THE NEED QF [bi-SERVES EQUCAHQN FOE
CGMMQNETY CO LLEQE TRUSTEES: A9
PERCEWEQ BY P‘Riifi-EDENTS N923
TRUSTEES Q? CQMMBNIW COLLEGES

Wests for Tim Dogma of" pile. D.
MiC‘EEGAN STATE EEWERSITY

Gary C. Fax;

19663

THE$S

This is to certify that the

thesis entitled

THE NEED OF IN-SERVICE EDUCATION FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRUSTEES AS PERCEIVED BY
PRESIDENTS AND TRUSTEES OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES

presented by

Gary C. Fox

has been accepted towards fulfillment
of the requirements for

Ph.D degree in Education

//@

IMajor professdr

 

Date Auggst 17, 1966

0-169

 

‘ i...- “VHF-fl -

THE NEED OF IN-SERVICE EDUCATION FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRUSTEES AS PERCEIVED BY
PRESIDENTS AND TRUSTEES OF COMMUNITY COLLEGES

BY
W24 5

,2“
Gary CT Fox

A THESIS

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

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

College of Education

1966

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In the planning and execution of a research study
many persons make contributions to the final results which
often go unrecognized. It is my desire that none of those
who helped make this study a reality will be overlooked
in these acknowledgments. If, however, someone is omitted
from consideration here, it is hoped they will realize
that their contributions were genuinely appreciated, if
not specifically stated.

First, the writer wishes to express a sincere grati-
tude for the inspiration and guidance of his doctoral
committee, Dr. Max S. Smith, Chairman, Dr. James B. McKee,
Dr. Eldon R. Nonnamaker, and Dr. Max R. Raines, during
the planning and progress of the entire program of studies.
.Also, a Special thanks to Dr. George L. Hall, former Director
of the Midwest Community College Leadership Program, from
‘whom the writer received encouragement.

The writer was also fortunate to be exposed to each
of his doctoral committee members in the classroom where
"lighting the candle rather than cursing the darkness"
<3ccurred many times for the student.

To the Office of Community College Cooperation at
ndichigan State University, under the directorship of Dr.

lflax S. Smith, a Special thanks for lending its institutional

ii

support to the study.

To the Kellogg Foundation, I am particularly grateful
for sponsoring my academic pursuits while attending Michigan
State University.

For the professional and social associations made
‘with my fellow Kellogg Fellows, I am greatly indebted.
They provided encouragement and insight when a "hurdle was
to be jumped".

Thanks are due to Mrs. Barbara Bader for beautifully
and accurately typing the manuscript, and to Mrs. Shirley
Goodwin for printing it nicely.

Acknowledgment is also extended to my family for
their understanding and support, and e5pecially to my wife
Patricia, without whom the study could not have been com-

pleted.

August. 1966 Gary C. Fox

iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter
I INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Statement of the Problem. . . . . . . . .
Purpose of the Study. . . . . . . . . . .
Assumptions . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Need for the Study. . . . . . . . . . . .
Definition of Terms . . . . . . . . . .
Limitations of the Study. . . . . . . . .
Overview of the Study . . . . . . . . . .
II REVIEW OF LITERATURE . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Role of the Trustee . . . . . . . . .
The President and the Board . . . . . . .
In-service Education. . . . . . . . . . .
In-service Education of Boards of Trustees
smary O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O I O
.111 DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY . . . . . . . . . . .
General Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Instrumentation . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Population. 0 O O O 0 O O O O O O O O O 0
Interviews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Method of Analysis. . . . . . . . . . . .
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1V7 IN-SERVICE EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN FOUR

COMMUNITY COLLEGES . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Community College A . . . . . . . . . . .
Basic Institutional Data . . . . . . .
Organization of the Board of Trustees.
In-service Education Program . . . . .
Annual meeting of the Board of Trustees
Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Reading Materials. . . . . . . . . .
Attendance at Educational Conferences.
Educational Consultants. . . . . . . .
Trustees as Speakers to Outside Groups
Committees . . . . . . . . . . . .
Strengths and Weaknesses of Board. . .

iv

Page

H

H»4
Raoubhtuhaw

l4

16
27
39
46
51

52

52
53
57
58
62
63

64

64
65
65
66
66
67
67
68
68
69
69
7O
71

Chapter

IV Community College B . . . . . . . . . . . .
(cont.) Basic Institutional Data . . . . . . . .
Organization of the Board of Trustees. .
In-service Education Programs. . . . . .
Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Social Functions . . . . . . . . . . . .
Attendance at Educational Conferences. .
Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Board. .
Community College C . . . . . . . . . . . .
Basic Institutional Information. . . . .
Organization of the Board of Trustees. .
In—service Education Programs. . . . . .
Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Educational Survey and Consultants . . .
Educational Conferences. . . . . . . . .
Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Committees . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Board
of Trustees. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Community College D . . . . . . . . . . . .
Organization of the Board of Trustees. .
Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The President's Memo . . . . . . . . . .
Trustee—Administrative Retreats. . . . .
Accrediting Team Visitations . . . . . .
Suggested Readings . . . . . . . . . . .
Attendance at Educational Conferences. .
Committees . . . . . . . . . . . .
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Board of
Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Basic Institutional Data . . . . . . . .
Organization of Board. . . . . . . . . .
The In-service Education Programs. . . .
Strengths and Weaknesses . . . . . . . .
\7 ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONNAIRE FINDINGS . . . . . .
Personal Characteristics of Trustee
Respondents . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Characteristics of the Presidents and
their Institutions. . . . . . . . . . . .
Areas of Institutional Concern. . . . . . .
Technical-Vocational Programs. . . . . .
Federal Aid to Education . . . . . . . .

Adult and Continuing Education . . . . .

Page

71
71
72
72
73
73
74
74
74
75
75
76
77
77
78
79
79
79

80
81
81
82
82
82
83
84
84
84

85
87
87
87
88
89

93

93

101
106
106
106
107

Chapter

(cont.)

Research in the Area of Learning Process
Relative to Higher Education . . . . . .
Curriculum Development . . . . . . . . . .
Student Personnel Services . . . . . . . .
Professional Negotiations and Collective
Bargaining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Public and Alumni Relations. . . . . . . .
Philosophy of the Community College. . . .
Plant Development and Maintenance. . . . .
Academic Freedom . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Budget Preparation and Financial Affairs .

In-service Education Methods used to Keep
Trustees Informed . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Visits to Other Community Colleges . . . .
Provision of Monthly Subscriptions to the
Junior College Journal . . . . . . . .
Preparation of Regular Newsletter by
Administrative Staff . . . . . . . . . .
Participation in School Board Association.
Systematic Orientation Program for New
Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Attendance at Educational Conferences. . .
President's Annual Report. . . . . . . . .
Review of Former Board Minutes . . . . . .
Student NeWSpapers . . . . . . . . . . . .
Utilization of Consultants . . . . . . . .
"Clipping Service" . . . . . . . . . . .

 

Extent of Problems Encountered by Boards
of Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Absenteeism of Board Members . . . . . . .
Board Policies and By-laws have not been
Explicitly Stated. . . . . . . . . . . .
Excessive Partisanship . . . . . . . . . .
Too much Attention to Detail . . . . . . .
Lack of Confidence between Board and
Community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Lack of time--availability of Trustees . .
Lack of Confidence in Administrative Staff
Board Involvement in Administration
Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Limited Understanding of Role as a Trustee
Community Pressure Groups. . . . . . . . .
Committee Responsibilities . . . . . . . .
Misuse of Executive Sessions . . . . . . .
Lack of Confidence and Lack of Frank
Discussion among Board Members . . . . .

Survey of Write-In Responses. . . . . . . . .

vi

107
107
107

108
108
108
109
109
109

112
112

112

113
113

114
114
114
115
115
115
116

119
120

120
120
121

121
121
121

122
122
122
123
123

123
124

Chapter Page

V Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
(cont.) Personal Characteristics of Trustee
Respondents in the Study . . . . . . . . 130
Personal Characteristics of President
ReSpondents and their Institutions . . . 132

VI SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND
IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH . . . . . . 135

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
The Problem. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Design of the Study. . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Review of Related Literature . . . . . . . 136
Method of Collecting and Analyzing the

Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

General Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 137

Specific Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
Areas of Institutional Concern . . . . . . 139
Methods or Practices of In-service

Education for Trustees . . . . . . . . . 139

Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 141

Implications for Further Research . . . . . . 147

BIBLIOGRAPHY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
APPENDIX A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
APPENDIX B. . . . . o . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

APPENDIX C. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

vii

Table

10

11

12

13

14

LI ST OF TABLES

In-service Education Practices
Continuing Education of Boards

Summary of the Characteristics
Respondents: Age. . . . . . .

Summary of the characteristics
Respondents: Male and Female.

Summary of the Characteristics
Respondents: Race . . . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics

Used for the
of Trustees .

of the Trustee

of the Trustee

of the Trustee

C O O O O O O

of the Trustee

Respondents: Church Affiliation . . . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics

of the Trustee

Respondents: Political Affiliation. . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics
Respondents: Formal Education

Summary of the Characteristics
Respondents: Marital Status .

Summary of the Characteristics

of the Trustee

of the Trustee

of the Trustee

Respondents: Number of Children . . . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics

of the Trustee

Respondents: Experience as Board Member at

Another Institution. . . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics

of the Trustee

Respondents: Years of Experience as Trustee

at Present Institution . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics

Respondents: Officers of the Board of Trustees.

Summary of the Characteristics

of the Trustee

of President

ReSpondents: Years as President of Present

Institution. . . . . . . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics

Respondents and Their Institutions:

tion 0 O O O O O O O O C O O 0

viii

of President

Accredita-

94

95

95

96

96

97

98

98

99

100

101

102

102

Table

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

Summary of the Characteristics of President
Respondents and their Institutions: Regular
Meeting of Board of Trustees . . . . . . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics of President
Respondents and Their Institutions: Service
as a Member of an Educational Board. . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics of President
reSpondents and their Institution: Method
Trustees are Selected. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Summary of the Characteristics of President
Respondents and their Institutions: Formal
In-service Education Program for Trustees. . .

Summary of the Total ReSponses of Trustees and
Presidents as to the Need for Additional
Information in Areas of Institutional Concern.

Ranking of Need of Additional Information in
Areas of Institutional Concern as Perceived
by President and Trustee Respondents . . . . .

Summary of the Responses of Trustees and Pres-
idents as to the Degree of Helpfulness of the
Methods Used to Keep Trustees Informed . . . .

Ranking of Frequency of Methods Used in In—
service Education of Trustees by Trustees-
Presidents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Summary of the Perceptions of Presidents and
Trustees as to Problems Encountered by their
Boards of Trustees . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ranking of Frequency of Problems Encountered

by the Board as Perceived by President and
Trustee Respondents. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

ix

104

104

105

110

111

117

119

125

126

LIST OF APPENDICES

Appendix Page
A Questionnaire for Community College
Trustees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
B Questionnaire for Community College
Presidents. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
C Copies of Correspondence. . . . . . . . . . 162

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Statement of the Problem

The present study is aimed at investigation of the
present status of in-service education of Boards of Trus-
tees as to need, methods, and activities being used, and
problems encountered, as perceived by trustees and presi-
dents in selected community colleges. It is hOped that
this would provide a basis for future planning of in—service

education programs for Boards of Trustees in community

colleges.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the study is to compare the in-service
education needs of trustees as perceived by trustees and
presidents and the nature and extent of in-service activi-

‘ties. More Specifically, it is the intent of this study

to determine:

1. In-service education needs of trustees as

perceived by trustees and presidents of com-

munity colleges.

2. The nature and extent of in-service education

activities for board members of their

reSpective community colleges.

The role of the trustee and the president's
relationship with the board through a

review of the literature.

The problem areas in the relationship between
Boards of Trustees and presidents as per-

ceived by the two groups.

A pattern of activities and methods that
have been Viewed as successful means toward
meeting the needs of in-service education

for Boards of Trustees in community colleges.

The characteristics of present board mem-
bers as to age, sex, method of selection,
occupation, educational background, church
affiliation,'political affiliation, race,
marital status, number of children, previ-

ous experience as a member of an educational

'board, and years of experience and service

as a trustee of their reSpective community

college.

The characteristics of the incumbent presi-

dents and their reSpective institutions.

Assumptions

 

This study is based upon the following assumptions:

1.

Individuals as trustees recognize the need

for continuing in-service education if they
are to maintain a high level of understand-
ing of the role of their institution in

higher education.

That an adequate and effective in—service
education program for trustees is an essen—

tial part of any educational system.

That all persons responsible for education
are anxious to grow educationally while
serving as trustees, if opportunities
through in—service education are provided
for them, and if proper information about

these activities is made available to them.

That all trustees responsible for education
have had exposure to the idea of in—service
education. However, they can only benefit
by participating in a continuous well-

planned educational activity.

As community colleges change to meet the
needs of their increasing constituencies,

the role of the trustee will take on new

dimensions.

6. That to formulate major policies requires
information that is included in an effective

in-service education program.

7. That many members of boards of trustees
have a background in formal education that
terminated with the completion of high school
or less, and that they lack sufficient know-
ledge in dealing with educational philosophy
and objectives of a community college, or
in dealing with the evaluation and appraisal

function as a trustee.

8. The primary direction for in-service educa-
tion of board members of each institution
is the responsibility of the President of
the community college and the Chairman of

the Board.

9. That there exists a need to the extent, quan—
tity, and scope of in-service education now
available to the majority of board of trus—

tee members.

Need for the Study

To be a good trustee of a community college requires

qualifications not always demanded of those who serve on
governing boards of other institutions of higher educa-
tion. Most other educational institutions are remote
from their constituencies. Persons interested in them
generally know very little of what goes on in them day
by day. The trustees, thereby, may deal with matters of
educational policy in an atmosphere of detachment.

It is quite otherwise with a community college, which
sits in the midst of its constituency and which enjoys
no privacy whatever. The community college boards gener-
ally meet more frequently than do governing boards of
four-year institutions or universities. They are apt to
be much more involved in operations and they become more
acquainted with administrative staff, faculty, and stu-
dents. This role and relationship of governing boards in
community colleges is different from what governing boards
of other institutions of higher education have known in
the past.

Community college trustees find theirs is not an
easy job; it makes large demands on the time of many board
Inembers. AS the community college movement continues to
(develop at a rapid pace, we find many conscientious and
(dedicated laymen assuming a new role as a trustee of a new
community college. In many instances the trustees and
'the institution have their "baptism" at the same time.

It is at this time when we find fledgling trustees faced

with their most important function: the selection of a
president. The performance of other important roles and
functions usually follows within a Short period of time.
This includes selection of physical setting for the insti-
tution, formulating major policies, and seeing to it that
the college is financially Operational. It is ironic that
trustees are asked to make many of these lasting and far-
reaching decisions at a time when they are least prepared
to do so. This fact alone illustrates the need for a
systematic orientation of new board of trustee members.
However, the concern of this study is not only for new
trustees, but for the continuous growth of all members
through a well-planned in-service education program.
Anyone ready to help trustees clarify their task,

improve procedures, and vitalize their vision could point
to the writings of many. One such writing is that of
.Martorana:

It is imperative to the continued sound

growth and development of American higher

education that boards of trustees, college

staff members, and the public at large under-

stand the role of trustees in governing

colleges and universities. ’AS stewards

acting for larger interests in the society,

the trustees themselves must maintain an

awareness and understanding of the changing

character, not only of the institution or

institutions which they serve, but also of
higher education as a totality. l

 

1S. V. Martorana, College Boards of Trustees (Wash-
ington: The Center for Applied Research in Education,
1963). p. 13.

Merry proposes:

To insure a trustee effectiveness, lead
him to a prOper understanding of the insti—
tution and of his role and see to it that
he has fun doing his job. 1

In a recent paper presented at the let National Con—
ference on Higher Education, Professor Merry Opened with
the following statement:

The fact that in institutions of higher
education the final power over the most im-
portant decisions is given to the Board of
Trustees could from one point of View be
considered irrational, incongruous and indeed
astonishing. For this assignment of power
places the major judgments for the institu—
tion in the hands of those who, among the
three continuing responsible bodies -- the
faculty, the administration, and the Board --
are least knowledgeable about education and
its problems generally and about the institu—
tion and its problems in particular. 2

Davis implies the need for effective trustees when he
states:

It is this: exceptional colleges either
have or have had exceptional trustees. 3

 

1Robert W. Merry, "How to Orient and Train Trustees,"

Liberal Education, XLV (October, 1959), pp. 373-381.

2Robert W. Merry, "The Role of the Boards of Trustees
in the Determination of Institutional Policy," Paper pre-
sented at the let National Conference on Higher Education,
Sponsored by the Association for Higher Education, Chicago,
Illinois, March 14, 1966.

3Paul H. Davis, "More to be Desired are They Than
Gold," Association of American Colleges Bulletin, XLIV
(October, 1958), p. 391.

He carries the argument for exceptional trustees
still further when he says:

Great presidents...will be greater if they
have competent directors who are continually
adding their wisdom, vieWpoint, and exper-
ience to the enterprise. Today colleges and
universities...require a degree of wisdom
and Skill in direction and management which
is beyond that of any single man. 1

Law tells of the urgency for enlightening trustees

when he states:

Higher education in the coming decade will
need enlightened and informed trustees dedi-
cated to the preservation of the freedom

and independence of colleges and universities.
Society will need people on governing boards
who take as much interest in their service

to educational institutions as they do in
business and professional affairs. The

tasks and reSponsibility will not be light.
It might well be the decisive area in the
struggle for the supremacy of the free
world...The trustees of the future must
identify with the academic mind and share

in the goals of educational endeavor, and

to accomplish this requires some re—education
and adjustments to new values. 2

The rewards to be gained from a well-planned in-service
education program appear to be great. It would mean an
interested, informed, active representative board; one
knowledgeable and energetically supportive of the community
college's goals and programs. The board would be aware of

the community's Shifting needs and of the necessity of

 

lDavis, Ibid., p. 397.

2Glen Law, The Urgency of New Leadership in Higher
Education (Stanford, Connecticut: Press-Tige Publishing
Company, 1962), pp. 47-48.

its institution to concern itself in this area. It would
also be a board which knows many of the college staff and
faculty, both individually and collectively; and a board
which is able to lead and guide the president by its intelli-
gent suggestions, comments, and directions, and its ability
to ask discerning questions. When a board of trustees is
bereft of its rights and duties, denied occasions for
creativity and stimulus, forbidden its proper role of judge
and counsellor, it is little wonder that little sustained
interest or satisfaction is derived from performing a
perfunctory, routine "rubber stamp" role.
That this is an area of major concern is supported

when Davis adds:

If it is correct that the trustees are so

crucial to our colleges and therefore to

our national welfare, then trustees surely.

merit increased attention, for by no means

are all of our present college trustees
exceptional. 1

Definition of Terms

In order to clarify pertinent terms for the reader
and limit their interpretation to this study, the following
definitions are presented:

Board of Trustees, means the duly elected or

 

properly appointed lay body which determines

 

lDavis, op. cit., p. 392.

-10-

policy for governing the activities of an

institution of higher learning.

Community College, means a public institution

 

providing instruction in collegiate and non—
collegiate work, embracing less than bacca-
laureate degree work, and eligible for all

purposes to receive public funds and assistance.

In—service Education, means all activities,

 

formal and informal, of boards of trustees
that contribute to their continuing educational
orientation and competence in their role as

trustees of community colleges.

President, means the chief administrator or

 

executive officer who is appointed by the
board of trustees to bear immediate reSpon—
sibility to them for all the affairs of the
community college. He also represents the
board to the faculty, staff, students, alumni,

and constituency.

Limitations of the Study

1. This study was limited to those community
colleges under local public control through

a separate or independent Board of Trustees.

-11-

This study is limited by the degree to which
the reSpondentS were able to present their

in—service education needs.

The present study depends upon the perceptions
of the reSpondents during March-May, 1966.
Since the Opinions of each person are sub-
ject to change with changing conditions,

the Opinions reported may not remain con—

sistent with future opinions.

The limitations inherent in a structured
instrument in securing data are recognized

in the present study. This study is limited
to the accuracy of the interpretation by each
reSpondent because of the semantic difficul-
ties which occur in the interpretation of

words by different respondents.

This study is limited to an analysis of the
data obtained from questionnaires completed
by 511 community college trustees and 117

community college presidents drawn from 166
public community colleges. Further limita-
tions were imposed by the fact that the 511
usable questionnaires of the trustee reSpon-

dents represented 42 percent and the 117

-12-

usable questionnaires of the presidents
represented 72 percent of the questionnaires
sent to 1,203 trustees and 166 presidents.
Conclusions were necessarily limited to this

sample.

6. The study was also limited to the statistical
methods used in analyzing the data. One
technique involved the comparison of the
means of the frequency scores of problems
between trustees and presidents. A compari—
son of the ranking of problems according to
frequency, methods as to degree of helpful—
ness and degree of additional need of informa-
tion in areas of institutional concern, was

another technique employed.

Overview of the Study

 

The present chapter has dealt with a description of
the research problem; the establishment of need for con-
ducting the study, definition of terms and limitations
of the study.

Chapter II contains a review of the literature and
research findings bearing upon the study.

Chapter III presents the planning and conducting of

the study. This includes the methodology in the construction

-13-

and distribution of instruments and in the collection of
the data, and the procedures used in the analysis of the
data.

Chapter IV presents the findings of the in-depth
on-campus interviews with four community college presi-
dents.

Chapter V presents the data and analyzes the find-
ingS.

Chapter VI summarizes the findings, draws conclusions,
makes recommendations, and suggests desirable directions

for future research.

Chapter II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Serious studies have been made of the governing boards
of colleges and universities-—of their compositions, reSpon—
sibilities, practices, and organizations. The purpose
of this summary is to denote some of the more significant
findings as it relates to this study.

Some light is thrown on the role of governing boards
by the facts of history as related by McCormick.l Institu—
tions of higher education, as we know them today, started
in the middle ages. The universities of this period tended
to be dominated by the students. The students established
the terms under which the masters taught, and also wielded
considerable influence on faculty remaining or not remain-
ing with the institution.

By contrast, the universities of Paris and Oxford
were controlled by the faculties of the individual colleges.
It was in these institutions that the masters or clerics
were organized for corporate action even though the facul-
ties of the individual colleges dictated the most trivial

details of the life of the individual teachers. They stood

 

1James P. McCormick, "The Role of the Governing Board,"
The Administrative Process, Report of the Midwest Community
College Leadership Program Institute, (Ann Arbor, Michigan:
The W. K. KellOgg Foundation, 1962), pp. 108-111.

 

-14-

-15-

independently between the power of the church and the
authority of the king and the state.

Harvard University, founded in 1636, epitomized the
conditions of Oxford and Cambridge. As soon as Harvard
was established by the General Court it was placed under
a board of Overseers consisting of ministers and public
officers. Thus a lay board named the president and had
actual control of the property of the college. When Yale
was established in 1701, its charter granted by the legis-
lature gave the trustees the authority to "erect, form,
direct, order, establish, and at all times in all suitable
ways for the future to encourage“ the college. By the
beginning of the 18th century, then, actual legal control
of American higher education was in the hands of lay boards
rather than of students or of faculty. This is still the
pattern.

Brubacher and Rudy state:

It is a credit to the builders of American
higher education that the foundations which
they laid down in colonial times for the
organization and administration of higher
education were still standing in the 20th
century. Although in the meantime the coloni-
al college had become a modern university,
although student bodies had grown from
hundreds to thousands, and although budgets
had skyrocketed from thousands to millions

of dollars, the frame of academic government
remained basically unchanged. 1

 

1John S. Brubacher and Willis Rudy, Higher Education
in Transition, (New York: Harper and Row, 1958), p. 339.

