THE CHARACTER OF ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP: A PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION STUDY IN A COLLEGE SETTING

A participant observation study of the role and process of administration was undertaken at a private, undergraduate, liberal arts college. The century-old, Ivy Leaguish institution faced no particular crisis, was in relatively sound financial condition, and enjoyed a strong admissions record.;Data was collected at meetings of the president's staff, departmental and divisional meetings chaired by these senior administrative officers, faculty council and sub-committee meetings, students' senate meetings, and a few trustee meetings. Secondary data sources included individual conversations with administrators, reports of meetings not attended by the observer, memos, reports, student newspapers, and other publications.;The conceptual framework for the analysis of the data was that of the collective perspective of those involved in the administration of the college. This perspective was established within sub-categories of definition of the situation, activities, and criteria of judgment. Based upon the collective perspective of the administrative leadership, the external issues affecting higher education were discussed in the context of the case setting as well as the internal ramifications of these issues within the institution and on the process of administration.;The results of the analysis of the observational data suggest that the administration of the college is the group which holds the greatest amount of responsibility and is held accountable for the future of the institution. The president is central to the functioning of the administration; the identity of other members is blurred in the process of administration. The principal activities of the administration are those aimed at coordinating the collegially-oriented college processes and maintaining the institution. The primary criteria of judgment and central goal is that of building a strong sense of community, defined as the measure of the climate and morale of the students and faculty and their relationships with the administration. The administration in this setting provides a central focus for the institution and is continually involved in defining the situation for the institution. No one of the pressing external issues present an immediate crisis for the college, but the ramifications of the issues are reflected in the tensions observed on the campus, the emotional concern of faculty over salary, and a jockeying for position among power groups in the college.;Observations focused on the planning, policy, and decision-making role of administrators and the external issues and internal ramifications of those issues on the process of administration. The central question posed was deliberately broad: What is the nature or character of higher educational administration as we face the decade of the 1980s? The study was designed to identify some of the key systems elements of higher education administration.;This study is of particular interest to those who maintain that the loss of collegial patterns of institutional decision making are at the core of the problems existing in higher education. It will also be of special interest to those seeking to understand the role of administration and to administrators themselves, who are held accountable but given limited authority, realize that standard planning, policy, and decision-making definitions do not appropriately describe their functions, and who live with ambiguity and a lack of control which is so much a part of their professional role.