Governance Structures in Other States and

Louisiana’s Governance Structure

Louisiana Postsecondary Education Review Commission

Aims McGuinnessNCHEMS

January 11, 2010

Outline• Understanding Different Governance Structures– Description of Differences– Illustration of Different State Structures– Common Issues Faced by States

• Louisiana’s Structure– LA Structure– Key Dimensions of Louisiana Context

• Principles to Guide Deliberations About Governance

3

State Coordination and Governance of Higher Education

No “Ideal” Model

• Each State’s Structure Evolved in Response to Unique State Issues/Conditions– Modes of Provision (Public vs. Private)– History/Culture– Role of Government• Governor• State Legislature

– Geo-Political Balance, Regional Disparities– Budgeting and Finance Policy and Process

No “Ideal” Model (Continued)

• Not a Good Idea: Copying Another State’s Structure—Imposing on One State the Solutions to Another State’s Problems

• But: – Alignment of Governance (Decision-Making

Authority) with State Priorities Is Important– States Can Learn from the Experience of Other

States in Addressing Common Problems/Issues

Coordination Versus Governance• Authority and Functions of Coordinating Boards Are

Distinctly Different From Governing Boards of Institutions and System

• Coordinating Boards:– Focus on Statewide Policy Leadership, Not on

Governing/Managing Systems or Individual Institutions– Do Not Govern Institutions (e.g. Make Decisions Regarding

Appointment of System and Institutional Presidents or Faculty and Other Personnel Issues)

• In Louisiana terminology:– Coordinating Board: Board of Regents– Governing Boards: Management Boards

6

Comparative Perspective• 24 States are Consolidated Governing Board States:

– All Public Institutions Governed by One or More Statewide Governing Boards

– No Statewide Coordinating Board (with significant authority) • 23 States are Coordinating Board/Agency States

– Statewide Coordinating Board/Agency (Regulatory or Advisory)– Two or More System or Institutional Governing Boards– Tradition of Decentralized Governance

• 1 State (Pennsylvania) has State Agency with Limited Authority

• 2 States (Michigan and Vermont) have No Statewide Entity

7

Illustrations of Differences and Complexity of State Higher

Education StructuresOf Necessity, the Following

Illustrations Do Not Reflect the Nuances of Each State’s Structure

Governing Board

Coordinating Board

UniversityCC or

Tech College

2-yr

Campus

Planning orRegulatory

Agency

Governing Board States

CommunityColleges

Two or More Universities (Research

Universities and

Comprehensive Universities)

State-Level Governing Board

State-Level Agency or Governing Board

Explanation: Two separate state-level boards/agencies are responsible for all public institutions, one for universities and other for community or technical colleges. No state-level higher education planning or regulatory agency between boards and Governor and Legislature. Board for community or technical colleges may be either a state-level governing board (North Carolina) or a coordinating/regulatory board for locally governed colleges (Iowa and Oregon).

Iowa, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Oregon

2-year

Campuses/

Community Colleges

Two or More Universities

State-Level Governing Board

Explanation: All public institutions are governed by a single statewide board. Two-year campuses may include two-year primarily transfer campuses and/or community or technical colleges.

Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, DC, and Puerto Rico

2-Year

Colleges Technical Colleges

State-Level Governing Board

Explanation: Two separate boards govern public institutions, one board for the research university and other university campuses as well as 2-year (primarily transfer) colleges, and the other board for technical colleges.

State-Level Governing Board

Universities

Georgia and Wisconsin

Coordinating Board States

CommunityColleges

Institution-Level Governing Boards for

Each University

Several Universities (Research Universities and Comprehensive Universities)

State-level Coordinating or Governing Board

State-Level Coordinating Board

Explanation: Each public university has a governing board. State board for community colleges either governs the colleges or coordinates locally governed community colleges. Coordinating boards plan and coordinate the whole system.Note: Kentucky and Virginia community college boards are a statewide governing boards whereas the Washington State community college board is a coordinating board for locally governed colleges.

