| For the past several years, faculty and administrators in institutions of higher education have been questioning the appropriate role of administration. The role of specific admistrators has been explored and delineated in the professional literature; however, relatively little research has been directed toward the collective concept of the administrative role in higher education. This research study centered on determining the perceptions held by faculty members and administrators regarding the role of administration as well as congruence of these role perceptions with their perceptions regarding the existence of conflict.;The changing patterns in university governance have continued as both faculty members as well as administrators clamor for control of institutional decision making. The literature review indicated that the relationship between the faculty and administration is ambiguous and surrounded by misunderstandings, often resulting in undue anxiety and conflict. Questions regarding whether the faculty or the administration should make decisions and whether the administration should serve the faculty or attempt to control it remain paramount in higher education. With these questions unanswered, a clarification of the role of administration in higher education is necessary to enable faculty members as well as administrators to understand and accept the various role perceptions. . . . (Author's abstract exceeds stipulated maximum length. Discontinued here with permission of school.) UMI.;Historically, the administration in higher education evolved to aid faculty members in their primary task of teaching. With the increases in student enrollment, expanding institutional size, and growing financial commitments came an increasing number of administrative personnel to handle the day-to-day operations of the institution. Faculty members, eager to have more time for teaching and research, willingly relinquished numerous mundane administrative chores to the administrator. In time, however, the administration became very powerful, assuming greater degrees of authority over the faculty and virtually controlling all aspects of institutional operations. |