—l6-

Rauh identifies the basic characteristics in the fol-

lowing words:

The distinguishing characteristic of college
trusteeship in the United States is that
local control is vested almost without excep-
tion in lay boards...Under this system of
lay control we have produced a concept of
universal educational Opportunity which has
characterized the phenomenal development of
American higher education. The diversity
of our colleges and universities seems to
have been encouraged by this system of con-
trol. 1

And Martorana confirms this when he says:

The principle of placing primary responsi-
bility for the direction of colleges and
universities in the hands of boards of lay
citizens has never been challenged. Instead
it has grown substantially in strength and
acceptance. 2

The Role of the Trustee

According to many writers on the subject, the major

legal responsibilities of a modern board of trustees are:

1.

2.

to select and appoint a president;

to have final authority for Operating funds
and property;

to approve the kind of education given by the

institution and to insure that it is the

highest quality possible.

 

1

Morton A. Rauh, College and University_Trusteeship,

(Yellow Springs, Ohio: The Antioch Press, 1959), p. 13.

2

Martorana, 9p, cit., p. 5.

-17-

Beyond these generalities there is little agreement:

Rauh puts it simply, "the responsibilities are the
duties which the board can perform better than any other
agency."

Corson holds this view in the board exercising reSpon-
sibilities:

...board members find themselves (1) dependent
on others for the formulation and effective
making of many decisions for which they are
ultimately responsible, (2) inadequately
informed about the basic operations for which
their institution exists, and (3) unable to
influence decisions that determine the basic
character of the institution as an educa-
tional enterprise for which they (influenced
by tradition) have delegated authority to the
faculty. 2

Carman emphasizes another role of the trustee:

If a trustee is to discharge his responsibil-
ities as he Should, he must at the outset
learn as much as possible about the institu-
tion of which he is a trustee: its purposes
or objectives, its history, educational pro-
grams and methods of instruction, its faculty
and administrative personnel, its financial
status in terms of endowment, sources of
income, investment policies, status of plant
and equipment, sources and character of
student body, student extra curricular activ—
ities, its standing and reputation as an
educational institution. This information
about the institution can be obtained from

a number of sources, including board minutes,
reports of standing committees, conferences

 

1Rauh, Op. cit.

2John J. Corson, Governance of Colleges and Univer-

sities, (New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1960), p. 10.

-18-

with the president and other administrative
officers, visits to the campus for first-

hand inspection of facilities and even visits
to the classroom. Thus, in many different
ways, the trustee not only equips himself
factually but, no less important, gets the
intimate feel or atmOSphere of the institution.

Millett describes the board as "an insulating arrange—
ment standing between the political process as Spokesman
of the public interest and the faculty, students, and
alumni as Spokesman of their particular interests."2 He
sees oversight of the administration as a primary function.
He further states:

Boards of trustees are well advised to give
attention to the broad implications of the
detail which comes to their attention. A
board needs to bear always in mind that

its role is not to handle detail but to see
in detail issues of importance which require
careful consideration. To these a board
brings it particular talent: the talent of
conscience, the talent of the lighthouse
above the waves of momentary storm, the
talent of a peak above the ordinary heights
of man. The board of trustees provides a
collective expression of value judgments
drawn from beyond the academic community
itself. 3

Dodds feels that the "reSponsibility for the educa-
tional program carries a correlative duty to educate them-

selves about the institution's end product. As many a

 

1Harry J. Carman, "Boards of Trustees and Regents,"
Administrators in Higher Education, Their Functions and

 

 

Coordination, Gerald P. Burns, Ed., (New York: Harper and
Row, 1962), p. 87.
2

John D. Millett, The Academic Communipy: An Essay on
Organization, (New York: McGraw—Hill Book Co., 1962), p. 184.

31bid., p. 186.

-19-

seasoned board member will testify, business experience

of itself is inadequate preparation for a trusteeship.

Yet too rarely are any systematic steps taken to intro-

duce a new trustee to the particular ethos of a college

. . . . . . . l
or un1ver51ty, its traditions, polic1es, and procedures."

Corson also relates another View of a trustee function:

This is not to suggest that board members

are always more accurately sensitive to or
even aware of the evolving needs of society
than are historians, economists, sociologists,
or political scientists. It is to suggest
that board members should be able to light

up angles of the problem not apparent to

the professors and to provide additional

more comprehensive, and pragmatic inter-
pretation of society's course. 2

Colvert and Malone outline the prOper functions of the

Board as follows:

A.

Three important principles Should govern
broadly the assumptions of functions by the
board Of trustees.

1. The board is a legislative body, not an
executive agency.

2. The board should recognize clearly the
areas in which its members are personally
competent and should always delegate
authority over matters in which its mem—
bers have no competence.

3. The authority of the board resides only
in the board as a whole. An individual
member of the board, as such, has no

 

1Harold W. Dodds, The Academic President--Educator
or Caretaker? , (New YOrk: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1962),

p. 237.

2Corson, op. cit., p. 58.

-20-

authority whatever except as authority
may have been Specifically delegated

to him.
B. External Functions
1. To represent the constituency and inter-

pret social trends in terms of institu—
tional policies.

2. To obtain funds for the Operation and
extension of the institution.

3. To bear the legal reSponsibility and
authority for all aSpects of the opera—
tion of the institution.

C. Internal Functions.

1. To be reSponsible for final determina-
tion of institutional policies, or in
some instances for the delegation of that
authority to the faculty or other agencies.

2. To select the chief administrative officer
or officers and in some cases to select
board members. The selection of a presi—
dent is the most important single act
of a board of trustees.

3. To consider and either confirm or reject
recommendations of its administrative
officers and faculty. 1

Bell strongly asserts:

...trustees cannot abdicate all concern with
educational matters. Logically the trustees
as the controlling body have the right--and
in fact the duty--to determine what kind of

 

1C. C. Colvert and P. W. Malone, "Proper Functions of

the Board of Trustees," Proceedings of the Nineteenth Annual
Junior College Conference, Austin, Texas; Sponsored by the
Association of Texas Junior College Board Members and Admin-
istrators and the University of Texas, 1960, pp. 5—6.

 

-21-

education shall be offered. As custodians

of the prOperty and funds, they are bound

to see that these are devoted to the purposes
for which they were given...But once over-all
policy is determined it ought to be true

that the educational experts Should determine
how the policy is to be implemented. 1

Hughes lists several responsibilities that devolve on
a trustee:

1. To become familiar as soon as possible
with the buildings, grounds, and equip—
ment, their condition of repair and
general suitability to the uses they
serve.

2. To become acquainted with the president,
deans, and as many of the faculty as
possible, that he may form an intelligent
estimate of the quality of the personnel
and their Spirit.

3. To become acquainted, at least super-
ficially with the printed matter issued
by the institution. The catalog, reports,
publicity material, and any regular pub—
lications of a scholarly type.

4. To familiarize himself with the fixed
policies of the institution; to be active
in codifying and adding to these policies,
where changes are needed.

5. To assure himself that the president is
following the general policies of the
trustees in the direction of the institu-
tion. 2

Hughes also indicates a need for informing trustees:

 

lLaird Bell, "Excerpts from the Trustees' Corner,"
Association of American Colleges Bulletin, (October, 1956).

2Raymond M. Hughes, A Manual for Trustees of Colleges
and Universities, (Ames, Iowa: The Iowa State College
Press, Third Edition, 1951), pp. 170-171.

 

-22-

The business of being a college trustee can
be a great business, a great pleasure, and

a great service. It can also be a very
small, useless, and perfunctory performance.
A shocking percentage of the 17,000 men and
women serving as trustees, directors, and
members of the boards controlling our American
colleges and universities know little of
their responsibilities and care little about
their institutions, perfunctorily attend
board meetings, and approve presidential
recommendations without understanding or
serious consideration. 1

Tead relates the general philosophy of the lay board
approach to governance when he states the main responsibili-
ties of the trustees are: (l) to understand the human and
national purpose which the university or college is designed
to serve, (2) to gain a genuine intimacy with at least
some phases of operation in the specific institution, and
(3) to approach the entire effort with a deep sense of
affection for the value of higher education in general and
for one's own college in particular.2

Bryant relates the need for work and study by trus-
tees when he states:

Before serving On the board, few of them
have acquired a workable knowledge of the
historical background and meaning of higher
education. To obtain this knowledge takes
work, study, and time. Unless a Regent is
interested and dedicated to the point where

he can and will take the time from his
business for self-education and the duties

 

lIbid.. pp. 172-172.

20rdway Tead, Trustees, Teachers and Students, (Salt
Lake City, Utah: University of Utah Press, 1951), p. l.

-23-

of his office, he would serve better by
relinquishing his place to another. 1

Davis feels that trustees are reSponsible for the
wide gap between America's best colleges and laggard ones.
He feels that trustees are the college's most serious
problem, since trustees have the ultimate reSponsibility
and potential for increasing significant achievement. He

states:

Truly, truly few great men in history have
ever had such great responsibility and such
great opportunity as have we college trus-
tees. Fortunately, among our trustee boards
are some of the ablest men and women of
America. But we must free ourselves from
being rubber stamps for administrators, or
mere fund raisers, and instead focus more
time and talent on the Great Issues. We
trustees should be peering into the future
and acting with astute foresight. 2

Belcher relates his thoughts on trustee understanding
by stating:

If trustees are to achieve a genuine sense
of participation and constructive contribu—
tion, they must gain more understanding of
what is going on currently and play a larger
role in long—range planning and the shaping
of objectives of the University. In part,
this is a function of their own initiative.
In larger measure it depends upon the enthu-
siasm with which the administration takes
trustees into its confidence and shares

 

lVictor S. Bryant, "The Role of the Regent," Proceed—
ings, (Washington: Association of Governing Boards of
Universities and Colleges, 42nd Annual Meeting, October,
1964). p. 12.

2Paul H. Davis, "An Open Letter to the Chairman of

the Board of Trustees," Liberal Education, Vol. 47 (October,
1961), p. 356.

 

-24-

with them its own philOSOphy and ideals
along with those of its faculty associates.l

The Trustees of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advance-
nmnit Of Teaching relate the role of trustees by saying:

In the normal course of their lives they
have innumerable Opportunities to educate

the community concerning the college or uni—
versity. In many ways the trustees also
provide a bridge between the institution and
the community. AS leaders in the larger
community they bring to their deliberations
as board members a breadth Of view that
effectively supplements the academic concerns
of the faculty and administration. 2

Rauh is aware of another role that trustees are per—
forming when he notes that:

...more and more boards are finding that

it is possible to participate in educational
matters without intruding upon the basic
rights of the faculty in this area.

The faculty makes the educational decisions,
but the trustees are informed about them and
can give apprOpriate counsel. Particularly

in community colleges and technical institu-
tions, the trustees may be in the best posi-
tion to sense new educational needs, and to

advise with the president and faculty on the
best way of meeting these needs. 3

Rauh also Speaks to the role of the new trustee:

One way to learn a new job is to wait until
you catch on. This seems to be the position

1Donald R. Belcher, The Board of Trustees of the Univer—

 

§ity of Pennsylvania, (Philadelphia: University of Pennsyl—
vania Press, 1960), p. 107.

2Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching,
Fifty-Seventh Annual Report, (New York: 1962).

3Rauh, Op. cit., p. 35.

 

-25-

of new trustees at most colleges. In a

few of the institutions some attention was
given to the needs Of new board members,

but at none was there evidence of any planned
program.

While coordinated plans for indoctrinating
the new trustee are hard to find, there are

a number of practices being used success-
fully. 1

He lists and discusses the following practices for
orienting new board members: before election, familiarity
with basic facts, written material, committee work, and
personal indoctrination.

Hall feels "The most important role the trustees may
play lies in creating a climate which is conducive to

creative, ambitious, and satisfying work on the part Of

college staff and faculty."2

Chambers states the following wrongheaded notion:

,Stick to the myth that university or college
trustees or regents are generally well-meaning
old fuddy—duddies who do not pay much atten—
tion to their duties but merely enjoy the
honorary aSpectS of the post and like to
participate in the solemn medieval mummery

of college ceremonies. He apologizes for

his Spoofing when he states: 'Defend and
encourage the unique civic service of univer—
sity and college trustees or regents.l 3

lIbid.,~p. 85.

2George L. Hall, "Ten Commandments for Trustees,"
gpnior College Journal, (Washington: American Association
of Junior Colleges, Vol. 36, No. 7, April, 1966), p. 25.

3M. M. Chambers, Chance and Choice in Higher Educa-
tion, (Danville, Illinois: The Interstate Printers and
Publishers, 1962), p. 92.

-26—

Brickman qualifies the role of the trustee with addi-
tional reSponsibility when he states:

For too long have many trustees been chosen

on the basis of financial, administrative,
ideological, political, or other competency.
It iS high time for the university world

to realize and insist on the appointment of
learned men and women to boards of trustees.
Since they are to determine the broad policies
of the institution, appoint the president,
give final authorization to the programs

and activities, it is logical to expect them
to have the scholarly characteristics to
which the university is dedicated. And if
trustees are not scholarly—minded, they have
the option of undergoing the necessary regimen
to become men of learning in some discipline. 1

Law emphasizes the role of governing boards as a chal-
lenge:

In order to be a source of vitality in the
American system of higher education, govern-
ing boards must have the vigor to Offer a
significant amount of direction and contin-
uity at this time. Leadership can provide
direction through loyalty to the college
community and its officers and employees,

and can supply the resources and thoughtful
support for the promotion of a Spirited
program. Most board members are not remuner—
ated for their services as trustees. Rather,
they must accept a role of reSponsibility
that requires a social view of the worth of
educational values in our culture. 2

Lloyd lists the following as essential qualities for

a good trustee, in carrying out the proper functions:

 

1William W. Brickman, "The Movement Toward Academic
Emphasis in American Higher Education," Michigan Association
of Colleges and Universities Bulletin, 3rd Annual Conven-
tion of Higher Education, Lansing, 1965, pp. 44—45.
\

 

2Law, pp. cit., p. 37.

 

..-

TL

'1

-27-

First, a genuine interest in being a trustee——
and I mean of the very institution under
consideration. I doubt if any person, however
able and whatever his position in the commun-
ity, will be a good trustee if he accepts

the position because it brings honor or

social prestige to himself. Second, a sense
of responsibility--one that makes him take
his assignment seriously and assures a good
attendance record. Third, a capacity for
independent thinking. Nothing is needed more
in this work than independence of thought and
imagination. Fourth, a strong power of self-
restraint. The only justification for the
view that trustees Should participate more

in educational activities is that care will

be taken to select trustees endowed with
wisdom and restraint. Fifth, success in

his own business or profession and prestige

in the community. 1

Gardner asserts to the critical importance of the role
of the trustees when he states:

I cannot think of a time in the history Of
American higher education when the task of

a college or university board member was

as challenging and baffling as it is today.
The challenge and bafflement stem from the
same source--the extraordinary expansion

and transition that our educational institu-
tions are experiencing. 2

The President and the Board

It is usually stated that the board of trustees is

 

lGlen A. Lloyd, "A Trustee Looks at His Job," Liberal

Education, Vol. 45 (December, 1959), p. 499.

2John W. Gardner, "The Tasks Ahead," Proceedings,
Denver, Colorado: Association of Governing Boards of
Universities and Colleges, (October, 1963), pp. 141—145.

 

—28—

the legislative organ while the president performs the
executive role. Stated another way is that the board
establishes policy and the president administers the pol—
icy. Even though this is generally accepted, it is no
doubt an oversimplification of what is actually a complex,
personal relationship.

Clarity of understanding regarding policies and
mutual responsibilities is essential to the maintenance
of an effective working relationship between the president
and board. In recent years many colleges and universities
have codified policies and procedures and published them
in trustee handbooks or manuals as guidelines.

In his survey of the literature on board policy man-
uals, Kintzer found no references directly concerned with
the community college. In his study in California, however,
he found that 23 junior college districts had board of
trustee policy manuals, and 26 additional districts were
in the process of a plan to develop such publications.l

Kintzer's conclusion merits consideration by all
trustees and presidents of institutions of higher learning.

Boards of trustees and chief administrators...
Should be encouraged from the very beginning
to record statements of policies and proce-

dures which can become the basis for a manual.
Such a publication may notably contribute

 

lFrederick C. Kintzer, Board Policnganuals in California
Public Junior Colleges, UCLA Junior College Leadership Pro-
gram, Occasional Report Number 2, University of California,
LOS Angeles, 1961, p. l.

-29-

to effective working relationships between
and among boards of trustees, administrators,
other groups of college personnel, students,
and the community--in newly established as
well as in the long established junior col-
lege. l

Wicke lists three points upon which most could agree
regarding the President and the Board of Trustees:

l. The trustees have a right to expect of
the president a clear and complete View
of the institution.

2. The trustees have a right to expect
leadership from the president in facing
the continuing problems of the institution.

3. The trustees should accept the fact that
having called the president to his task
they must themselves become active laborers
with him in building a greater institution. 2

Newburn illustrates the complementary and supporting
roles of the trustees and the president when he says:

...the president must give guidance, present
information, and suggest alternative actions
along with their consequences, as the trus-
tees deliberate policy decisions. On the
other hand, the board must be informed, must
understand, and must be prepared at all times
to intelligently defend and disseminate the
president's administrative decisions as he
conducts the college program. This infers,
of’course, the necessity for the president
to keep the trustees constantly and contin—
uously aware of the background for the many
important decisions he and his staff reach

 

1Ibid., p. 28.

2Myron F. Wicke, Handbook for Trustees, Nashville,
Tennessee: Division of Educational Institutions, Board of
Education, The Methodist Church, 1957, pp. 19—24.

-30-

in governing the institution, as well as
their relevance to board policy. In this
sense, the president's relationship to his
board is almost that of teacher to student.1

Smith stresses the importance of the president as a
source of information for the board when he states:

In its relationship to the community college
and in the discharge of its own responsibili—
ties, a board Operates almost exclusively
through the president. He is the source of
its information. He is the agent whom it
must hold reSponsible. This is the most
important fact in understanding the position
of the president and the parts which both

he and the board play in the administration
of the institution. In this relationship,
most of the effectiveness and most of the
difficulty between boards and presidents are
to be found. 2

Benezet designates the President's role in trustee
relations:

Whatever the tradition of the college as to
trustee involvement, it is the president's
role to implement and integrate the board
action with the college Operation. He needs
to become a tactician as well as a diplomat
in encouraging the right kind and degree of
trustee activity. Most importantly, the
president must list among his regular func—
tions the process of keeping his trustees
informed. 3

 

1H. K. Newburn, "The Board Meets the President," Junior
College Journal,American Association of Junior Colleges,
Vol. 35, No. 3 (November, 1964), p. 14.

 

2Max Smith, "Duties of the Community-Junior College
President," Syllabus for Education 822A, The Community
College, (mimeo).

3Louis T. Benezet, "The Office of the President,"
Administrators in Higher Education, (New York: Harper and
Brothers, 1960), p. 228.

 

-31-

McAllister gives the following two principles that
Should govern relations between presidents and trustees:

The first is that the board clearly under-
stands the powers conferred upon it and sees
that those powers are exercised intelligently
and to the fullest extent. The second is
that the president Should be held responsible
for all details of administration, and boards
should confine themselves to the powers re—
posed in them and not interfere with admin—
istrative details. l

Rainey points out that:

Even if a president is fortunate enough to
have board members with desirable qualifica-
tions, he still has the formidable Obliga-
tion of imparting to them the high aims and
purposes of a university, its unique character,
its traditions of scholarship and research,
and the intricacies of administration; of
helping them to understand the nature and
attitudes of university faculties, for which
there are no models anywhere in our society;
and keeping them informed about the day-by-
day operations . . .2

Walker succinctly states the president's obligation:

He must constantly keep the faculty and
administration aware of the larger policies
which the board has formulated, and he must
make a conscientious effort to bring to his
board all the knowledge and information they
require to set the larger course of their
institution in a changing and challenging
world. 3

 

1Charles E. McAllister, Inside the Campus (New York:
Fleming H. Revell Company, 1948), p. 211.

2Homer Rainey, "How Shall We Control Our Universities?"
Journal of Higher Education,(0ctober, 1960), p. 380.

3Eric A. Walker, "The President and His Board," Pro-
ceedings, (Denver, Colorado: Assn. of Governing Boards of
Universities and Colleges, 4lst Annual Meeting held at
University Park, Pa., October 16-18, 1963), p. 109.

-32-

A trustee tells of the lack of proper treatment by
presidents and failure to utilize their abilities effectively
when he says:

A check—up with trustees reveals a surpris-
ingly large number know little of their schools'
backgrounds and traditions. Many haven't
seen college histories. Few are on mailing
lists for bulletins and other literature sent
to prOSpective students. Some have never
seen their college papers or annuals. I've
come across but a handful of small colleges
that attempt to build up an intimate, well-
informed inner circle--trustees, faculty
members, and Special friends--by issuing for
them a monthly mimeographed newsletter of
facts, figures, and even personal items. 1

Lloyd asserts:

Relationships between the board and the
president should be extremely close, and

the participation of the board-—or, for that
matter, of individual trustees--in campus
and educational problems should be with

his full knowledge and approval. 2

Wyatts indicates the means of maintaining a satisfying
and effective relationship when he states:

Success in maintaining proper relationship
between the chief administrator and the
board of trustees depends upon the degree
to which there exists mutual respect and
confidence, a meeting of minds on the basic
task of the institution, and a recognition
of the functions of the components of the
administrative organization. 3

 

1By a Member Of a Board of Trustees, "On the Care and
Feeding of College Presidents," Association of American
Colleges Bulletin, Vol. 29 (December, 1943), pp. 525-530.

2Glen A. Lloyd, "A Trustee Looks at His Job," Liberal
Education, Vol. 45 (December, 1959), pp. 494-500.

3Ralph J. Wyatts, "Satisfying and Effective Relations

Between President and Board," College and University Business,
Vol. 12 (April, 1952), pp. 25-26.

-33-

Burns feels that the president has responsibility to
the board that is often overlooked and sometimes misunder-

stood when he states:

AS the senior professional educator of the
enterprise, one of his main tasks is pre-
senting to the lay board suggestions for
policy. Further, he must have alternatives,
reasons for his suggestions, and the ability
to move the board toward a consensus. If

he is a skillful and resourceful leader, he
will elicit from his trustees not only sound
statements of policy, but advice on and in-
valuable assistance in effectively implement-
ing the new or reformulated policy...he is
also reSponsible for “educating" the board
and providing the orientation needed. 1

Crawford, in pointing out issues that must be met by
members Of the Michigan Council of Community College Admin—

istrators and their respective boards Of control gave warn-

ing when he said:

...I am in agreement with one time-honored
sociological principle. That principle is:
People will not support for long that which
they do not understand and that about which
they have had a misunderstanding. 2

Henderson feels:

The president of the institution is the key

person in the coordination of these relation-
ships. He meets with the board; and whether
or not he presides, he ordinarily steers its

 

Gerald P. Burns, Trustees in Higher Education-—Their
Functions and Coordination (New York: Independent College
Funds of America, Inc., 1966), p. 53.

2Ferris N. Crawford, "Issues Confronting Community
Colleges in Michigan in the Fall of 1963," Presented at the
Annual WorkShOp of the Michigan Council of Community College
Administrators held at Traverse City, Michigan, on August 4,
1963, p. 11 (mimeo).

-34..

consideration of the problems of the insti-
tution. 1

Weeks gives five tips for presidents on getting along
with the board:

1. Be entirely honest with the board in all
matters.

2. Board members are usually busy people,
unable to devote as much time as they
Should like to institutional problems.
The president Should consider it a part
of his job to keep them informed about
the objectives, activities, problems, and
plans of the school.

3. The president should take ample time to
inform the board about a proposal in
advance of making it as a recommendation.

4. It is assumed that a college administra-
tor will conduct the affairs of the in—
stitution in accord with the policies
of the board.

5. Unwittingly a president may embarrass
his governing board by Speeches that he
makes or articles that he writes on
controversial questions. 2

Heneman notes that relationship of the board and the
chief executive is one of the major problem areas in the
operation of a college.

