An approach to assess organizational change within the university is considered. The research approach was designed to use the strength of the university to examine and document an organizational change that evolved over time and resulted in unplanned outcomes is described. Important decisions that influenced the design of the survey instrument include: the questions were to reflect the political, sociological, and communication dimensions; some items would allow open answers, and the survey would use the interview approach. The final survey instrument included: 10 items concerning staff characteristics; 10 items related to decision-making, power, control, and political activity; 10 items that identified communication channels; two items that measured feelings of loss and grief; two items that identified the interaction groups that operated during the change process; and items designed to measure the individual's interpretation of the institutional mission and the way in which the reorganized units reflected the institutional mission. An important research issue was the fact that organizational change is a developmental process that occurs within a historical and economic context. The sensitivity of self-examination also was evidenced: for the secure, their research approach became an exercise in expression and introspection, while the less secure were more threatened by survey questions. The collegial approach was selected in an effort to positively enhance the mission governance style, and personnel of those units involved in the reorganization of the university. (SW)