This book discusses principals' prerequisites and work within the five Nordic countries and focuses on schools as formal institutions that carry out functions delegated to them by the social collective. It includes a discussion about what kind of state policy demonstrates autonomy in Nordic schools, as well as the ways in which school leaders as…

Little empirical attention has been paid to state capital expenditures for higher education. While some anecdotal evidence exists that the process of appropriating capital dollars to higher education institutions is a particularly political process, no study has systematically examined the determinants of higher education state capital spending.…

The establishment of school governing bodies represents a significant decentralisation of power in the South African school system. The South African Schools Act (Act 84 of 1996) plays an important role in encouraging the principle of partnership in and mutual responsibility for education. With the institution of school governing bodies (SGBs),…

At a time when collaborative leadership is much heralded in American institutional life as the antidote to discontent with power structures, colleges and universities have illustrated that shared governance is not inherently collaborative. The sense of common cause on campus should come from a shared knowledge base, concern with external…

In this book, eight contributors examine issues related to the likely effects of the decentralization of school governance on educational practice. Two major themes emerge in the book. The first (chapters 1 through 4) is that governance reforms in education may have little to do with what actually happens in schools, but have much to do with…

Site-based management (SBM) is an increasingly popular approach to school restructuring. SBM aims to transfer authority from state agencies and school districts to committees based at schools. To garner a consensus supporting reform, these committees are to be representative of educational and community members. SBM plans are characterized by: (1)…

A list of trustee responsibilities, as adapted from a private college's trustee handbook, includes suggestions for active involvement in decision making, self-education about the institution and issues, and participation in meetings. (MSE)

Notes the current system of finding new academic leaders for colleges and universities often brings delay and damage. Suggests an alternative method of leadership succession is needed. One proposed method would attempt to promote from within the institution; require recruitment by the appointing officer; involve faculty, students, and staff; and…

The executive board of the college or university governing board has the central purpose of strengthening the board's performance by helping it function efficiently and effectively. Because the executive committee can undermine trustee morale by abusing its authority, the entire governing board must decide the extent of the powers delegated to the…

Background information and an analysis of issues involved in the governance of new regional educational laboratories are presented. The new laboratories are to be established through a 1984 competition administered by the National Institute of Education (NIE). The analysis is designed to assist the Study Group on Regional Laboratories to advise…

The system of college and university governance that has created fine institutions is now inadequate. Institutions should consider restructuring their governance systems in ways that clarify authority and accountability. Faculty must commit themselves to responsibility outside their disciplines. Administrators and trustees must make difficult…

Papers from the 17th Annual Conference present observations and analysis of how the power equation has, or has not, been altered by the introduction of faculty and support staff unionism. The first section on power relationships between professors and senates contains: "The Academic as Political Man or Woman" (Seymour Lipset); "Governance: Senates…

While conventional wisdom holds that higher education can learn much from business, the corporate world can also learn about leadership from the academy, including the practices of separation of power between the board chair and chief executive; collegial and less hierarchical organizational culture; performance reviews, common among academic…

The effectiveness, behavior, and role of the consultant as policy advisor is examined in light of three operating assumptions: (1) that educational organiztions are subject to politicization; (2) that the consultant's primary role is to assist in nonroutine, potentially controversial policy decisions; and (3) that the consultant must therefore…

The process of selecting a chief state school officer (CSSO) can be a significant means of allocating policymaking power in state educational governance. This paper examines the role of the chief state school officer and explains how that role is influenced by the selection process. Four selection models are described, along with the advantages…