For their part, presidents Often neglect to
use their boards as a source of strength.

Some presidents dread meetings with their
governing boards and look upon the members

 

lAlgo D. Henderson, Policies and Practices in Higher
Education (New York: Harper and Brothers, 1960), p. 228.

21. D. Weeks, "Getting Along with the Board," College
and University Business, Chicago, Illinois: The Nation's
School Division, The Modern HOSPital Publishing Company,
Vol. 20, No. 4 (April, 1956), p. 33.

 

-35-

with suspicion and as a group with which
they are in conflict. Some seek to withhold
information from the board and to keep the
board at arm's length.

Much needs to be done to define and improve
the role of governing boards and the relation—
ships of presidents to their boards in order
to strengthen college management. A board,

to be effective, requires strong leadership
and staff support from the administration
under it, and it is the responsibility of the
president to see that they are provided. A
president should welcome the advice and
counsel which a strong board can give him;

a wise board Should hold the president reSpon-
sible and should not circumvent or undercut
him. 1

Distler mentions several duties of the president, but
one seems to be eSpecially pertinent at this point:

The disposition of the head of a college or
university may be the key to his success.

If he is apprehensive of trustees--and what
they might do--he may be unable to generate
the necessary trustee enthusiasm for the
institution and to initiate the full dialogue
between president and board which is essen—
tial for COOperation and progress. If he

is able to enjoy the exchange, on the other
hand, having apprehended its imperative and
vital nature, the president may infuse greater
life and purpose into the board's work--to
say nothing of his own. 2

Prator relates a different approach in assessing the

 

1H. J. Heneman, "Opportunities for Improved Management
in Higher Education," Financing Higher Education 1960-70,
Dexter M. Keezer, editor,(New York: McGraw—Hill Book Co.,
1959), p. 123.

2Theodore A. Distler, "College Administration:
Relationship of President to Trustees, Faculty, and Stu-
dents," in Selected Problems in Administration of American
Higher Education, George F. Donavan, editor, (Washington:
The Catholic University of America Press, 1964), p. 77.

—36—

role of the president:

The president must create an awareness on the
part of trustees of the purposes for which
the institution was created and for which it
draws financial support. To create this
understanding it will be necessary to analyze
and determine the implications of the charter,
articles of incorporation, public statements,
minutes of Sponsoring bodies, legislation,
and Official documents, all of which may
pertain to a clarification of the objectives
that give direction to the institution. 1

Law feels that the manner in which the president inter-
prets, evaluates, and conveys information determines his
success or failure. He explains this when he states:

Information and insights are at his disposal
and the sagacious leader will exercise this
advantage, not for the personal comfort but
for the intelligent management of the academic
community. His adroit presentations at meet-
ings, his expression of educational ideals

and objectives, and his apprOpriate dealings
with delicate or disturbing situations do

much in molding the institution to his liking.
Part of the president's job is unifying diverse
elements within a board and nurturing a feel-
ing of common loyalty to this institution.
When this type of teamwork is present, capable
leadership is at work. 2

Boucher hits upon another important factor in the presi-
dent—board relationship.
A president should be patient in educating

new members on all phases of life and work
in their institution and in other institutions

 

lRalph Prator, The College President, (Washington: The

Center for Applied Research in Education, 1963), pp. 58-61.

2Law,pp. cit., pp. 41-42.

-37-

of comparable rank the country over; he
Should constantly endeavor to broaden their
education and vieWpoint on educational prob-
lems; he should never let a board meeting
pass without having added something to their
education in this specialized professional
field; and he will find them willing, eager,
and intelligent students. 1

Jones, Stanford, and White feel that "the president
should communicate fully with all the members of his team;
and Should provide encouragement to all who participate
in the college enterprise. At the same time, he must let
it be known, by action rather than words, that a government
exists and a reSponsible man is at the helm, a man who
knows where he is going and why. He must have a plan of
action and be able to articulate and share his hOpeS. 2

Capen relates what may be called a comprehensive for-
mula as to the role of the president:

To coordinate for the accomplishment of a
common purpose the efforts of many persons,
each more learned in some directions than
himself; to be sympathetic toward both peOple
and ideas; to weigh proposals and to bring

to bear upon them the critical judgments

of many minds; to relate all proposals to

the means, human and material, available for

their realization; to preserve a just balance
among the institution's several commitments;

 

1C. S. Boucher, "The Relationship of a College President

to His Governing Board," Proceedings of the Association of
Governing Boards of State Universities and Allied Institu-
tions, Laramie, Wyoming: University of Wyoming, October
16-18, 1941, p. 46.

 

2Thomas E. Jones, Edward V. Stanford, and Goodrich
C. White, Letters to College Presidents,(Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964), pp. 32-33.

~38—

to plan, but to submit all plans to demo—

cratic ratification; to initiate action,

but not to force it until it receives major-

ity consent; ...to persuade rather than to

command; to lead, if God gives him the grace

to lead, but never to boss. 1

Board effectiveness Should be Significantly affected
by the nature and quality of the President's effort to
provide for them a structured relationship, emotional
support, and insight. If closer working ties between
trustees and presidents truly exhibits a principle of
mutual concern, one should not be surprised at a new aware-
ness and interest on the part of trustees. In the carrying
out of their essential team effort, both groups face greater
demands for mutual clarification of roles and common col—
lege goals.
A concluding statement by Davis seems appropriate as

a lead into a discussion of the principles of in-service
education.

Active trustees, more than any other group,

can insure the objectives of the individual

college, and it is they who have the poten—

tial strength to raise all American educa-

tion to new heights, to the new attainments

which are so desirable not only in the con—

test of the cold war but in the advancement

of all mankind. It even may be said of

involved trustees: "More to be desired are
they than gold..." 2

 

1Samuel P. Capen, The Management of Universities (Buffalo,
New York: Foster and Stewart Publishing Corporation, 1953),
pp. 79-80.

2Davis, op. cit., p. 398.

-39-

In-service Education

An examination of the literature reveals that much
has been written on in-service education as it relates to
school personnel. Educators realize that planned programs
through in-service education are essential to adequate
professional improvement of teaching. However, little has
been written on in—service education needs of boards of
trustees in community colleges. Literature that is rele-
vant to the problem under study has been included in the
review.

There are basic principles to organizing or establish—
ing an in—service education program regardless of the
participants. Haas states that the major reason for in—
service education is to promote the continuous improve—
ment of the total professional staff of the school system.1
It seems that since the board is reSponsible for the total
outcome and Operation, they too should be exposed to such a
program.

Kinnick lists the following as basic precepts of in-
service education:

1. In-service education means a program by
which all persons engaged in education

learn and grow together.
2. The emotional climate which prevails in

 

1Glenn C. Haas, "In-service Education Today," In-Service
Education: The FiftyrSixth Yearbook of the National Society
for the Study of Education, (Chicago: University of Chi—
cago Press, 1957), Chapter III, pp. 13-34.

 

 

-40-

the in-service program is as important
as the goals sought and largely determines
the goals attained.

3. A primary purpose of in-service programs
Should be the development in every par—
ticipant of a sensitivity to the view-
points of others.

4. Whenever possible in—service programs
Should utilize the value of informal
groups within the structure of formal
organization.

5. Time is the most pressing resource prob-
lem in in-service education. 1

Another approach is suggested by Corey which would pro-
vide maximum opportunity for learners to:

1. Identify the particular problems on which
they want to work;

2. Act together to work on these problems
in ways which seem most productive to the
group;

3. Have access to a variety of needed resources;
4. Try out in real situations, those modifica—
tions, which in practice, give a prior

promise; and
5. Appraise and generalize from the conse—
quence. 2

The position of the American Association of School
Administrators is that in—service education programs do not
just happen. Provisions must be made to:

1. Identify objectives.

2. Plan both immediate and long—range activi-
ties leading toward accomplishing established

 

lB. Jo Kinnick, pp pig, "The Teachers and the In-Service
Education Program," In-Service Education: Fifty-Sixth Year—
book of the National Society for the Study of Education,
(Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press, 1957),
Chapter VI, pp. 131-152.

2Stephen M. Corey, "Introduction," In-service Education:
The Fifty-Sixth Yearbook of the National Society for the
Study of Education, (Chicago, Illinois: The University of
Chicago Press, 1957), Chapter I, pp. 1-12.

 

 

-41-

objectives.

3. Assign time for all individuals concerned.

4. Budget sufficient funds on a continuing
basis for this phase of district research
and develOpment.

5. Establish and maintain an adequate dis-
trict professional library to supplement
the Specialized resources of individuals
in the district. 1

Gilchrist identifies several basic factors as necessary

for an effective in-service education program; the following

‘L .. ar-ur -— I“

are relevant to this study:

1. In—service education Should cause people 7
to change and grow. 1
2. Individual aLd collective appraisal and

 

evaluation should determine the starting
point for in-service education.

3. In-service education Should be planned in
terms of the demands of society, the values
which society cherishes and wants to
preserve, the available body of knowledge...

4. In-service education programs Should be
centered around the problems of individuals...
5. In-service education programs should dis—
cover and utilize all the necessary resources.
6. In—service education programs should have

constant communication with the community. 2
Parker believes that the final goals of in-service
education activities are learning, change, and improvement.
Therefore, all activities should be of significance to all

persons involved. He suggests that if activities are to

 

1American Association of School Administrators, pp:
service Education for School Administration, Washington:
Report of the AASA Commission on In-service Education for
School Administration, 1963, pp. 178—179.

 

2Robert S. Gilchrist, "Highway to Quality Teaching,"
National Education Association Journal, XLVII, (May, 1959),
pp. 18-19.

 

-42-

be meaningful, someone has to learn. This means that guide—
lines for planning, organizing, coordinating, and conducting
in-service education programs are based of necessity, upon
principles of learning. He has presented a number of guide-
lines for in-service education from which the following are
adapted:
1. There is general expectation in the
community and in the school system that

the educational program and the contribu—
tions of the staff will be constantly

improved;

2. The climate is conducive to building
mutual respect, confidence, support, and
creativeness;

3. All members of the group are encouraged
to propose and discuss new ideas and to
try out those that seem promising;

4. The fact that individual members of the
group differ is recognized, and each is
encouraged to make his own contribution
in his own way;

5. PeOple are encouraged as individuals and
as members of groups to formulate goals
and plans to work on problems that are
meaningful to them;

6. Procedures for moving from decisions into
programs of action are kept as simple as
possible;

7. ApprOpriate resources are identified,
made available, and utilized as needed;

8. Provisions for appraisal are developed
as an integral aSpect of the program and
the results are utilized in effecting
improvements. 1

Morphet, Johns, and Reller warn that there is no one

clearcut answer to establishing an effective in-service

 

lJ. Cecil Parker, "Guidelines for In-service Education,"

In—service Education for Teachers, Supervisors, and Admin-
istrators, Fifty-Sixth Yearbook, National Society for the
'§Eudy of Education, Part I. (Chicago: University of Chi-
cago Press, 1957), Chapter IV.

 

_43-

education program:

No one approach will suffice because the
problems and needs of teachers differ, and
appropriate procedures must be devised to
help in the solution of their problems.

The improvement of teaching is essentially
a problem of human relations. It requires
provisions designed to help teachers recog-
nize their problems, determine their own
strengths and weaknesses, revise some of
their goals and objectives, and develop and
utilize procedures that will be effective
in attaining the revised objectives. 1

Jones, Stanford, and White list certain principles that
appear to be basic to organizing an in—service education
program:

1. There must be clearly understood dif-
ferentiation of function and correlative
responsibility and authority...

2. There must, at the same time, be recog-
nition of inter-relationships and of
some actual overlapping of areas of
responsibility.

3. There must be cooperation in attitude
and procedure.

4. There must be understanding and commit-
ment to the stated purposes of the institu-
tion. 2

Wilson identified the following criteria for in—service

education programs:

1. In-service training must be continuous.

2. In-service training must be adapted to
varying levels of professional readiness.

3. In-service training must be multi-
disciplined.

4. In-service training should make broad

 

lEdgar L. Morphet, Roe L. Johns, and Theodore L. Reller,
Educational Administration (Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey:
Prentice-Hall, 1959), p. 315.

2Jones, Stanford, and White, op. cit., pp. 36-37.

 

-44-

use of the literature in the field.

5. In—service training must recognize per-
sonality needs of the staff.

6. In-service training should utilize com—
munity resources.

7. In—service training should be planned
by the group.

8. In—service training must be integrated

and modified in terms of the institu-
tional needs. 1

Truitt offers five guidelines for assessment and evalu-
ation of in—service education of student personnel workers.
Three of them merit consideration for this study:

1. The effectiveness of an in-service train-
ing program can be evaluated only in
relationship to its goals--the philOSOphy
of the university.

2. Definite procedures must be established
to interpret into the training program
the results gained through evaluation.

3. PhiloSOphy, programs and policy are essen-
tials of an effective in—service training
program, but the greatest asset by far
is the individual staff worker. Evalua—
tion of him as a professionally motivated
person is the primary and most important
consideration. 2

A study by Gross on in—service education as it relates
to student personnel administrators offers the following
conclusions which are applicable to this study:

1. There are general principles applicable
to the organization and functioning Of

 

1Francis M. Wilson, "What Makes an Effective In-service
Training Program?" Journal of the National Association of
Deans of Women, XVI, (1953), pp. 51-56.

2John W. Truitt, "In-Service Training Programs for
Student Personnel Workers," paper presented at the American
College Personnel annual meeting, Denver, Colorado, April,
1961, (14 page mimeo).

 

 

-45-

all in-service education programs.

2. The develOpment and success of an in-
service education program is primarily
dependent upon the leadership...

3. An incservice education program usually
reflects the diverse interests, needs,
and professional desire of individual
members.

4. Each school's program must be planned,
initiated and perpetuated in View of
individual staff and institutional goals
and needs.

5. Every in-service education program Should
begin with a set of agreed upon objectives
which give direction to the over-all

 

 

program. 5
6. In-service education programs must be 3
continuously Planned and maintained. 1
7. In—service education activities must be g

geared to the varying levels of professional
readiness of individual program partici-
pants.

8. The obligation to initiate, implement
and direct an in-service education program
Should rest with one person.

9. In-service education programs should be
continuously evaluated and measuring
instruments by which this can be accom-
plished Should be designed, develOped,
and evaluated. 1

Lewis denotes the following needs for an administrator
to effectively lead an in-service education program:

a) An understanding of the psychology of
change.

b) Knowledge of possible types of organization
for in-service education.

c) Knowledge of how to use available resources
for in-service education.

d) Understanding of the role of education in
our society.

 

1Richard E. Gross, "A Study of In-service Education
Programs for Student Personnel Workers in Selected Colleges
and Universities in the United States," (unpublished doc—
toral dissertation, Michigan State University, East Lansing,
1963), 140 pages.

-46-

e) Ability to work cooperately with staff.
f) Patience in working with groups. 1

Hall lists the following guiding principles essential
to in-service improvement of the faculty:

1. Focus on problems and means felt by
faculty to be vital for its development.

2. Develop through stimulation and encour-
agement.

3. Provide opportunities on both individual
and group bases for planning, study, and
experimentation.

4. Provide positive support through provisions
of needs.

5. Utilize existing in-service framework,
allowing modifications.

6. Encourage high faculty morale. 2

These principles are based on recognition that continued

development is a dual responsibility, and that improvement
and growth in competence are always possible. These prin-
ciples are applicable to the development of competency in

trustees as well.

In-service Education of Boards of Trustees

 

Even though most of the principles of in-service
education thus far reviewed were written primarily for

teachers and administrators, the basic precepts would also

 

1Arthur J. Lewis, pp pig, “The Role of the Administrator
of In-service Education," In-service Education: The Fifty-
Sixth Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of
Education, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957),

Chapter VII, pp. 153-173.

2Daniel R. Hall, "Guiding Principles in In-service
:nnprovement," Improving College and University Teaching,
Vol. 7 (Spring, 1959), p. 52.

 

-47-

apply to trustees. However, few articles or studies were
discovered in the review of the literature that pertained
primarily to in—service education of boards of trustees.

One such article is "Test for Trustees" which attempts
to evaluate improvement of trustees. The ten question test
is as follows:

1. Desire - Do the president, the staff and
the faculty honestly want an active board
of trustees?

2. Selection - Are members of the board
selected on the basis of competence,
concern and availability to be working
trustees?

3. Composition - Is the composition of the
board diverse, so that no one profession
or business or social or financial stratum
predominates?

4. Information - Are new trustees (and old)
informed so that their judgments are
based on facts?

5. Servicing - Are trustees and other volun—
teers furnished adequate staff service?

6. Preparation - Is there adequate prepara—
tion for each meeting of the trustees and
of the sub-committee?

7. ReSponsibility - Does each trustee have
one specific major responsibility, only
one, and one suited to his experience?

8. Other volunteers — Are a substantial
number of other volunteers enlisted and
effectively involved in the work of the
college?

9. Rotation - Are the chairman of the board
and chairmen of each committee rotated
at a fixed period?

10. Recognition - Are effective trustees and
other volunteers given recognition for
their generous donation of time? 1

Pray also uses questions as a basis in appraising the

 

1Paul H. Davis, "Test for Trustees," College and Univer—

 

 

Eggty Journal, Vol. 1, NO. 1, (Winter, 1962), pp. 22-26.

—48-

effectiveness of boards of trustees:

1. Have the trustees of the institution
clearly defined its mission in under-
standable and cogent terms in writing and
do they know where they wish to take it
and why?
2. Is the board in its composite of skills
and abilities and resources and strengths
matched to the needs of the institution?
Has a prescription been written to insure .
better matching?
3. Are the trustees aware of generally accepted
criteria for good educational management
and have they created a strong management
team of administrators to wrestle with
the problems of their particular institu-
tion in this particular stage of its
progress toward its own Special mission?
Have they agreed upon clear and unequivocal
statements of policy to guide administrators?
4. Are members of the board individually com—
mitted to the develOpment program of their
institution as workers and givers? l

 

An excellent reference for enlightening board members
is Cyril O. Houle's The Effective Board.2 This book of
principles and procedures, based upon the observations and
experiences of actual board members, is designed to improve
board membership. He approaches the problems of boardman-
ship from induction, to organization, to participation,
and finally to evaluation. He has developed excellent guide—
lines for improving board meetings, preparing board manuals,

and.a rating scale to determine what are the characteristics

 

lFran Pray, "The New Trusteemanship," College and
thriversity Journal, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Spring, 1963), pp. 9-16.

2Cyril O. Houle, The Effective Board (New York:
Association Press, 1960), 174 pages.

-49-

of a good board.

Herron's study of in-service education programs of
trustees of 57 liberal arts colleges was made through a
survey of the presidents of the institutions. His find-

ings and conclusions Show the urgency of additional research

 

of in-service education of trustees. He states: "In— 3
service education is infrequently utilized as a method for i
improvement of the ability of the boards of trustees in 5
colleges and universities. The program functionings are

relatively new and basically unfinalized."l '

He recommends that an in—service education program
be founded upon the following principles:

1. Each institution's needs are unique; there-
fore, a program must be designed with these
individual needs in View.

2. Objectives and goals of the in-service educa-
tion program Should be determined and they
should complement the objectives of the
college.

3. The activities of the in-service program
must be maintained with a high degree of
continuity and regularity.

4. The role of the trustee is a part—time role,
therefore, participation in the in—service
education program must be on a volunteer
basis.

5. Qualifying as a college board member must
include willingness and agreement to partici-
pate extensively in the in-service education
program.

6. Strong motivation and momentum Should be
effected and continued by the leadership of

lOrley R. Herron, Jr., "A Study of In-service Education
Programs for Boards of Trustees of Selected Colleges and
Universities in the United States," (unpublished doctoral

fgssertation, Michigan State University, East Lansing,
65).

10.

ll.

12.

13.

14.

15.

_50_

the in-service education program if maximum

results are to be achieved.

Resource personnel from within the college

or the board Should be utilized in the in-

service education program. Consultants can

be employed as areas of exploration need

further professional assistance.

The in-service education program Should be

geared to equip the board with the necessary

information and knowledge to enable them to

pursue within their maximum potential the L
objectives of the college.

Acknowledged barriers Of communication must
be eliminated so that an Open channel of
communication can exist.

Frequent regularity in communication should
be maintained among the in—service education
leadership. ,
Detailed orientation to the in—service educa—

tion program must augment every new member's

inauguration as a trustee.

Contents of the in-service education program

should expose the members of the board to some

common problems of higher education so that

they can increase their individual perception

of higher education.

At least part, with the goal of underwriting

all, of the personal expenses incurred by the

trustees in the in-service education program

Should be included in the total budget of the

college.

The in—service education program must be

evaluated individually by each board member.

Projected and immediate needs must underly

the design of the in-service education pro-

gram. 1

§ " .__.__n._ _‘

 

The present researcher's plan to study the need of in-

in part,

service education of community college boards of trustees
was aided to an encouraging extent by the research study

by Herron. His recommendations for further research were,

responsible for the present study.

 

lIbid., pp. 141-143.

-51_

Summary

It is generally agreed that trustees and presidents
in order to perform their vital roles in an effective
relationship, need to be involved and informed. That it
is a two-way communication process has also been inferred
in the review of the literature. Educators seem to agree
that education is an investment in human resources and
that this should continue as a life—long process. That
there is a need for in—service education programs is rarely
contested. The techniques of in-service education vary
‘with the needs of participants; the principles and precepts
of in-service education reviewed seem to indicate that the
most essential features of an in-service education program
be conveniently available, and that the program be based
on the needs, interests, and problems of the participants.
Fknv research studies relating these principles Of in-service
education to boards of trustees were found. This again

Inuierscores the need for the present study.

 

Chapter III

DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

The main purpose of this investigation was to ascer-

tain the present status of in-service education for com-

 

t
munity college boards of trustees. Two groups were studied
in regard to their perceptions Of the need for additional
information in areas Of institutional concern, methods and
techniques of keeping trustees informed, and problems i

encountered in the president-board relationship. One

group consisted of incumbent presidents serving the institu-
tions selected for the study. The second group was made

up of board of trustee members of these same community
colleges who have the final authority and reSponsibility
for determining the administrative policies. The study
was directed toward securing the perceptions of each group,
to determine a basic for formulating an in-service educa-
tion program as to institutional areas of concern, success-
ful methods used in keeping trustees informed, and problem
areas in the relations between the president and board

Of trustees.
General Methods

In the development and execution of this research

problem on in-service education Of community college boards

_52-

-53-

of trustees, the following general methods were used.
Initially, the writer's interest in problems related to
community colleges and boards of trustees was stimulated
through the role as a consultant in assisting citizen
advisory groups in determining the feasibility of estab—
lishing community colleges. This experience of dealing
with laymen in an educational endeavor revealed how little
they knew about the educational processes; a lack of aware- I
ness of the problems to be encountered by a lay board if

a new community college were to be established also was

 

revealed.

After determining the field of study an intensive
examination of the literature pertaining to trustees,
presidents, and in—service education was conducted. Con-
centration on this aspect, with the analysis of the data
directed toward the perceptions of incumbent presidents
and trustees on the present status of in—service education
for trustees at their community colleges, became the pri-

mary objective of the study design.

Instrumentation

 

The process Of collecting data was accomplished by
two different methods: responses to questionnaires, and
personal interviews. The investigator proceeded to develop
parallel questionnaire forms for use with the presidents

and trustees.

-54-

After considerable editing and revising of items
pertinent to in-service education of trustees, the first
draft of the questionnaire was developed and submitted
to the writer's doctoral guidance committee for their
scrutiny of items and evaluation. Many items were either
discarded or revised to facilitate explicit and valid F
responses.

Prior to initiating this project a pilot study was

conducted in an effort to develop a sound research plan.

