, and Gordon
Smith for providing support and consultation.

Thanks also go to those presidents and assistants
to the president who cooperated with me in the develop-

ment, implementation, and report of this study.

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter
I. INTRODUCTION . . . . .

Purpose . . .
Background Theory
Definitions . .
Limitations . .
Assumptions . .
Overview . . . . .

II. REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND LITERATURE . . . .

Research and Literature

Concerning the

Role of Assistant to the President. . .

Related Research, Literature and
Theoretical Perspectives . . . . .

Discussion of Research and Literature
With Implications for this Study . . .

Elements of Role. .
Dependent Variable:
Dependent Variable:
Dependent Variable:
Dependent Variable:
Dependent Variable:
Discussion Overview

. Q C O Q Q

Competencies . .
Responsibilities.
Relationships. .
Opportunities. .
Characteristics .

O O O O Q 0

III. DESIGN, METHODOLOGY, AND PROCEDURES OF THE

STUDY . . . . . . .

Pilot Panel Testing and
Population. . . . .
Null Hypotheses . . .
Dependent Variables. .
Independent Variables .
Classification Form. .
Questionnaire Instrument
Research Sample . . .

iii

Interviews. . .

I O I C Q .

Page

21

31
31

32

34

41

56

56
59
61
62
63

67

68
68
69
70

74
74

75

 

Chapter Page

Administration of Questionnaire and

Classification Form . . . . . . . . 77
Preparation of Data for Analysis. . . . 78
Justification for Preparation Used for
Data I O C O O Q Q 0 I O O 78
Method of Data Analysis. . . . . . . 79
IV. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA . . . . . . . . . 81
Explanation of Judgment Criteria. . . . 90
Responses Related to Competence Areas . . 90

Actual Extent Judgments-~Group Mean

 

Values: Competence Area . . . . 94
Ideal Extent Judgments-—Group Mean
Values: Competence Area . . . . . 97
Responses Related to Responsibility Areas. 100 E
Actual Extent Judgments--Group Mean
Values: Responsibility Areas . . . 103
Ideal Extent Judgments—~Group Mean
Values: Responsibility Areas . . . 106
Responses Related to Relationship Areas . 109

Actual Extent Judgments--Group Mean

Values: Relationship Area. . . . 112

Ideal Extent JudgmentSv-Group Mean

Values: Relationship Area. . . . . 115
Responses Related to Opportunity Areas. . 118

Judged Extent of Application——Group

Mean Values: Opportunity Areas . . . 122

Judged Extent of C1assification-—Group

Mean Values: Opportunity Areas . . . 125
Responses Related to Characteristic Areas. 128

Judged Extent of Application——Group
Mean Values: Characteristic Areas . . 131

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . 134

iv

 

Chapter Page

 

V. SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . 136
Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Recommendations . . . . . . . . . 146

BIBLIOGRAPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
APPENDICES
Appendix

A. Response Sheet. . . . . . . . . . . 158

B. President's Classification Form . . . . . 159

C. Incumbent's Information Form . . . . . . 160

v

 

 

 

Table

LIST OF TABLES

Identification of Population of Assistant to
the President at SeniOr Colleges and
Universities . . . . . . . . . . .

POpulation Sample--Six Cells with Thirty
Institutions Randomly Selected From Each
Cell. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Findings Related to the Effect of Private
and Public Sources of Finance by Multi-
variate Test of Equality of Mean Vectors.

The Findings Related to the Effect of Small,
Medium, and Large Enrollment Sizes by
Multivariate Test of Equality of Mean
Vectors. . . . . . . . . . . . .

The Findings Related to the Effect of Inter-
action Between and Among Small, Medium, and
Large Private and Small, Medium, and Large
Public Institutions by Multivariate Test of
Equality of Mean Vectors . . . . . .

Summary Findings Related to the Multivariate
Test of Equality of Mean Vectors for
Dependent Variables 1-11 . . . . . . .

Six Group Means and One Grand Mean for Each of
Eleven Dependent Variables . . . . . .

Sample Correlation Matrix——Within Cells,

Dependent Variables 1—6 . . . . . . .

One-way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing Ideal and Actual
Extent of Competence Perceived by Incum—
bents as Appropriate to the Position—-

Assistant to the President . . . . . .

vi

 

 

Page

71

76

84

85

86

87

88

89

92

 

 

Table

10.

ll.

12.

l3.

14.

15.

16.

17.

Page

One—Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing Actual Extent of
Competence Perceived by Groups of Incum-
bents as Appropriate to the Position——
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 95

One-Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing Ideal Extent of
Competence Perceived by Groups of Incum-
bents as Appropriate to the Position--
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 98

One-Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing Ideal and Actual
Extent of Responsibility Perceived by
Incumbents as ApprOpriate to the Position-—
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 101

One—Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub-
classes, Representing Actual Extent of
Responsibility Perceived by Groups of
Incumbents as Appropriate to the Position——
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 104

One—Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing Ideal Extent of
Responsibility Perceived by Groups of
Incumbents as Appropriate to the Position——
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 107

One—Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing Ideal and Actual
Extent of Relationship Perceived by Incum—
bents as Appropriate to the Position—-
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 110

One—Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing Actual Extent of
Relationship Perceived by Groups of Incum—
bents as Appropriate to the Position-—
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 113

One—way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing Ideal Extent of
Relationship Perceived by Groups of Incum-
bents as Appropriate to the Position——
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 116

vii

 

 

 

 

 

Table

18.

19.

20.

21.

22.

Page

One—Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub-
classes, Representing the Extent of
Opportunity Perceived by Incumbents as
Appropriate to the Position and the
President's Classification of the
Position by Type, Authority, and
Status . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

One-Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing the Extent of
Opportunity Perceived by Groups of
Incumbents as Appropriate to the
Position——Assistant to the President . . 123

One-Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing the Classification
of the Role by Type, Authority, and
Status Perceived by Groups of Presidents
as Appropriate to the Position-—
Assistant to the President . . . . . 126

One—Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing the Extent of
Characteristic Perceived by Incumbents
as Appropriate to the Position-—Assistant
to the President. . . . . . . . . 129

One-Way Analysis of Variance, Unequal Sub—
classes, Representing the Extent of
Characteristic Perceived by Groups of
Incumbents as Appropriate to the .
Position—~Assistant to the President . . 132

viii

 

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

1. Social System Model-~Assistant to the Presi-
dent Role Sector . . . . . . . . . 43

2. Ideal and Actual Extent of Competence Per-
ceived by Incumbents as Appropriate to
the Position—-Assistant to the Presi—
dent . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

 

3. Actual Extent of Competence Perceived by
Groups of Incumbents as Appropriate to
the Position——Assistant to the President . 96

4. Ideal Extent of Competence Perceived by
Groups of Incumbents as Appropriate to
the Position—~Assistant to the President . 99

5. Ideal and Actual Extent of Responsibility
Perceived by Incumbents as Appropriate to
the Position-—Assistant to the President . 102

6- Actual Extent of Responsibility Perceived by
Groups of Incumbents as Appropriate to
the Position——Assistant to the President . 105

7- Ideal Extent of Responsibility Perceived by
Groups of Incumbents as Appropriate to
the Position—-Assistant to the President . 108

8- Ideal and Actual Extent of Relationship
Perceived by Incumbents as Appropriate to
the Position-~Assistant to the President . 111

9- Actual Extent of Relationship Perceived by
Groups of Incumbents as Appropriate to
the Position--Assistant to the President . 114

10. Ideal Extent of Relationship Perceived by

Groups of Incumbents as Appropriate to
the Position--Assistant to the President . 117

ix

 

Figure Page

11. Extent of Opportunity Perceived by Incumbents
as Appropriate to the Position and
Presidents' Classification of the
Position by Type, Authority and Definer. . 121

12. Extent of Opportunity Perceived by Groups of
Incumbents as Appropriate to the Position-~
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 124

13. Extent of Classification by Type, Authority,
and Status Perceived by Groups of Presi—
dents as Appropriate to the Position—-
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 127

14. Extent of Characteristic Perceived by Incum—
bents as Appropriate to the Position~—
Assistant to the President . . . . . . 130

15. Extent of Characteristic Perceived by Groups
of Incumbents as Appropriate to the
Position-~Assistant to the President. . . 133

 

 

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A president, as chief administrative officer of
a college or university, must direct the operations of
the institution in a manner which supports and promotes,
without interfering with, the efforts of administrators,
faculty, and students in pursuing recognized individual
and institutional goals. In Anderson's words:
An organization . . . , is an agregate of individuals
brought together to accomplish a purpose. The inter—
relationships of these individuals are ordered by a
system of authority and of rewards (and punishments).
In the process of organizational operation, decisions
are made. The forms, mechanisms, and acts of making
decisions are commonly called administration.1
Since a president's capacity for action is
limited, consideration must be given to the selection of
critical tasks appropriate for personal presidential

attention and delegation of those tasks for which the

president has neither the time nor the expertise.

—-_.__

lG. Lester Anderson, "The Organizational Char—

acter of American Colleges and Universities," in The
Study of Academic Administration, ed. by Terry F. Luns—
ford Boulder, Colorado: Western Interstate Commission

for Higher Education, 1963), p. 4.

 

 

Wert suggests that the effectiveness of presidents is
limited by: (l) demands for time and lack of organi-
zation to c0pe with demands and (2) the need for defi—
nition and clarification of the spheres of influence for
trustees, faculty, administration, and students.2

Part of the president's role has been delegated
to a relatively new position3 in higher education. The
close proximity to the president, along with the overall
View of the operations of the organization, indicates
the potential importance of the role of assistant to
the president within the organization.

Morris examined the status, internship aspects,
and qualifications identified by presidents for the role
of assistant to the president. An appropriate next step,
implied in the Morris study, is the examination of com-
petencies, responsibilities, relationships, opportunities
for development, and characteristics for incumbency which
are perceived by role incumbents. The literature reviewed
for this study suggests that differences should be found

concerning elements of the role in relation to differences

 

2Robert F. Wert, "Leadership: The Interpretive
Factor," in The Study of Academic Administration, ed. by
Terry F. Lunsford (Boulder, Colorado: Western Interstate
Commission for Higher Education, 1963), pp. 96-97.

 

3James R. Morris, "The Role of Administrative
Assistant as Perceived by College and University Presi-
dents Throughout the United States" (unpublished doctoral
dissertation, North Texas State University, 1969).

 

 

 

in the institution's enrollment size (small, medium, and
large) and source of finance (private and public).

According to the social science/role theory and
research reviewed, an understanding of a role incumbent‘s
behavior can be obtained by examining his perceptions of
what relevant others expect of him in his role.4 The
following assumptions were developed by Gross and others,
relative to making expectations effective:
1. Expectations must be perceived in order to
influence behavior (proposition that: explicit
statement and action communicate expectations);
2. Expectations must be accepted as legitimate
(legitimate to apply to a particular situation);
and,
3. Consequences of meeting expectations (are per-
ceived to be legitimate).5
From the perspective of social system and role
theory, the unit of analysis for this study is the role
of assistant to the president.

An analysis of the response data for this study
may provide insights and understandings for use in

organizational clarification and reduction of needless

role conflict. These results may be of interest to

 

4Richard C. Lonsdale, "Maintaining the Organi-
zation in Dynamic Equilibrium," in Behavioral Sciences
éflg Educational Administration, ed. by Daniel E. Griffiths
(Chicago: The National Society for the Study of Edu—
cation, 1964), p. 150.

 

5Neal Gross, ward S. Mason, and Alexander
MCEachern, Exploration in Role Analysis: Studies of the
§g§ool Superintendency Role (New York: John Wiley & Sons,
1958), pp. 281-318.

 

 

 

 

executive administrators for use in (1) developing role

 

expectations, (2) planning training experiences, or
(3) guiding the selection of persons to fill the role;

to professors of educational administration for use in

 

(1) curriculum planning, (2) theory development, and

(3) organizational clarification; and to persons who

 

aspire (1) to be prepared for, (2) to be selected for,

and (3) to be retained in this type of role.

 

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the
effects of student enrollment size (small, medium, and
large) and source of finance (private and public) on the
position of assistant to the president as perceived by
role incumbents in senior colleges and universities. The
population consists of all four-year higher education
institutions in the United States that have at least
one assistant to the president as identified by their
presidents. For this study, the role6 will be defined7

by the incumbents‘ perceptions8 of the extent to which:

 

6Talcott Parsons and Edward A. Shils, "Personality
as a System of Action," in Toward a General Theory of
Action, ed. by Talcott Parsons and Edward A. Shils (New
York and Evanston: Harper and Row, Publishers, Inc.,
1965).

 

7Lonsdale, 9p. cit.

. 8Andrew W. Halpin, Theory and Research in Admin—
lstration (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1967).

 

 

 

statements of expectations relating to competencies,

responsibilities, and relationships actually and ideally

apply to their role; expressions of opportunities for

professional growth and development are available through

their role; and expressions of personal and professional

characteristics are appropriate for role incumbency.

Further insight and understanding about the role will

be obtained through examination and comparison of the

incumbents' perceptions of actual and ideal expectations

in addition to the incumbents' and the presidents‘

classifications of the role by type, authority relation—

ships, and source of definition.

The research statements of expected outcomes for

this study are:

Research Hypothesis I:

 

Role incumbents from public institutions will differ
from role incumbents from private institutions on:

1.

 

 

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships actually apply to their role;

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are ideal for their role;

the relationship between judgments of the ideal
and of the actual extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are perceived to apply to their
position;

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about opportunities for professional growth and
development apply to their role; and

 

5. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about personal and professional characteristics
are desirable for role incumbency.

Research Hypothesis II:

 

There will be differences between role incumbents
from institutions of small, medium, and large student
enrollment sizes on:

1. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and relation-
ships actually apply to their role;

2. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are ideal for their role;

 

3. the relationship between judgments of the ideal
and of the actual extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are perceived to apply to their
position.

4. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about opportunities for professional growth and
development apply to their role; and

5. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about personal and professional characteristics
are desirable for role incumbency.

Research Hypothesis III:

There will be an interaction between the effects of
student enrollment size (small, medium, and large)
and source of finance (private and public) on:

1. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships actually apply to their role;

2. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are ideal for their role;

3. the relationship between judgments of the ideal
and of the actual extent to which statements about
competencies, responsibilities, and relationships
are perceived to apply to their position;

 

4. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about Opportunities for professional growth and
development apply to their role; and

5. perceptions of the extent to which statements

about personal and professional characteristics
are desirable for role incumbency.

Background Theory

 

The organizations of many colleges and universi-
ties are being re-examined and their functions recon-
sidered in response to increasing pressures from their
various publics and to greater restrictions on financial
resources. In Millet's words:

American colleges and universities are caught in a
fateful dilemma at a time when they are expanding and
when their social role is more important than ever
before in history (Wilson, 1965). Faculty members
insist that they have professional competence which
transcends administrative competence, and students
argue that they have rights which university rules
and administrative surveilance violate. Faculty
members tend to seek authority over administrators,
and students tend to seek an elimination of adminis-
trative authority. Yet there are still scarce
resources to manage, purposes to be kept in some
degree of balance, bills to be collected and paid,
buildings to construct and manage, endowment funds
to supervise, students to be housed and fed,
coherence to be achieved (Perkins, 1966). Admini5*
tration is becoming a much more highly specialized
activity (Rourke and Brooks, 1964). The dilemma is
how to keep a college or university effective as

an enterprise which required administration—-and
viable as an enterprise in which faculties, stu—
dents, alumni, and others have some influence upon
decision making.9

9John D. Millet, "College and University Adminis—
tration," in Emerging Patterns in American Higher Edu—
cation, ed. by Logan Wilson (AmeriEan Council on Edu-
Catlon, 1965). Quoted in Encyc10pedia of Educational
Research, ed. by Robert Ebél (New York: Macmillan Co.,
999 , p. 163. Millet quoted: James A. Perkins, The
Hflizgrsity in Transition (Princeton University Pre§§7

 

 

.—.—- 13.17

 

 

Kroepsch presents a similar View of higher edu—
cation:

Many colleges and universities are undergoing rapid
changes in their administrative structures, both
internal and external. We need much more under-
standing of how our institutions of higher edu—
cation arg organized and administered before we

can adequately judge how they should be organized
to cope with the problems of great growth now
facing our educational community.

Our ability to explain, predict, and solve administrative
problems in higher education is restricted by the dearth
of adequate research and reliable theoretical formulation.
Some help can be obtained through consideration of the
efforts in other areas of study. As Mayhew indicated,

" . . . there is a lack of accumulated research data and
theory about administration in higher education, unlike
the substantial body of data available about industrial
management and elementary and secondary school adminis-

11

tration." Since we cannot do everything at the same

time, we must choose an appropriate next step.

According to Trow:

__

1966) and Frances E. Rourke and Glen E. Brooks, "The 'Man-
agerial Revolution' in Higher Education," Administrative
§gienceguarterly, IX (1964), 154.

10Robert H. Kroepsch, "Preface," in The Study of
Academic Administration, ed. by Terry F. LunSEOrd (Western
Interstate Commission for Higher Education, 1963).

 

 

 

11Lewis B. Mayhew, The Smaller Liberal Arts Col—
lEQ§_(Washington, D.C.: Center for Applied Research’in
EduCation, 1962), p. 28.

 

 

 

 

A central task of theory in educational adminis-
tration is to deal with the distribution of power
and authority in educational institutions and with
the conflicts that arise over their distribution.12

Knezevich recommends that consideration be given
to relationships between elements and individuals within
an organization by saying:

. . . , an organization is a system of structured
interpersonal relationships with roles and expec-
tations prescribed for the incumbents of various
positions. To organize is to relate the various
positions (created in the process of subdividing
the tasks in an institution) to each other, as
well as to give form or structure to the group

or institution.13 I

 

He went on to say:

The purpose of organizing is to provide a systematic
means of differentiating and coordinating the
resourCes (both human and material) to attain the
objectives, goals, or purposes of the group or
institution. It is the means of harnessing the
action of many individuals to group purposes.
Individual members of a group or institution do

not have the same amounts or kinds of intelligence,
or special abilities, professional experiences, or
emotional drives. Through organization, an insti-
tution is in a better position to capitalize on
human differences. The previously stated definition
conceives of formal organization as a systematic

way to differentiate and coordinate the activities
or forces of two or more persons in a group or
institution. This calls for allocating authority
and responsibility in a prescribed manner, establish-
ing rules of procedures, determining patterns of

 

12Martin Trow, Survey Research in Education
(Berkeley, Calif.: Center for the Study of Higher Edu—
cation, 1963), pp. 3-5.

13Stephen J. Knezevich, Administration of Public

Education (New York: Harper & Brothers, Publishers, 1962),
pp. 57-58.

10

communication, and in general subdividing the tasks
necessary to the realization of the institutional
purposes.14

With increasing size, complexity, and pressure,
administrative activity increases15 along with the need
for specialization.16 Presthus describes the natural
result of this development within an organization to
be "an inherent tension in organization between those
in hierarchical positions of authority and those who
play specialized roles."l7 An appeal is made in the
literature on administration for the specification
and communication of role expectations to incumbent

administrators (McFarland,18 Likert,19 and

 

14Ibid.

15M111et, 92. cit., p. 161.

l6Bernard P. Indik, "Some Effects of Organization
Size on Member Attitudes and Behaviors," in Readings in
Organization Theory: A Behavioral Approach, ed.’by
walter A. Hill and Douglas Egan (Boston: Allyn and
Bacon, Inc., 1966), pp. 416—30.

 

l7Robert Presthus, The Organizational Society
(New York: Knopf, 1962), p. 29.

 

18Dalton E. McFarland, Management: Principles
and Practices (2nd ed.; New York: The Macmillan Co.,

——~

1964), p. 300.

 

9Reniss Likert, New Patterns of Management (New

 

 

11

Starkweather).20 Moss et_a1. 21 sum up the above con-
clusions by saying that the results of unclear roles show
up as distortions, frictions, and inefficiencies in
collective work units. In other words, the individual's
action is influenced by his View of the situation, goals,
and expectations for his role. Stogdill says:

We tend to orient ourselves toward, and work to
accomplish, the goals that we set for ourselves.