Kentucky, Virginia and Washington State

State-Level Governing Board

State-Level Governing Board

Coordinating Board

ResearchUniversity (Multi-

Campus)

Universities

CommunityColleges

Explanation: Public institutions are organized under three state-level boards, one for research universities, one for comprehensive state universities, and the third a state-level governing board or a coordinating board for locally governed community colleges. Coordinating board has responsibility for planning and coordinating the system.

State-LevelCoordinating or Governing

Board

California and Connecticut

Community Collegesor

TechColleges

Two or More Universities

One or More Multi-Campus Governing Boards

State-Level Coordinating or Governing Board

Explanation: Complex system of institutional governance including some multi-campus systems and some institutions with individual governing boards. State-Level board is responsible for coordinating the whole system. Note: In Texas, there is no state-level coordinating entity for locally governed community colleges

Institution-Level Governing Boards forSeveral Universities

Several Universities

State-Level CoordinatingBoard

Alabama, Colorado, Illinois, South Carolina (Texas)

CCand

TechnologyCenters

State-Level Governing Board

State-Level Governing Board

Explanation: State-Level Coordinating Board and two separate state-level governing boards, one for universities, and the other for universities, community colleges and technical institutions.

UniversitiesMulti-CampusUniversity

Coordinating Board

Tennessee

Community and Tech

Colleges

State-Level Governing Board

State-Level Governing Board

Minnesota

Explanation: Two separate state-level boards are responsible for all public institutions.. Planning/service agency has no coordinating authority related to governing boards.

UniversitiesMulti-Campus

University

Service Agency Linked to

Governor’s Office

Community

Colleges

Multi-Campus University

System

State-Level Governing/Coordinating Board

Massachusetts

Explanation: Two separate boards govern public institutions, one board for the research university and other university campuses, and the other board for the state colleges and community colleges. This second board also has responsibility for planning and coordinating all public higher education.

State-Level Governing Board

Colleges

21

Formal Versus InformalAuthority

State Board’s “Power” Depends Less on Formal Authority Than on:

• Support from Governor and State Legislature for Board Policy Decisions/Recommendations

• Budget/Resource Allocation– Changes in Institutional Mission– High-Cost Professional Programs– New Campuses– Merger/Consolidation /Closure of Programs or Campuses

Continued

22

Formal Versus InformalAuthority (Continued)

• Board and Executive Leadership:– Reputation for Objectivity, Fairness, and Timeliness of

Analysis and Advice to Legislative and Executive Branches– Capacity to Gain Trust and Respect (but Not Always

Agreement) of the State Political and Institutional Leaders• Institutional/System Leaders Who Recognize and

Support Effective Coordination To:– Support System/Institutional Governance– Address State and Regional Policy Issues that Cannot Be

Addressed within Systems/Institutions or Only Through Voluntary Coordination

Trends in Governance• State Policy Leadership Focused on Public Agenda

• the Needs of the Population• Quality of Life• Economy

• Decentralized Institutional Governance and Deregulation Balanced by Accountability for Performance/Outcomes Linked to Public Agenda

• Financing Policies that:• Use Incentives for Performance and Response to

Public Agenda/Public Priorities• Align State Appropriations, Tuition Policy and Student

Aid Policy

Trends (Continued)• Few States Have Centralized or Consolidated

Public Higher Education Systems in Past 35 Years. Exceptions:– Florida: Massive Decentralization and

Recentralization– Establishment of Community/Technical College

Systems (e.g., Kentucky and Louisiana)– Reorganizing Sub-Systems (e.g., Minnesota and

Texas)

Trends (Continued)

• A Few Examples of Consolidation or Integration of Research University and Health Science Campuses to:– Create Reality (or Perception through Branding)

of Scale for Research Competitiveness– Increase Global Ranking for Research

Competitiveness

Common Governance Issues• Lack of “Venue” to Focus on and Sustain Attention to Long-

Term Public Agenda• Disconnect Between State Funding Policies and Gubernatorial

or Legislative Action• Lack of Capacity to Address and Implement More Effective or

Efficient Programs or Delivery Methods that:– Fall Between the “Cracks” of Existing Systems– Threaten the Status-Quo and Run Counter to Institutional Interests