 

The population of the pilot study consisted of fifteen r
board of trustee members and Six presidents representing

eleven community colleges, all of whom were deemed compar—

able to those included in the pOpulation Of the major study.

Valuable comments were obtained from both sources that

lead to further refinement and improvement of the instru-

ments. The findings of this pilot study served to illuminate

various flaws and inconsistencies in the original research

design. The weaknesses were subsequently corrected or

eliminated.

The instrument was then printed and consisted of four
pages within a self-mailing folder. Page one of the instru-
ments was devoted to characteristics about the individual
reSpondentS and their institution. The information requested
was primarily demographic and institutional in nature and
serves as a background to assist in understanding the anal-

ysis of data in Chapter Five.

-55-

Page two of the parallel questionnaires consists Of
twelve items relating to major areas Of institutional
concern such as Technical—Vocational Programs, Adult and
Continuing Education, Plant DevelOpment and Maintenance,
and Curriculum DevelOpment. Participants were asked to:
"Please indicate the degree to which you feel your board L

as a whole needs additional information in the various

 

areas." The multiple-choice responses were "not at all," g
"somewhat needed," and "definite need.“

Page three pertained to the various methods that have

 

been used to keep board members abreast of educational
developments. Eleven methods or techniques were listed.
Some examples of method items were "Visits to other com-
munity colleges," "Attendance at educational conferences,"
"Utilization of consultants,“ and "Provision of monthly
subscription to Junior College Journal.“ The multiple-
choice responses were “Has Not Been Tried," "Not At All
Helpful," "Somewhat Helpful," and "Very Helpful."

Page four of the instruments consisted of thirteen
items that were considered problems encountered by boards
throughout the country. Such items as "Absenteeism of
board members," "Too much attention to detail of business
management," "Lack of time-availability of trustees,"
and "Limited understanding of role," were included in the
list. ReSpondents were asked to "Please indicate the extent

to which these problems have been encountered by your board

—56—

of trustees." The multiple-choice responses were "Not
A Problem," "Occasional Problem," and "Frequent Problem."
The questionnaires were mailed to 162 community

college presidents. Its purpose was to gather information
concerning the present status of in—service education for
board members as perceived by the presidents and trustees E
of the selected community colleges. All copies Of the I
questionnaires were sent to the president of the community

college who was asked to complete the "Questionnaire for

 

Community College Presidents" and to return it in the self-
mailing folder. The president was also requested to distri—
bute a copy of "Questionnaire for Community College Trus—
tees" to each of his board members. Each questionnaire was
in a self—mailing folder. A basic problem in this procedure
was that of eliciting the COOperation of the president of
each community college in distributing the instrument to
his board of trustees. In an effort to encourage this
COOperation and to elicit responses which reflected true
feelings or perceptions of the subjects in the population,
the identities of individual participants were allowed to
Juanain anonomous. A follow-up letter was sent to elicit
further reSponses when the number of returns started to
diminish.

The envelopes mailed to the presidents contained the
lfiDllowing: (l) a letter of transmittal (cover letter)

explaining the purpose and importance of the study and

 

-57-

requesting their participation; (2) a “Questionnaire for
Community College Presidents;" and (3)“Questionnaire for
Community College Trustees" for the number of board mem-
bers of that particular institution according to the

American Junior College.1

Population

 

The population consisted of the reSponses of 117
presidents and 511 trustees drawn from 162 public community
colleges under separate autonomous boards of control. Ques-
tionnaires were sent to 162 presidents and 1,203 trustees
of community colleges located in eighteen states throughout
the nation. From this group, reSponseS were returned by
120 or 74 percent of the community college presidents.

Of this number it became necessary to disqualify one Of

the questionnaires for inadequacy of responses. Two arrived
too late for data analysis. The 117 president's question—
naires cleared for use in the analysis of the data was 72.2
percent.

From the group of trustees, there were 537 responses
or 44 percent. Of this number it became necessary to dis-
qualify 12 of the forms for inadequacy of reSponses and

14 of the forms arrived too late for data analysis. The

1American Council on Education, American Junior Colleges,
edited by Edmund J. Gleazer, (washington: American Council
on Education, 1963), pp. 551.

 

-58-

number cleared for use in the analysis of data was 511
trustee questionnaires or 42.4 percent of the initial group.
Because of the descriptive and explorative nature of
this research, the population consisted only of the ques-
tionnaire reSpondents. One may question the validity of
this procedure insofar as less than half of the trustees
were included in the pOpulation.l Because all participants
were allowed to remain anonomous, it was impossible to
take a random sample of the non-reSpondents to determine
whether or not this group differed significantly from the
trustee population included in the study. However, in
view of the large number of trustee responses obtained,
it is doubtful that a random distribution of non-reSpondents
would differ Significantly in terms of the questionnaire

criteria.

Interviews

 

To provide additional depth, it was also decided to
interview four community college presidents to obtain ver-
bal responses to other questions related to in-service
education of trustees.

For, as Jahoda has stated:

 

1"It is difficult to estimate in the abstract, what
percentage of questionnaire reSponses is to be considered
adequate or satisfactory." John W. Best, Research in
Education, (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1959),
p. 154.

 

-59-

The interview is the more apprOpriate tech-
nique for revealing information about complex,
emotionally—laden subjects or for probing
beyond public attitudes to the more covert
private sentiments . . .

Not only is the interview Often more effective
than the questionnaire in producing permissive
situations; it is also more versatile with
respect to the atmOSphere which can be created
during the measuring Situation. 1

Each of the four presidents was contacted in person
during the American Association of Junior Colleges Con—
ference held in St. Louis, Missouri, during the week of
February 28 through March 4, 1966. Each of the presidents
was affirmative to their participation in the on-campus
interview. A follow-up letter confirming the time scheduled
for the interview was sent to each president at least one
week prior to the interview date. The letter (see appendix)
also contained the major areas of concern to assist the
president in preparing for the interview.

A structured interview employing an interview out—
line was used to record fact and opinion. The structured
interview gives consistency to and standardization of
the material collected. This technique seemed effective
since it projected the thinking of the presidents being

interviewed into areas that they might not discuss other-

wise. The outline used for the interview was similar to

 

lMarie Jahoda, pp al., Research Methods in Social
Relations, Part One (New York: The Dryden Press, 1951,
Sixth printing, 1958), p. 158.

 

 

the one used

-60-

by Herron in a study mentioned in the review

of the literature.1 The following items were included

in the interview outline:

1. Basic Institutional Data

a.

Characteristics of the community college
district

 

b. Enrollment
c. Curricular offerings
d. Tax base
e. Aims and purposes of the community college
2. Organization of the Board of Trustees
a. Number, qualifications, and method of selec-
tion of the board members
b° Organization make—up of board
c. Frequency of regular and Special board
meetings
d. Preparation and reSponsibility of agenda
3. In-service Education Program
a. Orientation of new board members
b. The role of the president and the chairman
of the board in the in-service education
program
c. What activities are involved in the in-service
education program? Briefly describe the
activities and the materials used.
d. What are strengths and weaknesses of the
board?
e. What are the future plans for in-service
education?
1 .
Herron, pp. c1t., pp. 41-42.

 

-61-

f. Has the in-service education program for
trustees been evaluated? If so, in what
way?

g. Additional information on selected question-
naire items was also requested.

In each of the interviews, a good rapport was estab-
lished by stating the interviewer's appreciation for the
president's COOperation in devoting his time to the research
study. A review of the purpose and importance of the
study was conducted to initiate the interview. Then the
above outline was followed during the interview.

One interesting point was that all of the interviews
were completed in the designated time of one hour, the time
that was mutually agreed upon. However, the resulting
conversation pertaining to the study caused the meetings
to last a minimum of one hour and fifteen minutes to a
maximum of two hours.

At each community college all materials, records, and
in—service education materials were collected, the object
being to collect all information regarding the in-service
education program for trustees at each institution. This
material was analyzed and incorporated in Chapter Four of
this study. The interviews, with one exception, took place
in the president's office on the campus. The interviews
and materials collected from the four community colleges

was during the month of April, 1966.

-62-

Method of Analysis

 

The tangible data collected were analyzed by Control
Data 3600 Computer at Michigan State University. The
reSponses to the questionnaires were tabulated and trans-
ferred to punched cards for use in the CD 3600. The data
were mostly analyzed through the "Single Column Frequency
Distribution" method. For each item in the questionnaires,
the following calculations were made through the above
method:

1. Observed Frequency

2. Means and Standard Deviation

3. Percentage of each Frequency on Total
4. Cumulative Frequencies
5. Cumulative Percentages

A Simple item response analysis which included the
number and percentage of reSponseS for each item in each
of the four response categories was obtained for the trus-
tees and the presidents. ReSponseS of trustees and presi—
dents for each category of items were examined and sum—
marized in order to Obtain a composite View of the present
status and need of in-service education for trustees in
community colleges as perceived by trustees and presidents.

All of the demographic data are not used in the pre-
sent study but may be useful in future analysis of these
data. A copy of the questionnaires, letter of transmittal,

and follow-up letter appear in the Appendix.

-63—

Summary

In Chapter Three, the general methods used in the
study have been presented. This chapter is concerned with
the composition of the population, the development of the
instruments, the methods used for collecting the data,
the procedures for analysis of the data, and the prepara—
tions and actual interview procedures used in the study.

Chapter Four presents a descriptive report of the
in—service education programs of the four community col-
leges visited for on-campus interviews. The results of

the questionnaire instruments are analyzed in Chapter Five.

Chapter VI

IN-SERVICE EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN
FOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Introduction

Another method of collecting data in this study
was through structured interviews with presidents of four
selected community colleges. The purpose of this part
of the study was to Obtain verbal responses in depth
related to questions about in-service education of trus-
tees. The results Of this phase of the investigation
as to areas of agreement and disagreement are summarized
at the end of this chapter.

The four community colleges were selected for inclu»
Sion in the study because: (1) they were deemed as having
relatively successful in-service education programs for
trustees by the writer's doctoral committee; (2) few of
the community colleges had organized in-service education
programs as was indicated by the responses on the Ques-
tionnaire for Presidents, therefore, the selection was
limited; (3) the four institutions provided diversification
as to size, geographical setting, year of establishment,

length of stay of president, and accreditation; (4) the

-64—

~65-

chief administrators of each institution were positive
toward participating in the on-campus structured inter-
View.

The general picture of each community college and its
district is presented as background information for the

analysis of the in—service education programs for trustees.

Community College A

Basic Institutional Data

Community College A is a fully accredited, public
community college located in a small rural community of
about 20,000 population. The area's primary economical
support comes from agricultural related fields and tourism.
There is also a variety of light manufacturing firms.
Its growth since its establishment in 1951 has been steady
and its present enrollment exceeds 1,000 students. The
chief administrator has been in this role since the incep-
tion of the college. The majority of the students are
drawn from the surrounding five-county area, with each
year a larger minority arriving from other parts of the
state and the country.

The college offers the first two years of a liberal
arts and science programs that prepare students for transfer
to four—year colleges or universities. It also Offers

twelve majors in businesS-technical-vocational areas that

-66-

lead to an Associate Degree.

Organization of the Board of Trustees

The board of trustees consists of seven members serving
terms of Six years. Six of the trustees are elected by
the qualified voters of the community college district,
and one trustee is appointed by the Six elected trustees.
Two physicians, one county extension agent, a head of a
utility company, and three businessmen are the occupational
make-up of the board. The educational background of the
board is marked by the extremes of two medical physicians
to one trustee with an eighth grade education. The other
board members'formal educational attainment is as follows:
one with an associate degree; one a B.S. degree in engineering;

one B.S. in business; and one M.S. degree in Education.

In-service Education Program

The in-service education program is both varied and
continuous and starts with orientation of new board mem-
bers. A luncheon dinner serves as the kick-off of the
orientation of new board members. It serves not only a
social and fellowship function but is also an Opportunity
for a question and answer period between the chief admin-
istrator and the new trustees.

After the initial meeting between the chief executive
and the new board members, a personal follow-up session is

held with each new trustee. It is at this time that the

-67-

new trustee receives a copy of the by—laws of the board

of trustees, a trustee handbook, and the student and faculty
handbooks. He also receives copies of all board meetings
minutes for the past five years, which are kept in a loose-

leaf notebook for easy use.

Annual meeting of the Board of Trustees

 

The annual meeting of the board of trustees is held
each year in July to basically review the past year and

to serve as a guide in planning for future years. It also

 

serves the purpose of electing new officers for the coming
year. It Offers an opportunity for rotation of positions
and thereby a new educational experience in a different
role within the board. It offers an Opportunity not only
to evaluate the progress of the institution but also to
appraise the degree of success in meeting the goals that
were to be accomplished as designated at the last annual

meeting.

Agenda

The full board usually meets once a month on the second
Wednesday. The board is informed of the agenda items
several days prior to the monthly meeting to permit board
members to have ample time to review or study. The agenda
items are cleared by the chief administrator and the chairman
of the board and mailed one week before the meeting. There

is ample Opportunity for individual trustees to place items

—68-

of concern on the agenda. The agenda is usually adhered
to unless there is Special action necessary; in case of
special action only a dissident vote from a board member

present is necessary to delay action.

Reading materials

The chief executive distributes various written
materials to trustees as it relates to future develOpments.
This includes items of interest and concern from various

educational journals and neWSpaperS. Also, a Junior College

 

Journal is available for each board member. The chief
administrator also circulates three books among the trus-
tees to help them understand their role as trustees. The
three books used for trustee orientation are: A Manual for
Trustees by Raymond M. Hughes, Memo to a College Board
Trustee by Ruml and Morrison, and College and University

Trusteeship by Morton Rauh.

 

Attendance at Educational Conferences

It is felt that the bringing together of laymen and
professional educators is one of the most stimulating
experiences for trustees. It serves as an opportunity for
board members from Similar institutions to discuss their
mutual concerns. One such conference attended by the
majority of the board members of Community College A has
been the annual Trustee-Administrator Conference sponsored

by the Midwest Community College Leadership Program.

-69—

Several of the trustees have been able to attend each of
the conferences and bring back fruitful results to the
total board. Some trustees have also been involved in
actual participation on panel discussions or giving pre-
pared Speeches. Another important facet of this conference
is the social programs that are prepared especially for
the wives who are able to attend. Trustees are also en—
couraged to attend the American Association of Junior
Colleges Conference annual meeting; several trustees have
attended these meetings over the years. However, there

is no budget set aside to assist trustees in attending
such functions or any of the programs that require financ-

ing.

Educational Consultants

In certain specified areas it has been necessary to
contact outside help to assist in meeting objectives.
When there is not adequate or qualified personnel avail—
able, educational consultants have been the source of the
needed knowledge. Such an example was the hiring of a
consultant to initiate an R. N. Nursing program. Con-
sultants have also been utilized when architectural needs

are to be determined and to assist in accreditation.

Trustees as Speakers to Outside Groups
A very effective method of keeping trustees up-to-

date is to have them serve as speakers to groups outside

 

-70-

the college. This requires considerable preparation to
the tOpic at hand and a broad knowledge of community col—
leges and higher education. Two examples were cited in
trustee participation as Speakers. One was during the
millage campaign which proved to be fruitful. The second
involvement was in areas contiguous to the community col-
lege district where citizens were interested in annexation

possibilities and invited the trustees to Speak.

Committees

The board has a policy of no standing committees.
It does have several Special committees which are problem
or project oriented and are dissolved when the project
has been accomplished. Some of the special committees
which exist or have existed are: (1) develOpment, (2)
curriculum, (3) annexation, (4) millage. Each of the Special
committees is chaired by a trustee. The committee is
composed of representatives from faculty, administrative
staff, citizen advisees, as well as several board members.
The chief executive assumes a passive role in this committee
organization and the committee chairman assumes the leader—
ship and responsibility in accomplishing the purpose of
the committee, whether it be a successful millage vote,
initiating a new curriculum, or constructing a student union

building.

 

-71-

Strengths and Weaknesses of Board

The major weakness in the board relationship is a
personality problem. It is the domination of meetings
and board pursuits by one individual. This has contributed
to the lack of time and availability of some trustees when
they realize one person will tend to impede normal dis—
cussion.

The strengths of the board as a whole revolve around
good two—way communication. Another asset Of the board
has been their high aspirations as to the quality of devel-
opment of both facilities and curricula. Their occupa—
tional backgrounds have also proved to be advantageous in

that they represent wide fields of diverse thinking.

Community Collgge B

Basic Institutional Data

Community College B is a two-year comprehensive college
supported by the state and a local county district. The
county has a population of 140,000 and many diversified
'businesses and industries. The college was founded in
1928 and has been regionally accredited Since 1933. Com-
Inunity College B Offers a broad range of college—level
instruction in the liberal arts and vocational—technical
areas for its 2,300 students. It offers fully accredited

instruction for the first two years of most baccalaureate

 

-72-

programs. The college also offers programs leading to

the associate degree in nine areas of business and voca-
tional training along with many apprenticeship and other
programs which require a year or less of training. The
president has been chief administrator of the institution
since 1940. The college began its Operation as an inde-
pendent county community college on July 1, 1965. Prior to
this time the community college had been operated as a

community college department by the local school district.

Organization of the Board of Trustees

The board consists of six members, two serving two
year terms, two serving four year terms, and two serving
six year terms. The trustees must meet the qualifications
prescribed by statutes and be elected on a non-partisan
basis.

The board is organized with a chairman, vice-chairman,
secretary, and treasurer. There are no standing committees
but ad hoc committees are set up as needed. The board
holds a conference session in advance of the regular monthly
meeting. The press is admitted to these conferences. The
board holds no closed meetings except when personnel or

land purchase items are on the agenda.

In—service Education Programs
Directed readings play a vital part in orienting new

trustees. COpies of all college publications are given

fir.-

 

 

-73-

to each trustee. This includes student newspaper, college
annual, faculty and student handbook, and by-laws of the
community college. In addition each board member receives
a monthly COpy of the Junior College Journal. The "EPE
15—Minute Report" for College and University Trustees is
also circulated among board members. Several educational
magazine articles have been given to each board member
that relate to a better understanding of the role of the

trustee.

Agenda

Agenda items are coordinated through the president
and the chairman of the board. All items placed on the
agenda are "ready for action to be taken.“ The agenda
and minutes of the proceedings of the board of the previous
meeting are mailed to the trustees at least 48 hours before
the time of the next regular meeting. The administrative
assistant to the president records the minutes of each
meeting. Robert's "Rules of Order" are used as a reference
for the business operation of the meeting. The meetings

Of the board are Open to the public.

Social Functions

The participation of trustees in commencement exercises
has been a rewarding experience. Trustees have also enjoyed
the fellowship with faculty, staff, and students at dinner

functions. The trustees dined with scholarship winners,

 

 

-74-

graduates—tO-be, and officers of the student government.

Attendance at Educational Conferences

The president and his wife have attended the American
Association of Junior Colleges Annual Conference and the
Midwest Community College Leadership Program's Trustee—
Administrator Conference and thereby encouraged trustees
to attend with their spouses. The president feels that
this has been a valuable experience for board members;
he has been greatly satisfied by the number of trustees
willing to attend such functions, without remuneration for
expenses incurred. Several Of the trustees have been
active in initiating a new state organization of community
college governing boards to better unify trustees as a

total group.

Committees

 

The board of trustees has no standing committees.
Special or ad hoc committees are authorized when the trus-
tees deem it necessary. A special committee is required
to report recommendations to the board for appropriate
action. The Special committee is dissolved when its report
is accepted by the board. An example of a Special committee

has been the committee on salary.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Board

The president felt that the attitude of the board as

-75-

a whole toward its role and the use of self—restraint in
staying within the limits Of that role is the board's great-
est asset. Good communication and mutual respect between
the president and trustees is also underscored as strengths
of the board. The weaknesses were seen to be in the age
and occupational background of the trustees. Several of
the trustees are retired and over 70 years of age; three

of the trustees are lawyers which tends to reflect in the
board discussions. A wider range of occupational background
would seem to be more advantageous according to the presi-
dent. The president feels that several improvements are
necessary to progress significantly in the area of in-
service education of trustees. One action has already

been taken; a committee of the whole has been called to
meet at least once a year to review and appraise existing
policies. This will serve as a progress report on the
objectives of the college and the necessary changes to COpe
with future needs. The president also stated that he will
publish an annual report on the state of the college to
assure mutual understanding of where the college has been

and where it is going in the foreseeable future.

Community College C

Basic Institutional Information

Community College C was granted its charter in 1963.

 

-76-

Its district consists of one county with a tax base of
$680,000,000 and population exceeding 262,000. The area
is predominantly light and heavy industries. The enroll-
ment as of fall 1965 was 1,917 students with a projection
of 5,000 students by the end of 1970.

The college is comprehensive in its Offerings which
includes ten associate degree programs in what is called-
the semi-professional-technical division. The university
parallel division offers the first two years of the arts
and sciences and pre-professional preparation in seven
areas. A Special studies division consists of cultural/

occupational and improvement courses.

Organization of the Board of Trustees

The officers of the board of trustees are: Chairman,
Vice-Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The president of
the college serves as secretary of the board and the
business manager of the college serves as treasurer of
the board. The seven trustees are appointed for five
year terms on a staggered basis by the vote of the three
county commissioners. The board is very evenly distributed
in geographical location in the county. The board is also
diversified in its occupational background with one news—
paper publisher, two lawyers, one retired physician, one
retired college professor, one merchant and one housewife.

The religious background of the board is one Jew, two

M).- l“

-77-

Catholic and four Protestants.

In-service Education Programs

The president is responsible for the total Operation
of the in-service education program for trustees. He
believes that the trustees Should become involved but with
some reservations. One such reservation is the insistence
that trustees legislate and the president execute policies.
He also questioned giving the trustee too much directed
reading or "homework" in that the volume may discourage

them from reading any of the written materials.

Agenda

The agenda is received by all trustees several days
in advance of the regular monthly meeting which is held on
the second Thursday Of each month. The minutes of the
previous meeting also are distributed at this time. One
item included on each agenda is the President's Report which
is a means of informing the trustees about items or events
that do not require board action. Also included on each
agenda is a special report from a faculty or staff member.
Special reports have been given by the librarian, dean of
instruction, and director of athletics to mention just a
few. This has proved to be an excellent method of removing
barriers between the various groups within the college
and has also served to solidify the image of the college

to the "publics."

—78-

A confidential memorandum agenda prepared in detail
is also given to board members prior to the regular meeting.
The purpose of this memorandum is to give "the image to
the public that we are together on everything." It is
hoped that by presenting detailed information about items
that appear on the agenda, questions that may arise will
be answered or the president contacted before the meeting
for clarification. Since the regular board meetings are
Open to the public, this, then, could result in what appears
to be a board with unanimous consensus. Executive sessions
are held only when personnel or land acquisition items are

involved.

Educational Survey and Consultants

The president felt that the trustees being involved
in the survey for establishing the community college and
working with the educational consultants was the best
groundwork that can be given to assure an understanding of
the community college by trustees. The trustees were
actually appointed almost two years before the hiring of
the president. During this period of time the trustees
interviewed expert consultants and visited many community
colleges throughout the country. The participation of
the trustees in the citizens survey of the need for estab-
lishing the community college resulted in trustees committed

to the philosophy of the community college.

_79-

Educational Conferences

The president and several trustees participated in
both the American Association of Junior Colleges Conference
and the Trustee-Administrator Conference in 1966. The
chairman was one of the main speakers at the trustee-
administrative conference when he spoke on the role of
the trustees. Several of the trustees and the president
also attended a workshOp in California for selecting

architects.

Publications

All publications of the college are sent to each
trustee. They also receive the Junior College Journal
and the "EPE 15-Minute Report" for University and College
Trustees. The trustee who is a newspaper publisher fur-
nishes a "clipping service" of news items about Community
College C in particular and education in general to the

president and the board of trustees.