We also tend to behave in accordance with our per-
ceptions of our roles. In other words, performance
is highly determined by our own expectations and by
our perception of the expectations of others toward
us. These two sets of expectations set limits and
boundaries on role performance.22

He reports that:

. . . findings suggest that a group member's per—
formance is likely to be more effective and his
satisfaction higher if his role is clearly defined,
but not so highly structured as to restrict him in
the execution of his task requirements.23

 

20David Starkweather, "Rationale for Decentrali-
zation in Large Hospitals," Hospital Administration
(Spring, 1970), 34.

21Arthur B. Moss, Wayne G. Brochl, Robert H.
Guest, and John W. Hennessey, Jr., Hogpital Policy
Decisions: Process and Action (New York: G. P. Put-
nam's Sons, 1966), p. 332.

22Ralph M. Stogdill, "Role Perception and Ful-
fillment in Research," in Educational Research: New
Egrspectives, ed. by Jack A. Culbertson and Stephen P.
Hencley (Dansville, Ill.: The Interstate Printers &
Publishers, Inc., 1963), p. 93.

231bid., p. 95.

 

 

12

Though it is important for an individual to
understand what is expected of him, it also is important
for him to know what his position is relative to other
individuals and to their roles which make up the unit of
organization. Organizational relationships are under—
going rapid change24 which is reflected by authority
structures and organizational arrangements. Starkweather
discusses three types of authority: "line," "staff,"
and "functional" assignments of authority relationships.
He suggests "the use of staff persons is increasing as
additional special talents are needed to manage the
complex tasks undertaken by modern organizations." In
theory, "line authority" is a direct "chain of comman "
with full responsibility for the organization and "staff
authority," reflecting the special knowledge and skill,
which serves in an advisory capacity. "The distinctions
between line and staff are not as obvious in practice
as they are in theory." He continues:saying, " . . .
most organizations are unable to clearly maintain these
distinctions, leading to misunderstanding, confusion,
and open conflicts." "In response to both of these con-
ditions, . . . , functional authority" is delegated.
"The staff specialist acquires line authority in the

SPecific realms designated, . . . , usually limited to

 

24Millet, gp. cit., p. 161.

 

 

l3

t:he area of the staff person's special competence."25

ICnezevich suggests that the authority structure is a
ssuitable perspective for examining relationships within
an organization. He says:

The staff—line concept permits an analysis of
organization into its vertical and horizontal com—
ponents. The line, or vertical, component estab-
1ishes the hierarchy of authority. The staff con-
dept supplies the horizontal dimensions of the
organization. The creation of staff officers was
prompted by the complexity of present-day organi-
zations. The officer executes responsibilities
that a line officer at any given level of adminis—
trative hierarchy would perform if the latter had
(1) the time to do it and (2) the specialized
knowledge to execute it. In other words, staff
represents an extension of the executives'
responsibility and as such could be attached to

an executive at any level of administration.26

Knezevich reports:

There is ample evidence that such concepts of
organization as unity of command, hierarchy of
authority, and line and staff are undergoing con-
siderable modification as the functions of an
organization and the qualifications of peOple
available to fill positions change.27

A specialized role called the assistant-to-an-
executive has been created in recent years. The nature
Of this role varies depending on the people and the

situation. Bennet says:

v V——

25Starkweather, gp. cit., p. 31.

26Knezevich, gp, cit., p. 71.

27Ibid., p. 76.

 

14

The assistant—to, . . . , in American business is
not a clearly defined position. Sometimes, the
assistant-to—the-president, for instance, is a
line official with considerable top executive
authority. In other cases, he acts in an advisory
capacity to his chief on a wide variety of matters.
In still a third category are those assistants who
supervise only one special project. Men in the 28
third group could be called "special assistants."

The use of assistants to the president29 is a

iseecent development within higher education. This trend
:iss paralleled by similar developments in the major insti—

‘tiitions: hospital, government, education, business, and

industrial3 organizations of the American society. As

tlie number of functions and the sizes31 and the complexi—

tuies of these institutions have increased, the role

encpectations of the executive administrator have become

nuare demanding and more specialized.32 Specialized roles

kuave been justified and used to relieve the pressures for

28C. L. Bennet, "Defining the Manager's Job,"
fghe AMA Manual of Position Descriptions (New York:

Innerican Management Association, Inc., 1958), p. 387.

Morris, 92' cit.

30Victor F. Phillips, "An Exploratory Study of
the Assistant—to—the-President Positions in Business

Setting" (unpublished doctoral dissertation, Indiana
University, 1967).

31Indik, gp. cit.

32John Millet, The Academic Community: An Essay

on Organization (New York: McGraw—Hill,—l962).

 

 

 

15

1:he executive's time and to provide supplemental expertise.
:Ln.most cases these delegated expectations are those
vihich the executive would fulfill if he had the time

cxr where the executive does not have the specialized
,knnowledge and skills necessary to do the work.33 Phillips
fkaund that use of the assistant to the president position
.111 the business setting tended to reflect a concern for
"eaxecutive burdens," a recognition of "personal short-
<3c1mings," and the need for "interpretation."34

In the study by Morris,35 analysis of the

tresponses provided by presidents suggests that dif—
fkerences in the nature and use of the role of adminis-
tarative assistant to the president have been found between
exiucational institutions which differ in private and
Enablic sources of finance and small, medium, and large
ssizes of student enrollment. Through the development,
auhninistration, and analysis of the data of this study,

an attempt has been made to determine if similar dif-
ferences exist based on responses provided by incumbent
assistants to the president.

From the perspective of social science theory,

the college or university is a sub—system within the

 

33Knezevich, gp. cit.

34Phillips, 9p. cit., p. 102.

5Morris, 22° cit.

 

 

16

American society which is a social system. According to
Parsons, the American society

. . . is a type of social system which contains

within itself all the essential prerequisites for

its maintenance as a self—subsistent system.

Among the more essential of these prerequisites

are (1) organizations around a foci of territorial

location and kinship, (2) a system for determining

functions and allocating facilities and rewards,

and (3) integrative structures controlling these

allocations and regulating conflicts and competi-

tive processes.36

Each higher education organization is composed of

'the combined and/or separate actions of individuals and/or
gyroups of individuals with functions arranged into units
(salled roles. The role " . . . is the point of contact
loetween the system of action of the individual actor
arui the social system," and " . . . is a sector of the

"37 The

iruiividual actor's total system of action.
athicipations for actions which are either created
byr or for individuals are called role expectations.
Ikble expectations make up the basis of role and, as
sucfin, " . . . organize (in accordance with general value

(noientations) the reciprocities, expectations, and

responses to those expectations in the specific inter-

 

amniion systems of ego and one or more alters."38
36Parsons and Shils, 92. 913., p. 26.
3751313., p. 190.
38Ibid.; "Ego and alter serve as reference terms

for actors in the social system and bear no meanings
relative to psychological references."

17

The purpose of this study is to analyze expressed
rtflle expectations for the role of assistant to the presi—
deuit as a "partial social system." As Parsons says: "The
inizeraction of individual actors, that is, takes place
uruier such conditions that it is possible to treat such
a Iorocess of interactions as a system in the scientific
scanse and subject it to the same order of theoretical
alialysis which has been successfully applied to other
‘tyrpes of systems in other sciences."39

This study concentrates on the "role expectations,‘
£15; perceived by assistants to the presidents, "as the
{bxrimary ingredients of the role" of assistant to the
jpzresident. The role, defined by Parsons,40 is known as
tliea"conceptual unit of the partial social system,"
identified for the purposes of this study as a senior
ccfillege or university in the United States, called a
"scxzial organization."41

Since a single role has been considered in this

Sttuiy, it is important to be certain the relationship

betnween the president (alter) and the assistant to the

39Talcott Parsons, The Social Systems (Glencoe,
Ill-.: The Free Press, 1951Y, p. 3, quoted by Robert
geYTnon, "Role Theory: Its Implications for School Admin—
lsfiuaation" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Ohio State
Uanersity, 1965), p. 1.

40Parsons, gp. cit., 1965.

41Ibid., p. 192.

 

 

18

president (ego) is clear. Parsons states "what an actor
is expected to do in a given situation both by himself
and by others constitutes the expectations of that role.
What the alters are expected to do, contingent on ego's
action, constitute the sanctions."42 In other words,
sanctions are considered the reciprocal of expectations.
Sanctions are used to reward or punish ego in relation
to conformity or nonconformity with alter's expectations
for ego's role. The function of sanctions is twofold,
according to Parsons:
The sanctions will be rewards when they facilitate
the realization of the goals which are part of his
[ego's]* action or when they add further gratifi-
cations upon the completion of the action at certain
levels of proficiency; they will be punishments when
they hinder his [ego's] action or when they add
further deprivations during or after the execution
of the action.4

The alter actor also can influence the ego actor‘s

actions with "attitudes of approval or disapproval toward

 

 

ego's actions" in addition to alter's "supplementary

 

granting of gratification" for ego's conformity with

 

 

42Ibid., p. 191; "Sanctions is used here to indi—

cate both positive and negative responses by alter to
899's response; i.e., to ego's conformity with or devi—
ation from alter's expectations."

43Ibid.

'1:
Researcher's addition.

19

expectations or transcendence of them and alter's

"supplementary infliction of deprivations" for deficien—
44

 

 

cies.
Ego's actions will be a result of his understand-
ing of the expectations of relevant alters and his com-
pliance with or deviance from those expectations. Par—
sons calls ego's action "institutionalization" which is
an " . . . integration of the complementary role expec-
tation and sanction patterns with a generalized value
system common to the members of the more inclusive col—
lectivity."45 Ego's actions will be institutionalized
when, in a given situation, he " . . . does, and believes
he should do, what the other actors whom he confronts
believe he should do." These interactions are a result
of "value orientations" which "contain general standards
in accordance with which objects," ego the actor, “of
various classes are judged, evaluated, and classified
as worthy of various types of response of rewards and
punishments." This is the result of ego‘s compliance
with or deviance from the relevant alter‘s expectations

and the basis for alter's "positive or negative sanction."46

44Ibid.

. 45Ibid.; "A collectivity may be defined as the
integration of its members with a common value system."

4611616., p. 194.

20

The college or university as a "social organi-
zation" is formed by "patterns of social relationships"

which contain "hierarchical ordering of roles" directed

toward goals which are part of shared "value orientations.

47 involving the

The "system of interactive relationships"
alter (presidents) and the ego (assistants to the presi—
dent) provides a social system as conceptualized within
social science theory. In Parson‘s words: "Role expec-
tations bring into specific focus patterns of generalized
orientation. They sharpen the edges of commitments and
they impose further disciplines upon the individual."48
The focus, then, becomes the social interaction
which relates to ego's role. Stogdill supports the
study of functions and relationships which lead to
organizational clarification. According to Stogdill,
"we increase our understanding by demonstrating that
orderly and predictable interrelationships exist between
the elements of a system. Our task is that of discover—
ing systematic relationships."49
The role of assistant to the president as a base

unit of a social organization serves as the framework of

partial—system from which this study can be viewed.

;

47Ibid., p. 26.

48Ibid., p. 196.

49$togdill, 9p. cit., p. 96.

3

21

Parsons gives support for the use of this approach by
saying, "partial social systems, so long as their
relation to the society of which they are part is made
clear, are certainly legitimate objects of empirical

50 Parsons justifies the focus of study

investigation."
on the partial—system, or role, without the individual
as an entity, by saying, " . . . in the analysis of the
social system, particularly in its descriptive analysis,
we need be concerned only with the motivational orien—
tation toward the specific set of role—expectations

and toward the role itself-—and may tentatively dis-
regard the 'rootedness' and repercussions of this orien—
tation in the rest of the personality system of the
actors involved." Also, "the motivational prerequisites
of a social system, then, are the patterns made up of
the more elementary components of motivation—~those
which permit fulfillment to an 'adequate' degree of the
role expectations characteristic of the social system

in question."51

Definitions

 

Assistant to the President: An administrative

position which is not directly connected in the line

 

50Parsons, 9p. cit., p. 26 footnote.

SlIbid., pp. 196-97.

22

hierarchy of authority distribution within the organi*
zation of higher education defined as a senior college
or university; any person, regardless of title, with
administrative and/or academic rank who is directly
responsible to the president and whose duties, responsi-
bilities, and authorities are defined and delegated by
the president. Other major executive administrators,
faculty, and students are not directly responsible to
the assistant to the president except in situations
which are defined (functional authority) by the presi-
dent within the expertise of the incumbent assistant
(person performs other than secretarial or custodial

duties).52

Title Held by_Role Incumbent: The title held by

any person whose role is defined within the limits of the

 

52Morris, pp. 912.; Thomas R. Giddens, The Assis—
tant to the President——Who Is He? (Washington, D.C.:
American Council on Education, Educational Record, Fall,
1971); Robert H. Kany, "Results of a Questionnaire Study
Pertaining to the Position of Administrative Assistant
to the President in Selected New England Colleges and
Universities" (unpublished summary and data review,
Waterville, Maine, Colby College, 1969); Elmer R. John,
"Report on Study to Determine Feasibility of Position
of Administrative Assistant to the President" (unpublished
discussions and recommendations, Minneapolis, Minnesota:
Elmer R. John Associates, 1970); Michael 8. Shirley,
"A Study of the Assistants to the Presidents of the
Colleges and Universities in Illinois" (unpublished
Master's thesis, University of Illinois, 1971); Leo C.
Muller, "A Study of Some Essential Aspects of the Functions,
Qualifications, and Status of Coordinating Officers as Seen
by a Selected Group of College and University Presidents"
(unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Indiana University, 1963);

Phillips, 9p. cit.; Knezevich, 9p. cit.; Starkweather, 9p.
cit.

 

23

above description. Such title for the role could be
assistant to the president, administrative assistant,
vice president, or assistant to the president for a

specific function.53

Executive Administrative Officer: Any high—level

 

administration official who reports (directly or indirectly)
to the chief executive administrator (president or chan-

cellor) of the senior college or university.54

President or Chancellor: The chief executive

 

administrator who is responsible and accountable to a
board of trustees or governors for the governance or
management processes in support of the teaching, research,
and service functions of an academic organization which
consists of individuals ordered into administrative,

faculty, and student roles.55

 

53Morris, pp. cit.; Kany, 9p. cit.; Shirley, 9p.
cit.; Phillips, 9p. cit.

54Edward Warren Wheatley, "An Analysis of Recent
Ikavelopments in Managerial Technology and Their Applica—
Ixility to the Administration of Institutions of Higher
Ikiucation" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Ann Arbor
Nfixzhigan University Microfilm Order #69-17,688, The
Ffldorida State University, 1969); Millet, 9p, SEE:

55Gerald P. Burns, Administrators in Higher Edu—
ggtion: Their Functions and Coordination (New York:
Harper & Row, Publishers, 19627.

24

Administration*Governance—Management: The pro—

 

cesses of decision—making, programming, stimulating,
organizing, coordinating, and appraising in support of
the organizational functions of teaching, research, and

. 56
serv1ce.

Role Expectations: Statements judged to be

 

important for enactment of the role of assistant to the
president as expressed by selected role incumbents which
reflect his/her perception of what the president expects

of him/her.57

Action or Enactment of Expectations: Performance

 

or behavior in accordance with what the ego actor perv
ceives relevant other actors expect of his/her behavior

in a given role. Activity directed toward the fulfill—

ment of role expectations.58

Ideal Goal (ideal extent perceived): A measure

of perceived other‘s expectations for the role.59

 

 

56Ibid.

57Parsons, pp. cit.; Knezevich, pp. cit.; Gross,

et al., pp. cit.

58
pp. cit.
59Felix A. Nigro, Modern Public Administration

(New York: Harper and Row, 1965); Halpin, pp, cit.;
Parsons, pp, cit.; Lonsdale, pp. cit.; Knezevich, pp. cit.

Lonsdale, pp. cit.; Parsons, pp. cit. Knezevich,

 

25

Real Enactment (actual extentperceived): A
measure of acceptance of expectations and consequences

as legitimate.60

Index of Extent of Consistency: The relationship
between ideal extent and actual extent judgments of

expectations for the role.61

Size of the Institution: ‘Determined by the

 

number of students enrolled as listed in the American
College and University, the College Facts Chart, the
Yearbook of Higher Education, and the Education Directory,

1969-70 references.62

Institution of Higher Education: -An institution

 

offering educational programs above the level of secondary

school. The term includes both four—year and two—year

 

60 . . . .
Nigro, pp. Cit.; Halpin, pp. Cit.; Parsons, pp.
cit.; Lonsdale, pp, c1t.; Knezevich, pp. cit.

61Lonsdale, pp. cit.; Nigro, pp. cit.; Knezevich,

pp. cit.; Willard R. Lane, Ronald G. Corwin, and William
G. Monahan, Foundations of Educational Administratipp:
A Behavioral Analysis (New York: The MacMillan Co., 1967).

 

62American College and University-—l970, American
Council on Education, Washington, D.C.; College Facts
Chart--l970, National Beta Club, Spartanburg, S.C.; Year-
book of Higher Education-~1970, Academic Media, Orange,
N.J.; U.S., Department of Health, Education, and Welfare,
Education Directory--l969-7O (Washington, D.C.: Govern-
ment Printing Office, 1970).

 

 

 

 

 

26

institutions as identified in the American College and
University, College Facts Chart, and Yearbook of Higher

Education references.63

Senior College: -A four—year institution of
higher education offering programs leading to the

bachelor's degree.64

University: A four-year institution of higher

education which has as its purposes: (1) instruction--

 

undergraduate, graduate, and post graduate; (2) research--
discovery of new knowledge and new applications of pre-
sent knowledge; and (3) service—~providing instructional

I I I 65
and research resources for soc1etal application and use.

Public Institution of Higher Education: An insti-

tution which is financed primarily by city, county, or

state funds.66

 

63Burns, pp. cit.; Millet, pp. cit.

64College Facts Chart, pp. cit.; Education

Directory 1969-70, pp. cit.

 

 

65Ibid.

66Education Directory, 1969-70, pp. cit.; College
Facts Chart-~1970, pp. cit.

 

27

Private Institution of Higher Education: An
inestitution which is primarily financed by sources other

truan by city, county, or state funds.67

Percpption: Thought pattern or expression in

rtesponse to statements given in items on the question—

na ire . 68

Personal and Professional Characteristics: Those
:factors,such as age, family size and background, eXper-
:ience and education background which are perceived to be

eappropriate for role incumbency.69

Role Classification: The presidents were asked
to classify the role of assistant to the president by
type of role, relationship to other roles, and Eplp
definer, as well as to provide the title, name, and

address of the individual performing in that capacity.70

Type of Role: The classification by the president

of the role into types. These include (1) Holding

 

67Ibid.

68Stogdill, pp. cit.; Lonsdale, pp. cit.

9Morris, pp. cit.; Kany, pp. cit.; Shirley, pp.
cit.; Giddens, pp. cit.

70Starkweather, pp. cit.; Phillips, pp. cit.;
Morris, pp. cit.

 

28

position: "Storage," "Sinecure," or "Limbo" type of
role. In this position, a person may serve the organi-
zation through his reputation, personal/professional
Lxrestige, or contacts. This role may serve as a political
cxr professional reward to persons from within or outside
ch the organization. A holding position may be a non—
fiinctional arrangement which is not in the direct line
or? the primary operations of the organization and may pro—
\kide a place for an individual who is no longer productive
cu: effective because of changing goals, restructuring the
cxrganization, or increasing requirements which the per-
scnn has not adjusted to or compensated for. (2) Training
£5;sition: The primary purpose of this type of role is to
prxyvide opportunities for viewing the overall operations
arui for learning about the various aspects of executive
ethinistration processes and role enactment which will
Exarve as preparation for advancement to high—level execu—
'trve administrative positions at the same or within
anusther organization. (3) Career position: The role is
considered a permanent or long-term type without being

used primarily as a training or holding position.71

Authority Relationship (relationship to other

roles): The classification of the authority delegated

 

7lMorris, pp. cit.; Phillips, pp; cit.

w

29

to the role by the president. This classification

includes (1) Line relationship: A vertical dimension

 

or "chain of command" through which the basic functions
of the organization are achieved, and embodies the

hierarchy of delegation of authority and responsibility—-

 

 

line or channel of formal communication and decision—

making in the administrative structure; (2) Staff relation-

 

ship: A horizontal dimension which supplements the line

 

function in administration or advises the line administra-
tor, and calls upon the person in this role to perform
those tasks for which the line administrator lacks the

time, the knowledgp, or the skills; (3) Functional

 

 

relationship: A combination dimension of line authority

 

 

delegated to a staff person for a specific purpose within

 

a defined situation and within the expertise of the staff
72

 

 

member.

