Decentralization And Checks And Balances: Research On The Allocation Of Decision-making Power Within American Public Universities

The entire leadership activity of the university is the process of decision-making and implementation of decisions.The introduction of any policy or decision is the result of power bargaining and balance.To achieve the goal of university talent cultivation,the first task is to make the decision power of the university run reasonably and effectively.The division of decision power is also the source of the university governance and the most important thing.Only when the structure and configuration of the decision power is understood clearly as it be.Then the goal that to effectively manage the university and achieve its university mission can be true.Higher education of the United States has a long history.At present,it has formed a relatively complete decision-making power structure within public universities,which provides the basis for the sustained and steady development of the university.Internally,the university implements a “legal person-board system”.The board of trustees is the highest authority of the university and distribute its authority to various departments at the lower levels,forming a decentralized and balanced structure in which decision-makers share decision-making power together and have clear decision-making powers and responsibilities.The decentralization of decision-making is achieved through the participation of multiple entities in decision-making,the clear decision-making body's rights and responsibilities,the “Board-Committee System” and “Board-Presidential System”.Checks and balances of decision-making power is achieved through communication,negotiation,co-governance and reporting between the decision-making entities.Although the “Principal Responsibility System under the Leadership of the Party Committee” practiced by our colleges and university has formed its decision-making power structure based on China's national conditions,the decision-making power inside the university still has some problems,such as lack plural decision-making bodies,unclear distribution of powers and responsibilities,and lower degree separation of powers and checks and balances,etc.So we can learn the advance experience of decentralized and checks and balances of internal decision-making power distribution from public universities in America,so as to improve the distribution of decision-making power of universities in China.This thesis is mainly based on case studies of University of Vermont in America and interview data of American public university presidents,using the theory of decentralized and checks and balances,and using literature analysis,case analysis,grounded theory research,and comparative analysis to analyze the internal decision-making power distribution of public universities in America so as to provide reference for improving the distribution of decision-making power of universities in China.Through the case study of Vermont University in America,it can be more detailed and comprehensive to learn about the distribution of decision-making power within the university.Through analyzing the 10 pieces of interview data,and combined with the above case analysis,the characters of decentralized and checks and balances of internal decision-making power distribution of public universities in America are clarified.Finally,based on the existing problems of the distribution of decision-making power of universities in china,and learn from American experience,to provide corresponding countermeasures and suggestions.