Committees

The chairman appoints members to standing committees
of which there are three: finance, personnel, and develop-
ment. The committee meetings are held outside of the regular
‘monthly meeting with the president of the college always
in attendance. Standing committee reports are given at
each regular meeting. This is to assure that the committee

as a whole understands the progress and thinking that has

-80-

gone into the report and recommendations. It is also
helpful in preventing factionalism among the various com-
mittees. Rotation of committee membership is encouraged
to increase the competence of trustees in new areas of

responsibility.

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Board of Trustees

The major strength of the present board is that they
understand their role as trustees. They work well together
and realize the magnitude of their job. AS was indicated
earlier, the president felt they had a strong commitment
to the philosophy of the community college. Another advan—
tage of the present board is their willingness to try new,
experimental ideas involving the institution.

The president sees few weaknesses in the present
board. He feels that there is a need for better follow—
up of in—service education programs and this includes
better communication. He also feels a need for more par-
ticipation of trustees in attending faculty and student
functions. One weakness noted in the background of the
trustees was that five of the trustees are self-employed
and have not been associated with public institutions,
thereby not aware of problems related to tenure, fringe

'benefits, job security and salary increments.

-81-

Community College D

Community College D is a two-year college serving
a metropolitan area with a pOpulation of 1.8 million. The
community college district is a county unit with a six
billion dollar tax base. It was established in 1962 and
opened its doors to more than 3,000 full and part-time
students.

The college offers university parallel programs along
with associate degrees in sixteen different vocational-
technical areas. Emphasis is also given to general educa-
tion, educational counseling, and community services.

The college has made application for regional accredita-

tion.

Organization of the Board of Trustees

The Officers of the seven man board are chairman,
vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer. The trustees are
appointed by a three man board of county commissioners
for terms of five years on a staggered basis. The occupa—
tional composition of the board is: two lawyers, one labor
leader, one retired university administrator, one vice-
president of an industrial concern, one secretary Of a
‘board, and one housewife.

The regular meeting of the board is held on the second
Tuesday of each month. Provision is made for special

meetings at the discretion of the chairman or any two_

-82-

trustees. During the first six months of operation, the
president said two or three special meetings were called
each month. It is not unusual for a meeting to be held

between regular meetings that expands into a work session.

Agenda

The president is responsible for the preparation of
the agenda for the regular monthly meeting of the board.
The agenda is mailed to the trustees on the Friday pre-
ceding the Tuesday of the meeting. The president gathers
supporting material that will be used to assist in clarify-

ing problems or issues to be discussed.

The President's Memo

The "President's Memo'I is published monthly to facil-
itate plans, programs, and developments within the college.
It is circulated to all trustees as well as to all members
of the faculty and administrative staff. Several recent

issues were given to the investigator for his perusal.

Trustee-Administrative Retreats

Overnight retreats are held periodically at a nearby
mansion. While it is primarily a work session to explore
matters of concern and interest to the trustees as well as
administrative personnel, it is also helpful in establishing
essential human relationships among those attending.

Some items discussed at a recent retreat were:

—83-

a. Emlicies guiding and implementing the decision—
nmking process.

b. The philosophy of the open-door policy and its
implications for the college.

c. Articulation with institutions at both the
secondary and higher educational level.

d. Implication of student behavior and attitude
toward the philosophy of the college.

en Committee structure and its potential for the

college.

Accrediting Team Visitations
Trustees have been involved in visits by several
accrediting agencies. AS was indicated earlier, Community
College D has made application for regional accreditation
and this requires a lengthy self-study. The trustees have
‘participated.and have an awareness of the implications and
progress being made toward the goal of accreditation.
.Representatives of the state department of education
and a committee from a state college association also have
visited the campus to View facilities, talk with staff,
faculty and trustees to ascertain the purposes and objectives
of the institution. The trustees have also participated
in visits by technical and vocational accrediting agencies.

One such Visit was a dental hygiene accrediting team.

~84-

Suggested Readings
The president makes available all the resources that
his office has for the education of the trustees. Trus-

tees receive the Junior College Journal each month.
Prqgress and Prospect,

Medsker's book, The Junior College:

Also, random articles

is circulated among board members.

are taken from educational journals that seem pertinent

to the role of the trustee and are reproduced for each

trustee. Various pamphlets are also used to keep trustees
up-to—date that have been obtained from the American Asso-

ciation of Junior Colleges Office in Washington, D.C.

Attendance at Educational Conferences

The president is frequently called upon to partici-
pate in educational conferences and workshops. He encour-

ages board members to go along with him if at all possible.
The president and trustees have participated in the American
Association for Junior Colleges Conference and the Trustee-

Administrator Annual Conference Sponsored by the Midwest

Community College Leadership Program. One of the trustees
was a main speaker at the recent conference for trustees
and administrators. The president is somewhat skeptical
of trustees organizing on a state-wide basis in that it

may cause division between the president and the trustees.

Committees
facilities,

There are four standing committees: finance,

 

—85-

personnel and curricular, and legal and legislative.

The chairman of the board designates the members of the

various committees. Special committees are also possible

under the rules and regulations of the board and provision

is also made for non-board members as participants. While

the committee system permits a trustee to develop an area
Of special interest and competence, board members are

encouraged to rotate when the annual organizational board

meeting is held to determine committee membership.

Strepgths and Weaknesses of the Board of Trustees

Two weaknesses of the board were cited by the presi-

dent. There is a lack of geographical distribution of the

trustees, in that most of them come from one area within

the county. The second weakness is indicated by the

occupational background of the trustees, where there is

a lack of science and engineering representation. Another

weakness was the occasional lack of follow-up of respon-

sibilities by the trustees.
The strengths of the board far outweighed any weak-

nesses in the Opinion of the president. The main strengths

were considered to be: (1) understanding of the philosophy

of the community college, (2) trustees are intelligent

and without factions or cliques,

citizens , non-political ,

(3) there is mutual respect and high regard for each other,

(4) active involvement and open-ended communication in the

-86-

president-board relationship is prevalent.

The president bases his relationship with the board

on finurprinciples: (l) Involve the trustees through

active and broad participation, (2) Delineate the role of

tflm:trustees--this assures mutual understanding and effective

(3) President is responsible to convey to the

relations,
board his values, expectations, and "to personify a kind
of college," (4) President has a moral and professional

reSponsibility to keep nothing from the board that in any

way involves the college.

The president follows these principles when he iden-

tifies the needs along with the board, and analyzes and
thinks through the situation and people involved. Even
though there is an understanding of the role by the trus-

tee, this does not mean there is no overlapping in the
performance Of some functions, and a team effort to meet

Objectives of the institution is a necessity. Also, the

‘president feels that few policies Should be developed

{early; instead let the people who are to be affected by

the policies participate. He feels that a few basic

policies and a dynamic board are more important than a

stifled board and a thick book of policies always subject

to change.
TTua trustees acknowledged an understanding of their

role and the necessity of self-restraint when the chairman

as recorded in the board minutes, “the

of the board sauL

 

 

—87-

board should not proceed to perform acts which might be
contrary to wishes of the key man [the President], or in

anytmnrcreate a limiting atmOSphere for him."

Summary

Basic Institutional Data
The colleges were characterized by one in a small

rural setting to one in a large metropolitan setting.
One

Student enrollment ranged from 1,000 to over 5,000.

institution was established 38 years ago (1928), while
one was established as recent as 1963. Two of the institu-

tions are regionally accredited while the remaining two
are seeking regional accreditation. All are comprehensive

community colleges in light of meeting the needs within

offering college transfer programs,

their districts,
adult and continuing edu-

technical-vocational programs,
and guidance services.

cation programs, community services,

Organization of Board
The board membership was five to seven members in the

four institutions. Each met on a monthly basis with a
‘prtnnisicni for Special meetings if needed. Each of the boards

vice-chairman, secretary,

was organized with a chairman,
and treasurer. All of the board officers were trustees
except in two of the colleges where the president of the

iJmstiJniticni served as secretary and the business manager

-88-

served as treasurer. Robert's Rules of Order was the board

procedure followed. Each institution had written by-laws

and rules and regulations for its board membership and

operation. Trustees in two of the institutions were selected

by appointment while two were selected through election.

One area of disagreement among the four institutions

was the organization of its committees. Two institutions

used only special or ad hoc committees while two estab-

lished standing committees. Arguments against the stand-

ing committee structure were that it served to "fragment"

the total board, and the committee as a whole became a rub-

ber stamp for the recommendations of the standing committees.

It was also pointed out by one president that Special
study committees appointed to do a particular job, with
the understanding that it would be dissolved when it reports
its findings, are less apt to become administrative in

function. One president felt the strong point of the stand-

ing committee was the ability to exploit the talents Of

particular trustees over an extended period of time.

The In—service Education Programs

EVEHI though each community college's in-service educa-
tion program was tailored to meet the unique needs and
situations peculiar to its community college district,
there were principles and practices that were to be found

to be in agreement among the four institutions. The

 

—89-

following is a brief review of practices and principles

that.seemed evident among the four institutions.

The function of in-service education should be a means

to an end and not just for the sake of activity. It Should

be aimed toward a particular goal or objective. The diver-

sity of institutional activities calls for equally diverse
methods and procedures for orienting a board of trustees.
Table 1 illustrates the division of in-service education
practices among the four institutions visited.

Involvement and active participation appeared to be

the foundation of a continuous in-service education pro-

gram for trustees. It also must have unity and common

purpose; it Should be related to problems that exist.

The program should be directed toward meeting the broad

reSponsibilities of the board of trustees. It should

function on a long-term basis. It should be develOped

as an essential and integral part of the total program of

the institution.

Strengths and Weaknesses

The strengths appeared to far outweigh the weaknesses

as perceived by the presidents. The mutual reSpect and

understanding between the presidents and their boards was

one of the greatest strengths. There was an expressed

attitude that.a."teamwork atmOSphere" was desired and

usually observed. However, the presidents still considered

it necessary to define the role as clearly as possible

 

_90-

TABLE 1

INFSERVICE EDUCATION PRACTICES USED FOR THE
CDNTINUING EDUCATION OF BOARDS OF TRUSTEES

Community College

Practices Used
A B (3 D

Administrative Newsletter

Attendance at Educational
Conferences

College Publications
Directed Readings

Overnight Retreat

Orientation Program for New Members
Review of Board Minutes

Special Committees

Standing Committees

Special Reports from Staff and
Faculty Members

Social Functions

Trustees as Speakers to Outside
Groups

Visits to Other Community Colleges
Use of Consultants

Agenda and Related Material

" Cl ipping Service"

between the legislative function of the board and the

administrative function of the president. It was realized

that policy determination and policy administration are

 

 

-91-

noteflujrely black and white, and that some overlapping

would exist.

Another asset was the strong commitment of most of the
trustees to the philosophy of the community college. This
is extended from commitment to also a background and under-

standing of the philosophies which underly the curriculum

of a comprehensive community college. The intention here

is not for the trustee to become a curriculum expert but
to at least have a working knowledge of the basic fundamen-

tals. The trustee with a basic knowledge of the community

college, philosophy, personnel, and material, will be
better qualified to make decisions at a later time.

Good Open, two-way communication was considered as

a major strength by three of the presidents interviewed.
This was considered as a necessity and shows an awareness
of the need for in-service education by trustees and presi-

dents. With proper motivation and the desire of the board

to improve itself, the result is high morale on the part

of the board and good interaction among the trustees and

president.
The weaknesses were generally considered to be in the

background and characteristics of the trustees. While

two of the boards of trusteeswere diverse in their occu—
pational background, two were also lacking in this aSpect.

One president regarded too many retirees as trustees as

undesirable. Three lawyers on one board was also felt

 

 

-92-

to be a disadvantage. One president felt that his board
lacking a trustee with a science or engineering orienta-
tion was a weakness.

Another area of weakness and in need of improvement
was the follow-up and evaluation by the trustees of the
in-service education programs and of their responsibilities.
The follow-up and evaluation process has been somewhat

sporadic and fragmented instead of being a continuous

function.

 

 

Chapter V

ANALYSIS OF QUESTIONNAIRE FINDINGS

This Chapter presents the summarized data and per-

tinent findings of the questionnaire instruments relative

to the purpose of the study.
This chapter is organized in five sections. The first

section is the "Personal Characteristics of Trustee Respon-
dents" in the study; the second section is "Personal Char-

acteristics of President Respondents and their Institutions;"

section three is "Areas of Institutional Concern;" section

four is I'In-service Education Methods;" and the final

section is "Extent of Problems Encountered by the Board."
The sections are arranged in an order similar to that of
the questionnaire instruments.

The reSponseS of incumbent presidents and trustees

are reported in percentages for each of the groups studied

and summarized in tables. A summary of the findings is

given at the'conclusion of this chapter.

JPersonal Characteristics of Trustee Respondents

Data presented in the following tables summarize the

personal characteristics of the trustee respondents as to

age, sex, race, church affiliation, political affiliation,

-93-

 

-94-

fonmfl.education, marital status, number of children, years
of experience as a board member at another educational
instiunion and officers of the board of trustees.

Table 2 gives a summary of the age range of the trus-
tee respondents. The median age was 51, over half of them

being in the 41-55 age bracket.

TABLE 2

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS: AGE

 

 

 

Age Range Number Percent
30 and under 9 1.76
31-35 24 4.70
36-40 32 6.26
41-45 78 15.26
46-50 105 20.55
51-55 84 16.44
56-60 58 11.35
61-65 56 10.96
66 and over 65 12.72

Total 511 100.00

 

Seven-eighths of the trustees in the survey were men

and one-eighth were women, as indicated in Table 3.

 

-95-

TABLE 3

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS: MALE AND FEMALE

 

 

Sex Number Percent

Male 442 86.50

Female 69 13.50
Total 511 100.00

 

Table four is a summary of the racial background of
trustee reSpondentS. Several of the trustees indicated
a dislike for the question of race but still responded.
As is Shown in table four, Negro representation was very

low.

TABLE 4

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS: RACE

 

 

Race Number Percent

‘White 506 99.02

Negro 5 .98
Total 511 100.00

 

Over three—fourths of the trustees are Protestant,

twelve percent Catholic, three percent Jewish, and the

 

 

-96-

remainder are either not affiliated or have other affilia-

 

 

tion.
TABLE 5

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE

TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS: CHURCH AFFILIATION
Church Affiliation Number Percent
Catholic 60 11.76
Jewish 15 2.94
Protestant 405 79.41
Other 5 .98

None 25 4.90

 

Total 510 100.00

 

Almost half of the trustees in the survey are Repub-
lican, two-fifths are Democrat and one—tenth are Independent.
Table 6 summarizes the political affiliation of trustee

respondents.

TABLE 6

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS: POLITICAL AFFILIATION

 

 

Political Affiliation Number Percent
Democrat 192 37.57
Republican 255 49.90
Independent 56 10.96
Other 8 1.57

 

Total 511 100.00

 

 

 

-97_

Table seven is a summarization of the formal educa-
tion of the trustees who responded to the questionnaire
in the study. Almost seven out of ten had earned a Bache-
lor's degree or higher. One-fourth had Master's degree
or equivalent while one out of ten had earned doctorates.
Of those without a four-year college degree, one—sixth
had attended college, one-tenth were high school graduates
and the remaining four percent attained eleventh grade or

less of'formal education.

TABLE 7

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS: FORMAL EDUCATION

 

 

Formal Education Number Percent Cumulat1ve
Percent

11th grade or less 20 3.91 3.91
High school graduate 52 10.18 14.09
Some college, but less

than bachelor's degree 85 16.63 30.72
College graduate 172 33.66 64.38
Master's degree or

equivalent 130 25.44 89.82
Doctorate or equivalent 52 10.18 100.00

Totals 511 100.00 100.00

 

Nine out of ten of the trustee respondents are married

as indicated in Table 8.

 

-98-

TABLE 8

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS: MARITAL STATUS

 

 

 

Marital Status Number Percent
Single 9 1.76

Separated 2 .39

Divorced and presently

unmarried 2 .39
Married 484 94.72
Widowed 14 2.74
Total 511 100.00

 

Nine out of ten of the trustees had at least one child

as indicated in Table 9.

TABLE 9

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRUSTEE

RESPONDENTS: NUMBER OF CHILDREN

 

 

gfiTfigiegf Number Percent
44 8.61

l 71 13.89

2 171 33.46

3 117 22.90

4 61 11.94

5 25 4.89

6 14 2.74

7 6 1.17

8 2 .39
Total 511 100.00

 

 

-99-

To the question, "Have you served on an Educational
Board for another Institution?", more than two-fifths of
the trustee respondents answered "yes." This is summarized

in Table 10.

TABLE 10

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS: EXPERIENCE AS BOARD
MEMBER AT ANOTHER INSTITUTION

 

 

Experience Number Percent
Yes 222 43.44
No 289 56.56

Total 511 100.00

 

The median as to years of experience as a trustee
at their present institution was three years. However,
extremes were noted in that several trustees had been in
office less than six months, while one trustee indicated
he had been a board member Since the institution was estab-
lished in 1925. Table 11 also indicates that there is
one-sixth of the trustees who have served nine or more

years.

 

 

-100-

TABLE 11

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRUSTEE
RESPONDENTS: YEARS OF EXPERIENCE AS
TRUSTEE AT PRESENT INSTITUTION

 

 

Years of Experience Number Percent
1 90 17.61
2 79 15.46
3 77 15.07
4 62 12.13
5 46 9.00
6 37 7.24
7 28 5.48
8 11 2.15
9 or more ‘_81_ 15.85
Total 511 100.00

 

When asked "Are you presently an officer of the Board
of Trustees?", the trustee respondents indicated as follows

in Table 12.

—101-

TABLE 12

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRUSTEE
RESPONDENTS: OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 

 

Position Number Percent
Chairman 84 16.44
Vice-Chairman 60 11.74
Secretary 40 7.83
Treasurer 25 4.89
Other 23 4.50
Not an Officer ._219_ 54.60

Total 511 100.00

 

Characteristics of the Presidents and their Institutions

Data in the following tables are a summarization of
the characteristics Of the president reSpondentS and institu-
tions they represent.

In response to the question, "How many years have
you been President of this Institution?", the responses
of the Presidents were as follows in Table 13. A large
:percentage is indicated for those at the extremes with
one year'(23%0 and one out of four had been president

nine or more years.

 

-102-

TABLE 13

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRESIDENT
RESHMHENTS: YEARS AS PRESIDENT OF PRESENT INSTITUTION

 

 

YEars of Experience Number Percent
1 27 23.08
2 12 10.25
3 15 12.82
4 13 11.11
5 8 6.84
6 3 2.56
7 4 3.42
8 5 4.27
9 or more 30 25.64

Total 117 ' 100.00

 

The results of the question, "Is your institution
regionally accredited?", are summarized in Table 14. AS

indicated, over one half were regionally accredited.

TABLE 14

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRESIDENT
RESPONDENTS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS:

 

 

ACCREDITATION
Accreditation Number Percent
Yes 62
JNo 55

Total 117 100

 

-103-

The presidents were asked, "How often does the full
Boanicfi'Trustees meet?". Two-thirds of the president
reSpondentS indicated their full board meets on a monthly
1msis. Fbur (3%) of the presidents indicated weekly as
well as four (3%) reporting quarterly meetings. One fourth
responded either bi-weekly or bi-monthly. One president
stated that the full board of trustees meets when requested.

The findings are Shown in Table 15.

TABLE 15

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRESIDENT
RESPONDENTS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS:
REGULAR MEETING OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

 

 

 

Frequency Number Percent
Weekly 4 3.42
Bi-weekly 20 17.10
Monthly 80 68.36

. Bi-monthly 8 6.84
Quarterly 4 3.42
When Requested l .86
Total 117 100.00

 

“Emmi asked, "Have you served as a member of an educa-
tional board?", seven-eighths of the 117 presidents answered
'Wfio", Mdrile one-eighth answered "Yes". There is quite a

noticeable difference when compared to Table 10 and the

~104—

experience of the trustees as board members at other in-
stitutions where over two-fifths of the trustees answered

"yes". Table 16 shows the president's responses.

TABLE 16

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRESIDENT
RESPONDENTS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS: SERVICE
AS A MEMBER OF AN EDUCATIONAL BOARD

 

Service as a Member of

 

an Educational Board Number Percent
yes 17 14.53
NO 100 85.47

Total 117 100.00

 

The Presidents were also asked, "How are your Board
of Trustee Members selected?"; seven out of ten of the
Presidents indicated that their trustees were elected.
Three-tenths of the Presidents designated their trustees
were appointed. One president indicated "other" but did
not indicate the method of selection. Table 17 is the
summary of these findings.

TABLE 17

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRESIDENT
RESPONDENTS AND THEIR INSTITUTION:
METHOD TRUSTEES ARE SELECTED

 

 

Method Number Percent
Elected 83 70.94
Appointed 33 28.20
Other 1 .86

Total 117 100.00

 

-105-

In response to the question, "Do you have a formal
in—service education program for your trustees?", nine
out of ten of the Presidents answered "no". Table 18

illustrates the results of this question.

TABLE 18

SUMMARY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PRESIDENT
RESPONDENTS AND THEIR INSTITUTIONS: FORMAL
IN-SERVICE EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR TRUSTEES

 

Formal In-service Education

 

 

Program for Trustees Number Percent

Yes 12 10.25

No 105 89.75
Total 117 100.00

 

In the remainder of this chapter, attention is focused
upon perceptions of trustees and presidents to three basic
groups of items.

These are:

1. Need for additional information in areas of

Interest and Institutional Concern.

2. The use and degree of success of In-service
Education methods used to keep trustees
informed.

3. The extent to which problems have been encoun-

tered by your board of trustees.

-106-

Areas of Institutional Concern

 

On both forms of the questionnaire the respondents
were asked: "Below is a list of areas that may be helpful
for bOard of trustee members of community colleges to have
adequate insight. Please indicate the degree to which

you feel your board as a whole needs additional information

 

in the various areas."

Technical-Vocational Programs

This area of institutional concern was ranked first
by presidents and trustees as to need for additional inform-
ation. Over four out of five of the trustees and presidents
perceived either "somewhat needed" or "definite need" as
to additional information regarding technical-vocational

programs.

Federal Aid to Education

About one-third of the presidents and trustees per-
ceived a "definite need" for additional information about
federal aid to education. Only 11% of the presidents and
23% of the trustees felt that there was "not at all" a
need for additional information on federal aid to educa—
tion. It was ranked second by both the trustees and
presidents as to need for additional information in com-

parison to the other areas.

-107-

Adult and Continuing Education

 

Twenty—three percent of the presidents and twenty-
seven percent of the trustees felt a “definite need" for
additional information about adult and continuing educa-
tion. When the responses to "somewhat needed" and "defin-
ite need" are combined this includes four-fifths of the
presidents and of the trustees. Ranked according to the
mean, adult and continuing education was third by the
presidents and fourth by the trustees as to need for addi-
tional information.

Research in the Area of Learning Process Relative to Higher
Education

 

A relative high need was indicated in this area with
a ranking of third by trustees and fifth by presidents.
Over 80% of both presidents and trustees perceived either

"somewhat needed“ or a "definite need".

Curriculum Development

Curriculum development was ranked fourth by presidents
and fifth by trustees as to need of additional information.
More trustees perceived a "definite need" (27%) than did
presidents (17%); however, more trustees (22%) also indicated
the need as "not at all" as compared to 12% of the presi-

dents.

Student Personnel Services

Almost three-fourths of the trustees and presidents

-108-

indicated either "somewhat needed" or "definite need" as

to more information relating to Student Personnel Services.
The comparison between presidents and trustees is reflected
in their respective ranking of Student Personnel Services

as 6th and 8th.

Professional Negotiations and Collective Bargaining

 

Eighteen percent of both the trustees and presidents
perceived a "definite need" for additional information
about Professional Negotiations and Collective Bargaining.
However, almost twice as many trustees (39%) and presidents
(33%) indicated the degree of need as "not at all". It
was ranked 7th by the Presidents and 10th by the Trustees

as to need.

