Strategic Planning Leadership in Illinois Community Colleges: Who Is Leading the Process? Tasha S
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National Louis University Digital Commons@NLU Dissertations 4-2009 Strategic Planning Leadership in Illinois Community Colleges: Who is Leading the Process? Tasha S. Williams National-Louis University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss Part of the Community College Leadership Commons, and the Other Education Commons Recommended Citation Williams, Tasha S., "Strategic Planning Leadership in Illinois Community Colleges: Who is Leading the Process?" (2009). Dissertations. 2. https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/2 This Dissertation - Public Access is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons@NLU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@NLU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. NATIONAL LOUIS UNIVERSITY STRATEGIC PLANNING LEADERSHIP IN ILLINOIS COMMUNITY COLLEGES: WHO IS LEADING THE PROCESS? A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE DOCTOR OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY ADULT AND CONTINUING EDUCATION BY TASHA S. WILLIAMS CHICAGO, ILLINOIS APRIL 2009 i Certification: In accordance with departmental and Graduate School policies, this dissertation is accepted in partial fulfillment of degree requirements. Rebecca S. Lake, Ed.D Date Dissertation Director Diane Oliver, Ph.D Date Committee Member Keenan Andrews, D.M. Date Committee Member ABSTRACT The 21st century will continue to unveil new challenges for community colleges. Beset with many challenges such as an austere funding environment, growing diverse student populations, community issues and needs, impending leadership and faculty retirements, globalization, and mounting pressures of accountability from accrediting bodies and external constituents, community colleges leaders must employ measures that promote institutional viability. Leadership and planning are two essential components for the viability of community colleges. Strategic planning leadership is vital for the survival and growth of community colleges during these uncertain times. This study explores strategic planning leadership in Illinois community colleges in an attempt to identify the leader responsible for facilitating the strategic planning process, the impact of their role, and how they influence the process. The study also identifies key players employed in the strategic planning process and examines the significance to their roles. In addition, the study examines the similarities, commonalties, and differences in the strategic planning process among Illinois community colleges. Findings of this study are that community colleges in the state of Illinois show great similarities in their strategic planning processes. The study also found that individuals responsible for leadership strategic planning activities highly correspond with the skills associated with behavioral leadership theory, showing both concern for people as well as concern for the tasks of strategic planning. This information will be useful to community colleges attempting to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow through the planning process as well as provide insight into the type of leadership needed for strategic planning in community colleges during these ever-changing times, i DEDICATION The pursuit of education has had the most profound influence on my life. This exploration for knowledge was instilled in me early on in life by my mother. She taught me the importance of education and supported me through each journey. I am eternally grateful for her love and guidance. After she suddenly passed away in November of 2005, my life was devastated. It was then that I retreated to education for solace and decided to pursue my doctoral studies. I dedicate this degree to her memory; a memory full of love, compassion, and selflessness that she showed to all of her children. ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS “I will bless the Lord at all times and His praise shall continually be in my mouth”. I must first thank God for giving me the strength, courage, and perseverance to complete this degree. Without Him, I could do nothing, and with Him, I can do all things. It is from Him that all blessing flow. This journey has impacted my personal and professional life in ways I never thought possible. From the relationship I have built with the faculty and my classmates, to my dissertation research, my worldview has been enlarged. My entire dissertation committee has been phenomenal. Their expertise in the field and knowledge was instrumental to my research. I would like to especially acknowledge and provide a heart-felt thank you to my dissertation chair, Dr. Rebecca Lake for her immense contribution to my research. She saw in me what I was searching for in myself. Without her mentoring and strong hand, I would not have been able to complete this process. My other two committee members, Dr. Diane Oliver and Dr. Keenan Andrews were instrumental in ensuring that I succeeded. I would be remised if I did not acknowledge the impact that the community college has had on my life. I graduated from high school ill prepared for college with several other obstacles facing me. At the time, community college was my only viable option. It was the best decision I could have made. It was the community college that laid the foundation for my educational success. I hope my repayment is evident in my unwavering commitment to community college education and the work that I do everyday. iii This research did not happen in a vacuum. It required the support of my family and friends. Their listening ear, patience, and understanding of my absence from their lives for the last 3 years is commendable. My three sisters, Carolyn, Paulette, and Andrea, have been constant and their support of their little sister. My daughter, Kristian has always paid the ultimate sacrifice for my pursuit of higher education. She has been my motivation and there is no way that I could give her back to her the years we have lost. Finally, a special thanks to my loving husband, Carlos. His comforting voice of encouragement was the vehicle for my perseverance. Even through the tears and times that I wanted to give up, he wouldn’t let me. He believed in me and my life would not be complete without his presence. I love him whole-heartedly. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Pages ABSTRACT .............................................................................................. i DEDICATION ........................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................ iii LIST OF TABLES..................................................................................... viii LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................... ix LIST OF APPENDICES............................................................................ x CHAPTERS 1. INTRODUCTION Background of the Problem...................................................... 2 Purpose of the Study................................................................ 5 Research Questions Arising from Purpose ......................... 5 Significance of the Study to the Field ....................................... 5 Organization of the Study......................................................... 7 2. LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction .............................................................................. 10 Historical Evolution of Community Colleges............................. 12 Illinois Community Colleges ................................................ 15 Community College Challenges ............................................... 19 Strategic Planning .................................................................... 21 Historical Development ....................................................... 22 Strategic Planning Definitions ............................................. 31 Environmental; Scanning .................................................... 36 SWOT ................................................................................. 38 Leadership ............................................................................... 43 Leadership Definitions......................................................... 44 Leadership Theories ........................................................... 46 Four Generations of Leadership Theories................................ 48 Generation 1. Trait Theory .................................................. 51 Generation 2. Behavioral Theory ........................................ 55 Generation 3. Contingency/Situational Theory.................... 58 Generation 4. Transformational Theory............................... 63 v 3. RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODOLOGY Introduction .............................................................................. 68 Research Design...................................................................... 68 Mixed Method Model........................................................... 72 Qualitative/Interpretive Paradigm ........................................ 75 Case Study............................................................................... 81 Participant Selection ................................................................ 84 Phase One: Purposive Sampling ........................................ 87 Phase Two: Multiple Variation Sampling............................. 88 Ethical Considerations ............................................................