Source of Role Definition: The specification and

enactment of expectations may be: (1) defined by the

 

president with primary concern for the president‘s per—
sonal or official needs without giving consideration to
the strength or weakness of the incumbent's personal/

professional capabilities or prestige; (2) defined py

 

the president and the role incumbent giving due con—

sideration to the president's personal or official needs

72Starkweather, pp. cit.; R. L. Peabody, "Per-

ceptions of Organizational Authority," Administrative
SCience Quarterly, March, 1962.

 

30

and the incumbent's strength or weakness in personal/
professional capabilities and prestige; or, (3) defined

by the role incumbent with primary concern for the incum—

 

bent's personal/professional needs and expectations in
establishing prestige, power, and enactment of the role
with little or no concern for the president's personal/

official needs.73

Limitations

 

This study is limited by the weaknesses of the
questionnaire approach, which provides data from only
one source. Therefore, the full range of data pertain—
ing to the role of assistant to the president will not
be dealt with here. The data received from incumbents
by the researcher were used for analysis and hypothesis
testing. No attempt was made to determine the reasons
that particular alternative choices were made by the
respondents.

The design of this study does not provide con-
sideration for important variables relating to the indi—
vidual incumbent‘s need—disposition and morale, the
organization's task—fulfillment, climate, leadership
behavior, or the role as a total social system with
reciprocal expectations, concurrent roles, and inter-

relationships with reference groups.

73Parsons, pp. cit.; Lane, pp. cit., Morris, op.

; Knezevich, pp. cit.; McFarland, pp. cit., Phillips,
. cit.

fi

(1-

i

O

I

I8

 

 

 

31

Assumptions

Independence of measures is met by restricting
tJJe data to include only one assistant to the president
from each institution .

Incumbents have the knowledge necessary to
rwespond and have been straightforward in responding to
‘tlie statements presented.

A multivariate normal distribution of dependent

Ineuasures is provided for in the study's design.

Overview

In Chapter II, the pertinent literature is
Ixaviewed. A framework for the design, methodology, and
procedures of the study is presented in Chapter III, pro-
‘vixiing the basis for understanding the development,
achninistration, and analysis used in the study. An
arualysis of the results is presented in Chapter IV.
1N summary of the study, discussion of the findings,

and.recommendations for further research are found

in Chapter V.

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RESEARCH AND LITERATURE

The research and literature related to the role
(If assistant to the president are limited by the small
qiiantity of study and the limited basis of theoretical
pnerspective. According to McConnell:

So little research has been done on how colleges
and universities are organized and administered that
it is fair to say, in fact, that the field has not
been touched.

Furthermore, the conceptual framework does not
exist, . . . , either for thinking systematically
about college organization and administration or for
drawing a coherent set of hypothesis for investi-
gation. Most references to higher education in
books and articles on the general theory of organi—
zation are little more than casual asides. At times
these references point out that colleges and uni-
versities are outside the general class of organi—
zations found in business and government.74

A central reason, according to Doi, that research
on administration is so limited relates to official burdens
and reluctance to participate. He says, "college and
university administrators still remain untouchable as

objects for systematic research on role perception and

E

74T. R. McConnell, A General Pattern for American

Public Higher Education (New York: McGraw—Hill, 1962).

32

33

conflict, personality characteristics, value orientation,

status—seeking behavior, and identification with insti—

tution."75

In the following review, a perspective is

developed concerning the position of assistant to the

president as an "administrative support role,"76

77 "personal assistant,"78 and "coordinat—

80

"general

staff officer,"
ing officer"79 among other titles.

The purpose of this study as indicated in
Chapter I, is to determine the variance in competen-
cies, responsibilities, relationships, opportunities for
personal/professional growth and characteristics which
are related to differences in student enrollment

size and sources of finance.

 

75James I. Doi, "Organization and Administration,

Finance and Facilities," Review of Educational Research,
Higher Education, XXXV, No. 4 (Washington, D.C.: American
Educational Research Association, October, 1965), 352.

76Morris, pp. cit.; Millet, pp. cit.
77 . . .
Phillips, pp. Cit.
78Ibid.
79

Muller, pp. cit.

80Morris, pp. cit.; Phillips, pp. cit.; Giddens,
9p. cit.; Kany, pp. cit.; Shirley, pp. cit.

34

In the first part of this review, research and
literature concerning the role of assistant to the presi—
dent at senior institutions of higher education are

reviewed in depth. The second part relates research,
literature, and theoretical perspectives, followed

by a discussion of implications of the research

and literature for this study.

Research and Literature Concerning the
Role of Assistant to the President

 

 

Morris investigated the duties, internship aspects
and personal/professional data related to the role of
administrative assistant to the president as perceived
by presidents of senior colleges and universities through—
out the United States. A pilot test, on a small sample
of the pOpulation, of items developed from the literature
was made for validity and consistency of response. The
final data collection questionnaires were sent to 1,102
senior colleges and universities identified by enrollment
size as small, 1—l,000; medium, 1,000-5,000; large,
5,000-above, and (by source of finance) public and pri—
vate type of institution. A return of 751 questionnaires,
of which 347 were usable for chi—square analysis on each
of 76 items, was recorded. Presidents were asked to
respond to questions in relation to the role of one
person on their staff whom they considered as holding
the position of their administrative assistant.

Morris concluded from his data and analysis:

35

1. Administrative assistants were given little
decision-making power, few tasks of great
responsibility; they performed routine tasks
requiring little or no authority.

2. Presidents of medium-sized public institutions
used the position more effectively and realisti-
cally.

3. Presidents, generally, recognized the importance
of the role for training and preparation of
administrators.

4. Presidents of public institutions viewed the
position as a stepping stone; presidents of
private institutions considered the position
to be a career job.

5. The qualifications considered to be most important
were positive personality traits, sound academic
and professional credentials.

6. Large public institutions use three to five vice
presidents to serve the same functions served by
this role.

7. Assistant—to the president is the most popular
title. ,

8. Internship aspects of the position are known and
when used are informal.

9. Presidents view tenure to be brief for indi-
viduals in this role.

10. Presidents, generally, consider the position to
be relatively important.8

Morris's method of sending his questionnaire to all presi-
dents without knowing whether or not the position existed
leaves open the questions about how many incumbents exist
and what is the actual number of presidents with adminis—
trative assistants. The use of one position title with—
out providing a definition of that role also limited
identification of the true population. These

restrictions did not allow consideration of dispro—
portionate response related to size and source of

finance. In his review of the literature,Morris said:

 

lMorris, pp. cit.

*

36

"Every president has one person on his administrative
staff whom he deems his administrative assistant (accord-
ing to Matthews82) ‘He may or may not bear that title.'"
Though variations were found and considered significant,
the question of whether the findings reflected more than
chance results must be raised, considering the fact the
tests were made on seventy-six items individually over
eight categories.83

Giddens surveyed 45 of 225 assistants to the

presidents in 1970, identified in the 1969-70 Education

Directory, to determine the kinds of educational insti-

 

tutions; the personal, educational, and other character-
istics; and the functions of persons in this position.

He found that numerous titles were held in addition to
the title of assistant to the president. Respondents
were asked to rank-order twelve functions. The composite
order by response frequency was (1) advise the president,
(2) research services, (3) planning, (4) communications,
(5) liaison with government units, (6) public relations,
(7) student coordination, (8) liaison with board of
trustees, (9) special projects, (10) fund raising and

development, (11) academic teacher, and (12) legal

 

82J. C. Matthews, former president of North Texas
State University, personal interview with and reported
by Morris, 1969, p. 33.

83Ibid.

 

37

services. He found that respondents spent the majority
of their time with administrators, faculty, and students

in that order.84

Giddens' survey did not develop a
theoretical base for hypothesis testing. Instead, he
collected facts about the position.

Kany investigated senior and junior colleges in
New England to determine how many institutions had incum—
bent assistants to the president and to obtain a profile
of the individual and what he did in that position. He
found that 55 senior colleges reported having incumbents.
Of the 55 institutions, 15 were public and 40 were private,
with an average student enrollment of 3,430. The titles
most frequently used were assistant to the president and
administrative assistant to the president. The position
was reported to be full—time staff, administration, or
a combination authority relationship. No attempt was
made to test theoretical relationships.85

In a study to determine the feasibility of the
position of administrative assistant to the president for
a small Midwestern college, Elmer R. John Associates
interviewed, in depth, all top administrative officers

of the college. The purpose of the investigation was

exploratory and not based on a theoretical premise. The

 

84Giddens, pp. cit.

85Kany, pp. cit.

 

38

authors found the need for improved communications and
for interaction opportunities regarding goals, plans, and
eXpectations for each administrative position, in addition
to the need for clarification of the college management
practices, processes, plans, and objectives which affect
all members of the institution. The authors concluded
that the creation and use of an administrative assistant
to the president could serve to improve "relationships,"
"communications," and "management responsibilities" by
relieving the "overload" on the president and by facili—
tating interaction and communications. To avoid cont
fusion or misunderstanding, the authors recommended that
the "responsibilities," "accountabilities," "relation—
ships," and "duties" be spelled out clearly for all
administrative officers. The authors suggested that
incumbents should possess "flexibility“ in their
approach to management practices and procedures; they
should be "familiar" with and have demonstrated success
in management processes; and, his or her personality
should facilitate inter-departmental coordination. The
authors recommended that stringent examination should be
made of administrative behavior using extensive interv
views, observations, and time logs to determine actual
performance from which standards and priorities could

be established for each "key" position.86

 

86John, pp. cit.

 

 

 

_ .

39

In a field study of the position of assistant
to the president in Illinois colleges and universities,
Shirley sought to determine the numbers of presidents
with assistants and to develop a profile of role incum—
bents. Based on the responses provided by twenty—seven
of twenty—nine identified incumbents, he analyzed the
data according to type of institution: universities,
four-year colleges, and two-year colleges. Seven out
of 10 universities with assistants were found to have
over 10,000 students and 7 out of 11 four—year colleges
with assistants were found to have less than 1,000 stu—
dents. Assistants, reportedly, spent most of their time
with general administrative functions, conferences,
and educational meetings; their working relationships
involved administrators, faculty, and students; and
incumbents generally regard the position as a "stepping
stone" in their career.87

Muller surveyed the functions, qualifications,
and status of coordinating officers as perceived by
selected college and university presidents. The position
as identified was similar to the role of assistant to the
President and was found to be involved with alumni and
public relations, fund—raising, internal communications,

and information services. Analysis was made of 117 items

N

87Shirley, pp. cit.

 

 

 

 

40

in a questionnaire with percentages of the president‘s
rankings indicating consensus.88
Phillips investigated the assistant to the
president position and role incumbent in a business
setting as perceived by executives other than the
president and his assistant to. He used chi—square

and standard t-test to determine the significance of

variation in response to questions about definition

 

and use of the position, reasons for its creation, and
opportunities for training. He concluded that organi-
zation size was related to the nature of and appearance
of the role. In summary, Phillips found:

1. The position exists but not at all levels or

in all organization types.
2. The duties vary and the position may not be

permanent.

3. Information about the position is superficial
and limited by discipline.

4. The position is functional or dysfunctional

depending on: the incumbent, duties assigned,
clarity of role specification and amounts of
interaction with other organization members.

5. Because of the position's proximity to the
president and the president's actions, it may
significantly influence other members—~the
assistant to may be viewed as powerful or
influencial resulting in beneficial or negative
outcomes depending on overall outcomes.

6. The personal characteristics and behavior of
the incumbent have greater impact on unfavorable/
favorable reaction of executives other than
presidents.

88Muller, pp. cit.

41

7. Presidential problems with interpersonal
relations, executive load, communications and
need for specialized help were primary reasons
for creation of the position of assistant to
the president.89

Related Research, Literature and
Theoretical Perspectives

 

An explanation of behavior in an organization
setting has been developed by Argyris. He defines an
organization as " . . . an intricate human strategy
designed to achieve certain objectives." The organi-
zation is a "behavioral system" with "four different,
but interrelated subsystems." In the organization,
behavior results from "1) formal organization demands,

2) demands of informal activities, 3) individual attempts
to fulfill idiosyncratic needs; and 4) a unique patterning
of above elements for each organization."90

Actual performance or behavior in the role of
assistant to the president, Sarbin concludes, is
influenced by (l) the validity of the incumbents' role
perceptions, (2) the incumbents' skills in enacting role,
and (3) the influence of cognitive structure on per-

ception and enactment of role.91

 

89Phillips, pp. cit.

90Chris Argyris, Understanding Organizational
Behavior (Homewood, Ill.: Dorsey Press, 1960), pp. 17-26.

91Theodore R. Sarbin, "Role Theory," in Handbook
of Social Psychology, I Theory and Method, chap. Vi, ed.
by Gardner Lindzey (Reading, Mass.: Addison-Wesley Pub-
lishing Co., 1954), quoted in Lonsdale, p. 151.

 

 

42

Beynon used a role model as part of his study of
tMeereferent groups to a school system in his study of

nfleexpectations for the position of school superin-

umdmma Use of a model to obtain a perspective of role

bliu;context is supported by Parsons as discussed

eanfier. Many studies have served to collect information

abmnzparticular positions. The emphasis should be

plmxm.on the collection of data or facts for more than

descriptive purposes . 92

Following is a model, Figure l, which includes

‘Ufierole of assistant to the president as considered in
Tins study. The model includes:

The manifest role of assistant to the president

which is defined by expectations perceived by

the incumbent

and

The reference roles of: president, other adminis-

trators, faculty, students, special interest

groups, alumni, government agencies,

 

92Robert Paul Beynon, "Role Theory: Its Impli-
cations for School Administration" (unpublished disser—
tation, Ohio State University, 1965, Microfilm Ord.
#65—13, 202); Talcott Parsons and Edward A. Shils,
sonality as a System of Action," in Toward a General
Theory of Action, ed. by Talcott Parsons and Edward A.
Shils (New York & Evanston: Harper & Row, Publishers,

Inc. , 1965), pp. 114-15.

"Per-

 

 

43

   
      
  
     
     
 
   
   
 
  

Subordinate

Assistant to the President
Role Expectations:

  

-—Competencies
--Responsibilities
--Relationships
—-Opportunities
--Characteristics

ROLE SECTOR
EGO

 

MANIFEST ROLE

Reference Roles: Other Administrators, Faculty, Students,
Special interest groups, Government agencies, communications
media, Accrediting Associations, Professional Associations,
Alumni, Board_and General Public.

FiSure 1.--Social System Mode1--Assistant to the President
Role Sector

 

 

44

communications media, accrediting associations,
professional associations, board of control and

general public
as part of the social system

the role sector
the unit

the organization
the society

the culture

 

The responses received as data for this study reflect the
incumbents‘ perceptions of competencies, responsibilities,
relationships, opportunities, and characteristics as
specified by the items on the questionnaire.

In support of promoting the purpose of adminis—
trative evaluation and specification, Perry suggests
that: "Current interest in executive administration
in public institutions of higher education tends to be
centered in an analysis of the behavior necessary for
effective performance and the functions and responsibil—
ities which are identified with the executive adminis—

trative officers."93

 

93Richard Russell Perry, "Appraisal of Criteria
for Evaluation of Executive Administrative Performance
in Public Higher Education" (The University of Toledo,
1964, Microfilm Ord. #65—1694).

 

45

Halpin maintains that " . . . separation of the
description of what the leader does from the evaluation
of the effectiveness of what he does is of signal
importance." It is important to note that the standards
of performance and description of an incumbent's per-
formance may or may not be the same. " . . . this dis—
tinction also reveals pertinence of two related questions
about the leader‘s behavior: ‘as described by whom?‘
and ‘as evaluated by whom?‘" According to Halpin, "It
is through his perceptions of the task that the leader
defines the organization's problems." Decisions related
to appropriate courses of action are related to the
leader's perceptions.94

Halpin suggests that perceptions may be obtained
by questionnaires and/or interviews,yet cautions " . .
that what a man verbalizes as his perception of the
task is not necessarily concordant with the evidence of
his overt behavior." He recommends,"the best way to
break this barrier is to insist that the problem (that
is the administrator's perception of the task) be stated
exclusively in behavioral terms."95 By obtaining the

incumbents' perceptions of role tasks (criteria state-

ments) the purpose and nature of a position can be

 

94Halpin, pp. cit., p. 42.

95Ibid., p. 46.

 

46

specified and clarified. In Halpin‘s words, " . . . the

administrator‘s perception of the task . . . defines the

problem, and his behavior both as a decision-maker and

as a group leader is inexorably mediated through his per—

"96 Through an analysis of responses representing

ception.
an incumbent‘s perception of his tasks, a description
of the problem (job content and functions) and an

estimation of the incumbent‘s performance in his role

can be made.

 

Henderson views the modern-day administration of

higher education as a complex organization which is a
result of presidential delegation and transfer of
responsibility to a system of administrative roles.
He believes that college administrators often are poorly
prepared for their positions and that a major cause
probably is the inadequate definition of administrative
roles. Also, he suggests that major weaknesses in
administrative practice relate to:

l. speedy and ineffective decision making;

2. poor organization;

3. delegation of responsibility and the commensurate

authority; 97
4. communication.

 

96Ibid., p. 47.

97Algo Henderson, Policies and Practices in
Higher Education (New York: Harper and Row, 1960i)
pp. 237-51.

47

In order to remedy administrative inadequacies,

Hungate stresses the need for constant and meaningful

evaluation of all roles, functions, and structures.98

In his study to determine whether job evaluation
techniques can be applied to the classification of
administrative positions in public education, Hoover
contended that:

The first step in the job evaluation process is to
gather all the facts concerning each job in the
organization. This process is called job analysis.
Job analysis is defined as "the process of determin-
ing, by observation, interview, and study, and of
reporting the significant worker activities and
requirements and the technical and environmental
factors of a specific job." Job analysis seeks

to gather factual information on what the worker
does; how he does it; and the skills, training,

and experience he must have had in order to per-
form the work.99

 

He listed examples of benefits which may result from job
evaluation:

1. As an aid to management in the clarification of
a) lines of authority
b) function
c) responsibility

2. As an aid to other personnel functions such as
a) recruitment, selection, and placement
b) promotion and transfer
0) inservice trainingloo

 

98Thad L. Hungate, Management in Higher Education
(New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, 1964),
pp. 183-204.

99William S. Hoover, "Job Evaluation Techniques
Applied to the Classification of Administrative Positions
in Public Education" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation,
Columbia University, 1971).

looIbid., pp. 13-14.

48

He suggested that the limitations of job evaluation include
a false sense of objectivity and an assumption of job
evaluation which is independent of the incumbent in the
job, which ignores the effect of the evaluator's sub—
jective judgment and the incumbent's personal influence
in shaping the job by style and choices.lOl Hoover found
that job evaluation techniques can be used in the classifi—
cation of administrative positions in public education,
but raises the question of "how well" it serves the pur-
pose.102
In reference to the nature of higher education
organizations, Burns suggests, "The size and complexity
of the institution are the major determinants of organi—
zation." He continues, " . . . it is significant that
the elements of similarity in the organization of colleges
and universities are greater than those of dissimilarity.
Furthermore, the trend is toward greater uniformity,
regardless of the size or nature of the institution."103
Changes in the nature and purpose of an organi—
zation serve to provide both effective and dysfunctional
consequences for goal attainment. Presthus concludes:
As organizations increase in size and complexity,

members must begin to specialize. Such division
of labor has both advantages and disadvantages. On

 

1011bid., pp. 14—15. loZIbid., p. 119.

103Burns, pp. cit., p. 53.

