This case study of a higher education policy-making process tested a conceptual model based on a combination of political systems, behavioral power, and influence theories. The study, which followed the course and outcomes of a branch campus policy formulated in Washington state over a four-year period (1985-89), sought to show that the ability of policy actors to influence decision making could be inferred by analyzing the various strategic efforts mounted during the stages of policy formation. Data analyzed included official state documents and tapes of hearings and floor activities, plus minutes of community group meetings, university memos, and newspaper articles. Major policy actors included the Higher Education Coordinating Board, community boards in various locations throughout the state, the University of Washington, and Washington State University. The study details positions and debate arguments, and the "inducing" coalition-building strategies that each of these groups employed to attain desired policy goals, with a table summarizing legislative actions taken. The report concludes that the data support the conceptual thesis evaluated: namely, it is possible to infer how a complex web of political exchanges and assurances woven by powerful policy actors can accomplish a strategic objective--in this case, establishment of a branch campus system. (Contains approximately 75 references.) (CH)