The Dilemmas in New Campus Governance Structures

Abstract

Challenges to traditional institutional authority relationships in higher education are coming from increased legislative and executive intervention, the increase in judicial rulings which remove campus authorities from the decisionmaking process, increased statewide coordination and planning, and the increasing number of multicampus systems. All these factors are exerting constraints on the capacity of an institution to make binding decisions about internal matters. Within institutions some governing boards are attempting to enhance the control of institutions through greater involvement in internal governance matters and through the use of their veto power. The Pennsylvania State University board of trustees issued a document in June, I970, which redistributed internal power and authority relationships and clarified the role of the president. In the past two or three years, the University of California board of regents has adopted a position of watchdog over such previously unmonitored areas as curriculum and personnel appointments on individual campuses. Recent pressure by the board of regents at the University of Texas resulted in the firing of a college dean. In the face of these challenges from external agencies and gov-