 

49

the one hand, the technical quality of the work
improves. On the other hand, interpersonal
relationships deteriorate; so also does the sense
of identification with the organization.104

In his sociological study of the growth of
administration in higher education organizations,
Richards examined the relationship between growth in
organization size and administration. He concludes
from a review of pertinent literature:

Several writers have explained the apparent inverse
relationship between administrative and organi—
zational growth as a result of differential role
functions of administrators in large groups as
opposed to small ones. That is, although the same
office exists in both large and small firms, more
activities of a non—administrative nature are per—
formed by officers in small firms than in large
ones. In smaller firms, such officials are being
"underused" as administrators and are probably
performing a number of non-administrative functions,
as Boland (1966, pp. 177—79) and Haas, Hall and
Johnson (1963, p. 16) have pointed out. As Baker
and Davis (1954, p. 50) note, regardless of size, a
firm may have but one president, one comptroller,
etc. But as the organizations grow, both Despelder
(1962, pp. 40-42) and Boland (1966, pp. 179-81) con—
tend that people added take over non-administrative
tasks previously performed by officials, who now
simply spend an increasing amount of their time in
specifically administrative duties. The point is
that the added administrative work of supervising
more employees need not require additional adminis-
trators; administration simply becomes a more
specialized function.105

 

104Presthus, pp. cit., p. 29.

105Robert O. Richards, "The Growth of Adminis—
tration Within Universities and Colleges“ (unpublished
Ph.D. dissertation, Michigan State University, 1969),
p. 43. Richards cited: W. Boland, "American Insti—
tutions of Higher Education: A Study of Size and
Organization" (unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Uni-
versity of Michigan, 1966); E. Haas, R. Y. Hall, and

 

50

Richards found a reduction in the ratio of administration
size to organization size as organizational size
increased, in addition to a parallel relationship to
changes in complexity (the number of departments) and

to type of institution (public, private, etc.), as
determined by longitudinal analysis and cross—sectional
data.106

Changes in delegation and divisions of labor have

been found to occur in relation to organizational size

 

in the related areas of educational administration. In
a report on a study of the administrative team, the
authors concluded:

When the school system becomes too large for the
superintendent to perform all of the functions
effectively as a one—man executive, a position of
assistant superintendent often is created. It may
be decided that the assistant will be a generalist
rather than a specialist in a given area.

The title of the position varies, ranging from
administrative assistant or assistant for adminis—
trative services to deputy, associate or assistant
superintendent. The general administrator‘s chief

 

N. J. Johnson, "The Size of the Supportive Component in
Organizations; A Multi-Organization Analysis," Social
Forces, XLII (1963), 9-17; A. W. Baker and R. C. Davis,
"Ratio of Staff to Line Employees and Stages of Dif-
ferentiation of Staff Function," Monograph No. 72
(Columbus: Bureau of Business Research, College of
Commerce and Administration, The Ohio State University,
1954); B. E. Despelder, "Ratios of Staff to Line Person-
nel," Monograph No. 106 (Columbus: Bureau of Business
Research, College of Commerce and Administration, The
Ohio State University, 1962).

 

 

106Ibid.

51

function is to assist the superintendent in the
coordination of administration services. In fact,
he is the superintendent‘s alter ego, his stand—in
when necessary, and his delegated representative
on many occasions. Change in title or reclassifi—
cation is usually a result of tenure in a position,
a way to recognize satisfactory or outstanding
service, or a means of granting salary increments.
Normal progression in advancement is usually from
administrative assistant to deputy superintendent.
The general administrator's duties, title, and
advancement up the leadership ladder vary widely
among school systems. These factors may be 107
altered also when the superintendency changes.

The authors, guided by George Redfern, recommended that
changes be made in the pursuit of clarification and
specification of understandings, by saying:

Suggestions for change in the assistant superinten—

dency do not involve reducing the scope of the

position. Rather, they involve defining jobs more

precisely, stipulating limits of responsibility

and authority, clarifying working relationships,

providing for more systematic and comprehensive

inservice growth opportunities, instituting closer

supervisory assistance, and reinforcing support

of the position of assistant superintendent.108

Ayers and Russell reported their identification

of functions and responsibilities of executive-administra-
tive officers in higher education institutions. The
extent of delegation of job content was found to be
related to organizational size and changes in content

and numbers of positions the authors suggest raises the

need for concern about the institution's effective

 

107American Association of School Administrators,
Profiles of the Administrative Team (washington, D.C.:
AASA, 1971), pp. 29-30. WW

 

1°8Tb16., p. 44.

52

achievement of goals and purposes. They say that:
"Increases in enrollment in these institutions (of
higher education) result in complex administrative
organization which require attention to effective
administration."109
Bishop, in his study of the use of delegation of

authority as a device in a federal field agency, pro—
posed that the need for concern about effective adminis—
tration is equally important in public administration.
He says:

As public organizations have become larger and more

complex, it has become necessary to delegate

authority in order to achieve effective accomplish-

ment of the organization‘s objectives. The extent

or refinement of delegation, the amount of freedom

to act independently delegated to subordinates, the

degree to which central control is retained, and

their effects on organizations have become very

important.110

According to Carlson, incumbent administrators

require specific characteristics and qualifications which
are appropriate to performance in their position. In his

words, "The administrator needs a high level of general

knowledge, conceptual ability, leadership skills and

 

109Archie R. Ayers and John H. Russell, Or ani—
zation and Administration of Institutions of Higher
Education—~InternaIStructuréiThroughout the United
States (Department of Health, Education and Welfare,
Office of Education, Bulletin 1962, No. 9), p. 6.

 

110Edward C. Bishop, "The Role of the Delegation
of Authority Process in Efficient Administration" (unpub—
lished Ph.D. dissertation, New York University, 1963).

53

technical skills." This conclusion agreed with results
of the administrative studies made by Katz.lll

Patton, et al., recommend that a position
description for an executive should identify " . . .
basic functions, responsibilities, authority, principal
relationships and specific qualifications . . . " for
the position being considered.112

Peabody suggests that " . . . four analytic types
of authority relations: authority of legitimacy, of
position, of competence and of person . . . " exist in
an authority structure. Interaction between superiors
and subordinates contain elements of all four types of
authority.113

In reference to official standards of performance
for job duties and responsibilities which are specified in

writing for a position, Lane et a1. contend that: . . .

these standards are never completely fulfilled, the

 

111Richard O. Carlson, "Common Learnings for All
Administrators," in Preparation Programs for School
Administrators: Common and SpecialiZed Learnings, ed. by
Donald J. Leu and Herbert C. Rudman (East Lansing, Mich.:
Michigan State University, 1963), Ch. 2, pp. 24—33;
Robert L. Katz, "Skills of an Effective Administrator,"
in Developing Executive Leaders, ed. by Edward C. Bursk
and Timothy B. Blodgett (Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard Uni—
versity Press, 1971), pp. 55-64.

 

 

 

112John A. Patton, C. L. Littlefield, and Stanley
Allen Self, Job Evaluation: Text and Cases (Homewood,
Ill.: Richard D. Irwin, Inc., 1964), p. 174.

 

113Peabody, pp. cit., pp. 461-82.

54

belief that they should be fulfilled creates official
pangs of conscience when performance falls below the

ideal."114

The comparison of "what is" (role description/
enactment) with what "ought to be" (role perception/
expectation) is a measure of morale. In Lane‘s words:
"The maintenance of a sense of personal worth, relative
satisfaction within the task environment, and meaningful
interpretation of the relationship between personal goals
and organizational purposes constitute the significant
dimensions of morale."115
In describing morale,Lonsdale states, " . . . it
is a measure of effectiveness in role enactment, of con—
gruence between role perceptions and role expectations,
and of congruence between role expectations and need—
dispositions."116
Discrepencies between role enactment and role
expectations may be an estimate of dysfunctional conse—
quences and ineffectiveness.117

Nigro alludes to another source of dysfunction,

reduced morale or ineffectiveness, in his discussion of

 

114Lane, et al., pp. cit., p. 302.

llSIbid.

116Lonsdale, pp. cit., p. 166.

ll7Knezevich, pp. cit., pp. 57-58.

55

difference between the formal organization with its
prescription of what interpersonal relationships "ought
to be" as compared to the informal organization with its
prescription of what interpersonal relationships "actually
are." The closer "what is" matches what “ought to be,"
the less chance for ineffective attainment of the insti—
tution's task-achievement.118
In an effort to develop "appraisal criteria for
evaluation of executive administrative performance,"
Perry concludes that "current interest in executive
administration in public institutions of higher edu—
cation tends to be centered in an analysis of the
behavior necessary for effective performance and the
functions and responsibilities which are identified with
the executive administrative officers."119
A basic need has been described for the field of
administration of higher education as the necessity to
develop insights and understandings about the nature and
use of various leadership and/or administration positions
with the specification of expectations for qualifications,
expected behaviors, and relationships related to those

positions.120

 

118Nigro, pp. cit., pp. 152-53.

119Perry, pp. cit., p. 17.

lzoMillet, pp. cit., pp. 182—83, 187.

56

Ferrari found that 2 per cent of 750 respondents
in his study of American college presidents were in the
position of assistant to the president prior to assuming

the presidency.121

Discussion of Research and Literature
With Implications for this Study

 

 

Elements of Role

 

Anticipations for actions which are created for

or by individuals are called role expectations. These

 

expectations serve as standards of performance and
represent those behaviors whiCh ought to be (ideal)

displayed by the role incumbent (assistant to the

president) in role enactment.122

In order to reduce tensions/conflict/distortions

and inefficiencies, expectations should be specified and

communicated.123

Role expectations represent the formal organi—

zation's requirements.124

 

121Michael Ferrari, Profiles of American College
Presidents (East Lansing: MiChigan State University
Business Studies, 1970).

 

 

122Parsons and Shils, pp. cit.

123McFarland, pp. cit.; Likert, pp. cit.; Stark—
weather, pp. cit.; Moss, et al., pp. cit.

124Halpin, pp. cit.; Lane, et al., pp. cit.

 

57

Role enactment/description represents what the
incumbent actually does. The incumbents‘ behavior, as
described, reflect the informal organization‘s require-
ments or actual performance (what is).125

The incumbent‘s satisfaction and effectiveness
relate to clarification of actual behaviors.126

Behavior is influenced by validity of perception,
skills of enactment, and the influence of cognitive
structure on perception and enactment.127

What an incumbent thinks he is expected to do

makes up his role perception or interpretation of role

 

expectations held by significant alters (presidents).
Role perceptions are the incumbent's estimates of the
formal organization's stated requirements.128
Comparison of role description responses (actual)
with role perception responses (ideal) may serve to
indicate dysfunctions, conflict, and morale reflected

by significant variations in relationship. These

variations between actual and ideal judgments provide

 

5Nigro, pp. cit.; Lane, et al., pp. cit.;
Beynon, pp. cit.; Perry, pp. cit.

126Stogdill, pp. cit.

 

127Sarbin, pp. cit.

128Lonsdale: 0 ~ SEE-7 Stogdill’ op. Cit‘;

Nigro, pp. cit.; Halpin, pp. cit.; KnezeviEh, pp. cit.

58

an estimate of ineffectiveness in performance, of tension
between roles, and of the incumbent‘s loss in sense of
identification.129
Changes in organization size and complexity can
be expected to bring about similar changes in the needs
for specialization and division of labor. As size
increases, administrative activity increases and the

130

numbers of specialized roles increase. The need for

specialization results in an inherent tension between
roles.131

Size increases relate directly to changes in
relevant role classifications, authorities, responsi-
bilities, and skills perceived for each position.132
Though executive burdens, communications, and the need
for specialized roles are considered important, the

incumbent‘s characteristics and behaviors were signifi—

cantly related to variations in the nature and use of

 

129Lane, et al., pp. cit.; Stogdill, pp. cit.;

Lonsdale, pp. cit.; Indik, pp. cit.; Starkweather pp.
cit.; Knezevich, pp. cit.; Argyris, pp. cit.

130Millet, 92. cit.; Kroepsch: 9P.- Lit" Shirley'
pp. cit.

131Indik, pp. cit.

132Knezevich, pp. cit.; Richards, pp. cit.; AASA,
pp. cit.; Ayers & Russe 1, pp. cit.; Bishop, pp. cit.

59

the position, assistant to the president, and in organi—
zation size differences.133

Increases in size and complexity result in
improved technical quality of work while at the same
time a loss of identification with the organization
occurs for the incumbent.134 The trend toward greater
similarity rather than dissimilarity in organization
irrespective of size or nature of the institution135
may or may not apply to the use of the assistant to the
president position in higher education. The position,
assistant to the president, can be expected to differ

between PUbliC and private institutions.136

Dependent Variable: Competencies

 

What compptencies/skills are needed (ideal/ought to
be) and are possessed (what is/actual) by the

assistant to?

 

 

133Phillips, pp. cit.; Morris, pp. cit.

134Presthus, pp. cit.

135Burns, pp. cit.

136Shirley, pp. cit.; Muller, pp. cit.; Morris,
pp. cit.; Giddens, pp. Cit.; Kany, pp. cit.

60

An effective administrator needs to possess

technical, human, and conceptual dimensions of skills,137

as well as cognitive and enactment skills.138
Since individuals vary in skills possessed, it is
important to identify requirements for the position and
skills possessed by incumbents to provide effective/
efficient use of human resources in the attainment of an
organization‘s task—achievement.139
An estimate of satisfaction, effectiveness, and
conflict may be obtained through determination of the
relationship between actual and ideal competencies.140
Competencies in research and investigation methods and
techniques; program planning and development; written
and oral communications; technological developments and
their applications to education; business and fiscal
operations and procedures; liaison and public relations

service; student personnel services; decision—making and

policy implementation; resource development; and,

 

137Robert L. Katz, "Skills of an Effective Admin—
istrator," in Developing Executive Leadegp. ed. by
Edward C. Bursk and Timothy B. Blodgettv(Cambridge,
Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1971).

 

138Sarbin, pp. cit.

139Knezevich, pp. cit.

140Lane, et al., pp. cit.

61

fiscal operations; work with student personnel services
and related student activities; work with program plan—
ning, development, and evaluation; and, work with policy
development, implementation, articulation, and evaluation
are appropriate for the assistant to the president

. . 141
pOSition.

Dependent Variable: Responsi-
bilities ’

 

What duties/responsibilities should exist (ideal/
ought to be) and actually exist (what is/actual) for

the assistant to position?

A basis for the clarification of understanding
may be obtained through the identification of responsi—
bilities for each position. Interrelationships may be
facilitated by determining a basis for the delegation
or distribution of tasks in the organization.142

An estimate of satisfaction, effectiveness, and
conflict may be obtained by determining the relationship

between perceptions of actual/ideal responsibilities.143

 

 

141Morris, pp. cit.; Giddens, pp. cit.; John,
pp. cit.; Shirley, pp. cit.; Muller, pp. Cit.; Phillips,
pp. Cit.; Hungate, pp. Cit.; Hoover, pp. CIE.; Perry,
pp. Cit.

l42Knezevich, pp. cit.

143

Lane, et al., pp. Cit.

——

62

Responsibilities, such as to consult with and
advise the president; serve as secretary to the adminis—
trative team, schedule meetings, prepare required infor-
mation, facilitate interaction and communication; prepare
and review written communications; work on special pro-
jects and problems; work with public relations and
resource development; work with personnel management and
related faculty/staff relations/work with business and
political and social insights and understandings, are

aPPrOpriate for the position,l44

Dependent Variable: Relationships
What relationships should be maintained (ought to be/
ideal) and actually are maintained (actual/what is)
for the position assistant to?
Clarification of relationships may facilitate

improved communication patterns and provide a basis for

delegation.145

An estimate of satisfaction, effectiveness, and

conflict may be obtained by determining the extent of

relationship between actual/ideal relationships.146

144

Morris, 0 cit.; Giddens, o . cit.; John, pp.

3 Shirley, pp. 1t.; Muller, pp. Cit.; Phillips, pp.
Cit.; Hungate, pp. Ci ; Hoover, pp. cit.; Perry, pp. cit.

“In:

IEI

145Knezevich, pp. cit.; Millet, pp. cit.

146Lane, et al., pp. cit.

 

 

63

Relationships with governmental units/agencies;
alumni groups; special interest groups; board of trustees/
regents; professional association representatives; insti-
tutional associations or accrediting agencies; adminis-
trators from your institution, other than your president;
faculty groups; student groups; and, communication's media
groups are appropriate for the position of assistant to

the president.

Dependent Variable: Opportunities

 

What oppprtunities for personal/professional growth

 

and development are available in the position (what is)?

 

Variance will be found in the responses to type
of position, authority, status, and source of role defi—
nition. Public institutions will use the position difs
ferently than private institutions. Presidents will
differ from incumbents in classifying the role.147 A com-
parison of presidents‘ responses with incumbents‘ clas—
sification will serve as an estimate of conflict or
ineffectiveness.148

The following statements of opportunitieSv~the
position provides new working opportunities which may

help the individual to become a more capable incumbent;

in the absence of the president, the position provides

147Millet, pp. cit.; Starkweather, pp. Cit-i

Knezevich, pp. cit.; Bennet, pp. cit.; Morris, pp. cit.;
Phillips, pp. cit.

148Parsons and Shils, pp. Cit.

64

for the incumbent to make decisions the president would
make if present; the position provides for the special
needs, requirements, or conditions of either or both the
individual incumbent or the institution. The existence
and functions of the position fluctuate according to the
needs of the president, the incumbent, or the institution;
the position provides Opportunities for observing and
participating in the overall operations and administra—
tive processes of the institution providing experiences
which serve to prepare the incumbent for advancement to
higher level executive administrative positions at the

same or another institution;149

the position provides
service on a permanent or long-term basis without being
used primarily as a training or a holding position; the
position is assigned functions in areas in which the
incumbent is inexperienced; the president provides close
personal supervision in the functions expected of the
incumbent; the position falls within the vertical
dimension or "chain of comman " through which the basic
functions of the institution are achieved;150 the

position falls within the horizontal dimension which

supplements the line functions in administration and

 

VT. fiv

149Shirley, pp. Cit.

150Starkweather, pp. cit.; Bennet, pp. cit.;

Kany, pp. Cit.

65

151

counsels or advises the line administrator; the

position has staff status and acquires authority when

the president delegates line authority for a special

project or problem within the expertise of the incumbent;152
the defined expectations provide for the president's per-
sonal or official needs using the strengths of the incum-

53 the

bent to supplement the president's competencies;l
defined expectations provide for the incumbent's personal/
professional needs and requirements in a particular situ-

ation; and the defined expectations provide for the

president's personal or official needs and the incumbent‘s

- . , 154
personal/professional capabilities and prestige*- are

appropriate for the position of assistant to the presi-

dent.155

 

151Starkweather, pp. cit.; Bennet, pp. cit.;
Knezevich, _p. cit.; Kany, pp. cit.

152Starkweather, pp. cit.; Bennet, pp. cit.;
Kany, pp. Cit.

153Knezevich, pp. cit.

154Ibid.

 

155Morris, pp. cit.; Phillips, pp. cit.; Hoover,

pp. cit.

66

Dependent Variable: Characteristics

What personal/professional characteristics are
impprtant for incumbenpy in the role of an assistant

to?

Individual incumbents do not possess the same
kinds and amounts of qualities, preparation, degree level,
or experience. It is important to find out what is
required and what incumbents possess in order to provide
appropriate placement or delegation and coordination in
the use of resources.156

The nature of the role varies with the charac—
teristics of incumbents.157

The personal dimensions of personality,
motivation/interest, age requirement, creative ability,
and problem solving; preparation in educational admin-
istration, specialized academic area, administration of
higher education, combination of academic area and edu—
cational administration, and general administration;
degree level: bachelor‘s, master's, specialist‘s, and
doctor‘s; and experience in elementary, secondary

teaching, higher education teaching, professional

practice, philanthropic foundation activities,

 

fir.—

156Knezevich, pp. cit.

157Bennet, pp. Cit.

67

elementary/secondary administration, higher education
administration, and general administration are appropriate

for the role of assistant to the president.158

Discussion Overview

 

Based on the responses provided by presidents,
Morris suggests that differences in the nature and use of
the role of administrative assistant to the president
have been found between institutions which differ in
sources of finance and sizes of student enrollment.
Through the development, administration and analysis
of this study, an attempt has been made to determine if
similar differences exist based on responses provided by
incumbent assistants to the presidents regarding compe—
tencies, responsibilities, relationships, opportunities,
and characteristics related to the position and its
incumbents.

The design and procedures of the study are pre—

sented in the following chapter.

 

v ‘—

158Phillips, pp. cit.; Hoover, o . cit.; Carlson,
o . cit.; Morris, pp. cit.; Kany, pp. Cit.; SHirley, pp.

