Assuming the trusteeship: studying the influence of learning and preparation on the decision-making practices of members of public multicampus boards of higher education

2014-11-17This dissertation presents a framework for understanding the related aspects of socialization and decision making of trustees of public multicampus systems of higher education in the United States. The framework applied, Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theory, is used to understand the means by which trustees come to learn to perform their decision-making roles in three public multicampus boards of higher education in three states. In particular, the author exposes and highlights the ways board member socialization influence decision making and compares and contrasts the socialization of laymen, student, and faculty trustees. Integral to this line of inquiry is the environment unique to public multicampus boards of higher education that: (1) informs the process of acquiring the necessary knowledge required for the trusteeship and (2) guides how trustees apply this knowledge to make decisions on behalf of the system of higher education. Analysis and relevant findings of interviews, documents, and observations are offered to set the groundwork for future directions of empirical and theoretical work in this area