A Comparison of Personality Types Between Deans/Directors of Continuing Education and Chief Academic Officers in Selected Post-secondary Institutions in North Carolina

The problem was to determine whether significant relationships existed between the personality types of deans/directors of continuing education and chief academic officers in institutions of higher education in North Carolina. Literature was reviewed in order to determine the research that had been completed using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) with administrators in post-secondary institutions. A demographic questionnaire was developed to ascertain information about the type and size of the institutions, as well as data about the respondent. All post-secondary institutions, excluding business and trade schools, in North Carolina were included in the study. The dean/director of continuing education and chief academic officer from each institution were identified to receive the personality inventory and the demographic questionnaire. A total of 210 individuals were sent the information and 113 responses were received by the cut-off date. These represented a 54% return. Personal data and demographic data were reported in tables. A nonparametric statistic was utilized to analyze the degree of relationship among the data obtained from the MBTI and the demographic questionnaire. The .05 level of significance was applied in all cases. Results of the data analyses indicated that agreement was not significant between the two groups in the study. The investigator examined the four dimensions of personality types as an entity, as well as analyzed each of the dimensions separately between the two groups. An examination of personality types of deans/directors of continuing education and chief academic officers were made of those in two-year versus four-year institutions. The educational level of these two groups was examined to determine if significant differences existed in this component. Analyses of the two groups in two- and four-year institutions revealed that no significant difference existed between them. In examining the educational level of the persons who were employed in continuing education and those as academic officers, the data revealed that there was a significant difference in this area. Of the academic officers, 73% had terminal degrees as compared with 19% of the individuals in continuing education. Analyses of the demographic data revealed that 57% of the respondents were from institutions that had an enrollment of between 1,000-5,000, 70% of the respondents were very satisfied with their present positions, and 43% were between the ages of 40-49. In the area of education, 43 persons had completed a master\u27s degree, and 58 individuals had a terminal degree