Cit.; Giddens, pp. cit.

CHAPTER III

DESIGN, METHODOLOGY, AND PROCEDURES

OF THE STUDY

It is the purpose of this study to examine the
administrative support role called assistant to the
president and the competencies, responsibilities,
relationships, opportunities for personal growth and
development, and characteristics of incumbents which
are perCeived by incumbents to be appropriate for the
role. Based on previous findings, the decision was made
to look for variations in the nature and use of the role
which may be related to selected differences in small,
medium, and large organization sizes and private and
public sources of finance. To accomplish this purpose

the following research plan was established and followed.

Pilot Panel Testing and Interviews

 

A panel of ten--seven persons who were at the
time or had been in the capacity of an assistant to a
chief executive and three persons who have had an assis—

tant to working for them--was asked to review the

68

 

69

questionnaire and classification items for validity and
clarity of content. Two incumbent assistants to the
president, who were not included in the research sample,
were interviewed to seek further clarification of con-
tent and of requirements for the position of assistant
to the president. Based on the recommendations made by
the panel, the interviewees, and the staff from the
Office of Research Consultation, College of Education,
Michigan State University, changes were made in the

items and format of the data collection instruments.

Pppulation

 

In order to establish a basis for comparison and
for identifying incumbents in positions appropriate for
this study, a definition was composed, based on the
findings from the literature reviewed in Chapter II,
examined by the expert panel, and submitted to the
presidents, of 1,647 senior colleges and universities
in the United States. The presidents were asked to help
identify the names, titles, and addresses of persons
in positions described by the definition provided. The
presidents identified 595 institutions as having one
or more role incumbents. Requests for the presidents‘
help were sent to all four-year senior colleges and
universities identified in the 1970 American Colleges

and Universities, the 1970 College Facts Chart, the

70

1970 Yearbook of Higher Education, and the 1969—70 Edu—

cation Directory references, and responses were

returned by 1,138 presidents in the identification of
the true population. The distribution of the responses
received is presented in Table l. The text of the pOpu—
lation identification response sheet is in Appendix A.
The population of institutions identified as having
incumbents was stratified into three levels: small,

1 to 2,000; medium, 2,001 to 5,000; and large, 5,001 and
above, of student enrollment size and was divided accord—
ing to public or private sources of income on the basis
of information found in the above references and the
presidents‘ responses. The range for sizes small,
medium, and large differs from that used by Morris
because of consideration given to the distribution of

the identified population.

Null Hypptheses

 

Hypothesis 1:

 

Role incumbents from public institutions do not
differ from role incumbents from private insti—
tutions on:

1. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships actually apply to their role;

2. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are ideal for their role;

 

 

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mucoofimmum omv on mmcwaflmz Hmuoaansm mucmpwmmum hwa.a o» mmcfiafimz Hmuoelnsm

 

muqmpammum nem.a 0» mcaaams coaumoamauampH amuoe

 

mmwuflmno>wcs can mommaaoo uoacom um ucooamoud web on mDaMUmflmmm mo cowama9dom mo coflumoamaucooHlu.H mamas

72

the relationship between judgments of the ideal
and of the actual extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are perceived to apply to their
positions;

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about opportunities for professional growth and
development apply to their role; and

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about personal and professional characteristics
are desirable for role incumbency.

Hypothesis 2:

 

Role incumbents from institutions of small, medium,
and large student enrollment sizes do not differ on:

1.

perceptions of the extent statements about com'
petencies, responsibilities, and relationships
actually apply to their role;

perceptions of the extent statements about com-
petencies, responsibilities, and relationships
are ideal for their role;

the relationship between judgments of the ideal
and of the actual extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are perceived to apply to their
position;

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about opportunities for professional growth and
development apply to their role; and

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about personal and professional characteristics
are desirable for role incumbency.

Hyppthesis 3:

 

There is no interaction between the effects of stu—
dent enrollment size (small, medium, and large) and
source of finance (private and public) on:

1.

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships actually apply to their role;

 

 

(l)
(2

V

(3

v

(4

v

(5

V

(6

v

(7

V

(8

v

(9

v

(lo)

(11)

73

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are ideal for their role;

the relationship between judgments of the ideal
and of the actual extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are perceived to apply to their
position;

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about opportunities for professional growth and
development apply to their role; and

perceptions of the extent to which statements

about personal and professional characteristics
are desirable for role incumbency.

Dependent Variables

 

The eleven dependent variables for this study are:

Actual Competencies

Ideal Competencies

Actual Responsibilities

Ideal Responsibilities

Actual Relationships

Ideal Relationships

Opportunities

Characteristics

Ideal Competencies minus Actual Competencies
Ideal Responsibilities minus Actual Responsi—
bilities

Ideal Relationships minus Actual Relationships

 

 

 

74

Independent Variables

 

The six independent variables for this study

are:

(1) Small private
(2) Small public
(3) Medium private
(4) Medium public
(5) Large private

(6) Large public

 

Classification Form

 

Three items for each of three categories were pre—
pared, based on the findings from research and literature
reviewed for this study, for the purpose of determining
the president's classification (perception) of his incum-
bent assistant‘s position by type, authority by type,
authority status, and source of role definition. These
items were reviewed for clarity and validity by the
expert panel described earlier and changes were made
accordingly. Samples of the data collection classifi—
cation form which was sent to the presidents are pre-

sented in Appendix B.

Questionnaire Instrument

 

Statements relating to the competencies, responsi—
bilities, relationships, opportunities for personal/

professional development, and personal/professional

75

Characteristics were formulated on the basis of the
findings from the research and literature reviewed for
this study. The items were then examined for clarity and
validity by the panel of experts described above and
changes were made accordingly. The format of the instru—
ment includes opportunities for responses related to
perceptions of what is actual and what is ideal concern-
ing the competencies, responsibilities, and relationships

perceived as related to the assistant to the president

 

position by the respondents for comparison as a measure
of effectiveness/morale. Nine items identical to the
statements used to determine the president‘s classifi—
cation of the role were included with the opportunity
statements to facilitate comparison with the presidents‘
responses as a measure of dysfunction/frustration.
Samples of the data collection questionnaire sent to
incumbent assistants to the presidents are presented

in Appendix C.

Research Sample

 

A representative group of thirty institutions,
with identified incumbents was selected randomly from
each of the six cells stratified from the population by
student enrollment size (small, medium, and large) and
divided by source of finance (private and public). The
distribution of institutions selected and responding is

Presented in Table 2.

 

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um
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76

 

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UHAmDm MB¢>HMQ

 

 

 

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77

One incumbent from each institution, in situ-

ations where more than one incumbent was identified, was

randomly selected to serve in the sample from those

identified in order to meet the assumption of indepen—

dence of measures necessary for analysis.

Administration of Questionnaire and
Classification Form

 

Presidents from selected institutions were asked
to respond to the items on the classification form in

relation to their perceptions of the position held by

the incumbent identified. Incumbents selected for the

research sample were asked to respond to items on the

loasis of their perceptions of those statements in

rxelation to their positiOns. Questionnaires and

cilassification forms were coded for nonresponse follow—
The initial mailing to presidents and

115) and analysis.
A follow-up mail—

:iricumbents was made on May 12, 1971.
ing enclosing a duplicate questionnaire was sent on

(311113 25, and a final follow-up mailing was made on

L711:qu 15, 1971. An arbitrary cut-off of September 30,
1971, was followed by transfer and verification of data

Onto computer cards.

78

Preparation of Data for Analysis

 

The data were summed across sets of items for
each respondent,159 thus producing a composite measure

for each dependent variable category identified earlier.

Justification for Preparation Used for Data

 

The sum across sets of items used in the question—
naire tends to provide a more reliable variable than the
individual items would have provided. The composite

measure, therefore, provides a better possibility of

 

identifying relationships which are significant. The
approach of generating items according to similar group-
ings was used because the procedure allows for consider-
ation of responses by categories. Item-by-item analysis
was ppp used because, for each separate calculation made,
the possibility of accepting findings which are not sig-
nificant is greatly increased by variance due to chance.
The loss of information resulting from the summing of
individual items was considered in relation to the bene—
fits gained by reducing the possibility of drawing con—
clusions from insignificant findings.

This use of composite measures provides a basis
for greater reliance on the meaning of variables which
have attained the decision level of significance. Hence,

greater confidence can be attributed to findings which

 

159Recommendation made by the Office of Research
Consultation, College of Education, Michigan State Uni~
versity, East Lansing, Michigan.

79

reach levels of significance than can be related to

similar findings based on individual items.

Method of Data Analysip

 

The multivariate analysis of variance method was
used for the study of the eleven dependent variables and
the six independent variables to check for relevant dif—
ferences while simultaneously applying the principles and
techniques of experimental design. According to Bock

and Haggard, "The purpose in applying multivariate sta—

tistical analysis . . . to problems . . . " like those
in this study, " . . . with both multiple independent
and multiple dependent variables . . . is to determine

how and to what extent the independent variables explain
or predict the responses of the subjects represented in

160 Consideration has been

the dependent variables."
given in the study‘s design to the assumptions of a mul—
tivariate normal distribution of dependent measures and
(of independence of measures. This model has the advantage
<>f making simultaneous tests, at the .05 level of sig—
Inificance, for all dependent variables, thereby maintain-
irng control over the alpha level (probability of false
rexjection of the null hypotheses). Simultaneous tests

160R. Darrell Bock and Ernest A. Haggard, "The
Use of Multivariate Analysis of Variance in Behavioral
Research," in Handbook.of Measurement and Assessment in
Behavioral Sciences, ed. By Dean K. Whitla (Reading,
Mass.: AddiSon-Wesley Publishing Co., 1968), p. 100.

80

were run for relationships between the six independent
variables and the eleven dependent variables, in addition
to tests for interaction among independent variables on
incumbents‘ responses to statements in each of the cate—
gories on the questionnaire. The F-test was used as a
preliminary indication of significant differences exist—
ing among means. Sum scores of all items in each depen—
dent variable category and differences in sum scores
between ideal and actual categories were used in tests
for significant differences in mean values.

The decision was made to take the error risk
(of being wrong five times out of 100 when rejecting
the hypotheses of no difference) when the F—test reached
the .05 level of significance in the statistical analysis
of the data. Therefore, the hypotheses of no difference
were tested at the .05 level. This decision and procedure

(of analysis are supported by Bock, Haggard,161 and

Borg.162
The results of the data analysis along with a

<description of the findings are presented in the follow—

ing-chapter.

l6lIbid.

162Walter R. Borg, Educational Research (New
York; David McKay Co., Inc., 1963), pp. 136—38.

CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS OF THE DATA

The purpose of this study was to analyze the
role of assistant to the president as perceived by role
incumbents and to Check for significant differences in
their perceived competencies, responsibilities, relation—
ships, opportunities, and characteristics related to
institutional small, medium, and large enrollment sizes
and private and public sources of finance. The analysis
of data which follows is presented in the same order
as were the stated hypotheses in Chapter III.

Multivariate analysis of variance tests was made
:for dependent variables one through eleven according to
'the null Hypotheses l, 2, and 3. This chapter is organized
in: present the results of statistical tests related to
‘the:hypotheses. For further clarification and understand—
ing. the findings are presented by charting and plotting
rmean values for each of the items in the categories of
cxmnpetencies, responsibilities, relationships, opportuni-

ties, and characteristics. The representations are used

81

82

to show the perceived extent to which the statements

apply or are appropriate for the position of assistant

to the president.

The eleven dppendent variables considered for

 

the hypotheses tests are:

(l)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)

(11)

Actual Competencies

Ideal Competencies

Actual Responsibilities

Ideal Responsibilities

Actual Relationships

Ideal Relationships

Opportunities

Characteristics

Ideal Competencies minus Actual Competencies
Ideal Responsibilities minus Actual Responsi-
bilities

Ideal Relationships minus Actual Relationships

The six independent variables considered for

 

'the hypotheses tests are:

(l)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)

Small Private
Small Public
Medium Private
Medium Public
Large Private

Large Public

83

The statements of no difference in relationships

between variables are:

Null Hypothesis 1:

 

Role incumbents from public institutions do not
differ from role incumbents from private insti—
tutions on:

1. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships actually apply to their role
(dependent variables 1, 3, and 5);

 

2. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are ideal for their role (depen—
dent variables 2, 4, and 6);

3. the relationship between judgments of the ideal
and of the actual extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are perceived to apply to their
position (dependent variables 9, 10, and 11);

4. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about opportunities for professional growth and
development apply to their role (dependent
variable 7); and

5. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about personal and professional characteristics

are desirable for role incumbency (dependent
variable 8).

The findings related to the effect of source of
finance by multivariate test of equality of mean vectors
are presented in Table 3 for dependent variables 1—8 and
9‘11, with probabilities of the F—statistic being sig-
nificant.

The findings show that the null Hypothesis 1,
Statement of no difference due to the effect of source

of finance, has not been rejected.

84

TABLE 3.——The findings related to the effect of private
and public sources of finance by multivariate test
of equality of mean vectors

 

 

F-Ratio P—Less Than
Dependent Variables 1—8 0.4011 0.9185
Dependent Variables 9~ll 0.2008 0.8958

 

 

 

Null Hypothesis 2:

 

Role incumbents from institutions of differing (small,
medium, and large) student enrollment sizes do not
differ on:

 

1. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships actually apply to their role
(dependent variables 1, 3, and 5);

2. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are ideal for their role (depen—
dent variables 2, 4, and 6);

3. the relationship between judgments of the ideal
and of the actual extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are perceived to apply to their
position (dependent variables 9, 10, and 11);

4. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about opportunities for professional growth and
development apply to their role (dependent
variable 7); and

5. perceptions of the extent to which statements
about personal and professional characteristics
are desirable for role incumbency (dependent
variable 8).

The findings related to the effect of size by
multivariate test of equality of mean vectors are pre-

sented in Table 4 for dependent variables 1—8 and 9—11,

With probabilities of the F—statistic being significant.

85

TABLE 4.-—The findings related to the effect of small,
medium, and large enrollment sizes by multivariate test

of equality of mean vectors

 

 

F—Ratio P—Less Than
Dependent Variables 1-8 1.0308 0.4238
Dependent Variables 9-11 1.0665 0.3827

 

 

 

statement of no difference due to effect of size, has

not been rejected.

The findings show that the null Hypothesis 2,

 

Null Hypothesis 3:

 

There is no interaction between the effects of stu—
dent enrollment sizes (small, medium, and large) and
source of finance (private and public) on:

1.

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships actually apply to their role
(dependent variables 1, 3, and 5);

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are ideal for their role (depen—
dent variables 2, 4, and 6);

the relationship between judgments of the ideal
and of the actual extent to which statements
about competencies, responsibilities, and
relationships are perceived to apply to their
position (dependent variables 9, 10, and 11);

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about opportunities for professional growth
and development apply to their role (dependent
variable 7); and

perceptions of the extent to which statements
about personal and professional Characteristics
are desirable for role incumbency (dependent
variable 8).

 

 

86

The findings related to the effect of inter-
action by multivariate test of equality of mean vectors
are presented in Table 5 for dependent variables 1-8 and
9—11 with probabilities of the F-statistic being sig-

nificant.

TABLE 5.--The findings related to the effect of inter—

action between and among small, medium, and large pri—

vate and small, medium, and large public institutions
by multivariate test of equality of mean vectors

 

 

 

F—Ratio P-Less Than
Dependent Variables 1—8 0.8191 0.6637
Dependent Variables 9-11 0.8218 0.5537

 

 

 

The findings show that the null Hypothesis 3,
statement of no difference due to the effect of inter—
action, has not been rejected.

A summary of the findings related to the Hypothe—
ses l, 2, and 3 may be found in Table 6. Since none of
the F—ratios have reached the .05 level of significance,
the findings show that the null hypotheses have not been
rejected.

The composite mean values for each of six indepen-
derm;variables pertaining to each of the eleven dependent
Variables along with grand mean values are presented in

Table 7. These were values used in the multivariate

87

 

bceowwwcmem #02
an

 

 

.m.z nmmm.o mamm.o moanewne> oNflm one oOGeCHm "coauoeneuCH mom

.m.z ammm.o memo.a mmuam ucmsaaoucm momma pap .saepmz .Hamsm mom

.m.z mmmm.o moo~.o appease mo mmopsom oaapsm one wum>aum Hom
ooaeoHMHcmHm Gene mmmqlm OHbeme maneflue> mo poemmm

 

 

 

 

Harm moaneflue> mom mHOboo> new: we SbHHeSdm mo bums obefiue>auasz

 

 

.m.z bmmo.o Hmam.o moaneflue> chem one mocecflm "cowboeuebcH mom
.m.z mmm¢.o momo.a meNHm ucofiaaoucm mmueq one .Eswomz .HHeEm mom
.m.z mmam.o Haov.o oocecem mo moonsom Deanne oce ebe>wum Hom
.1

eoceofimwcmam Gene mmoqnm cabemum maneflue> mo bomwmm

 

 

 

 

mua moaoewne> How mu0b0o> new: no mbaaesom mo bmoe epeflue>euasz

 

Hana moaneaue> bcoocemoo Mom

mu0b0o> ceoE mo Speaesoe mo boob obewue>flbade may on omueaeu mmcflocam wheafidmnl.m mqmde

 

 

88

 

moanewue> one mnfinaoo .mHHoo one mzouulmneoz HHeO

 

 

 

a
w .v .N Deanne “m .m .H oue>wum ”muaoue
mmeo.v mnas.~ mmah.m moms.mm mmom.ah mamm.vm wham.om mumm.hm mmwm.vm HNNm.mm mmo~.mm new:
oneuw
mmm~.m avho.m onm.m mamv.mm mmmm.oo~ HHHH.vm Namm.om mmam.mm vvvv.vm mamv.mm mmow.mm .na .04
m
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. m
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v
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m
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m
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H
AaeeoHo AaeooHv AHeooHo w
none: none: mnnwz .ouueno .nudmo .Hom .Hom .mmom .nmmm .nsoo .mfioo
Adenuono Adenuoeo ”Hesuodo w m n HeooH weaned HeooH Henuon HeooH Henuod eaaoo
. Hon . name . 9.80 p m e m n H
3 3 a n

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

noem Mow nonde> ouwmonfioo we oounemeunv meanewue> unconmooo no>oHe no noee new news oneuw one one enema mnoum xamul

“manewue> unoononeo

.h mqmda

89

tests of equality of mean vectors (findings shown in
Tables 3, 4, and 5). No importance should be attributed
to the differences between individual composite mean
scores, since the overall results of tests for meaning—
ful differences between variables have been found to be
negative.

The correlation values between ideal and actual
extent responses for statements related to competencies,

responsibilities, and relationships are presented in

 

Table 8. These findings parallel the high correlations
between mean values plotted on Figures 2, 5, and 8 pre-

sented in the following sections and described accord-

 

 

ingly.
TABLE 8.--Sample correlation matrix--within cells, depen—
dent variables 1'6
Actual Actual Actual
Competence Responsibility Relationship
Ideal
Competence 0.555988
Ideal
Responsibility 0.646895
Ideal
Relationship 0.678615

 

 

 

 

90

Explanation of Judgment Criteria

 

Incumbent assistants to the president were asked
to indicate their judgments of the items on the question-
naire in relation to the extent to which the statements
applied to, or were appropriate for, the position. Each
incumbent was asked to make judgments of the extent to
which actual and ideal statements on competence, respon-
sibility, and relationship related to his/her own position.

A range of choices was provided: from the one (1.00)_

 

level of none or not at all, through the three (3.00)

 

level of moderate or average to the five (5.00) level of

a great deal or vegy important degree of application to

 

 

the position. A description of the responses provided
by incumbents is presented in the following paragraphs,
according to the grand mean values for all incumbents
and to the group mean values for the small private,
small public, medium private, medium public, large pri—
vate, and large public groups. The judgment levels 4.00
and above, 3.00 to 3.99, and 2.99 and below are reported
and described on the following pages for each dependent

variable according to the data analyzed.

