39 Chapter IV: Redefining an Institution

39 Chapter IV: Redefining an Institution Commentary/Introduction “Do we have eyes to see, and do we have a heart to understand and a mind that is open enough to be able to really hear what is happening?” (K. Cook, personal communication, May 31, 2007). I was reminded of the need to cast away any bias and be open to better understanding by a faculty member as she wisely and patiently responded to my inquiries. I have pondered those words often during the ensuing weeks and months of analyzing the data and reflecting on the events between the announcement that Ricks College would become Brigham Young University–Idaho and then the subsequent first five years as BYU–Idaho. Initially, I purposefully selected six individuals and invited them to be participants in responding to open-ended questions about their personal experiences. The study then progressively focused by following the leads that came from their responses (Stake, 1995). The study unfolded line upon line and precept upon precept as a total of 27 people shared their perspectives in personal conversations with me, with one decline, and one who did not respond to the invitation. They describe change and how learning was woven into “the fabric of everyday work experiences” (Watkins & Marsick, 1993, p. 2). The participants involved represent a spectrum of view points: seven students, one representative of the Board of Trustees, three executive officers, six academic leadership/faculty, and eight mid-level administrators/staff from the support services, one volunteer leader, and one from the city/chamber of commerce. Names of the participants have been changed unless specific approval was granted to include their identity. I felt the participants were very open with their responses and shared their perspectives willingly. As my queries began to take shape, it became evident that each participant had experienced a personal transition that came from accepting new and increased responsibilities emerging from the change in the school itself. In addition to the stories gathered from the participants, excerpts from published documents were interwoven into the ensuing report. The varied sources plus my observation triangulated the research and built reliability (Creswell, 2003). As I venture now to share my findings, I ask that the reader also may have the eyes to see, the ears to hear, and a heart to understand that you might learn for yourself valuable lessons from the story of the transition of a junior college as it evolved into a university. The report has been a combination of 40 chronology and focus areas. The areas of focus were representative of the transition as a whole (Wheatley, 1999). Words of the participants were used as they were given as much as possible and interspersed with quotations from primary source documents to help establish the framework. My analysis as a researcher has been intermingled only lightly with a summation presented separately as Chapters VI and VII. Two of the participants, Steven C. Wheelwright and Clark Gilbert, were included because of their expertise in organizational research and leadership in higher education. I saw advantages to this research of seeking out and listening to their viewpoints even though their work on the BYU–Idaho campus came later than the delimitations of the study. “In listening we not only hear, but we are forced to pay attention… Listening deeply makes a difference” (Kouzes and Posner, 2002, p. 167). Steven C. Wheelwright is an emeritus professor of the Harvard Business School who served as the senior associate dean and director of HBS Publication Activities. Dr. Wheelwright is internationally recognized for his analytical ability to solve complex managerial problems and his capacity to foresee business trends (Harvard, n.d.). In the fall 2006, Dr. Wheelwright and his wife came to BYU–Idaho as volunteer service missionaries assigned to the executive office. In 2007 he became President of BYU-Hawaii. Clark Gilbert served on the faculty at Harvard for five years where he researched and taught entrepreneurship and innovation. He left that position to come to BYU–Idaho in the fall of 2006 initially as the Associate Vice President for Student Life, but his assignment changed shortly thereafter to that of Managing Director of the Activities Program and peer- to-peer learning with direct involvement with students (New director, 2006). The perspectives of Wheelwright and Clark have been valuable and have helped me keep things in focus. Since the relevance and direct application of this case study is ultimately left to the reader, I submit a preview of some of the key points from these two interviews now, so perhaps your vision may be broadened as mine was: Steven C. Wheelwright: • Most institutions’ evolution of strategy or dominant ideas have been around for a long time before they become a more central focus of whom the institution or organization wants to become.… It gives people something to hold on to. It makes it look much less capricious and much more thoughtful and part of a “oh, this is the natural next step.” 41 • Most organizations identify other organizations, things, or entities that are separate from themselves that they can use as kind of reference points. They tend to use them in two ways: “How are we similar to…?” “How are we different than…?” • The best processes are consistent with the nature of what you are trying to create. The process can be a process as simple as prayer. Decide what process will be followed to implement the transition (include planning, articulating, and everything else). • Leaders often speak in terms of what they hope will be, not just what it is. If we set the expectation, people will meet the expectation. • Think about how they do it (e.g. how people feel when they are active participants compared to how they feel when they are being “acted upon”). • Take the time to listen, and try to understand how others see and think. • Focus on the issue, the topic. Don’t get too scattered. Clark Gilbert: • Prophetic vision and inspired leadership give direction for the innovation. It is not just random. • Let everyone have a chance. It is simultaneously top down but allows lots of innovation to bubble up from below. Look at the higher level vision, but concentrate on how it translates in day-to-day decisions on the operating level. • Innovation requires people to consecrate and to be flexible, submissive, malleable and teachable. • There is a distinction between problem-oriented people and solution-oriented people. Every time it is problem oriented, it is all about the person. • Look for variance. • Our sense of progress should be around if we are improving. Are we changing? Are we fixing things? Are we learning? Progress is not measured by how much we have done. Pre-Announcement/Catalyst for Change I met with most of the participants individually by scheduling time to meet each at a location of his or her convenience. Some chose their office, some my office, and others preferred their homes. No matter the location, I pushed the button on my digital recorder, set it on the table or desk between us, and turned my attention to the participant rather than make notes during the conversation. Then my ears became open to their stories. 42 “There is always that growth that occurs through life when you are contributing, but when you are tested to a level that you have never been tested before….” Brent Kinghorn’s voice trailed off slightly as he reflected back over his experiences. Beginning at Ricks College in 1967, Kinghorn had worked on campus; from 1978-2001 he served as the Community Services Vice President. As a member of the President’s Council, he oversaw, among other things, the exterior facets of the school including public relations (Ball, 2001). He explained his role during the momentous time of the announcement that Ricks College would become a four-year university named Brigham Young University–Idaho: In as much as I reported directly to the President and worked with the Public Relations Office, I was the person that President [David A.] Bednar utilized for all media relations, all communications with the public, and with any other external organizations that needed some kind of contact or liaison.” (B. Kinghorn, personal communication, May 2, 2007) Ricks College had previously experienced a short-lived span of operation as a four- year institution from 1947-1956 (Crowder, 1997). The thought of attempting such a feat again had often crossed the minds of those in the Executive Office. Kinghorn explained, “I was privileged to serve with four different presidents as a vice president, and we discussed it with just about every one of them, made proposals to the Board, and we had been told on numerous occasions that it just probably would not happen.… We really thought we would like to do it and felt that as the institution was growing it would be a good thing to do.” (ibid) Kinghorn reemphasized, “But we had been told many times that this would probably never happen.” In compliance with the decisions of the Board and while fulfilling his role with communications, Kinghorn matter-of-fact stated, “I became very good at telling people that it probably would never happen” (ibid). Then for the foreseeable future, Ricks College seemed destined to remain the largest privately-owned junior college in the United States. Ricks College was one of four institutions of higher education operated by the Church Educational System (CES) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Church maintained a historical emphasizes on the importance of continued secular and spiritual education. The CES served as the umbrella for all of its education programs (e.g.

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