Public and Alumni Relations

 

The greatest difference in ranking order was in the
area of Public and Alumni relations. It was ranked 6th
by Trustees and 12th by Presidents. Only 10% of the
presidents indicated a "definite need" while 26% of the
trustees indicated "definite need". A role conflict may
be indicated in that many presidents feel that they should
be responsible for public and alumni relations and that

trustees need not necessarily be involved.

Philosophy of the Community College

Philosophy of the Community College was ranked 9th

-109-

as an area of additional need for information. The per-
ceptions of the trustees were "definite need", 20%; "some-
what needed", 44%; and "not at all", was 36%. The percep-
tions of the presidents were: "definite need", 23%;

"somewhat needed", 36%; and "not at all", was 41%.

Plant Development and Maintenance

This area also was perceived low by the presidents
(11th) but substantially higher by the trustees (7th).
It is an area that also appears to be well covered through

the present routine of board Operations.

Academic Freedom

 

Academic freedom was ranked lowest of the 12 areas
of institutional concern by the trustees and ranked 8th
by the presidents. Over 43% of the trustees and 34% of
the presidents perceived the need for additional informa-
tion in this area as "not at all". Eighteen percent of
the presidents and 11% of the trustees perceived a "definite

need".

Budget Preparation and Financial Affairs

This area was ranked low by both Presidents (10th)
and Trustees (11th). Only 16% of the Presidents and 17%
of the Trustees felt a need for additional information as
it pertains to budget preparation and financial affairs.
This seems to indicate this is one area that has been ade—

quately covered by presidents and their boards of trustees.

-110-

TABLE 19
N=Number
T=Trustees
P=Presidents

‘Percentages have
been rounded

SUMMARY OF RESPONSES OF PRESIDENTS AND TRUSTEES:
NEED OF INFORMATION IN AREAS OF INSTITUTIONAL CONCERN

Not At Somewhat Definite
A11 Needed Need
T P T P T P
11 2a: .121. :6 .1‘1 .2 11 la n. .2 11

Adult and Continuing

Education 100 19 19 16 270 53 '71 61 141 28 27
Federal Aid to Education 11’? 23 13 11 211 41 66 5'7 183 36 37
Technical-Vocational

Programs 80 l6 14 12 190 3’7 60 51 241 4'7 43
Academic Freedom 222 43 40 34 232 45 55 4'7 57 ll 22
Student Personnel Services 139 2'7 22 19 294 58 ’75 64 78 15 2O
Curriculum Development 111 22 14 12 259 50 83 7'1 141 28 20
Budget Preparation and

Financial Affairs 207 41 4O 34 213 42 58 5O 89 17 19
Plant DevelOpment and

Maintenance 175 34 45 39 217 43 52 44 119 23 20
Philosophy of the Community

College 184 35 48 41 225 44 42 36 102 20 27
Public and Alumni Relations 119 25 43 37 257 49 62 53 135 26 12
Professional Negotiations

and Collective Bargaining 198 38 39 33 221 43 56 48 92 18 22
Research in the Area of

Learning Process Relative

to Higher Education 81 16 21 18 285 56 69 60 145 28 26

23

32

3'7

19

17

17

16

23

10

19

22

-111-

Table 19 is a summarization of the total reSponses
of trustees and presidents as to the need for additional
information in areas of Institutional Concern.

Table 20 is a rank ordering of the need perceptions
of trustees and presidents as to areas of Institutional
Concern.

TABLE 20

RANKING OF NEED OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN AREAS
OF INSTITUTIONAL CONCERN AS PERCEIVED BY
PRESIDENT AND TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS

 

 

Trustees Ranking Presidents

Technical-vocational l Technical-vocational
Programs Programs

Federal Aid to Education 2 Federal Aid to Education

Research in Learning 3 Adult and Continuing
Process Education

.Adult and Continuing Ed. 4 Curriculum Development

(Zurriculum Development 5 Research in Learning

Process

IPublic and Alumni Rela- 6 Student Personnel Ser-
tions vices

IPlant Development and 7 Professional Negotiations
Maintenance and Coll. Bargaining

EStudent Personnel Services 8 Academic Freedom

Ifhilosophy of Community 9 Philosophy of Community
College College

I?rofessiona1 Negotiations 10 Budget Preparation and
and C011. Bargaining Financial Affairs

IBudget Preparation and 11 Plant Development and
Financial Affairs Maintenance

lXcademic Freedom 12 Public and Alumni Relations

~112-

In-service Education Methods Used To
Keep Trustees Informed

 

On both forms of the questionnaire the respondents
were asked to respond to the following:

"Various methods have been used to assist board mem-
bers in their keeping abreast of educational developments.
Please indicate whether the following procedures have
been used in your Board of Trustees activities, and if

so, denote the degree to which they have been helpful."

yisits to Other Community Colleges

None of the trustee respondents and only one of the
(president respondents perceived visits to other community
colleges as "Not at all Helpful". Two-fifths of the trus-
tees and presidents felt the visits were "Very Helpful".
'Thirty-two percent of the trustees and twenty-seven percent
of the presidents indicated that this method had not been
tried. This was ranked fourth as to frequency of utiliza-

tion.

pErovision of Monthly Subscriptions to Junior College Journal
Slightly over 2% of the trustees (l3) and presidents

(3) perceived the Junior College Journal as "Not at all

Iflelpful". Sixty percent of the trustees and sixty-nine

jpercent of the presidents perceived the Junior College

 

JOurnal as either "Somewhat Helpful" or "Very Helpful".

The remaining 37% of trustees and 28% of presidents

-1l3—

:indicated that the Junior College Journal had not been

 

Lised. It was ranked fifth in order of frequency as a

nnethod of in-service education for trustees.

I?reparation of Regular Newsletter by Administrative Staff
None of the presidents and only one trustee felt such
21 newsletter was "Not at all Helpful". However, 61% and
531% of the trustees and presidents reSpectively, indicated
t:hat this method had not been tried at their institutions.
CDhis was ninth in order of frequency as a means of inform—

:Lng boards of trustees.

_;3articipation in School Board Association

Similar percentages of responses were reported by
tzrustees (20%) and presidents (22%) as to participation
:Ln school board associations as being "Very Helpful".
flfinenty-one trustees (4%) and eight presidents (7%) indica-
t:ed.that such an association was "Not at all Helpful".
SSeveral of these responses were qualified with the feel-
iJng that such an association in their particular cases
vvas primarily oriented to elementary and secondary boards
CDf control and therefore not very helpful. Several also
inadicated a need for such an educational association for
Ccnnmunity college boards of trustees with their own unique
Tunablems. Forty-three percent of the trustees and twenty-
nine percent of the presidents stated that they had not

INIrticipated in a school board association. This was the

-114—

ssixth most used technique by presidents and trustees.

Eiystematic Orientation Program for New Trustees

Over seven—tenths of both the trustees and presidents
:Lndicated that a systematic orientation program for new
tzrustees had not been tried. One president and seven
t:rustees felt that the program that they participated in
vvas "Not at all Helpful". The remaining one-fourth of
tzrustees and presidents felt such an orientation program
‘vvas "Somewhat Helpful" or "Very Helpful". Use of an organ-
j-zed orientation program was utilized infrequently as

jLndicated by its tenth place ranking.

.§§ttendance at Educational Conferences

Attendance at educational conferences was used as
61 means of orienting trustees by seven-eighths of the
tzrustees and presidents. It was second in frequency by

tihe presidents and trustees.

_§1resident's Annual Report

About half of the trustees and presidents reported
tfliat this technique had not been tried in keeping trustees
iJiformed. Where this method had been used only seven trus-
txaes and two presidents found it ineffective. One-sixth
(If the presidents and one-third of the trustees felt that
time President's Annual Report was "Very Helpful". The

(“flier was just reversed as one-third of the presidents and

-115-

one-eighth of the trustees felt it was "Somewhat Helpful”.
This may suggest some modesty on the part of the president's

perceptions.

Review of Former Board Minutes

The fact that six-tenths of the trustees and half of
the presidents surveyed did not use this method was influ-
enced by many of the trustees being the original board
members and their institution only in existence relatively
a short period of time. Almost half of the presidents
and two-fifths of the trustees found reviewing of former
board minutes as "Somewhat Helpful" or "Very Helpful".

This method was ranked eighth in order of frequency.

Student Newspapers

This was the most used method indicated by the re—
Spondents. There was some discrepancy as to the value
judgments of trustees and presidents as to the helpful-
ness of student newspapers in keeping trustees informed.
Almost two-fifths of the trustees as compared to one-fifth
of the presidents indicated "Very Helpful" as to the use of
student newspapers in their board activities. Less than
4%.of the trustees and presidents considered student news-

papers as "Not at all Helpful".

Utilization of Consultants

Utilization of consultants was perceived as "Very

—116-

Helpful" by two-fifths Of the trustees, higher than any
other of the methods. One-third of the presidents viewed
it second only to visits to other community colleges as
being "Very Helpful". Nearly one-fourth of both presi—
dents and trustees indicated that consultants had not been
utilized. Only nine trustees (2%) and three presidents
(3%) felt the consultants utilized were "Not at All Help-
ful". The combined trustees and presidents ranked utili-
zation of consultants as a means Of in-service activity

for trustees as third.

"Clipping Service"

A "Clipping Service" which provides news releases
on items of educational concern was the least tried of
all the methods included in the questionnaires. Four-
fifths of the trustees and seven-tenths of the presidents
reported that they had not tried this technique.

Table 21 is a summary of the responses of trustees
and presidents as to the degree of helpfulness of the
methods used to keep trustees informed. Table 22 is a
ranking of the presidents and trustees' responses combined,
as to the order of frequency of the various methods being

utilized.

om mm av mfim mm mm ov mom

mm mm cm «.2 NV 3.. mm woe

om mm om 2: mm mm ma mm

-117-

pm mm 2 mm av av :4 :m

mm we 0-. wow vm ow mm 3%

at
2|
all
2:
e|
z!
.24
2!

 

 

 

n- .H. n- .H.

dam-OI cram-2.-

fo> Senses-om

 

m H v .3 ma 5
H H N. or mm me
w .v Hm mm on me
o o H Hm ow Hm
m m ma mm mm em
H 0 ea mm mm

o
48.74888.

 

am

new

0mm

mam

:3

3:

 

.H d

3.- Eur

2< u< HOZ Dozen-.-

 

QmEH mem w<I

mmmHmDmH Ozzy-0&2- ZH wQOEHm-Z m0 mmean-n-qmm
”wmmeDmH QZ< mHZmQ-wmmn- LO wmeOn-mmm n-O Cay-.3224;

Eco-Emmi".-
mucus-Huh
Eon-822.62

 

Hm mi-m <9

pod-H. comm

36:28:06
Econ-3:66 Hm coca-65:...

388: 36:
.8 Emumoa cows-Bio oCmESm-Am

cone-608m Hmon- E codex-Locum.-

.CS... o>flmb£58em
.3 $32836: umfiswu- co cote-ado:-

 

HmESOH emu-80 BEE. 8
cone-C633 >389: .«O 6365

memo-Hoe 3328800 550 8 82>

coo-Eo- some
98-.- moms-cousc-

 

n w N. mm.

mm. av mg mam
-

8 ON cm mm «em--
1
l
-

nH S Hm @2-

S om mm rem

Nu. .m: w: E

n- .H.
Ham-OI
io>

 

 

8 mm a 8 e e H e 2. mm mm 8..
mm 2. 8 a: m m a a 8 8 8. HE
S. 8 a. sea m a a 2 e e S 8
8 a. S we a a m 2 we 5 8 «8
m... 8 2 8 a a H e a. 8 m... as
e. .m: M. m. as. l2: as! d. am. at New 4
.- 1 e e
Ema-1 aim-um 8:8 cue-
233688 2... :4. 62 62 we:

 

Same-mo:- un-
mooumzuhuh
Lon-ESZnZ

OHM-H mem w<$

 

3:8- - a as:

wmmHmDmH OZH-ZM-On-ZH 7: mQOIHmE m0 wmeun-n-a-mr
”mmmeDy-H QZ< thmQ-wmmn- m0 mmeOn-mmm no #522325

Eoocoo Eco-23366 do 286: so
8326.- 38 338:- nod-3
..ootfiom wean-:6: m .3 poiuw

WES-=88 do con-3:33

Human-m3»:-
Eueam co mos-co 3:3 ponds-B”-

muSEE ”humon- 888- «O 325m

 

~593- Hmscc< Macon-moi

66-65-0- some
use: meme-coupon?

—119-

TABLE 22

RANKING OF FREQUENCY OF METHODS USED IN IN-SERVICE
EDUCATION OF TRUSTEES BY TRUSTEES - PRESIDENTS

 

 

Trustees - Presidents Ranking
Furnished with copies of student newspaper 1
Attendance at educational conferences 2
Utilization of consultants 3
Visits to other community colleges 4

Provision of monthly subscription to Junior

 

 

College Journal 5
Participation in school board associations 6
President's Annual Report 7
Review of former board's minutes 8

Preparation of regular newsletter by
administrative staff 9

Systematic orientation program for new
trustees 10

Served by a "clipping service" which provided
news releases on items of educational
concern ll

 

Extent of Problems Encountered
by Boards of Trustees
Presidents and trustees were asked to respond to the
following: "The following is a list of problems encountered
by various boards throughout the country. Please indicate

the extent to which these problems have been encountered

-120-

by your board of trustees."
The multiple—choice responses were "Not a Problem",

"Occasional Problem“, and "Frequent Problem".

Absenteeism of Board Members

Absenteeism was considered "Not a Problem" by about
two-thirds of the trustees and presidents. Based on means
average, it was ranked fifth by both presidents and trus-
tees as to frequency as a problem. Absenteeism was cOn-
sidered a frequent problem by 29 or 6% of the trustees and

9 or 8% of the presidents.

Board Policies and By-laws Have Not Been Explicitly Stated
Two-thirds of both the presidents and trustees did

not consider this as a problem. About one—third of the

trustees and the presidents perceived this as an "Occasional

or Frequent Problem". It was ranked fourth and sixth as

to frequency as a problem by trustees and presidents respec-

tively.

Excessive Partisanship

Excessive partisanship on the part of some board mem—
bers was also viewed as "Not a Problem" by the majority
of the trustees (71%) and of the presidents (68%). It
was viewed as an "Occasional and Frequent Problem" by
32% of the presidents and 29% of the trustees. 'It was
ranked seventh in frequency as a problem by both the trus-

tees and presidents.

—121-

TOO Much Attention to Detail

 

Too much attention to detail of business management
was ranked third and fourth in frequency as a problem by
trustees and presidents respectively. Again, the majority
of the presidents (62%) and of the trustees (67%) perceived
it as "Not a Problem". The remaining 33% of the trustees
and 38% of the presidents did regard it as an "Occasional

or Frequent Problem".

Lack of Confidence Between Board and Community

Lack of confidence between board and community, citi-
zens, news media, organizations, and so forth, was ranked
ninth in frequency as a problem by trustees and presidents.
Almost three—fourths of the trustees (75%) and presidents
(73%) indicated this as "Not a Problem". Only 2% of the
presidents and 5% of the trustees deemed this as a "Fre-

quent Problem“.

Lack of Time--Availability of Trustees

This was ranked as the most frequent problem by both
presidents and trustees. Fifty-eight percent of the presi-
dents and forty-five percent of the trustees perceived lack
of time as either an "occasional or frequent problem".
However, over half of the trustees (55%) and 42% of the

presidents perceived this as "Not a Problem".

Lack of Confidence in Administrative Staff

This, as a problem, was ranked tenth by both presidents

-122-

and trustees. Approximately four-fifths of both the presi-
dents and trustees did not regard this as a problem. About
3% of the trustees and presidents felt it as a "Frequent

Problem".

Board Involvement in Administration Procedures

 

The tendency of the board to become overly involved
in administration procedures was viewed to a greater degree
as a problem by presidents than trustees. Thirty-nine
percent of the presidents and thirty-one percent of the
trustees perceived it as an "Occasional or Frequent Prob-
lem". However, it was viewed as "Not a Problem" by the
majority of trustees (69%) and presidents (61%). Board
involvement was ranked third by the presidents and sixth

by the trustees as to degree of frequency as a problem.

Limited Understanding of Role as a Trustee

 

This was ranked second by both presidents and trus-
tees as to frequency as a problem. Almost half of the
trustees (44%) and presidents (50%) considered this as
an "Occasional or Frequent Problem". Likewise, about half
regarded understanding of the role as a trustee as "Not a

Problem".

Community Pressure Groups
Community pressure groups trying to dominate board

actions or decisions was ranked eighth by presidents and

-123-

trustees as a problem. Again, the majority of presidents
(67%) and trustees (69%) viewed community pressure groups
as "Not a Problem“. Only 4% of the trustees and 5% of
the presidents perceived community pressure groups as a

"Frequent Problem".

Committee Responsibilities

 

Committee responsibilities not being well defined
was ranked twelfth as to frequency as a problem. Over
four out of five presidents (87%) and trustees (82%) viewed
this as "Not a Problem". This no doubt was influenced by
the fact that several trustees and presidents remarked
that they did not utilize the committee system. It was
considered as an "Occasional or Frequent Problem“ by 13%

of the presidents and 18% of the trustees.

Misuse of Executive Sessions

 

Misuse of executive sessions was the lowest ranked
problem (thirteenth) as perceived by both presidents and
trustees. Ninety-one percent of both trustees and presi-
dents considered this as "Not a Problem". Only three
presidents and seven trustees indicated this to be a "Fre-
quent Problem".

Lack of Confidence and Lack of Frank Discussion Among
Board Members
This was viewed as "Not a Problem" by 82% of the trus—

tees and 86% of the presidents. It was ranked eleventh

-124-

as a problem by the presidents and trustees. Slightly
over 3% of the trustees and presidents regarded this as
a "Frequent Problem".

Table 23 is a summary of the perceptions of presi—
dents and trustees as to the extent the list of problems
have been encountered by their boards of trustees. Table
24 is a rank ordering of these as to frequency as a prob-

lem as viewed by the presidents and the trustees.

Survey of Write-In Responses

Some respondents made comments relating to the areas
in the study. A sampling of these are summarized under
three headings:

I. Additional areas of institutional concern
II. Other methods used for in-service education
of trustees
III. Other problem areas as viewed by trustees
and presidents.

The following comments or quotations are taken directly
from the questionnaires in an attempt to answer the ques-
tion, “What other areas of interest or institutional con-
cern do you feel your board as a whole needs additional
information?"

I. Additional information needed in the following

areas:

1. State and local aid

-125-

W
'Percentages have N=Number
been rounded T=Trustees
P=Presidents
SUMMARY OF RESPONSES OF PRESIDENTS AND TRUSTEES:
EXTENT OF PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY BOARD
NotA Occasional Frequent
Problem Problem Problem
T P T P T P

 

 

 

Absentism of Board
Members 348 68 75 64 134 26 33 28 29 6 9

Board Policies and By-laws
have not been explicitly
stated 341 67 74 63 141 27 36 31 29 6 7

Excessive Partisanship on the
part of some board
members 364 71 8O 68 115 23 25 21 32 6 12

Too much attention to detail
of business management 343 67 73 62 127 25 33 28 41 8 11

Lack of confidence between
board and community --
citizens. news media.
organizations. etc. 381 75 86 73 105 20 29 25 25 5 2

Lack of time-availability
of trustees 280 55 49 42 200 39 57 48 31 6 11

Lack of confidence in
administrative staff 412 81 93 80 81 16 2O 17 17 3 4

Board tends to become overly
involved in administration
procedures 353 69 71 61 126 25 34 29 31 6 12

Limited understanding of
role as a trustee 287 56 59 50 193 38 48 41 31 6 10

Community pressure groups
try to dominate board
action or decisions 354 69 78 67 137 27 33 28 2O 4 6

Committee responsibilities
are not well defined 419 82 102 87 79 15 14 12 13 3 l

Misuse of Executive Sessions 466 91 107 91 38 7 7 6 7 l 3
Lack of confidence and lack

of frank discussion among
board members 421 82 101 86 73 14 12 10 17 3 4

TABLE 24

-126-

RANKING OF FREQUENCY OF PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED BY THE
BOARD AS PERCEIVED BY PRESIDENT AND
TRUSTEE RESPONDENTS

 

 

Trustees Ranking Presidents

Lack of Time Lack of Time

Limited understanding of Limited understanding of
role role

Too much attention to 3 Board tends to become

detail

overly involved

 

Board policies and by-laws 4 Too much attention to
not explicitly stated detail
Absenteeism of board mem- 5 Absenteeism of board mem—
bers bers
Board overly involved 6 Board policies not stated
Excessive partisanship 7 Excessive partisanship
Community pressure groups 8 Community pressure groups
Lack of confidence between 9 Lack of confidence between
board and community board and community
Lack of confidence in 10 Lack of confidence in
administrative staff administrative staff
Lack of confidence and 11 Lack of confidence and
frank discussion frank discussion
Committee responsibilities 12 Committee responsibilities
Misuse of executive ses- 13 Misuse of executive ses-
sions sions
2. Guidance and Counseling

3. Articulation-~Secondary Schools and four

year colleges and universities

4. Teacher evaluation

10.

ll.

12.

-127-

Institutional Research and Surveys
Self-evaluation procedures

Foundation resources

Space utilization of the physical plant
Relationship with state legislature

Role of intercollegiate athletics

Morale of faculty and staff-turn-over rate
of employees

The role of the board, ethics, democratic
process, and policy determination vs.

policy implementation

The following comments and quotations are taken directly

from the questionnaires in an attempt to answer the ques-

tion,

"What methods have been most helpful in your board

of trustees activities?"

II.

Most helpful methods used in the in—service educa-

tion programs for trustees:

l.

Demonstrations by faculty in new teaching
innovations

State university newsletter

Division chairman reports

Self-study through accreditation

Keep in touch by telephone to discuss current
problems

Informal briefings between regular meetings

-128—

7. Reports on conferences attended by presi-
dent and staff

8. Participation as panelists

9. Periodic visits to classes

10. Personal contacts with students and faculty

11. State Department of Education newsletter

The following comments and quotations are taken directly

from the questionnaires in an attempt to answer the ques—

tion, "What other problem areas have been encountered by

your board?"

III.

Other problem areas encountered in president-

board relationship are:

1. Some tendency for teachers to go directly
to the board over the 'bridge table'

2. Too long discussion on minor issues

3. Concern over finance (taxpayer) more than
educational program

4. I feel like a rubber stamp

5. Pre—conceived ideas and inability to accept
change

6. Late arrival and early departure of some
trustees from board meetings

7. Getting qualified trustees

8. John Birch Society

9. Age of trustees — We have no policy on retire—

ment age of trustees

-129-

10. Lack of coordination of community colleges
in the state

11. President should give both pros and cons on
a debatable issue and not just his recommenda-
tions

12. President confers between meetings with some
board members and not others

13. President uses some board members for his
personal aims

14. Certain board members are on the same committees
for years. No change of area of responsibility--
no knowledge of all parts of college functions.

15. Difficulties with President accepting dif-
ferences of opinion of board majority

16. Board is slow to seek outside help

17. Split vote in hiring of President -

18. Too many teachers or husbands of teachers on
board

19. Several trustees vacation in Florida from

December to April

Clearly indicated in the survey of write-in responses
is a concern and need for in-service education and orienta-

tion of community college boards of trustees.

-l30—

Summary

The findings reported in this chapter are the per-

ceptions that the presidents and trustees of the selected

community colleges made concerning:

1.

the need for additional information in areas of
institutional concern;

the helpfulness of methods used to keep trustees
informed; and,

the frequency of problems encountered by the

board of trustees.

The personal characteristics of the trustees and of

the presidents and their institutions are included as back-

ground information about the respondents.

Personal Characteristics of Trustee Respondents in the Study

The 511 trustee respondents may be characterized as

follows:

1.

