The Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments

436 Pages·2013·2.16 MB·English

The Virginia Commission on Higher Education Board Appointments: The Impact of
Legislative Reform on Public University Governance

A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Arts at George Mason University

By

Carolyn D. Chappell
Master of Education
University of Virginia, 2002
Bachelor of Liberal Studies
Mary Washington College, 1988
Associate of Arts
Germanna Community College, 1986

Director: John O’Connor, Professor
New Century College

Summer Semester 2013
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA
Copyright: Chappell, 2013
All Rights Reserved

ii
Dedication

This dissertation is dedicated first to my late mother, Sally Harrison Chappell, who
believed that education was the most powerful tool for a happy and successful life.
Finishing this degree fulfills my promise to her. It is also dedicated to my husband, Larry
Czarda, who encouraged, nagged, inspired, cajoled, and mentored me throughout the
whole process. His insights into, and thorough understanding of, higher education
governance and leadership have been a valuable asset to me as I pursued this
degree…and the dissertation would not be finished yet if it were not for him!

iii
Acknowledgements

I would like to thank my committee, Dr. John O’Connor, Dr. Vicki Salmon, and Dr.
Linda Schwartzstein for their patience, guidance, and support throughout the process. Dr.
O’Connor was an excellent committee chair, and his holistic approach to the scholarly
exercise of dissertation writing and defense was greatly appreciated. I am also grateful to
Dr. Sondra Patrick for her invaluable assistance with understanding the research aspects
inherent with this level of work. I am indebted to Eloise Czarda Stinger for her able
editorial eye and kind advice. I would also like to acknowledge my family members for
their support during the several years it has taken to complete the coursework and wrestle
with the dissertation.

iv
Table of Contents

Page
List of Tables............................................................................................................... viii
List of Figures ................................................................................................................ ix
Abstract ........................................................................................................................... x
Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1
Statement of the Problem .......................................................................... 5
Research Questions .................................................................................. 6
Limitations and Delimitations ................................................................... 9
Definition of Terms ................................................................................ 10
Chapter 1: Overview and Context .................................................................................. 12
American Higher Education Governance Today ..................................... 12
Overview of states and systems ................................................. 13
Virginia..................................................................................... 15
Lay Governance ..................................................................................... 17
Comparison of non-profit and for-profit boards. ....................... 19
General attributes of non-profit boards ..................................... 22
Comparisons between public and private boards ...................... 23
Current Higher Education Trends That Effect Governance. .................... 25
Recent Governance Issues. ..................................................................... 27
American University .................................................................. 27
College of William and Mary ..................................................... 30
University of Illinois .................................................................. 32
University of Virginia ................................................................ 34
The Pennsylvania State University ............................................. 40
Higher Education Nominating Commissions .......................................... 42
Minnesota ................................................................................. 47
Massachusetts ........................................................................... 50
Hawaii ...................................................................................... 52
North Dakota ............................................................................ 56
Kentucky .................................................................................. 57
The Virginia Commission on Higher Education Appointments ............... 59
Comparison of Existing Councils and Commissions .............................. 71
Summary ................................................................................................ 74
Chapter 2: Literature Review ......................................................................................... 75
Brief History of American Higher Education .......................................... 75
Academic Governance ............................................................................ 82
Effective Governance and Best Practices ................................................ 93
v
Non-profit and Higher Education Associations ..................................... 109
Online Periodicals ................................................................................ 117
Chapter 3: Methodology and Research Procedures ...................................................... 120
Research Methodology ......................................................................... 120
Research Sites ...................................................................................... 120
Design of the Study .............................................................................. 121
Data Collection Procedures................................................................... 122
Open-ended interviews ............................................................. 122
Document review of archival data ............................................ 123
Data Collection ..................................................................................... 126
Archival data............................................................................ 126
Open-ended interviews ............................................................. 126
Data Analysis ....................................................................................... 128
Interview data analysis ............................................................ 128
Archival document and board composition analysis ................ 128
Chapter 4: Findings ..................................................................................................... 130
Analysis of Board Member Template Data ........................................... 131
Gender .................................................................................... 131
Ethnicity ................................................................................. 132
Alumni status .......................................................................... 134
Occupation .............................................................................. 135
Highest degree attained ........................................................... 145
Political donations ................................................................... 150
Board absences ....................................................................... 152
Conclusions regarding board member template ....................... 154
Analysis of Board Meeting Template Data ........................................... 155
Action items. ........................................................................... 158
Board meeting length .............................................................. 165
Comparison of institutions regarding action items ................... 167
Conclusions regarding board meeting template ....................... 178
Interview Analysis ................................................................................ 179
Board rector or vice rector interviews ...................................... 179
President or chief of staff interviews ....................................... 194
Conclusions regarding board member and administration
interviews ............................................................................... 202
Commission member interviews ............................................. 205
Conclusions regarding commission member interviews........... 215
Comparison of Responses Across All Groups Interviewed.................... 216
Comparison of Board Member and Administrator Interviews ............... 217
Expert Interview Analysis .................................................................... 220
Conclusion ........................................................................................... 225
Chapter 5: Discussion and Recommendations .............................................................. 229
Introduction ......................................................................................... 229
Virginia Context. ................................................................................. 230
vi
Research Methodology. ........................................................................ 231
Conclusions Regarding the Commission’s Effect on Board
Governance .......................................................................................... 232
General Conclusions Regarding the Commission. ................................. 238
The 2012 University of Virginia Governance Scandal .......................... 243
Recommendations on Research Methodology ....................................... 244
Suggestions for Further Research ......................................................... 247
Overall Conclusions ............................................................................. 250
Appendix A: Code of Virginia Statutes for Individual Institutions in Study ................ 251
Appendix B: Board Composition Template................................................................. 283
Appendix C: Correlation between Donations and Occupation ..................................... 285
Appendix D: Board Meeting Template ....................................................................... 290
Appendix E: Raw Data on Board Action Items for Each Institution ........................... 292
Appendix F: Interview Questions Used for Data Collection ....................................... 295
Appendix G: Interview Transcripts ............................................................................. 302
Appendix H: Interview Protocol Materials .................................................................. 407
References ................................................................................................................... 411