26

Issues (Continued)• Incapacity to Counter Mission Creep:

– 2 Year Campuses Moving to 4 Year Baccalaureate Institutions– Comprehensive Universities to Research Universities

• Incapacity to Make and Sustain Strategic Decisions (especially decisions that shift resources among institutions)

• “Vertical” Organization of Systems versus the “Horizontal” Collaboration Needed to Serve Regional/Metropolitan Needs

• Imbalance in Geo-Political Power -- Played Out through Higher Education

• Systems as Political Networks, Not Means to Achieve Effective System and Institutional Governance

• Board Performance

Challenge for Governing Board States

• Most Do Not Have a “Venue” to Lead and Shape Policy Alternatives for a Public Agenda

• System Governing Boards:– Focus on Internal Governance, Not System

Leadership– Have Difficulty Achieving Mission Differentiation

(e.g., between Major Research University Campuses and Comprehensive Universities)

– Must Be Advocates for the Institutions They Govern

Governance in Louisiana

Louisiana Structure

• One of 23 States with Statewide Coordinating Board and Governance by System Boards (Management Boards)

• Louisiana Board of Regents:– One of Two Coordinating Boards Established by

State Constitution (the other is Oklahoma)– Formal Authority is Stronger Than Most

Coordinating Boards (Funding Policy, Program Approval, etc.)

Louisiana Structure (Continued)

• LA Board of Regents– Board Influence Depends Significantly on Support

form Governor and Legislature• Budget and Finance Policy• Response and Support for Recommendations

– Limited Authority to Implement Initiatives that Cut Across or “Fall Between the Cracks” of Existing Systems

Louisiana Structure (Continued)

• Management Boards– Legislative Appropriations Directly to Campuses

Appears to Limit the Capacity of Systems to Lead and Govern

– As in Other States, the “Systems” and the Institutions Assigned to Each System Have Evolved More from History and Politics than Deliberate Policy Choice and Mission Differentiation

Key Dimensions of Louisiana Context

• Legacy of Historically Black Institutions and Major Priority to Increase Participation and Success of State’s African-American Population

• Regional Differences (and Competition) in Economy, Culture, and Education and Workforce Needs

• Disconnect Between Constitutional and Statutory Mandates and Political Realities in Decision-making and Resource Allocation

Principles

Principles to Guide Deliberations About Governance

• Focus First on Ends, Not Means• Be Explicit about Specific Problems That Are

Catalysts for Reorganization Proposals • Ask If Reorganization Is The Only Or The Most

Effective Means for Addressing The Identified Problems

• Weigh the Costs Of Reorganization Against the Short- and Long-term Benefits.

Principles (Continued)

• Distinguish Between State Coordination and System/Institutional Governance

• Examine the Total Policy Structure and Process, Including the roles of the Governor, Executive Branch Agencies and the Legislature, rather than only the Formal Postsecondary Education Structure

The Hierarchical RealitiesExec. & LegislativeBranches of Govt.

System

President

Vice Presidents

Deans

Department Heads

Faculty

Goal Setting Accountability

Implementation

The system [education] is bottom heavy and loosely coupled.

It is bottom heavy because the closer we get to the bottom

of the pyramid, the closer we get to the factors that have the

greatest effect on the program’s success or failure. The

system is loosely coupled because the ability of one level to

control the behavior of another is weak and largely

negative…

The skillful use of delegated control is central to making

implementation work in bottom-heavy, loosely controlled

systems. When it becomes necessary to rely mainly on

hierarchical control, regulation, and compliance to achieve

results, the game is essentially lost.Richard F. Elmore, Complexity and Control: What Legislators and Administrators Can Do About Implementing Public Policy

Conclusion

• Bottom Line: Is There Something About the Governing Structure That is a Major Barrier to Achieving a Significantly More Effective and Cost-Efficient Delivery System?– Are There Specific Problems in the Allocation of

Decision Authority That Can be Addressed without Major System Restructuring?

– Do the Problems Justify the Costs of a Major System Restructuring?