Almost 80 percent were Protestants, about 12
percent were Catholic, about 3 percent were
Jewish, and the remaining trustees either had

other affiliation or none at all.

Almost one-half were Republican, thirty-eight
percent were Democratic, eleven percent were
Independent, and the remaining one percent had

other political affiliation.

10.

11.

-131-

Almost seven out of eight were male.

Doctorates were held by ten percent, Master's
Degrees or equivalent by twenty-five percent,
Bachelor's Degrees by thirty-three percent,

some college but less than bachelor's degree

by sixteen percent, high school diplomas by ten
percent, and eleventh grade or less by four per—

cent.
Almost 95 percent were presently married.

Over ninety percent had children —- three-fourths

of them had three or fewer.

About four years of experience as a trustee at

their respective institutions was average.

Ninety-nine percent were white; less than one

percent were Negro.

Forty-five percent were officers of the Board of

Trustees.

Forty-three percent had previous board experience

at some other educational institution.

The median age of the trustees was 51 years.

—l32-

Personal Characteristics of President Respondents and
their Institutions

 

Personal characteristics of president respondents and

their institutions may be characterized as follows:

1.

One-fourth of the presidents had held this
position at their present institution for one
year or less and one—fourth had been presidents

nine or more years.

Slightly over half (53%) of the institutions
represented by the presidents were regionally
accredited; the remaining institutions were not

accredited.

The majority of the president respondents indi-
cated that their regular board meetings were held

on a monthly basis (68%).

Fourteen percent of the presidents have had

experience as a member of an educational board.

Over two-thirds of the presidents indicated that

their trustees were elected.

Ninety percent of the presidents stated they did
not have a formal in-service education program

for their board of trustees.

—133-

The greatest need for additional information in areas
of institutional concern according to highest scores in
average degree of need were:

1. Technical-vocational Programs

2. Federal aid to education

3. Research in learning process as it relates to

higher education

4. Adult and continuing education

5. Curriculum development

The most helpful methods according to the highest
scores in average degree of helpfulness were:

1. Visits to other community colleges

2. Utilization of consultants

3. Attendance at educational conferences

According to the respondents' rankings, the following
were the most frequently tried methods of in—service educa-
tion:

1. Furnishing board members with copies of student

newspapers

2. Attendance at educational conferences

3. Utilization of consultants

4. Visits to other community colleges

The most frequent problem encountered by boards of
trustees as perceived by trustees and presidents according

to highest scores in average degree of frequency were:

-l34-

Lack of time - availability of trustees

Limited understanding of role as a trustee

Too much attention to detail of business
management

Board tends to become involved in administration
procedures

Board policies and by-laws not explicitly

stated

Chapter VI

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS
AND IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

This chapter presents significant and relevant find-
ings both from tangible data and from observations and
impressions, in the form of summary, conclusions, recom-

mendations, and implications for further research.

Summary

The Problem

The problem of this study was to determine the con—
cerns among presidents and trustees of community colleges
regarding the need for additional information as a basis
for in-service education of board members,.and for the
identification of the nature of problems as perceived by

the presidents and trustees.

.Design of the Study

The design centered on four questions:

1. What are the demographic characteristics of the
presidents and trustees in the study?

2. To what extent did the respondents feel the need

for additional information in the various areas of institu-

 

tional concern?

-135-

-136-

3. What practices have proved beneficial to the
Board of Trustees in preparing them for their reSponsibil-
ities?

4. How frequently have various problems been encoun-

tered by your Board of Trustees?

Review of Related Literature

 

There was considerable information pertaining to the
role of trustees, the relationship of the president to
his board, as well as basic principles of in-service edu—
cation for trustees. At the same time, there was a pau-
city of written material pertaining to in—service educa—
tion of trustees-—and it was geared primarily toward in-
service education of trustees in private liberal arts
colleges and universities. The community college was
particularly lacking in information in this vital area.

The review of literature presented in this study was
divided into four categories: (1) the role of the trustee,
(2) the relationship of the President to his Board, (3)
concepts of in-service education, and (4) in-service
education for trustees.

The literature supported the need of in-service educa—
tion and orientation for trustees if they are to fulfill

their role and function as effective board members.

-l37-

Method of Collecting and Analyzigg the Data

The data of this study were collected from 511 com-
munity college trustees and 117 community college presi—
dents. In all cases independent community college dis—
tricts were studied.

The study was carried out in four parts: (1) a survey
of the literature pertaining to the role of the trustee,
the president and the board as well as basic principles
of in-service education; (2) a pilot study to refine the
instruments for gathering data; (3) a collection and
analysis of the reSponses from trustees and presidents
from 162 community colleges through questionnaire instru—
ments; and (4) the case study analysis of the practices
of four community college presidents by means of structured
interviews.

College publications, trustee handbooks, by—laws,
rules and regulations of boards, copies of board minutes,
and other materials were systematically analyzed. The
data was processed by the CD 3600 computer at Michigan
State University. The tangible data were analyzed through

the "Single Column Frequency Distributions" method.

General Conclusions

This study of the present status and need for in-service
education of trustees as perceived by incumbent presidents

and trustees in selected community colleges provided the

—138-

following general conclusions:

1. Incumbent presidents and board of trustee members
recognized a need for additional information to assist
them in performing their responsibilities more adequately.

2. They were responsive to the methods suggested as
possibilities in the in-service education of trustees.

3. They had not tried many of the methods or techniques
of in-service education suggested in the survey instruments.

4. They were reluctant to suggest that they encoun—
tered problems in their president-board relationships or
else such problems did not exist.

In addition to the four general conclusions stated,
the investigator found that the following specific per-
ceptions were held by a majority of the incumbent presi-
dents and board of trustee members of the study sample.1

On the basis of the results obtained in this study,
and subject to the limitations established in Chapter One
and the precautionary statements in the preceding para-

graph, the following specific conclusions are drawn:

 

1The reader is cautioned at this point regarding the
specific conclusions which follow. They are based upon
the majority of responses and do not necessarily represent
the perceptions of the total group studied. Since it was
not the purpose of this study to suggest an optimum pro-
gram or sequence of experiences that might assure adequate
performance for a trustee, it would be unfair to suggest
that: (1) all individuals are alike and bring the same
things to a program, (2) all individuals perceive and
experience the same and gain the same benefits from activ—
ities and experiences, and (3) the "average" of a group
indicates the best way for all.

-139-

Specific Conclusions
Areas of Institutional Concern

The majority of incumbent presidents and trustees
perceived the additional need of information in the fol-
lowing areas of institutional concern as "somewhat needed"
or "definitely needed":

— Technical-Vocational Programs

- Federal Aid to Education

- Adult and Continuing Education

- Research in the area of Learning Process Relative

to Higher Education

- Curriculum DevelOpment

- Student Personnel Services

- Professional Negotiations and Collective Bargaining

— Public and Alumni Relations

- Philosophy of the Community College

- Plant DevelOpment and Maintenance

— Academic Freedom

- Budget Preparation and Financial Affairs

Methods or Practices of In-service Education for Trustees

The majority of incumbent presidents and trustees
indicated that the following methods of orienting trustees

had not been tried:

-14o—

Newspaper "Clipping Service"

Systematic Orientation Program for New Trustees
Preparation of Regular Newsletter by Administrative
Staff

Review of Former Board's Minutes

President's Annual Report

The majority of incumbent presidents and trustees

indicated that the following methods of orienting trustees

were the most frequently used:

Provision of copies of Student Newspaper
Attendance at Educational Conferences
Utilization of Consultants

Visits to Other Community Colleges

Provision of monthly Subscription to Junior College

 

Journal

Participation in School Board Association

A majority of the incumbent presidents and trustees

perceived the following methods of orienting trustees as

"Somewhat Helpful" or "Very Helpful":

Visits to other Community Colleges
Utilization of Consultants

Attendance at Educational Conferences
Providing c0pies of Student Newspaper

Provision of monthly Subscription to Junior College

 

Journal

-141-

- Participation in School Board Association

A majority of the incumbent presidents and trustees

perceived the following as not being a problem for their

 

boards of trustees:
- Time availability of Trustees
- Understanding of Role as a Trustee
- Attention to Detail of Business Management
- Absenteeism of Board Members
- Over-involvement in Administration Procedures

- Vagueness in Board Policies and by-laws

Recommendations

 

The study has indicated that there is a need for
additional information as perceived by trustees and presi-
dents. The study also indicated that the presidents and
trustees seemed responsive to all the methods of in—service
education, but it was also evident that many potential
methods had not been used.

Even though there was no significance as to the fre—
quency of problems as perceived by the presidents and
trustees, it is interesting to note that the two problems
most frequently indicated were lack of time-availability
of trustees and limited understanding of role as a trus—
tee. There appears to be a "halo effect" in that lack of

time-availability and limited understanding of role would

-142—

suggest that other problems may result. If trustees are

to perform their tasks and fulfill their responsibilities
they first of all must be willing to devote the necessary
time and secondly have a firm understanding of their duties.
It appears that some of the trustees may have abdicated
their role or that faulty perceptions may have been given.

It is no simple task to define the needs of community
college trustees. However, it is possible to meet the
present and future needs of trustees by implementation
of the following recommendations:

1. Chief administrators in community colleges should
initiate and implement an organized in-service education
program for their board of trustees.

2. The primary responsibility for the in—service
education program should lie with the President and the
Chairman of the Board.

3. All who are to be affected by the in—service
education program should participate in the formulation
of the program as to objectives and purposes, as to interests
and needs, and ways and means of meeting the objectives.

4. The in—service education program should be estab-
lished upon the following guidelines:

a. There should be a Specific plan for in-service
education that includes its objectives; however,
it shouki be flexible and subject to change

as needs indicate.

—143-

Individual differences among board members

must be anticipated.

The probable competency of each individual
trustee must be conceded.

Orienting, advising, and other organized
efforts of the institution in continuing the
education of trustees should start realistically
from the point where the individual trustee is,
not from the point of develOpment at which

the President or Chairman of the Board would
_L£ke to find the "ideal" trustee.

The president should keep the trustees informed
about developments in higher education as well
as the specific community college with which
they are concerned.

The in-service education program should be
based on not only the immediate, short-range
needs of trustees but also the long-range needs.
In-service education is merely a process which
enables more effective participation of board
members.

Sufficient funds for the operation of the in—
service education program must be set aside.
Subject matter and research findings should

be used for clearly discernible purposes and

problem-solving.

-144-

In-service education programs should impart
basic concepts as well as successful practices.
In-service education should be an essential
and integral part of the total institution with
special emphasis on the interrelationship of
different groups within the college context.
Usefulness, purpose, and unity are the founda-
tion of the in-service education program.

A systematic orientation of new trustees will
determine the willingness, attitude, and
motivation toward future participation on the
part of the trustees.

Communication must be frequent and continuous
between president and board members if it is
to be effective.

In-service education activities should be a
means to an end and not an end in itself;

the activities should be related to pertinent
aspects of the role of trustees and signifi—
cant to them.

The decision-making should be implemented by
the simplest possible means.

A willingness on the part of the president to
help the trustees in self-evaluation, to guide

them continually toward greater competence.

—145-

r. An appraisal of the success of the in-service
education program should be made by the presi-
dent and each trustee. Evaluation should be
continuous and on—going.

5. The uniqueness and diversity of institutional
activities calls for equally diverse methods and procedures.
The following methods, techniques, and activities are
recommended for consideration in carrying out the objec-
tives and purposes of the college as well as the in—service
education program:

a. A Handbook for Trustees which includes duties
of trustees, by-laws of the board of trus—
tees, committees of the board, rules and
procedures, organizational chart, and other
pertinent information.

b. Suggested readings by president and trustees,
as well as student handbook, faculty handbook,
Junior College Journal, college annual, and
other college publications.

c° Encouragement of trustees to attend and par-
ticipate in educational conferences.

d. Visits to other community colleges.

e. Utilization of consultants as resource experts.

f. Special conferences and ceremony for the
induction and orientation of new trustee mem-

bers.

-l46-

Sponsorship by experienced board member for
each new member to provide necessary informa-
tion he needs. (This can serve as a re—education
function for the sponsoring trustee.)
Participation in an educational association
primarily established for community college
boards of trustees and presidents.

Provision of books, bulletins, pamphlets, and
other resource materials solely for the board
of trustee members.

Scheduled presentations by members of the
faculty and staff as-a regular part of board
meetings.

An annual board meeting designed for election
of officers and evaluating the past year and
planning for the future.

An agenda with relevant materials in the hands
of board members at least three days prior to
the meeting. The persons responsible for

the agenda should coordinate it with the in-
service education program to insure that during
each meeting some time is devoted to educating
the trustees.

Encouragement of interaction between trustees,
administrators, faculty, and students through

such activities as informal dinners, social

-147-

gatherings, convocations, committees, gradua-
tion exercises, class visits to lectures and
seminars, and other similar methods.
n. Arrangements for trustees to serve as speakers
for various groups and occasions.
6. The initiation of a pre-service education program
at the state and/or local level for prOSpective trustees.
7. The preparation and distribution of a regular
newsletter from the state department of education to the
chief administrators and board of trustee members of community
colleges relating up-to-date information about higher edu—
cation as to legislative action, educational statistics,
curricula developments, research findings, and a schedule

of coming educational conferences or events.

Implications for Further Research

 

The major implications of this study on in-service
education for community college boards of trustees was
that the area deserves and requires additional research.
Other suggestions for future research are:

1. Analysis of the problems perceived by new board
of trustee members as to frequency, difficulty, and per-
sistence.

2. The need for development of an objective evaluative
criteria to assess the success of an in—service education

program.

-l48-

The implications for the improvement of in-service
education programs in an individual community college are
dependent upon the president and chairman of the board
in discovering areas of need.

According to the findings of the study, however, the
following questions may be asked:

1. What is valid content for in-service education
programs for community college boards of trustees?

2. What should be the organization and order of pre-
sentation of this knowledge and information?

3. What are the most effective methods or ways of
conveying this information to the board of trustees?

4. What has the community college done to make resources
and facilities available to increase the trustee's effective-
ness and to reduce the effort he must expend.

5. What are ways of evaluating such in-service educa-

tion programs for trustees?

No institution can ignore any one of the above ques-
tions and expect an in-service education program for trus—

tees, once started, to succeed and continue.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

-149—

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Books

American Association of School Administrators, In—service
Education for School Administration, Washington:
Report of the AASA Commission on In-service Educa-
tion for School Administration, 1963.

 

Beck, Huburt P., Men Who Control Our Universities, New
York: Kings Crown Press, 1947.

 

Belcher, Donald R., The Board of Trustees of the University
of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia: University of Penn-
sylvania Press, 1960.

 

Benezet, Louis T., "The Office of the President," Admin-
istrators in Higher Education, Edited by Gerald
Burns, New York: Harper Brothers, 1960.

 

Brown, Hughs and Lewis B. Mayhew, American Higher Education,
New York: The Center for Applied Research in Edu-
cation, 1965.

 

Brubacher, John S., and Willis Rudy, Higher Education in
Transition: An American History: 1636-1956, New
York: Harper and Row, 1958.

 

Burns, Gerald P., Editor, Administrators in Higher Educa-
tion, New YOrk: Harper and Brothers, 1962.

, Trustees in Higher Education: Their Function and
Coordination, New York: Independent College Funds
of America, 1966.

 

 

 

Capen, Samuel P., The Management of Universities, Buffalo,
New York: Foster and Stewart Publishing Company,
1953.

 

Carman, Harry J., "Boards of Trustees and Regents," Admin-
istrators in Higher EducationL Their Functions and
Coordination, Gerald P. Burns, Editor, New York:
Harper and Row Publishers, 1962.

 

Chambers, M.M., Chance and Choice in Higher Education,
Danville, Illinois: The Interstate Printers and
Publishers, 1962.

-150-

-lSl-

Corson, John J., Goverance of Colleges and Universities,
New York: McGraw—Hill Book Company, 1960.

Cowley, William H., "The Administration of American Col-
leges and Universities," 0. Nelson, University
Administration in Practice, Palo Alto: Stanford
University Press, 1958.

 

 

Distler, Theodore, "College Administration: Relationship
of President to Trustees, Faculty, and Students,"
in Selected Problems in Administration of American
Higher Education, George F. Donavan, Editor, Washing-
ton: The Catholic University of America Press,
1964.

 

 

Dodds, Harold W., The Academic President——Educator or
Caretaker?, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company,
1962, IX.

 

Gleazer, Edmund J. Jr., editor, American Junior Colleges,
Washington: American Council on Education, 1963.

 

Glenny, Lyman A., Autonomy of Public Colleges, The Challenge
of Coordination, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Com-
pany, 1959, XIX.

 

 

Gonser, Thomas A., "How to be a Successful College Trustee,"
College and University Business, July, 1964.

Henderson, Algo D., Policies and Practices in Higher Educa-
tion, New York: Harper and Brothers, 1960.

 

Heneman, H.J., "Opportunities for Improved Management in
Higher Education," Financing Higher Education 1960-70,
Dexter M. Keezer, editor, New York: McGraw-Hill
Book Company, 1959.

 

Hofstadter, Richard and Wilson Smith, editors, American
Higher Education, New YOrk: McGraw—Hill Book
Company, 1962, XI.

 

 

Houle, Cyril, The Effective Board, New York: Association
Press, 1960.

Hughes, Raymond M., A Manual for Trustees of Colleges and
Universities, Ames, Iowa: The Iowa State College
Press, 1943, IX.

 

Jones, Thomas E., Edward V. Stanford, and Goodrich C.
White, Letters to College Presidents, Englewood Cliffs,
New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1964.

~152-

Law, Glen Charles, The Urgency of New Leadership in Higher
Education, Stanford, Connecticut: Press—tige Pub-
lishing Company, 1962.

Martorana, S.V., College Boards of Trustees, Washington:
The Center for Applied Research in Education, 1963.

McAllister, Charles E., Inside the Campus, New York:
Fleming H. Revell Company, 1948.

 

McConnell, T.R., A General Pattern For American Public
Higher Education, New York: McGraw—Hill Book Com-
pany, 1962, XI.

McVey, Frank L., and Raymond M. Hughes, Problems of College
and University Administration, Ames, Iowa: Iowa
State College Press, 1952. '

 

Millet, John D., The Academic Community, New York: McGraw-
Hill Book Company, 1962.

Morphet, Edgar L., Roe L. Johns, and Theodore L. Reller,
Educational Administration, Englewood Cliffs, New
Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1959.

National Society for the Study of Education, In-service
Education, Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
1959.

 

Prator, Ralph, The College President, The Center for Applied
Research in Education, Washington: 1963.

Rauh, Morton, College and University Trusteeship, Yellow
Springs, Ohio: The Antioch Press, 1959.

Ruml, Beardsley and Donald H. Morrison, Memo to a College
Trustee, A Report on Financial and Structural Prob-
1ems of the Liberal College, New York: McGraw-
Hill Book Company, 1959.

 

Stoke, Harold W., The American College President, New
York: Harper and Brothers, 1959.

Tead, Ordway, Trustees, Teachers, Students, Their Role in
Higher Education, Salt Lake City: University of
Utah Press, 1951.

Wicke, Morgan F., Handbook for Trustees, Division of Educa-
tional Institutions, Board of Education, the Methodist
Church, Nashville, Tennessee: Revised edition, 1962.

—153-

Wreston, Henry M., Academic Processions, Reflections of a
College President, New York: Columbia University
Press, 1959.

 

 

Articles, Bulletins,
Dissertations, and Periodicals

 

 

Adams, Arthur 8., "Relations Between Governing Boards and
Administrative Officers," Proceedings of the Asso—
ciation of Governing_Boards of State Universities,
1952.

 

American Association of Junior Colleges, Junior College
Directory,Washington, 1966.

 

 

Bell, Laird, "From the Trustees Corner," Association of
American Colleges Bulletin, 1952.

 

 

Brickman, William W., "The Movement Toward Academic Emphasis
in American Higher Education," Michigan Association
of Colleges and Universities Bulletin, 3rd Annual
Conference on Higher Education, Lansing, Michigan,
1965.

 

Bryant, Victor 5., "The Role of the Regent," Proceedings,
Washington: Association of Governing Boards of
University and Colleges, 42nd Annual Meeting,
October, 1964.

 

Boucher, C.S., "The Relationship of a College President
to His Governing Board," Proceedings of the Associa—
tion of Governing Boards of State Universities and
Allied Institutions, Laramie, Wyoming: University
of Wyoming, October 16-18, 1941.

 

 

By a Member of a Board of Trustees, “On the Care and Feeding
of College Presidents," Association of American
Colleges Bulletin, December, 1943.

 

 

Burgess, Kenneth F., "The Trustees' Function in Today's
Universities and Colleges," Association of American
Colleges Bulletin, XLIV, October, 1959.

 

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Fifty—
Seventh Annual Report, New York: The Foundation,
1962.

~154-

Colvert, C.C., and P. W. Malone, "PrOper Functions of the
Board of Trustees," Proceedings of the Nineteenth
Annual J. C. Conference, Austin, Texas, Sponsored
by the Association of Texas Junior College Board
Members and Administrators and the University of
Texas, 1960.

 

 

Coolidge, Charles A., "Training for Trustees," Association
of American Colleges Bulletin, XLII, December, 1956.

 

 

Corey, Stephen, "Introduction," in National Society for
the Study of Education, In-service Education,
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957.

 

Crawford, Ferris N., "Issues Confronting Community Colleges
in Michigan in the Fall of 1963," presented at the
Annual WorkshOp of the MCCCA held at Traverse City,
Michigan, on August 4, 1963 (mimeo).

Dana, E.H., "Why College Trustees?", Journal of Higher
Education, XVIII, May, 1947.

 

 

Davis, Paul H., "An Open Letter to the Chairman of the
Board of Trustees," Liberal Education, October,
1961.

 

, "More to be Valued are They Than Gold," Association
of American Colleges Bulletin, XLIV, October, 1958.

 

, "Test for Trustees,” College and University Journal,
Winter, Vol. 1, No. l, 1962.

 

Eells, Walter C., "Boards of Control of Universities and
Colleges," The Educational Record, XLII, October,
1961.

Friday, William, "A View of the Future," Proceedings of
the 42nd Annual Meeting and Annual Records, Washington:
Association of Governing Boards of Universities and
Colleges, October, 1964.

 

Gardner, John W., "The Tasks Ahead," Proceedings, Associa—
tion of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges,
October, 1963.

 

Gilchrist, Robert S., "Highway to Quality Teaching," National
Education Association Journal, XLVII, May, 1959.

 

—155-

Gross, Richard E., "A Study of In-service Education Pro-
grams for Student Personnel Workers in Selected
Colleges and Universities in the United States,"
Doctoral Dissertation, Unpublished, Michigan State
University, East Lansing, 1963.

Hall, Daniel R., "Guiding Principles in In-service Improve—
ment," Improving_College and University Teaching,
Spring, 1959.

 

Hall, George L., “Ten Commandments for Trustees,“ Junior
College Journal, Washington: AAJC, Volume 36,
Number 7, April, 1966.

 

Hass, C. Glenn, "In-service Education Today," in National
Society for the Study of Education, In-service
Education, Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
1957.

 

 

Herron, Orley R. Jr., "A Study of In-service Education
Programs for Boards of Trustees of Selected Col-
leges and Universities in the United States,"
Unpublished Ph.D. Dissertation, Michigan State
University, East Lansing, Michigan, 1965.

Kelley, William F., "Twenty Studies of In-service Education
of College Faculty and the Procedures Most Recom-
mended," Educational Administration and Supervision,
October, 1956.

 

Kinnick, Jo B., et al., "The Teachers and the In-service
Education Program," in National Society for the
Study of Education, In-service Education, Chicago:
University of Chicago Press, 1957.

 

Kintzer, Frederick C., Board Policy Manuals in California
Public Junior Colleges, UCLA Junior College Leader-
ship Program, Occasional Report Number 2, University
of California, Los Angeles, 1961.