Responses Related to Competence Areas

 

The results of one-way analysis of variance tests,
ffior unequal subclasses, on data represented by the grand

mean values for the actual and ideal extent to which each

91

competence statement was perceived by all incumbents to
be appropriate for the position of assistant to the
president, are shown in Table 9. To reveal the degree
Of correlation (similarities and differences) between
actual and ideal judgments, Figure 2 illustrates the
pattern of grand mean values representing the judged
extent of importance assigned by incumbents to each

statement pertaining to competence.

All incumbents assigned judgments of the actual

 

application level of 4.00 or above to items 3/13 (written
and oral communication), 6/16 (liaison and public
relations services), and 8/18 (decision—making and

policy implementation). Judgments of the ippp£.appli—
cation level of 4.00 or above were assigned to items 3/13,
6/16, and 8/18 and, as well as to item 10/20 (political
and social insights and understandings). The actual
extent level 3.00 to 3.99 was assigned to items 10/20,
2/12 (program planning and development), 9/19 (resource
development), 1/ll (research and investigation methods
and techniques), 7/17 (student personnel services), and
5/15 (business and fiscal Operations and procedures).
The ipppi extent level of 3.00 to 3.99 was assigned to
items 2/12, 9/19, 1/11, 7/17, and 5/15 as well as to
.itenI4/l4 (technological developments and their appli—

Caizions to education). An actual extent level of below

2.539 was assigned only to item 4/14.

 

 

592

 

 

 

N~.o Nv.a mm.o o~.v 0H om
mmm.o ham.o mocaeceumumec:
va.o mm.o ma.o om.m 04 on ece museumca nenoom pee Heoaunnoa
mm.o em.o mo.a hm.m 0H ma
mvv.o onw.o
m~.o em.n aa.o on.m on a ucosnonw>me mousomom
vm.o v~.o mm.o ma.v QH ma
Nom.o Nam.o nowueu
h~.o m~.H no.0 Ho.v on m InoEeHdEw mowaom one mnflxee noflmfloeo
om.o mm.o oa.a ~.m OH ha
mmm.o mmo.o
ha.o mm.a ma.a m~.m Qt h mmOH>Hom Honnomuwo unoonbm
Hm.o om.o vw.o vm.¢ nu ma
mvm.o Hmm.o
om.o ~m.o mm.o wo.v. 04 m moow>nmm mnoflueaou Oflannn one nOmweaq
ma.o vm.a vm.o hm.m QH ma
mma.o mvv.o mounoeoond
NN.o av.a mo.H mm.m on m one mnoabenoeo Heomww one mmonwmsm
na.o nm.a oa.a 5H.m 0H ea
mmm.o mom.o noabeonoo cu mnoaueOHHeme
mv.o vm.o vo.H Hm.~ on v been» one mbnofimoao>oo anfimoHonnoee
mm.o mo.H oo.o am.v 0H ma
Hoa.o ham.o
mm.o vm.o me.o vm.v on n mnoflueoansEEOo Heno one nobuanz
mo.o mo.~ no.0 Hm.m 0H NH
mem.o mmv.o
mm.o on.o om.o mm.m 04 N unmEooHe>oo one onflnnead Eeumoum
mn.o mm.o mm.o mm.m QH Ha
NsH.o vav.o mondflnnOOb
vma.o mm.H mm.o m~.m 04 a one moonboE nowuemwumo>nw one noneemmm
u ueumsm
mu mo owbmeeum nOHuew>mo HeeQH nonndz meonn Haaxm
onoe moaueamuuoo auananenoum m eueeceum new: Henson swan \mocmuensoo mucoseueum spun
H eoH\Henu0< eoneoauanmam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

an oe>fioouom ooneuwmfioo mo unouxe Henuoe one Heooa mnwunmmounou .monmeaonnm Heavens .mone~ue> No mammwoco km; QQG

unoowmeum on» O» uneumwmwnsunowuwmom on» O» euewumounme me munonenonw

.m moose

93

 

uneonOHm mnu cu
pneumwmmntanHmeom one Ob-ObeHumOHmme me mbnmnenonw an
om>Hoouem OOnObomEOO mo uneuxe Henuoe one HeooHII.N ounmwm

82¢. 8:82.500 "acacia-um ES.

 

ONBP $93 33 5:5 up; m—B v93 «Cm NPR :3
_ n . F _ it. _ H _ r _.
now 8 h m W W. M & A.“ &
a w a m m m m m w m
.I D W e c i 9 H D m
a a .l M nu F b a on m
m m u... o b & o .m .
I u n u n U n R v N
m m M o p a m m m
0 n P & M O m P
R .w .n. n .9 T o .
.m o w m o C m
e M .m P
D a L
I m
.. v

 

 

2.02

39.0.32

.30 «~20

Judged Extent of Application

94

Actual Extent Judgments--Groppp
Mean Values: Competence Area

 

 

Group mean values for actual extent judgments of
competence are shown in Table 10 for questionnaire
items 1 through 10. Figure 3 represents the similarities
and differences among group mean values for each com-
petence statement.

The 4.00 and above actual extent level was
assigned to item 3/13 by all groups; to item 6/16 by

the small public, medium private and public, and large

 

private and public groups; to item 8/18 by the small
private, medium public, and large private and public
groups; and to item 10/20 by the medium and large public
groups.

The 3.00 to 3.99 actual extent level was assigned
to item 6/16 by the small private group; to item 8/18 by
the small public and medium private groups; and to item
10/20 by the small private and public, medium, and large
private groups. The 3.00 to 3.99 actual extent level
Twas assigned by pl; groups to items 2/12, 1/11, and 5/15.
The same level was assigned to item 9/19 by small private
and public, medium public, and large private and public
groups; and to item 7/17 by the small private, medium
private and public, and large private and public groups.

The 2.99 and below actual extent level was
assigned to item 4/14 by all groups; to item 9/19 only
by the medium private groups; and to item 7/17 only by

the small public group.

95

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

vh.o mm.o oo.e mm.m oo.v He.m mm.m o>.m oH
mm.o mm.H no.m mm.m Hm.m mm.~ vo.m mm.m m
hm.o mN.H no.v mm.v vo.v mm.m hm.m mo.v m
nH.o hm.a mm.m ~m.m no.m mo.m mh.m mm.m h
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mm.o vm.o av.v om.¢ mv.e H~.v mm.v hm.v m
mm.o m>.o mm.m mm.m mh.m N¢.m mv.m m>.m N
ma.o mm.a mm.m mm.m mm.m vo.m mo.m mm.m a
.bebmum mo Oflbmwuebm Opennn ebe>wnm OHHnnm Obe>wnm Owannm oue>wnm Henenz
.nonm .mflm m omneq omueq Enaooz enaooz 1 Haenm Haefim EObH

 

unoowmonm one Ob pneumflmmn
Innowbfimom on» on Obeflumonmme me mbnennnonw mo menonm an om>flmouem ooneuomfioo mo

uneuxe Henboe onwunemoueon .mommeaoanm Heavens .Ooneaue> mo mwmhaene hezsonois.oa manna

96

 

pneoemonm
on» Ob pneumflmmnIInOHuHmom one on Obeflnmoumme me munonenonw
mo mmnOHm an oo>HOOHom ounmpemfioo mo uneuxe HenuonII.m ennmwm

'93 8:82.800 .030“ "anon-85m E8.
2 m o h c m e m N p 1 9.3.... 0......—
. p r n _ _ _ n _ + + 8.3:. 093...
U..........D 6.3.... 83.82
. N 4! I485... esp-s.
XII Ill 6.3.... :25
Q I I I I033... :25

.—

 

T m 320.35.

Judged Extent of Application

 

 

I m .30 59.0

97

Ideal Extent Judgments--Group
Mean Values: Competence Area

 

The group mean values for ipp31_extent judgments
of competence are shown, for items 11 through.20, in
Table 11. Figure 4 represents the similarities and
differences among group mean values for each competence
statement.

The 4.00 and above 1923; extent level was

assigned by all groups to items 3/13 and 6/16. It

 

was also assigned to item 8/18 by the small private and
public, medium public, large private, and public groups;
to item 10/20 by small public, medium private and public,
and large private and public groups; to item 2/12 only
by the small private group; and to item 5/15 by the
small private and public groups.

The 3.00 to 3.99 1922; extent level was assigned
to items 1/11, 7/17, and 9/19 by all groups; to item 2/12
by all groups except the small private; to item 5/15 by
the medium private and public and the large private and
public groups; to item 4/14 by all but the large pri—
vate; to item 8/18 by only the medium private group;
and to item 10/20 only by the small private group.

The 2.99 and below ideal extent level was

 

assigned to item 4/14 by the large private group.

 

 

 

 

mm.o Nv.a mo.w NH.v ~m.v ha.v mm.v om.m om
mm.o om.o ev.m om.m mm.m mm.m No.m on.m ma
em.o om.o Ha.v om.v Hm.v om.m mo.v hH.v ma
oo.o mo.o hm.m vv.m vo.m hH.m oo.m ha.m ha
Hm.o om.o mm.v mm.v om.v mm.v mm.v mm.v ea
ma.o wm.a mm.m om.m mh.m vm.m Hm.v mo.v ma
% ma.o nm.a Nm.m mh.m aa.m mo.m H~.m nm.m va
mm.o mo.a mm.w om.v mw.v hm.e ah.v hm.o ma
mo.o mo.m mw.m mm.m mm.m mh.m mm.m mm.v NH
mh.o vm.o on.m mm.m wv.m ov.m Nv.m on.m Ha
.uemem mo oabmwbeum Deanne obe>wnm Deanne obe>HHm owannm obe>flum Honenz
.noum .mam m owned omueq Enwooz Enflooz HHeEm HHeEm SobH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

bnoowmoum one Ob pneumflmmn
Itnowuwmoo one on obeflneonmme me mbnonfinonw mo mmnonm an oo>woonom oonobomeoo mo
unobxo Heooe mnHunomonon .mommeaonnm Henoonn..ooneflue> mo mflmMHene mesIonOsI.HH mqmne

99

 

unooflmonm on» Ob
pneumflmmntInOHuHmom onu Ob obewnmonmme me munonenonw mo
menonm an oo>HoOHom oonobomEOo mo unouxo HeooHII.v onnmflm

823 cocoa-AER. .80. “SEES-«m E8.

b p +
rm

I m 3223.2

 

 

I m .30 «2:0

Judged Extent of Application

ON or up 2. or m.. or no N.. 3 I 0.33.. out...
. p b p b .— .

pi

IT 82...... onto.—

...U 23.... 63.8.2
null l ideas... £2.82
xllullx 23.... :25
G IIIIII O 8.3... =25

100

Responses Related to Responsibility
Areas

 

The results of one—way analysis of variance tests,
for unequal subclasses, on data represented by the grand
mean values for the actual and ideal extent to which each
responsibility statement was judged by all incumbents
to be appropriate for the position of assistant to the
president, are shown in Table 12. To reveal the
degree of correlation (similarities and differences)

between actual and ideal extent judgments, Figure 5

 

illustrates the pattern of grand mean values representing
the judged extent of importance assigned by incumbents
to each statement pertaining to responsibility.

All incumbents assigned an actual and ippp£_
application level Of 4.00 or above to items
21/31 (consult with and advise the president) and 24/34
(work on special projects and problems). The 4.00 or
above ippp£_extent level was assigned to 23/33 (prepare
and review written communications).

The 3.00 to 3.99 actual extent level was assigned
to items 23/33, 22/32 (serve as secretary to the adminis-
trative team), 25/35 (work with public relations and
resource development), 30/40 (work policy), 39/49 (work
with program management), and 26/36 (work with personnel
management). 'The 3.00 to 3.99 $922; extent level was
assigned to items 22/32, 25/35, 26/36, 29/39, 30/40, and

27/37 (work with business and fiscal Operations).

1(31

 

 

 

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mnv.0 «mo.0 one .noaueanoauue .nowueunon
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m>.0 mm.0 H0.H mm.~ 0H mm
mmv.0 who.0 mofluw>auoe unoonum ooueaon one
m0.0 ma.m mH.H mm.~ 04 mm moow>uom HonnOmpom unoosom noes xnoz
0h.0 mm.0 va.a mm.m QH hm
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mm.0 ma.a mH.H mv.m OH on
mmv.0 m0n.0 mnoaueaou wweum\>uanoem ooueaou
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«v.0 00.H HH.H nn.m OH mm
m0m.m 0mm.0
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one mnoflueaou Deanne noes xnoz
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mm.0 mmm.0 Hm.0 m0.v 0H mm
mmm.0 moh.0 uncoueo
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newbeOHnnEEoo one nowuoeuounfl oueu
vm.0 mm.0 mm.a mo.m QH mm IflHfloem .nowbefiuownw oouanoou omen
mom.0 mmn.0 loud .mmnwuooE oanoonom .Eeou o>au
mma.0 mv.a mm.a ov.m on mm Ienuoanweoe on» cu huebouoom me o>uom
0m.0 ~m.0 mo.0 mm.v 0H Hm
mmv.0 m0m.0
mmh.0 nv.0 nm.0 mm.v on an unoowmoum on» omfl>oe one noes banmnou
n ueumlm
u no OHumflbenw noauew>oo HeooH nonenz wowuwawnwmnoomom
onOe coaueamuuoo nonessenoun n eueeceum new: Hesuoe noun "mcoauocsn mucmsoueum noun
HeooH\Henuo< ooneoa
.meamom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thom muwawnflmnommou

unoowmoum onu Ob unebmHmm<thOHuHmon onu.0b ouewnmoumne we mononenonw an oo>woo

mo unobxo Henboe one Heooa mnaunomonmon .mommeaonnm Hendonn toonewue> Mo mflmhaene NesI

onoII.~H mnone

 

102

 

bnoowmonm on» Ob unebmfimmd
IInOwamom onb Ob obeflnmonmme me mononfinonw an oo>woo
Inoo mbfiaflnflmnommon mo pnobxo Henboe one HeooHII.m onnmam
32......Eoonomxucozocau. HEeEeuoum E3.

ooBm 9.”me QMBN NMRN OMEN mMBN QQQN 0..”an NQNN :2 FN

 

_ n F p H n . . . n P 0:02

In. I. t. S S S m t
a n t n n
v m m m m m a m
E 0 t .m' .t T .-
& & I .m. r a m
e e P .m w r

e .5 a U 9‘
S F f .l m N
D t 4.. c m t i
n e S S o n d

P m m t m

m B h m

D.

D.

U

S

 

Policy Dev., Impl., Artie. 8: Eval.
Public Relations 8: Resource Dev.

 

 

Im

I m 39.2.0.2

.eoo «no.0

Judged Extent of Application

103

The 2.99 and below actual extent level was
assigned to items 27/37 and 28/38 (work with student
personnel services). The 2.99 and below ideal extent
level was assigned to item 28/38.

Actual Extent Judgments—-Group
Mean Values: Responsibility
Areas

The group mean values for actual extent judgments

of responsibility are shown in Table 13 for question—

 

naire items 21 through 30. Figure 6 represents the ‘
similarities and differences among group mean values I
for each responsibility statement.
The 4.00 and above actual extent level was
assigned to item 21/31 by all groups; to item 24/34 by
small private and public, medium private and public, and
large private groups; and to item 23/33 by only the
small public group.
The 3.00 to 3.99 actual extent level was assigned
to items 25/35, 30/40, and 22/32 by all groups; to items
23/33 and 29/39 by the small private medium private and
public, and large private and public groups; to item
26/36 by the small private and public, medium public,
and large private groups; to item 27/37 by the small
private, medium public, and large private groups; to
item 28/38 by the medium public and large public groups;

and to item 24/34 by just the large public group.

104

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NH.0 mn.H mn.m mm.m mm.m 0m.m m0.m mm.m 0m
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mm.0 oH.0 mm.m mm.m mm.m mn.m 00.v nn.m mm
m.0 mv.a n0.m mm.m mv.m mv.m mn.m 0m.m mm
0m.0 no.0 mH.v ma.v mm.v mm.v 00.o nm.v AN
.uepmlm mo Oflpmflbebm owannm obe>flnm Deanne obe>Hnm owannm obe>wum Honnnz
. noun . 3m n moped mmuen 56m: Seems Seam Seam 1 noun

 

unooflmonm on» on pneumwmmn
:Inowbwmom onb Ob oueenmonmme me mononenonw mo menonm nn oo>floouom abflaflnflmnommon mo
unobxo Hezboe mnabnomonmon .mommeaonnm Henoonn .oonewne> mo mammaene nesIonoII.ma memos

105

 

unooflmonm on» O» pneumflmmn
sInowpwwom on» on oueenmonmme me mononenonfl mo menoum
an oo>woouom Nbflaanwmnommou no unobxo HenbonII.o onnmwm
OIIIO 6.3.... .2...

 

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on an on R on mm on an nu 3 D .......... U 23.... 53.8.2
. F L E _ . T . _ _ GIIIAV 83.... 83.8.2
XIIIIIX 6.3.... :25

T N o IIIIIII O 82...... is...

r M 883.05.

Judged Extent of Application

 

 

fir m .80 «no.0

106

The 2.99 and below actual extent level was
assigned to item 28/38 by the small private and public,
medium private, and large private groups; to item 27/37
by the small public, medium private, and large public
groups; to item 26/36 by the medium private and large
public groups; and to item 29/39 by only the small
public group.

Ideal Extent Judgments-—Group

Mean Values: Resppnsibilipy
Areas

 

 

 

The group mean values for ipppi extent judgments
of responsibility are shown in Table 14 for question-
naire items 31 through 40. Figure 7 represents the simi—
larities and differences among group mean values for
each responsibility statement.

The 4.00 and above éppp£_extent level was
assigned to items 21/31 and 24/34 by all groups; to
item 23/33 by the small private and public, medium
private and public, and large public groups; to item
30/40 by the medium private and public, large private
and public groups; and to item 25/35 by the small private
and public groups.

The 3.00 to 3.99 ipppi extent level was assigned
to items 22/32, 29/39, 26/36, 27/37, and 28/38 by all
groups. This level was also assigned to item 25/35 by

medium private and public, large private and public

 

 

 

 

107

  

:_'=_:

 

 

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mn.0 mm.0 n0.m me.m mm.m m~.m 0m.m 0v.m nm
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em.0 No.0 mH.m mn.m mn.m Hn.m mn.m mo.m mm
0m.0 mm.0 mm.e vv.v vm.v nm.v mv.v 0m.v Hm
.uemem mo OHomHueum unannm oue>HHm Owannm obe>wum Owannm oue>wun Honnnz
.noum .mwm m omueq omueq nnflooz Edflooz Haefim Haenm EobH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

unoowmonm onu Ob pneumwmmn
IvnOHmeom onb Ob obeflumonmme we mononenonw mo menoum an oo>HoOHom mbflaflnwmnommou mo
unobxo Heoow mnwbnomondou,.mommeaonnm Henoonn..oonewue> mo mwmwaene meBIonOII.va manna

 

 

 

 

 

IlllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIlllumr-—__——_-nnnfl.IIIIIIIIII

108

 

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IInowbwmom onb Op obewumoumme me obnonfinonw mo menoum
mn oo>floouom mpHHHnHmnommop mo unobxo HeooHII.n onnmwm

83:32.68... .8... 55.5.8... 58.

 

 

3 an on n» on on em on an 5
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I 233. 3......
+IIII|+ 32...... 00......
TN U-.2...U 23.... £3.85.
4| .I 432...... E:.oe.2
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GI IIIII I9 32...... =eEm
n
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In 82.35. m
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109

groups; to item 30/40 by small private and public groups;
and to item 23/33 by the large private group.
Repponses Related to Relationship
Areas
The results of one-way analysis Of variance
tests, for unequal subclasses, on data represented by
the grand mean values for the actual and ideal extent

to which each relationship statement was perceived by

 

all incumbents to be appropriate for the position of
assistant to the president are shown in Table 15.
To reveal the degree of correlation (similarities and
differences) between actual and ideal extent judgments,
Figure 8 illustrates the pattern of grand mean values
representing the judged extent of importance assigned
by incumbents to each statement pertaining to relation—
ship.

All incumbents assigned an actual and 19221.
application level Of 4.00 or above to item
47/57 (administrators from your institution, other than
your president).

An actual extent level of 3.00 to 3.99 was
assigned to items 44/54 (Board of Trustees/Regents
on their representatives), 48/58 (faculty groups or
their representatives from your institution), and 49/59
(student groups or their representatives from your

institution).