vii
List of Tables

Table Page
Table 1: Methods of Selection for American Higher Education Boards in 2010 ............. 13
Table 2: Board Composition as Required by the Code of Virginia. ................................ 17
Table 3: Commission/Council Comparison… ................................................................ 72
Table 4: Research Questions ........................................................................................ 122
Table 5: Comparison of Gender Representation on Boards in Study ............................ 132
Table 6: Comparison of Ethnicity of Board Members in Study .................................... 134
Table 7: Comparison of Alumni Serving on Boards in Study ....................................... 135
Table 8: Board Members in Study Who Are or Were CEOs ......................................... 136
Table 9: Occupations for All Board Members in Study ................................................ 137
Table 10: Comparison of AGB Percentages with Aggregate Virginia Institutions ........ 139
Table 11: Comparison of GMU Board Member Occupations ....................................... 140
Table 12: Comparison of UVA Board Member Occupations........................................ 141
Table 13: Comparison of VCU Board Member Occupations ........................................ 142
Table 14: Comparison of VT Board Member Occupations ........................................... 144
Table 15: Comparison of Pre-2002 and Post-2002 Occupational Data .......................... 145
Table 16: Highest Degree Attained by Board Members in Study.................................. 147
Table 17: Highest Degree Attained by GMU Board Members...................................... 148
Table 18: Highest Degree Attained by UVA Board Members ...................................... 148
Table 19: Highest Degree Attained by VCU Board Members ...................................... 149
Table 20: Highest Degree Attained by VT Board Members ......................................... 149
Table 21: Percentage of Board Members Donating to Specific Governor……………..151
Table 22: Percentage of Board Members Who Made Political Donations………… …. 151
Table 23: Percentage of Board Members Present ......................................................... 153
Table 24: Number of Board Member Absences............................................................ 153
Table 25: Pre-2002 Average of Action Items Per Year ................................................. 160
Table 26: Post-2002 Average of Action Items Per Year ............................................... 161
Table 27: Pre-2002/Post-2002 Comparison of Action Items ......................................... 162
Table 28: Pre-2002 Average Minutes Per Action Item ................................................. 164
Table 29: Post-2002 Average Minutes Per Action Item ................................................ 165
Table 30: Board Meeting Length ................................................................................. 166
Table 31: Demographic Information on Board Rectors or Vice Rectors Interviewees... 179
Table 32: Board Rector or Vice Rector Rating on Influence in Board Appointments.... 193
Table 33: Board Rector or Vice Rector Average Scores Per Category .......................... 194
Table 34: President or Chief of Staff Rating on Influence in Board Appointments ....... 202
Table 35: Commissioner Rating on Influence in Board Appointments ......................... 215
Table 36: Comparison of All Ratings on Influence in Board Appointments ................. 219
viii
List of Figures

Figure Page
Figure 1: Comparison of Pre-2002 and Post 2002 Action Items for GMU .................... 168
Figure 2: Comparison of Percentage of Individual Action Items for GMU ................... 168
Figure 3: Comparison of Pre-2002 and Post 2002 Action Items for UVA..................... 169
Figure 4: Comparison of Percentage of Individual Action Items for UVA .................... 170
Figure 5: Comparison of Pre-2002 and Post 2002 Action Items for VCU ..................... 171
Figure 6: Comparison of Percentage of Individual Action Items for VCU .................... 171
Figure 7: Comparison of Pre-2002 and Post 2002 Action Items for VT ........................ 172
Figure 8: Comparison of Percentage of Individual Action Items for VT ....................... 173
Figure 9: Finance, Capital Expenditure, and Strategic Planning Action Item ................ 175
Figure 10: Student Life Action Items ........................................................................... 176

ix
Abstract

THE VIRGINIA COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION BOARD
APPOINTMENTS: THE IMPACT OF LEGISLATIVE REFORM ON PUBLIC
UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE

Carolyn D. Chappell, DA

George Mason University, 2013

Dissertation Director: Dr. John O’Connor

Recent national attention to issues of access, cost, and institutional performance in our
public institutions of higher education have included numerous critiques and calls for
reform at the level of board appointments and board governance. There has been
considerable attention in both scholarly and popular media regarding governance issues
including shoddy political appointment practices, lack of orientation and preparation, run-
away boards, arrogant chief executives, and the negative effects of under-prepared,
under-qualified trustees. These concerns have persisted as national, even congressional,
attention has turned to high college costs, student debt-load, and the use of university
endowments to offset costs to students and their families. These concerns were amplified
by the recent economic recession and its impact on higher education. The use of
appointment commissions or councils (whose responsibility is to recommend board
member appointments based on merit) has been identified as a way in which to improve