A Model for Horizontal Power Sharing and Participation in University Decision-Making

Abstract

Despite the acknowledged benefits of wide participation in major administrative decisions in a university, few mechanisms for securing such participation exist. The normal method is the formation of an elected or appointed committee, a relatively crude means of processing complex data on the relative preferences and minority views inherent in many educational decisions. This paper develops a five-stage model for decision-making that incorporates a faculty-opinion survey permitting almost universal expressions of opinion and preference on a complex administrative decision. This technique permits the aggregation of information produced in a way that generates alternative policies for decision-makers. It was successfully employed to reexamine the role of dean in a large university.