 

 

11.0

 

 

 

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v0.0 Hv.0 v0.H vm.m QH mm
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mn.0 mm.0 no.0 mm.m 0H mm
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m~.0 vm.a mm.0 vm.v QH nm
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om.o -.H on.o om.e on nv .:0aosoaumno use» noun muoueuumanosee
ma.o Hm.a ma.a mm.~ DH om mo>aoeucomounou
mmm.0 mmn.0 neon» HO mowonome mnfiuwoouooe
va.0 mo.H HN.H mv.~ on mv HO mnOfluewooome HenowunuwunnH
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vo.o me.~ «H.H mm.m on «m
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u ueumlm n
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QHmon HMMWWWMMMMMW unwawnenoum m oneoneum neoz Henuun EouH “mmnouo ounoEoueum nouH
ooneowuwnmwm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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oo>woouom nonnnowueaou mo unouxo Henuoe one Heooa mnwunooou on .mommedonno Henvonn .oonewue> mo owmhaene NesIonOII.mH wanna

111

 

unooamoum on» O» unebmwmmn
IInOfluHmon one Ob ouewnmonmee me mononEnOnH an oo>floo
Iuom mwnmnOHbeHou mo unouxo Henuoe one HeooHII.m ounmam

«9.3.0.3361320 .EeEeueam E3.

 

      

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w A A S G I N

m .m. e

no. m o

x I m 89.0.8.2

T o
Wm .36 395

 

Judged Extent of Application to the Assistant to the President Role

112

An iéfiél level of 3.00 to 3.99 was assigned
to items 44/54, 48/58, 49/59, and, as well as 41/51
(governmental agencies or their representatives), 42/52
(alumni groups or their representatives), 43/53 (special
interest groups or their representatives), 50/60 (com-
munication's media groups or their representatives), and
45/55 (professional association representatives and
activities).

An actual level of 2.99 and below was

 

assigned to items 41/51, 42/52, 43/53, 50/60, 45/55,
and 46/56 (institutional associations or accrediting
agencies or their representatives).

Actual Extent Juggments--Group

Mean VaIues: Relationship
Area

 

 

 

Group mean values for actual extent judgments of
relationship are shown in Table 16 for questionnaire
items 41 through 50. Figure 9 represents the similari—
ties and differences among group mean values for each
relationship statement.

The 4.00 and above actual extent level was
assigned to item 47/57 by all groups; and to item 44/43
by the small private group.

The 3.00 to 3.99 actual extent level was
assigned to item 48/58 by all groups; to item 44/54
by the small public, medium private, and large private

and public groups. It was also assigned to item 49/59

113

 

 

 

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.beumlm mo onumwueum Deanne oue>wum Deanne obe>nnm cannon obe>num Honenz
.nonm .mnm m omneq omueq Enflooz Ednooz Haenw HHeEw nouH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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unoowmoum on» O» pneumwmmn

mononenonn mo menoum an oo>woouom mwnmnowbeaon mo

unouxo Henuoe onflbnomoudon .mommeaonnm Henoonn .oonewne> mo mwmhaene me3IonOII.oH manna

114

bnoonmoum on» on onebmnmmn
Isnonunmom one on oueeumoumne me mononnnonfl mo menoum
nn oo>noouon nnnmnowueaon mo unouxo HenbOnII.m ounmwm
OIIIIIIO 6.3.... .9...

 

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.m 15:20

115

by the small, medium, and large private and the large
public groups and to item 41/51 by the medium public
and large public groups.

The 2.99 and below actual extent level was
assigned to items 42/52, 50/60, 45/55, and 46/56 by
all groups. This level was also assigned to item 4l/Sl
by the small private and public, medium private, and
large private groups; to item 43/53 by the small public,
medium private and public groups; to item 49/59 by the
small public and medium public groups; and also to item
44/54 by the medium public group.
Ideal Extent Judgments—~Group

Mean Values: Relationship
Area

 

Group mean values for ideal_extent judgments of
relationship are shown in Table 17 for questionnaire
items 51 through 60. Figure 10 represents the similari-
ties and differences among group mean values for each
relationship statement.

The 4.00 and above ideal extent level was
assigned to item 47/57 by all groups. It was also
assigned to item 44/54 by the small private, medium
private, and large private groups.

The 3.00 to 3.99 ideal-extent level was assigned
to items 48/58, 41/51, and 49/59 by all groups. This
level was also assigned to item 42/52 by the small

Private and public, medium private and public and

116

 

 

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.umumnm mo oaumwpmum oaansm mum>wum oaaasm mum>wum owaasm mum>flum quEdz
.noum .mam m magma wanna schema enavmz Hamem Hamsm amuH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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tncowuwmom on» on wumwumonmmm mm mucwnfidocw mo museum an ©m>wooumm QHSmQOflumHoH mo
ucmuxm Hmopw maflusmmmumwu .mommmaoaSm Hangman .oosmwum> mo mHmMHmsm mmzumsons.na mamfle

117

 

pampwmoum msu on “cmumwmmd
IIGOHUHmom wnu on mumaumoummw mm mucmnfidocw mo masoum
an ©m>flmonmm QHQmGOflumamu mo usouxm HmmUHus.oa madman

3.6.6.3.: .8... reigns.» 5:.

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b L l _ p _ e r

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Judged Extent of Application

f m .30 «~20

118

large private groups; to item 43/53 by the small private
and public, medium public, large private and public
groups; to item 45/55 by the small private and public,
medium private and public groups; and to item 50/60 by
the small private and public, medium private, and large
public groups. Item 44/54 was assigned this level by
small, medium, and large public groups. And item 46/56
was assigned a 3.00 to 3.99 level by small private and

public groups.

 

The 2.99 and below ideal extent level was

 

assigned to item 46/56 by the medium private and public
and the large private and public groups; to item 45/55
by the large private and public groups; to item 50/60
by the medium public and large private groups; to

item 42/52 by the medium private and the large public
groups.

Responses Related to Opportunity
Areas

 

The results of one-way analysis of variance
tests, for unequal subclasses, on data represented
by the grand mean values for the extent to which each
opportunity statement was perceived by all incumbents
to be appropriate for the position, as well as the
extent of classification by all presidents of selected
opportunity statements perceived in relation to the

position of assistant to the president, are shown

119

in Table 18. The judged extent of similarities and
differences among items are illustrated in Figure 11.

The 4.00 and above application level was
assigned by the incumbents to items 61 (position pro-
vides new working experiences), 63/95 (holding position),
64/96 (training position), and 70/100 (functional position).
The 4.00 and above classification level was assigned by
the presidents to items 64/96, 68/98 (line authority),

and 72/102 (defined by incumbent).

 

The 3.00 to 3.99 application level was assigned
by incumbents to items 7l/lOl (defined by president),
69/99 (staff position), 65/97 (career position), 73/103
(defined by president and incumbent), and 72/102. The
3.00 to 3.99 classification level was assigned by the
presidents to items 69/99, 71/101, 63/95, and 65/97.

The 2.99 and below application level was
assigned by the incumbents to items 62 (make decision
for the president in his absence), 66 (expanding exper-
iences), 67 (president supervises incumbent closely),
and 68/98. The 2.99 and below classification level was

assigned by the presidents to items 73/102 and 70/100.

120

TABLE ll.--One-way analysis of variance, unequal subclasses, representing the extent of opportunity perceived by incumbents as
appropriate to the position and the president's classification of the position by type. authority. and status

 

Opportunities for Professional Growth
and Development
item Statement

Item
Number

I - Incumbent-

P - President
Category

Mean

Standard
Deviation

P
Statistic

Significance
Probability

of
P-Statistic

I/P
re

 

The position provides new working
opportunities which may help the
individual to become a more
capable incumbent.

In tho absence of the president, the
position provides for tho incum-
bent to make decisions tho presi-
dent would make if present.

Exp: of Position

uoldig Eeition:
The position provides for tho special
needs, requirements, or conditions of
either or both tho individual incum-
bent or the institution. The exis-
tence and functions of tho position
fluctuate according to tho needs
of tho president, the incumbent,
or the institution.

Training position:

The position provides opportunities
for observing and participating in
the overall operations and adminis-
trative processes of the insti-
tution providing experiences which
serve to prepare the incumbent for
advancement to higher level execu-
tive administrative positions at the
same or another institution. ‘

Career Position:

The position provides service on a
permanent or long-term basis
without being used primarily as a
training or a holding position.

The position is assigned functions
in areas in which the incumbent
is inexperienced.

The president provides close per-
sonal supervision in the functions
expected of the incumbent.

Authority Status

Line:

The position falls within the vertica
dimension or “chain of command"
through which the basic functions

of the institution are achieved.

Staff:

The position falls within the hori-
zontal dimension which supplements
the line functions in administration
and counsels or advises the line
administrator.

Functional:

The position has staff status and
acquires authority when the presi—
dent delegates line authority for
a special project or problem
within the expertise of the incum-
bent.

Source of Role Definition

Defined by the president:
The defined expectations provide
for the president's personal or
official needs using the strengths
of the incumbent to supplement
the president's competencies.

Defined by the role incumbent:
The defined expectations provide
for the incumbent's personal/
professional needs and require-
ments in a particular situation.

Defined b the resident and the
role InEEfiSent:

The defined expectations provide
for the president's personal or
official needs and the incum-
bent's personal/professional
capabilities and prestige.

61

62

63

95

64

96

65
97

66

67

69

99

70
100

71
101

72

102

73
103

 

 

President

4.16

3.16

4.64

‘001
2.40

3.91
3.64

3.2

3.56
2.40

 

102‘

1.20
0.50

1.13
0.40

1.07

0.47
1.10

0.16

1.10
0.40

 

 

1.09
0.86

0.92

9.20
0.32

0.101

0.057
0.09

0.054

0.201

0.37
0.51

0.13

0.03
0.16

0.66
0.50

0.83

0.134

0.96
0.9

 

 

-0.014

-0.102

-0e 311

-0.339

-0.220

.0s 21‘

0.075

0.027

-0.119

 

0.0002

0.010

0.097

0.049

0.047

0.006

0.001

0.014

 

0
Correlation of incumbent's with president's responses

 

 

§
%

121

  

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122

Judged Extent of Application—w
Group Mean Values: Oppor-
tunity Areas

 

 

 

Group mean values for incumbents' extent judg—
ments of opportunity statements are shown in
Table 19 for questionnaire items 61 through 73. The
similarities and differences among group mean values
for each opportunity statement are illustrated in
Figure 12.

The 4.00 and above extent level was assigned
by incumbents to item 63/95 by all groups; item 64/96
by the medium public, large private, and public groups;
item 61 by the small private and public, medium public,
and large public groups; item 70/100 by the small pri—
vate, medium private, and medium public groups; item
7l/101 by the medium public group; and item 69/99 by
the large public group.

The 3.00 to 3.99 extent level was assigned by
incumbents to items 65/97, 72/102, and 73/103 by all
groups; item 69/99 by the small private and public,
medium private and public, and large private groups;
item 7l/lOl by the small private and public, medium
private, large private and public groups; item 70/l00
by the small public, medium private and public, large
private and public groups; item 64/96 by the small
private and public, and medium private groups; item 61
by the medium private and large private groups; and item

62 by the small private group.

 

123

 

 

 

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124

 

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Judged Extent of Application

 

 

F m .30 «no.0

 

 

 

125

The 2.99 and below extent level was assigned by
incumbents to items 66, 67, and 68/98 by all groups; and
item 62 by the small public, medium private, and public,
large private and public groups.

Judged Extent of Classification--

Group Mean Values: Oppor-
tunity Areas

 

 

 

Group mean values for the presidents'

classification of opportunity statements related to

 

type, authority, and status dimensions are shown in
Table 20 for questionnaire items 63/95 through 65/97
and 68/98 through 73/103. The similarities and dif~
ferences among group mean values for each classifi—
cation/opportunity statement are illustrated in
Figure 13.

The 4.00 and above classification
level was assigned by presidents to items 64/96, 68/98,
and 72/102 by all groups; item 69/99 by the small private,
medium private, and large public groups; and item 71/101
by the medium private group.

The 3.00 to 3.99 classification level
was assigned by presidents to item 65/97 by the small
private and public, medium private and public, and
large public groups; item 63/95 by the small private
and public, medium private, large private and public
groups; item 71/101 by the small private and public,

medium public, large private and public groups;

126

 

 

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127

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128

item 69/99 by the small public, medium public, and
large private groups; and item 70/100 by the small
public group.

The 2.99 and below classification
level was assigned by presidents to item 73/103 by all
groups; item 70/100 by the small private, medium pri-
vate and public, large private and public groups.

Responses Related to Characteristic
Areas

 

The results of one-way analysis of variance
tests, for unequal subclasses, on data represented by
the grand mean values for the extent to which each
characteristic statement was perceived by all incum~
bents to be appropriate for the position of assistant
to the president are shown in Table 21. To reveal
the degree of difference in the application
assigned to each item, Figure 14 illustrates the pattern
of grand mean values determined from the judged extent
of importance assigned by incumbents to each statement
pertaining to characteristics.

All incumbents assigned an application
level of 4.00 or more to items 74 (personality), 75
(motivation and interest), 78 (problem solving), 84
(bachelor's degree), 85 (master's degree), and 77

(creative ability).

 

 

 

 

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129

 

 

 

 

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130

    
 

Higher Education Admin.
ElemJSec. Admin.

Philanthropic Found. Act.

Professional Practice

  
 
   
  

Higher Education Teaching

incumbents

Elem./Sec. Teach.

General Admin. ‘

E xperience

l

T T

82838485868788899091929394

 

 

Doctor‘s Degree 4.1
5
Specialist Degree :
o
Master’s Degree E
.3.
Bachelor‘s Degree 5-
General Administration c"
o
Comb. Acad. Area 8. Educ. Admin. 5
G
a.
Administration of Higher Education 3
Specialized Academic Area E
0
Educational Administration l—i
Problem Solving 24
0
Creative Ability g
0
Age Requirement g
Motivation] Interest 3
5
Personality L.
I’— i 7 1 f
to v m N i—
3 ° 8
6 5
‘5 'D
5 §

Judged Extent of Application

74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81

Item Statements: Characteristics

:anum-

Figure l4.—-Extent of characteristic perceived by
bents as appropriate to the position-Assistant to the
President

 

 

 

 

131

The application level 3.00 to 3.99
was assigned to items 93 (higher education adminis—
tration-experience), 83 (general administration—
preparation), 79 (educational administration), 81
(administration of higher education-preparation), 82
(academic area and educational administration-
preparation), 89 (higher education teaching—experience),
and 87 (doctorate level preparation).

The application level 2.99 and below
was assigned to items 94 (general administration-
experience), 76 (age level required), 80 (specialized
academic area-preparation), 86 (specialist degree),
91 (philanthropic foundation-experience), 90 (pro-
fessional practice), 92 (elementary/secondary adminis—
tration-experience), and 88 (elementary/secondary
teaching).
Judged Extent of Application--

Group Mean Values: Gharac-
teristic Areas

 

 

 

Group mean values for extent judgments are
shown in Table 22 for questionnaire items 74 through
94. The similarities and differences among group mean
values for each characteristic statement are illustrated
in Figure 15.

The 4.00 and above application level
was assigned by incumbents to items 74, 75, 78, and 84

by all groups; item 77 by the small private and public,

132

 

 

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133

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134

medium public, large private and public groups; item 85
by the small private, medium and large public groups; and
item 89 by the large public group.

The 3.00 to 3.99 application level was
assigned by incumbents to items 79, 81, and 93 by all
groups; item 83 by the small private and public, medium
public, large private and public groups; item 82 by
the small private and public, medium public, and large
private groups; item 85 by the small public, medium
and large private groups; item 94 by the small public
and large private groups; item 87 by the medium and
large public groups; item 89 by the small private and
medium public groups; and item 77 by the medium private
group.

The 2.99 and below application level
was assigned by incumbents to items 76, 80, 86, 88, 90,
91, and 92 by all groups; item 94 by the small private,
medium private and public, and large public groups;
item 87 by the small private and public, medium and
large private groups; item 89 by the small public,
medium and large private groups; item 82 by the medium
private and large public groups; and item 83 by the

medium private group.

Summary

The results of the analysis and the findings

from this study fail to provide a basis for rejecting

135

the hypotheses of no difference in dependent variables
related to independent variance in source of finance
and enrollment size as shown in Table 6.

The representation of mean values for each
dependent category and item statement serves to point
the way to differences which.may be found in the use
of the role: the perceived competencies, responsi-
bilities, relationships, opportunities, and character—
istics which are considered by incumbents to apply
or are appropriate for the position of assistant to
the president.

The summary, discussion, and recommendations
regarding the procedures, analysis, and findings of

this study are presented in Chapter V.

 

 

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, AND

RECOMMENDATIONS

In this chapter, an overview is presented of the
development, administration, and analysis for this study;
the findings are discussed; and recommendations for
further research and study are made.

This study was directed toward the examination
of the effects of student enrollment size (small, medium,
and large) and source of finance (private and public) on
the position of assistant to the president as perceived
by incumbents from senior colleges and universities in
the United States. The incumbent's perceptions of expec~
tations represented by judgments, provide the basic data
for this study. Judgments were made of the ideal and of
the actual extent to which the statements of competencies,
responsibilities, and relationships apply to the role;
of the extent to which statements of opportunities for
personal/professional growth and development are afforded
by the position; and of the extent to which statements of
personal/professional characteristics are appropriate

for incumbency. An analysis of the data used to test

136

 

 

137

for significant relationships between the dependent
variables mentioned above and the institutional indepen—
dent variables of size (small, medium, and large) and
source of finance (private and public) was made in search
of findings which would provide insights and understandings
for use in organizational clarification and reduction of
needless role conflict.

The population for this study was identified by
creating a definition of the role of assistant to the
president based on available research and literature, and
by submitting a request for identification, along with the
definition, to all presidents of senior colleges and uni-
versities in the United States. Of a total of 1,647
presidents contacted, 69 per cent responded to the popu—
lation identification request mailing. The population of
595 institutions with identified incumbents was stratified
into three (small, medium, and large) levels and divided
into two (public and private) types for a total of six
cells. Thirty institutions were selected randomly from
each cell to serve as a representative sample for data
collection purposes.

Careful review and consideration of relevant
literature related to the administrative support role of
assistant to the president has served as the basis for
time questions considered in this study. Though it is
inlportant to determine what is being done that is effec—

trve in other organizations, as a matter of benefiting

138

from the experience of others, the ultimate test in a
given situation or circumstance is that which is best
or most effective in each specific institutional setting.

The end result of a system of roles, as measured by the

 

attainment of the organization's goals and individual's
need satisfaction, remains the reason for being an
organized human grouping. Specification of organized
expectations as estimated by the position incumbent's

perceptions of ideal expectation, together with the

 

identification of the role enactment/actual performance
as estimated by the incumbents' judgments of the extent
to which statements actually apply to his/her role, pro—
vide the core data for analysis in this study.

The comparison of ideal extent responses with
actual extent responses provides an estimated measure
of the incumbent's morale/effectiveness in role enact-
ment. The comparison of the incumbent's with the presi—
dent's classification of the role by type, authority
relationship, and source of definition provides an
estimated measure of dysfunction/frustration in role
behavior. These measures reflect the degree of relation—
ship between responses and indicate the degree of under—
standing held by the incumbent regarding the expectations
for the role.

Administrative theorists suggest, as reported in

Chapter II, that the use of administrative support roles

 

 

 

 

 

139

varies in relation to differences in organization size and
type of institution (source of finance). The question has
been raised about the specific nature and direction of
differences in roles which might be related to organi—
zational differences. Roles tend to become more
specialized and consideration of division of labor

reveals that the number of individuals who are involved

in the process called administration increases as the
numbers of faculty increases. The question of whether

the differences in roles represent an actual change in

the role or an increased volume of administrative activity
is vital to the purposes and findings of this study.

If the effect of size does relate to differences
in the role, then an indication of tension/conflict
should be found in the form of low correlation between
ideal and actual extent judgments of statements, pro-
vided by incumbents. LAlso, differences should be found
in the estimated measures of morale/effectiveness and
dysfunction/conflict between varying sizes of insti—
tutions and between incumbents from institutions of
public and private sources of finance.