 

 

Lewis, Arthur J., et al., "The Role of the Administrator
of In-service Education," in National Society for
the Study of Education, In-service Education,
Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1957.

 

Lloyd, Glen A., "A Trustee Looks at His Job," Liberal
Education, December, 1959.

 

-156~

Martorana, S. V., "Some Observations on Layman Educational
Control of Higher Education and Its Emerging Pat-
terns in the United States," Proceedings, (Arizona
Conference for Junior College Board Members and
Administrators, Scottsdale, Arizona, November 22-23,
1963).

 

McBride, K., "The Role of Trustees," Journal of Higher
Education, November, 1959.

 

 

McCormick, James P., I'The Role of the Governing Board,"
The Administrative Process, Report of the Midwest
Community College Leadership Program Institute,

Ann Arbor, Michigan: The W. K. Kellogg Foundation,
1962.

 

Merry, Robert W., "How to Orient and Train Trustees,"
Liberal Education, XLV, October, 1959.

 

“The Role of the Boards of Trustees in the Deter-
mination of Institutional Policy," paper presented
at the let National Conference on Higher Education,
sponsored by the Association for Higher Education,
Chicago, Illinois, March 14, 1966.

Newburn, H. K., "The Board Meets the President," Junior
College Journal, Washington: AAJC, Vol. 35, No. 3,
November, 1964.

 

Norris, Robert B., "Administering In—service Education in
the College," School and Society, May, 1953.

 

Parker, Cecil J., "Guidelines for In-service Education,"
in National Society for the Study of Education,
In-service Education, Chicago: University of Chi-
cago Press, 1957.

Pray, Fran, "The New Trusteemanship," College and University
Journal, Spring, 1963, Vol. 2, No. 2.

 

Rainey, Homer, "How Shall We Control our Universities?"
Journal of Higher Education, October, 1960.

Schlegel, J. N., "The Trustee Part in Planning," Proceedings,
4lst Annual Meeting, Association of Governing Boards
of University Colleges, October 16-18, 1963.

 

Smith, Max S., "Duties of the Community-Junior College
President," Syllabus for Education 822A--The Community
College, Michigan State University, 1965.

 

-157-

Truitt, John W., "In-service Training Programs for Student
Personnel Workers," paper presented at the American
College Personnel Association annual meeting, Denver,
Colorado, April, 1961. (mimeo)

Walker, Eric A., "The President and His Board," Proceedings,
Association of Governing Boards of University and
Colleges, 4lst Annual Meeting, October, 1963.

 

Weeks, I. D., “Getting Along with the Board," College and
University Business, Chicago, Illinois: The Nation's
School Division, The Modern Hospital Publishing
Company, Vol. 20, No. 4, April, 1956.

 

Wilson, Francis M., "What Makes an Effective In-service
Training Program?", Journal of the National Associa-
tion of Deans of Women, 1953.

 

 

Wyatts, Ralph J., "Satisfying and Effective Relations
Between President and Board," College and University
Business, April, 1952.

 

 

APPENDIX A

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE TRUSTEES

~158-

 

-159-

APPENDIX A

QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE

TRUSTEES

Office of
COMMUNITY COLLEGE COOPERATION
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

—0—
Dr. Max S. Smith
Director
0

Gary C. Fox
Assistant Director

INTRODUCTION

This questionnaire is being given to all board of trustee members
and presidents at 150 public community colleges in the United States.
A study of such scope will provide us with a comprehensive picture of
who trustees are, how their relationship within the board and with
the president of the community college is viewed by them and by the
president, and how presidents and trustees view content and methods
of keeping trustees informed. In spite of the magnitude of the study
it depends completely on the kindness and generosity of each respond-
ent. The research should be of value to you in your role as a trance
or president of a community college.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Many of the following questions require no more than a check mark
and will take little time to answer. It is intended to take less than
fifteen minutes to complete the questionnaire. If you would like to
explain your position on any of the topics more fully, please do so by
writing your comments in blank spaces next to the questions or
inside the back cover.

2. The information called for in this questionnaire is confidential. No
individual and no institution will be identified in the study, and the
material will be collated only by the Assistant Director of the
Office of Community College Cooperation at Michigan State
University.

3. The number next to the check-answer spaces and in the margins
have been placed there to increase the speed and reliability of pro-
cessing returned questionnaires. Please ignore them when filling
out the questionnaire.

4. This questionnaire should be returned directly to this office in the
self-mailing folder. Please follow instructions under the flap of
the back cover.

ABOUT YOURSELF

Present Age (nearest birthday):

.__30 or under (1) .__31-35 (2) __36-40 (3) __41-45 (4)
-__46-50 (5) -__51-55 (6) .__56-60 (7) __61-65 (8)
_66 or over (9) 1

Marital Status (check one):

 

.__single (1) .__separated (2) __divorced and presently _

_married (4) _widowed (5) unmarried (3) 2
.525: _Male (1) _Female (2) 3
Race: __White (1) __Negro (2) '_;Other (3) 4
Number of Children (please circle): 0 l 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 or more 5

 

Your Formal Education (please circle highest level completed):

High School College Graduate (please specify highest
11 or less 12 1 2 3 4 l 2 3 degree: ) 6

 

Church Affiliation:

 

__Catholic (1) __None (2) ‘_;Other (3)
.__Jewish (4) '__Protestant (5) 7

Political Affiliation:

 

‘__Democrat (1) __Repub1ican (2) __Independent (3)
__pther (4) (please specify: ) 8
Your Occupation: 9

 

 

If retired, check here:

Years of Service as a Trustee of this Institution (please circle):

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 or more 10
Are you presently an officer of the Board of Trustees? ._;Yes (1) __No (2)
If answer is yes, check appropriate position:
__Chairman (1) __Yice-Chairman (2) __Secretary (3)
__;Treasurer (4) __Other (5) (please specify: ) ll

 

Have you Served on an Educational Board for another Institution?

__Yes (1) __No (2) If yes, specify: ‘__public (3) __private (4) 12

Below is a list of areas that may be helpful for board of trustee
members of community colleges to have adequate insight. Please indicate
the degree to which you feel your board as a whole needs additional
information in the various areas.

 

not at somewhat definite

 

all needed need

 

Adult and Continuing Education
Federal Aid to Education
Technical-Vocational Programs
Academic Freedom

Student Personnel Services
Curriculum.Development

Budget Preparation and Financial
Affairs

Plant Development and Maintenance
Philosophy of the Community College
Public and Alumni Relations

Professional Negotiations and
Collective Bargaining

Research in the area of Learning
Process relative to higher education

OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST

 

 

 

 

13
14
15
16
17

18

19
20
21

22

23

24

25
26
27

28

Various methods have been used to assist board members in their
emxeeping abreast of educational developments. Please indicate whether
Egzhe following procedures have been used in your Board of Trustee activ-

ities and if so, denote the degree to which they have been helpful.

 

5; Has Not Has Been Tried
E Been Not At All Somewhat Very
Tried Helpful Helpful Helpful

Visits to other community
colleges

?rovision of monthly subscription
to Junior College Journal

?reparation of regular newsletter
by administrative staff

I

?articipation in school board
’ association

3ystematic orientation program
’ for new trustees

lttendance at educational
conferences

I

?resident's Annual Report

I

{eview of former board's minutes

furnished with copies of student
newspaper

dtilization of consultants

Served by a "clipping service"
which provides news releases on
items of educational concern

I

)THER METHODS USED

/

 

 

29

3O

31

32

33

34
35

36

37

38

39

40
41

42

The following is a list of problems encountered by various
boards throughout the country. Please indicate the extent to which
these problems have been encountered by your board of trustees.

 

Not A Occasional Freguent
Problem Problem Problem

Absentism of board members

Board policies and by-laws have
not been explicitly stated

Excessive Partisanship on the
part of some board members

Too much attention to detail
of business management

Lack of confidence between board
and community--citizens, news

media, organizations, etc.

Lack of time-availability of
trustees

Lack of confidence in admin-
istrative staff

Board tends to become overly in-

volved in administration procedures

Limited understanding of role as
a trustee

Community pressure groups try to dom-
inate board action or decisions

Committee responsibilities are
not well defined

Misuse of Executive Sessions

Lack of confidence and lack of frank

discussion among board members

OTHER PROBLEM AREAS

 

 

M

M

%

M

M

w

W

H

H

fl
M

fl

W
fl

 

I0 ENVELOPE OB POSTAGE IS IEGESSIRY
FOB RETURNING TIIIS QIIESTIOIIMRE.

TO MAIL:

1. Open back flap until flat.

2. Close booklet and fold the address flap
over front cover.

3. Tape 01' staple address flap closed.

 

 

APPENDIX B

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENTS

-l60-

-l6l-—

APPENDIX B

QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE

PRESIDENTS

Office of
COMMUNITY COLLEGE COOPERATION
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

—0-
Dr. Max S. Smith
Director
0

Gary C. Fox
Assistant Director

INTRODUCTION

This questionnaire is being given to all board of trustee members
and presidents at 150 public community colleges in the United States.
A study of such scope will provide us with a comprehensive picture of
who trustees are, how their relationship within the board and with
the president of the community college is viewed by them and by the
president, and how presidents and trustees view content and methods
of keeping trustees informed. In spite of the magnitude of the study
it depends completely on the kindness and generosity of each respond-
ent. The research should be of value to you in your role as a trustee
or president of a community college.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Many of the following questions require no more than a check mark
and will take little time to answer. It is intended to take less than
fifteen minums to complete the questionnaire. If you would like to
explain your position on any of the topics more fully, please do so by
writing your comments in blank spaces next to the questions or
inside the back cover.

2. The information called for in this questionnaire is confidential. No
individual and no institution will be identified in the study, and the
material will be collated only by the Assistant Director of the
Office of Community College Cooperation at Michigan State
University.

3. The number next to the check-answer spaces and in the margins
have been placed there to increase the speed and reliability of pro-
cessing returned questionnaires. Please ignore them when filling
out the questionnaire.

4. This questionnaire should be returned directly to this office in the
self-mailing folder. Please follow instructions under the flap of
the back cover.

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENTS

How many years have you been President of this institution? (please circle):

123456789ormore

In what year was your institution established?

 

Size of enrollment of your institution:

headcount (1) full-trme equated (2)
(15 credit hours)

 

 

Is your institution regionally accredited? _yes (1) _no (2)
If yes, by what Accreditation Association:

 

How many members are there on your Board of Trustees?

 

How are your Board of Trustee members selected?

_elected (1) _appointed (2) _other (3) (please specify):

 

How often does the full Board of Trustees meet?

_weekly _monthly _quarterly _other, please specify:
(1) (2) (3) (4)

 

Have you served as a member of an educational board?
_yes (1) _no (2) If yes, specify: _public (3) _private (4)
Do you have a formal inservice education program for your trustees?

_yes (1) _no (2) If yes, please describe the program briefly:

 

 

 

 

 

 

(If you have an outline, guidelines, handbook for trustees or other

related materials, would you please return with the questionnaire.)

9-12

1

2

Below is a list of areas that may be helpful for board of trustee
members of community colleges to have adequate insight.
the degree to which you feel your board as a whole needs additional

information in the various areas.

Adult and Continuing Education
Federal Aid to Education
Technical-Vocational Programs
Academic Freedom

Student Personnel Services
Curriculum.Development

Budget Preparation and Financial
Affairs

Plant Development and Maintenance
Philosophy of the Community College
Public and Alumni Relations

Professional Negotiations and
Collective Bargaining

Research in the area of Learning
Process relative to higher education

OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST

 

 

 

 

not at

all

Please indicate

 

somewhat

 

needed

definite

 

need

 

13
14
15
16
17

18

19
20
21

22

23

24

25
26
27

28

"1e

. Various methods have been used to assist board members in their
gkeeping abreast of educational developments. Please indicate whether
the following procedures have been used in your Board of Trustee activ-
ities and if so, denote the degree to which they have been helpful.

 

Has Not Has Been Tried
Been Not At All Somewhat Very
Tried Helpful Helpful Helpful
'Visits to other community
colleges 1 2 3 4

Provision of monthly subscription
' to Junior College Journal

 

’Preparation of regular newsletter
by administrative staff

Participation in school board
' association

Systematic orientation program
' for new trustees

‘Attendance at educational
conferences

President's Annual Report
Review of former board's minutes

Furnished with copies of student
newspaper

‘Utilization of consultants
Served by a "clipping service"

‘which provides news releases on
items of educational concern

OTHER.METHODS USED

 

 

 

29

3O

31

32

33

34
35

36

37

38

39

4O
41

42

The following is a list of problems encountered by various
boards throughout the country. Please indicate the extent to which
these problems have been encountered by your board of trustees.

 

Not A Occasional Frequent
Problem. Problem Problem

Absentism of board members

Board policies and by-laws have
not been explicitly stated

Excessive Partisanship on the
part of some board members

Too much attention to detail
of business management

Lack of confidence between board
and community--citizens, news
media, organizations, etc.

Lack of time-availability of
trustees

Lack of confidence in admin-
istrative staff

Board tends to become overly in-

volved in administration procedures

Limited understanding of role as
a trustee

Community pressure groups try to dom-
inate board action or decisions

Committee responsibilities are
not well defined

Misuse of Executive Sessions

Lack of confidence and lack of frank

discussion among board members

OTHER PROBLEM AREAS

 

 

M

M

M

M

47

48

49

50

51

52

53

M

N

N

N

 

.uil..l.IIlI II Ii.- I

gag:

as a. new. >mmmmS=e E832.

3mg em men—SEES. Ave—Ema nee—$322.
m N¢=emm ogre.

Ema—ans: maze case—£3.

Hem» gym. Ema—am»: Ewan“

IO
FO

APPENDIX C

COPIES OF CORRESPONDENCE

-162-

-163-

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY munsmo

 

COW COLLEGE COOPERATION 0 OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

March 10, 1966

Dear President:

‘We are studying the inservice education of community college
Boards of Trustees at 150 selected institutions. We have
selected your institution for inclusion in our research sample
and sincerely request your participation. You can be assured
that the total time you are involved in completing the ques-
tionnaire will not exceed approximately 15 minutes and that
all replies will be confidential, in keeping with proper re-
search procedure.

The research design includes the administration by mail of a
questionnaire to each member of your Board of Trustees. Your
cooperation in distributing the questionnaire to your board
members is necessary for completion of the study.

Upon completion of the questionnaire, merely return it in the
selfamailing folder. All participants will receive an abstract
of the pertinent findings.

We will look forward to receiving your reply and the responses
of your Trustees as soon as possible and sincerely thank you
for your cooperation.

Sincerely yours,

%Ma\ ,%:5[
Max S. Smith, Director Gary . on

Community College Cooperation .Assistant Director
Professor of Higher Education Community College Cooperation
MSS:vw

Enclosures (2) Questionnaire for PRESIDENTS
Questionnaire for TRUSTEES

~164—

NHIHINSANISTfiflfliIINIVERSJTY’mwrummm

 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE COOPERATION 0 OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

April 7, 1966

Dear President:

As I indicated in my
desire to visit with
in-service education
tees. My particular
President's function

recent telephone conversation, I

you and discover your thinking about
of Community College Boards of Trus—
interests lie in the study of the
and role in this area.

Perhaps our discussion can hinge on a few related topics

such as these:

1. Basic Institutional Data
2. Organization and Characteristics of present
Board of Trustees

3. Orientation
of Board of
Presidency

and In-service Education Program
Trustees since you assumed the

4. Strengths of your present Board
5. Weaknesses of your present Board
6. Future Goals of Board-President relationship

These topics will give you a general idea of my interest.
Perhaps you will have materials written on this subject
that you can share with me. With great interest I look
forward to meeting with you on Wednesday, April 13.

Very truly yours,

Gary C. Fox
Assistant Director

Community College C00peration

 

-l6l-

APPENDIX B

QUESTIONNAIRE
FOR
COMMUNITY COLLEGE

PRESIDENTS

Office of
COMMUNITY COLLEGE COOPERATION
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

—0—
Dr. Max S. Smith
Director
0

Gary C. Fox
Assistant Director

INTRODUCTION

This questionnaire is being given to all board of trustee members
and presidents at 150 public community colleges in the United States.
A study of such scope will provide us with a comprehensive picture of
who trustees are, how their relationship within the board and with
the president of the community college is viewed by them and by the
president, and how presidents and trustees view content and methods
of keeping trustees informed. In spite of the magnitude of the study
it depends completely on the kindness and generosity of each respond-
ent. The research should be of value to you in your role as a trustee
or president of a community college.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Many of the following questions require no more than a check mark
and will take little time to answer. It is intended to take less than
fifteen minums to complete the questionnaire. If you would like to
explain your position on any of the topics more fully, please do so by
writing your comments in blank spaces next to the questions or
inside the back cover.

2. The information called for in this questionnaire is confidential. No
individual and no institution will be identified in the study, and the
material will be collated only by the Assistant Director of the
Office of Community College Cooperation at Michigan State
University.

3. The number next to the check-answer spaces and in the margins
have been placed there to increase the speed and reliability of pro-
cessing returned questionnaires. Please ignore them when filling
out the questionnaire.

4. This questionnaire should be returned directly to this office in the
self-mailing folder. Please follow instructions under the flap of
the back cover.

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENTS

How many years have you been President of this institution? (please circle):

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 or more

In what year was your institution established?

 

Size of enrollment of your institution:

headcount (l) full-time equated (2)
(15 credit hours)

 

Is your institution regionally accredited? _yes (1) _no (2)
If yes, by what Accreditation Association:

 

How many members are there on your Board of Trustees?

 

How are your Board of Trustee members selected?

_elected (l) _appointed (2) _other (3) (please specify):

 

How often does the full Board of Trustees meet?

_weekly _monthly _quarterly _other, please specify:
(1) (2) (3) (4)

 

Have you served as a member of an educational board?
yes (1) _no (2) If yes, specify: _public (3) _private (4)
Do you have a formal inservice education program for your trustees?

yes (1) _no (2) If yes, please describe the program briefly:

 

 

 

 

 

 

(If you have an outline, guidelines, handbook for trustees or other

related materials, would you please return with the questionnaire.)

9-12

1

2

Below is a list of areas that may be helpful for board of trustee

members of community colleges to have adequate insight.

Please indicate

the degree to which you feel your board as a whole needs additional

information in the various areas.

Adult and Continuing Education
Federal Aid to Education
Technical-Vocational Programs
Academic Freedom

Student Personnel Services
Curriculum.Development

Budget Preparation and Financial
Affairs

Plant Development and Maintenance
Philosophy of the Community College
Public and Alumni Relations

Professional Negotiations and
Collective Bargaining

Research in the area of Learning
Process relative to higher education

OTHER AREAS OF INTEREST

 

 

 

 

not at

 

somewhat

 

definite

 

need

 

l3
14
15
16
17

18

19
20
21

22

23

24

25
26
27

28

 

Visits to other community
colleges

Provision of monthly subscription
to Junior College Journal

Preparation of regular newsletter
by administrative staff

Participation in school board
association

Systematic orientation program
for new trustees

Attendance at educational
conferences

President's Annual Report
Review of former board's minutes

Furnished with copies of student
newspaper

Utilization of consultants
Served by a "clipping service"

which provides news releases on
items of educational concern

OTHER METHODS USED

 

 

 

Has Not
Been
Tried

1

Various methods have been used to assist board members in their
keeping abreast of educational developments.
the following procedures have been used in your Board of Trustee activ-
ities and if so, denote the degree to which they have been helpful.

Please indicate whether

Has Been Tried

 

Not At AIII Somewhat Very
Helpful Helpful Helpful
_2_ —3' T
T -3_ T
T _3— T

29

3O

31

32

33

34
35
36

37

38

39

4O
41

42

The following is a list of problems encountered by various
boards throughout the country. Please indicate the extent to which
these problems have been encountered by your board of trustees.

 

 

Not A Occasional Frequent
Problem. Problem. Problem

Absentism of board members

Board policies and by-laws have
not been explicitly stated

Excessive Partisanship on the
part of some board members

Too much attention to detail
of business management

Lack of confidence between board
and community--citizens, news
media, organizations, etc.

Lack of time-availability of
trustees

Lack of confidence in admin-
istrative staff

Board tends to become overly in-

volved in administration procedures

Limited understanding of role as
a trustee

Community pressure groups try to dom-
inate board action or decisions

Committee responsibilities are
not well defined

Misuse of Executive Sessions

Lack of confidence and lack of frank

discussion among board members

OTHER PROBLEM AREAS

 

 

43

44

45

46

47

48

49

5O

51

52

53

54

55

56

NO ENVELOPE OR POSTAGE IS NEOESSAR
FOR RETURNING TNIS QUESTIONNAIRE.

TO MAIL:

1. Open back flap until flat.

2. Close booklet and fold the address flap
over front cover.

3. Tape or staple address flap closed.

1

‘__.‘:_

I

 

APPENDIX C

COPIES OF CORRESPONDENCE

—l62-

-l63-

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY usrumsmo

 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE COOPERATION 0 OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

March 10, 1966

Dear President:

We are studying the inservice education of community college
Boards of Trustees at 150 selected institutions. We have
selected your institution for inclusion in our research sample
and sincerely request your participation. You can be assured
that the total time you are involved in completing the ques-
tionnaire will not exceed approximately 15 minutes and that
all replies will be confidential, in keeping with proper re-
search procedure.

The research design includes the administration by mail of a
questionnaire to each member of your Board of Trustees. Your
cooperation in distributing the questionnaire to your board
members is necessary for completion of the study.

Upon completion of the questionnaire, merely return it in the
self-mailing folder. All participants will receive an abstract
of the pertinent findings.

We will look forward to receiving your reply and the responses
of your Trustees as soon as possible and sincerely thank you
for your cooperation.

Sincerely yours,

flew fl,¢

‘Max S. Smith, Director Gary . Fox

Community College Cooperation Assistant Director

Professor of Higher Education Community College Cooperation
MSS:vw

Enclosures (2) Questionnaire for PRESIDENTS
Questionnaire for TRUSTEES

~164-

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY marmsmo

 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE COOPERATION 0 OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

April 7, 1966

Dear President:

As I indicated in my
desire to visit with
in—service education
tees. My particular
President's function

recent telephone conversation, I

you and discover your thinking about
of Community College Boards of Trus-
interests lie in the study of the
and role in this area.

Perhaps our discussion can hinge on a few related topics

such as these:

1. Basic Institutional Data
2. Organization and Characteristics of present
Board of Trustees

3. Orientation
of Board of
Presidency

and In-service Education Program
Trustees since you assumed the

4. Strengths of your present Board
5. Weaknesses of your present Board
6. Future Goals of Board-President relationship

These topics will give you a general idea of my interest.
Perhaps you will have materials written on this subject
that you can share with me. With great interest I look
forward to meeting with you on Wednesday, April 13.

Very truly yours,

Gary C. Fox
Assistant Director

Community College Cooperation

—165—

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY EASTLANSING

 

COMMUNITY COLLEGE COOPERATION 0 OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

April 10, 1966

Dear President:

On'March 10 you were mailed a set of questionnaires from this
office relating to a study of Boards of Trustees in Community
Colleges.

The responses have been favorable thus far, especially from the
chief administrators of the institutions. However, we are
striving for a maximum.number of returns from both the Presidents
and the Trustees.

Please complete the Questionnaire for President if you have not
already done so, and also make this request for completing the
questionnaire to your Board of Trustees.

Only summarized information will be published in which neither
individuals nor institutions will be identified. Your consider-
ation and cooperation is necessary for the success of this study.

Sincerely yours,

Gary C Fox, Assistant Director

Max S. Smith, Director
Community College Cooperation Community College Cooperation
Professor of Higher Education

   

mil“ IIGIIHIII Willi! INIIIIIWIIWI lIIIIBIWIIIIES
3 129313056 621]