The effects of the division of labor and speciali-
zation should result in differences in judgment about com—
petencies, responsibilities, relationships, opportunities,
and characteristics. We should be able to demonstrate
that incumbent assistants‘ to the president judgments of

statements in each of the dependent variable categories

 

 

 

 

140

can be used to identify the use of the role in senior
colleges and universities.

A ten~member panel reviewed the items prepared
from the literature and research for use in the data
collection questionnaire and classification forms. The
items were considered for perceived clarity and validity
as related to the dependent variables——competencies,
responsibilities, relationships, opportunities, char—
acteristics, and classifications--and judged to be
appropriate for the assistant to the president role.

The approved questionnaire was mailed to incum—
bents from 180 institutions and classification forms
were sent to their presidents. Usable returns were
received from 158 incumbents and their presidents,
for an 88 per cent return from the research sample.

The reSponse data were prepared for analysis by
transferring and verifying the data on computer cards.
For the purpose of testing the hypotheses, the data were
summed for each of the eleven dependent variables.
Through the use of multivariate analysis of variance,
simultaneous tests were made of all dependent variables
for significant variations (at the .05 level) related
to the independent variables. The results failed to
reach the .05 level of significance; therefore, the
hypotheses of no difference in the role as identified by

the incumbents' responses, and as related to differences

141

in senior college and university student enrollment size
and source of finance, were not rejected.

Since the findings failed to provide a basis for
rejecting the hypotheses of no difference, given that
colleges do not differ, one might expect to find a
high correlation between the ideal and actual extent
judgments as an estimated measure of positive morale and
satisfaction. The analysis of data reveals a high
positive correlation between ideal and actual responses
for competency, responsibility, and relationships
dependent variable categories. The comparison of
incumbent's with president's classifications of the
role, however, reveals a very low or negative cor-
relation which indicates that the potential for
dysfunction/conflict exists for the role.

The representation of mean values in table and
graph form for each dependent category and item state-
ment serves to point the way to differences which.may
be found in the use of the role perceived by incumbents
as applying to or being appropriate for the position of
assistant to the president.

We failed to reject the hypotheses of no dif—
ferences between institutions of varying sizes and
sources of income on the following: competencies,
responsibilities, relationships, opportunities, and

characteristics. A positive correlation was found

 

 

 

 

 

142

between ideal and actual extent judgments of state—
ments on competence, responsibility, and relationship.
This measure appears to represent the incumbent's
positive identification with the senior college or
university and possible effective performance in the
role of assistant to the president. A low correlation
was found between the comparable classification judg—
ments of the incumbents compared with the classifi—
cations made by the presidents. This measure appears
to indicate the potential for dysfunction/conflict
between the incumbent and the president.

This first attempt at the creation of a defi-
nition for the identification of a true population has
provided a start toward establishing a basis for
clarification of various administrative roles. Though
the findings failed to support the theoretical premise
of expected differences in the role of assistant to the
president being related to organizational differences,
indications have been found which suggest that sources
of ineffectiveness and dysfunction can be determined by

the methods used here.

Discussion

 

Consideration of the research and literature
related to the position of assistant to the president
reveals the need for the collection of data which can

facilitate a description and discussion of the skills,

 

143

functions, relationships with people, potential for
experiences, and the individual factors which are per-
ceived to be appropriate for the position. In this
study, procedures were established to obtain data from
selected incumbents and their presidents as measures

of the judged extent to which statements related to the
competencies, responsibilities, relationships, opportuni-
ties, and characteristics were perceived to apply to the
position.

Analysis of the data revealed that the highest
level of importance was attributed to skills in written
and oral communication, liaison and public relations
services, and decision—making and policy implementation,
as well as ideally in political and social insights and
understandings. A moderate level of importance was
assigned to skills in program planning and development,
resource development, research skills, and student per—
Sonnel services, with some importance placed on techno—
logical skills. The results show a greater degree of
agreement between different groups on the most important
(communication skills) items and the skills considered to
be of lesser importance (technological skills).

The highest importance was placed on the
functions of advising the president and of managing

Special projects. The functions of communications,

144

support activities for the administrative team, policy
management, public relations and resource development,
program management, business and fiscal operations, and
faculty and staff relations were assigned a moderate
importance level.

The highest level of importance was attributed
to involvement with other administrators. A moderate
level of importance was assigned to relationships with
boards of control, faculty, students, governmental,
alumni, special interest, and communication media groups.
The greatest degree of agreement between groups, con-
cerning assignment of importance, follows the pattern
of the greatest importance assigned to competencies,
responsibilities, and relationships. For the items
identified as being most important, the groups came

the closest in stating similar levels.

It should be noted that a similar pattern of
response exists between judgments of the ideal and the
actual extent to which competencies, responsibilities,
and relationships are perceived to apply to the role.
The ideal extent was consistently judged at a greater
level of importance than the actual extent for most item
statements. The close parallel between the pattern of
ideal and actual extent judgments suggests that the
incumbents generally had a high level of morale and

sense of satisfaction in their positions. This

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

145

perspective does not Speak to the effectiveness or the
potential for dysfunction in the position. Mention will
be made of this point later in the discussion.

The highest level of importance was assigned by
incumbents to opportunities for new working experiences,
learning situations, functional authority assignment,
and role definition by the president.

A moderate degree of importance was assigned to
the career potential, staff authority, and definition
of the position by both the president and the incumbent,
as well as singly by incumbent definition.

The presidents assigned the highest level of
importance to the position as a training type, in a
line authority status, and as being defined by the
incumbent.

Moderate importance was attributed by the
presidents to the holding and career dimensions, the
staff status, and the president's definition of the
assistant to the president position.

An examination of the assignment pattern of the
presidents with the comparable pattern of the incumbents
revealed an indication of the potential for dysfunction
and ineffectiveness in role enactment. It appears that
the president‘s View of the position differed impore
tantly from the incumbent's view, thereby providing

the possibility of creating misunderstandings,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

146

disappointments, conflicts, and confusions. The need
apparently exists for the presidents and incumbents to
exchange understandings and for working out differences
which can impede the effective achievement of exper
tations and goal realization.

The highest level of importance was attributed
by incumbents to the personal dimensions of personality,
motivation and interest, problem solving and creative
abilities, as well as to the bachelor‘s and master's
degree levels of preparation for the position of
assistant to the president.

A moderate extent of importance was assigned
to preparation in general, educational, and higher
educational administration, and to the combination of
educational administration and an academic area. The
doctorate preparation level and higher education
administration experience were identified as.moderately

:hnportant to the position.

Recommendations
The results of this study indicate the need for
<1larification of understanding or expectations between
time president and his/her assistant to the president.
TTMe differences in interpretation could result in con—
Ifllict or loss in effectiveness in achievement of

expectations .

 

 

 

147

A major problem found in the previous research
and literature relates to a lack of comparability and
cause-and-effect bases for findings and variables.
Though this study cannot claim findings of cause and
effect, a start has been made toward establishing a
basis of comparability by establishing a definition for
the position which can be used for identifying a popu-
lation described by that definition.

Further study should be made in depth to determine

 

the specific nature and use of the administrative support
role-~assistant to the president.

A combination of data sources should be used to
provide a more complete description of the competencies,
responsibilities, relationships, opportunities, and
characteristics appropriate to the incumbent, the
position, and the organizational setting. Through the
use of written response forms, and interview and obser—
vation techniques, greater depth and clarity can be
attained. Some of the confounding variables, such as
the incumbent's personality, the formal structure, the
informal structure, status factors, authority distri-
bution, and access to power, can be brought out and
examined for effect within the division of labor and

the role setting.

 

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APPEND ICES

 

APPENDIX A

RESPONSE SHEET

APPENDIX A
RESPONSE SHEET

Population Identification

The Position of Assistant to the President in Senior Colleges
and Universities Within the United States

Definition of the Position: the position's incumbent has
administratiVe and/er academic rank and is directly responsible
to the president who defines the duties, responsibilities, and
authorities for the position. The position is not directly in
the line hierarchy of authority within the orgafiiiation. Other
major administrators, faculty, and students are not directly
responsible to the incumbent except in situations defined by
the president. Persons in this position perform other than
secretarial or custodial duties.

 

President's Name:

 

 

Mailing Address:

 

Does this position exist at your institution as identified by
the above definition? yes no

 

If yes, please identify the person(s) by name(s) and title(s)
below. Please print or type.

Incumbent's Name Incumbent's Title

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional Comments:

 

 

 

 

158

 

APPENDIX B

PRESIDENT'S CLASSIFICATION FORM

APPENDIX B

PRESIDENT'S CLASSIFICATION FORM

Please check the one definition in each category which most accurately describes

the position held By the person identi ie

in t e accompanying letter at your

institution.

Category I:

1.

Category II:

1.

Category

1.

Do you wish to receive a summary of the findings?

III:

TYPE OF POSITION — The type of the identified position is primarily
described by: (check one)

Holding position: The position provides for the special needs, re—
quirements, or conditions of either or both the individual incumbent
or the institution. The existence and functions of the position
fluctuate according to the needs of the president, the institution,
or the incumbent.

Training position: The position provides opportunities for observing
afid’participating in the overall operations and administrative pro-
cesses of the institution providing experiences which serve to prepare
the incumbent for advancement to higher-level executive administrative
positions at the same or another institution.

Career Position: The position provides service on a permanent or long
term basis without being used primarily as a training or a holding
position.

 

 

Other (Please specify)

 

 

 

AUTHORITY STATUS - The authority status for the identified position
is primarily described by: (check one)

Line: The position falls within the vertical dimension or "chain of
command" through which the basic functions of the institution are
achieved.

Staff: The position falls within the horizontal dimension which supple—
ments the line functions in administration and counsels or advises the
line administrator.

Functional: The position has staff status and acquires authority when
the president delegates line authority for a special project or problem
within the expertise of the incumbent.

Other (Please specify)

 

 

1’

 

SOURCE OF ROLE DEFINITION - The role expectations for the identified
position are primarily defined by: (check one)

Defined by the president: The defined expectations provide for the
presidént's personal or official needs using the strengths of the
incumbent to supplement the president's competencies.

Defined by the role incumbent: The defined expectations provide for the
incumbenth personaI7profes§ional needs and requirements in a particular
situation.

Defined by the president and the role incumbent: The defined expec-
tations provide for the president's personal or official needs and the
incumbent's personal/professional capabilities and prestige.

Other (Please specify)

 

 

 

Yes No

159

 

APPENDIX C

INCUMBENT'S INFORMATION FORM

APPENDIX C

INCUMBENT'S INFORMATION FORM

COMPETENCIES

For each of the competence areas listed below, please indicate

(1) the extent of

competence that you currently possess in the area, and (2) in your opinion the
extent of competence in that area which is desirable for a person in your position.

Your choices can range from a "great deal"

or no competence at all.

(5) through "moderate"

(3) to "none"

(1)

 

 

competence.

ble, circle

 

EXAMPLE: If you possess a general competence in architectural drafting,
circle as in the column of possible responses labeled "actual" degree of

If you believe that possession of more than a general competence
but less than a greal deal of competence in architectural drafting is desira-
QD .in the column of possible responses labeled "ideal."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMPETENCE AREA EXTENT OF COMPETENCE
1. Actual 2. Ideal
Architectural drafting 5 4 ® 2 T 5 ® 3 2 T
EXTENT OF COMPETENCE
Please circle the appropriate number to indicate T. Actual 2. Ideal
your judgment in each category.
1. What extent of competency do you actually 3 m g 0
possess, and ‘u u -o -u
II! 06
U $- 43 L-
2. In your opinion what extent of competence g .3 g g .3 g
is desirable for a person in your position L o o L ‘2 o
to possess in each of the following e: z z ‘5 " z
competence areas? 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 T
COMPETENCE AREAS:
1. Research and investigation methods and
techniques. 1. 5 4 3 2 l S 4 3 2 l
2. Program planning and development. 2. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l
3. Written and oral communications. 3. 5 4 3 2 1 S 4 3 2 l
4. Technological developments and their
applications to education. 4. S 4 3 2 l S 4 3 2 1
5. Business and fiscal Operations and
procedures. 5. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l
6. Liaison and public relations services. 6. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 1
7. Student personnel services. 7. S 4 3 2 1 S 4 3 2 l
8. Decision making and policy implementation. 8. S 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l
9. Resource development. 9. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 1
10. Political and social insights and under—
standings. 10. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 1
11. Other (Please specify)
11. 5 4 3 2 1 S 4 3 2 1
PLEASE CONTINUE ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

160

161

RESPONSIBILITIES

For each of the functions listed below, please indicate (1) the extent of

responsibility that you actuall have for that function, and (2) in your opinion
the extent of responsibility which is ideal for a person in your position to have
for that function.

Your choices can range from a "great deal"

(3) to "none" (1) or no responsibility at all.

(5) of responsibility through "moderate"

 

 

in your position to be responsible
of possible responses labeled "ideal” extent of responsibility.

EXAMPLE: If you have some but less than moderate responsibility for the

FUNCTION

Academic record keeping

function, circle ® in the column of possible responses labeled "actual" extent
of responsibility. If you believe that it is moderately desirable for a person
for the function, circle (3 in the column

 

EXTENT OF RESPONSIBILITY

 

1. Actual 2. Ideal

 

 

543®1 54@21

 

Please circle the appropriate number to indicate
your judgment in each category.

1. What extent of responsibility do you
actually have, and

2. In your opinion, what extent of responsi—
bility is ideal for a person in your position
to have for each of the following functions?

FUNCTIONS:

l. Consult with and advise the president.

2.- Serve as secretary to the administrative
team, schedule meetings, prepare required
information, facilitate interaction and
communication.

3. Prepare and review written communications.

4. Work on special projects and problems.

5. Work with public relations and resource
development.

6. Work with personnel management and related
faculty/staff relations.

7. Work with business and fiscal Operations.

8. Work with student personnel services and
related student activities.

9. Work with program planning, development,
and evaluation.

10. Work with policy development, implemen-
tation, articulation, and evaluation.
ll. Other (Please specify)

 

 

10.

11.

 

EXTENT OF RESPONSIBILITY

 

1. Actual 2. Ideal

 

 

 

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162

RELATIONSHIPS

For each of the following groups please indicate (1) the extent of contact that
you currently have, and (2) in your opinion the extent of contact which is
desirable for a person in your position.

Your choices can range from a "great deal" (5) of contact through ”moderate" (3)
to "none" (1) or no contact at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXAMPLE: If you have no contact at all with the group, circle ® in the
column of possible responses labeled "actual" extent of contact. If you believe
that a great deal of contact with the group is desirable for a person in your
position, circle (3) in the column of possible responses labeled "ideal” extent
of contact.

GROUP EXTENT OF CONTACT

1. Actual 2. Ideal

U.S. Senators 5 4 3 2® Q4 3 2 1

Please circle the apprOpriate number to indicate EXTENT OF CONTACT
your judgment in each category. 1. Actual 2. Ideal
1. To what extent do you actually have contact,
and r; F;
O Q 0 O
2. In your Opinion what extent of contact is 'U 2 'U :
desirable for a person in your position '3 3 a 'g g m
with each of the following groups: a 'c c w 'u e
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GROUPS: 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l
l. Governmental units/agencies or their
representatives. 1. S 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 1
2. Alumni groups or their representatives. 2. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l
3. Special interest groups or their repre-
sentatives. 3. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l
4. Board of Trustees/Regents or their
representatives. 4. 5 4 3 2 1 5 4 3 2 l
5. Professional association representatives
and activities. 5. S 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l
6. Institutional associations or accrediting
agencies or their representatives. 6. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l
7. Administrators from your institution,
other than your president. 7. S 4 3 2 1 S 4 3 2 l
8. Faculty groups or their representatives

from your institution. 8. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l
9. Student groups or their representatives

from your institution. 9. 5 4 3 2 l S 4 3 2 l

10. Communication media groups or their
representatives. 10. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 1
ll. Other (Please specify)
11. 5 4 3 2 l 5 4 3 2 l

 

 

 

 

 

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l£i3

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PROFESSIONAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

For each of the following statements please indicate the extent to which the

statement applies to you in your position.

Your choices can range from applies to a "great extent"

(3) to "none" (1) or no extent at all.

(5) through "moderate"

 

 

EXAMPLE: If you believe that the statement applies to moderate extent to

STATEMENT

Position incumbent attends appropriate
professional association meetings

your position, circle Q in the column of possible responses.

 

0‘ Great deal

ab

GD Moderate

H None

 

Please circle the apprOpriate number to indicate
your judgment of each statement.

To what extent do the following statements apply

to your pOSition?

 

STATEMENTS:

l.

The position provides new working opportunities
which may help the individual to become a more
capable incumbent.

In the absence of the president, the position
provides for the incumbent to make decisions the
president would make if present.

The position provides for the special needs,
requirements, or conditions of either or both

the individual incumbent or the institution.

The existence and functions of the position
fluctuate according to the needs of the president,
the incumbent, or the institution.

The position provides Opportunities for observing
and participating in the overall operations and
administrative processes of the institution
providing experiences which serve to prepare

the incumbent for advancement to higher level
executive administrative positions at the same

or another institution.

The position provides service on a permanent
or long term basis without being used primarily
as a training or a holding position.

The position is assigned functions in areas in
which the incumbent is inexperienced.

The president provides close personal supervision
in the functions expected of the incumbent.

The position falls within the vertical dimension
or "chain of command" through which the basic
functions of the institution are achieved.

The position falls within the horizontal dimension
which supplements the line functions in adminis-
tration and counsels or advises the line
administrator.

PLEASE CONTINUE ON TO THE NEXT PAGE

 

m Great deal

w Moderate

H None

  

 

 

 

 

164

m Great deal
w Moderate
H None

STATEMENTS:

 

10. The position has staff status and acquires
authority when the president delegates line
authority for a special project or problem
within the expertise Of the incumbent. 10. 5 4 3 2 1

11. The defined expectations provide for the
president's personal or official needs using
the strengths of the incumbent to supplement
the president's competencies. ll. 5 4 3 2 l

12. The defined expectations provide for the
incumbent's personal/professional needs and
requirements in a particular situation. 12. S 4 3 2 l

13. The defined expectations provide for the
president's personal or official needs and
the incumbent's personal/professional
capabilities and prestige. 13. S 4 3 2 1

 

 

PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS

For each of the following characteristics, please indicate the extent to which the
characteristic is desirable for a person in your position to possess.

Your choices can range from a "great deal" (5) through "moderate" (3) to "none"
(1) or not at all.

I

 

 

 

EXAMPLE: If you believe possession of the characteristic is greatly
needed, circle @ in the column of possible responses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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CHARACTERISTIC I” 13
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Mental and physical endurance @ 4 3 2 1
Please circle the appropriate number to indicate 3 w
your judgment of each characteristic. U fl
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CHARACTERISTICS: 5 4 3 2 1
To what extent are each of the following dimensions
important for a person in your position?
1. Personality l. 5 4 3 2 l
2. Motivation/interest 2. 5 4 3 2 l
3. Age requirement 3. 5 4 3 2 l
4. Creative ability 4. 5 4 3 2 l
5. Problem solving 5. S 4 3 2 1
6. Other (Please specify)
6. 5 4 3 2 1

 

 

 

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1(55

CHARACTERISTICS:

To what extent is formal preparation in each of the
following areas desirable for a person in your position?

11.

12.

Educational administration

Specialized academic area (please Specify)

 

Administration of Higher Education

Combination of academic area and educational
administration

General administration, e.g., political, business,
hospital, military, or philanthropic organizations

Other (please specify)

 

 

To what extent is pgeparation at each of the following
levels deSirable for a person in your position?

 

 

13.
14.
15.
16.

17.

Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Specialist's degree
Doctor's degree

Other (please specify)

 

 

To what extent is experience desirable and how many
years of experience is important in each of the following
areas for a person in your pOSition?

Minimum Years

 

 

 

Please indicate number of years: DeEIrEbIE
18. Elementary/secondary teaching I. )
19. Higher education teaching ( )
20. Professional practice, e.g., law,

medicine (please specify) ( )
21. PhilanthrOpic Foundation activities ( )
22. Elementary/secondary administration ( )
23. Higher education administration ( )
24. General administration, e.g., hospital,

business/industry, religious, or military ( )
25. Other (please Specify)

 

 

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10.

ll.

12.

13.
14.
15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

20.
21.
22.

23.

24.

25.

 

 

 

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