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Unit 2 Paper

The document compares and contrasts the organizational structures of Brandeis University, a private research university, and Bridgewater State University, a public state university. Both universities have a Board of Trustees that acts as the ultimate authority, and an Office of the President that oversees administrative functions. However, Brandeis also has a Faculty Senate that addresses faculty issues, while Bridgewater State relies on independent leadership committees. Additionally, the Board of Trustees and leadership teams differ in size between the two universities. Overall, the document finds that while organizational structures may vary, the basic principles of collaborative governance involving faculty, students, administration and boards of trustees apply broadly across different types of institutions of higher education.

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46 views

Unit 2 Paper

The document compares and contrasts the organizational structures of Brandeis University, a private research university, and Bridgewater State University, a public state university. Both universities have a Board of Trustees that acts as the ultimate authority, and an Office of the President that oversees administrative functions. However, Brandeis also has a Faculty Senate that addresses faculty issues, while Bridgewater State relies on independent leadership committees. Additionally, the Board of Trustees and leadership teams differ in size between the two universities. Overall, the document finds that while organizational structures may vary, the basic principles of collaborative governance involving faculty, students, administration and boards of trustees apply broadly across different types of institutions of higher education.

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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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RUNNING HEADER: COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES

College Organizational Structures

Amanda Sherman

Post University
COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES
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Introduction

Governing bodies at universities across America have a system of policies and

administrative responsibilities that allow its leadership to successfully operate their institutions.

Experts in their field collaborate to initiate policy and chart a direction for their universities.

Brandeis University and Bridgewater State University are two institutions in Massachusetts, both

within a half an hour of Boston. They both have a Board of Trustees, Office of the President and

faculty leadership. One university is public and one private, and with tuition at staggeringly

different rates, there are also some major differences in leadership and governance.

Brandeis University

Brandeis University is a private research institution founded in 1948 and located in

Waltham Massachusetts, approximately nine miles west of Boston. The campus consists of 235

acres and more than 100 buildings. There are 1,150 staff members and 649 faculty members

serving approximately 3,610 full-time undergraduate students. Tuition at Brandeis is $49,586

per year, with an additional room and board charge of $14,224 for on campus students (Brandeis

University, 2017). Brandeis is not an Ivy League school, but does have the reputation of being a

top tier institution. Acceptance rate is 35% and 89% of students are from the top 20% of their

graduating class (Brandeis University, 2017).

The organizational structure at Brandeis University consists of the Board of Trustees,

Faculty Senate and the Office of the President. The Board of Trustees is the ultimate authority

on all university operations. It consists of 50 elected members and 7 standing committees:

Coordination, Academy, Risk Management & Audit, Resources, Institutional Advancement,

Investment, and Nominating and Governance. The Board includes four faculty and three student
COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES
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representatives, and leadership includes the chair, vice chairs, treasurer and secretary (Brandeis

University, 2017). The Faculty senate is the representative body of the faculty as a whole

(Brandeis University, 2017, n.d). The leadership consists of the Senate Chair and the Senate

Administrator. Relevant topics of interest include academic freedom, the rights, responsibilities,

work schedule, salary and benefits of faculty members, university policies regarding faculty

appointments, tenure, promotion and dismissal, and university rules and regulations as they

affect faculty (Brandeis University, 2017). President Ron Liebowitz works with his senior

management team consisting of 24 Vice Presidents, Deans, and Chief Investment and

Information Officers. The President oversees many off the schools administrative functions and

reports solely to the Board of Trustees (Brandeis University, 2017).

Bridgewater State University

Bridgewater State University is a public state school, located in Bridgewater, MA,

approximately 32 miles south of Boston. The campus is 278 acres large and offers 39 buildings.

There are 11,089 undergraduate and graduate students attending. Total cost for Full-Time In-

State students is $9,627, tuition itself varies greatly based on residency. Massachusetts residents

pay $910 annually for tuition, while non-residents pay $7,050, and New England Regional

residents pay $1,365. Housing ranges per dormitory, at the lowest end $7,220 and at the highest

$8,400 annually (Bridgewater State University, n.d.).

The governance at Bridgewater State University consists of the Board of Trustees and the

President and his leadership team. The Board of Trustees consists of 11 members, including the

chairman, vice chairman, secretary, and a student trustee. Board members are appointed by the

governor and serve a five year term. The President has a cabinet consisting of 10 members, and

the strategic plan put forth by the office highlights diversity, global awareness, regional
COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES
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partnerships and campus development. There is no Faculty Senate at Bridgewater State

University, but there is a Development Leadership Group. There are 19 different offices and

groups addressing curriculum, sustainability, faculty advocacy, academic research and

scholarship and many others (Bridgewater State University, n.d.). These groups do not have a

direct effect on the governance of the university, but make a direct contribution to the university

culture.

Similarities

There are many similarities between Brandeis University and Bridgewater State

University. Both universities have Offices of the President with a leadership support team. The

functions of these offices are both very similar, to oversee various departments within the school

and report to the President. These reports assist with administration, policy making and

governance. Both universities also have a Board of Trustees, who act as the ultimate authority

on decision making at the universities and take fiscal responsibility for the universities as well.

The reporting structure within the two schools is ultimately the same, the Presidents support

staff reports to the President, and the President in turn then reports to the Board of Trustees who

act as the ultimate authority.

Differences

One difference between the governance structure at Brandeis University and Bridgewater

State University is that Bridgewater State does not have a faculty senate structure, only a

leadership team (Bridgewater State University, n.d). At Brandeis, the faculty senate works

together to make decisions on the faculty relationships and roles within the college community.

At Bridgewater State, there is faculty leadership and committee structures, but the committees
COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES
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work independently of each other. Another difference in the two universities is that at Brandeis

the Board of Trustee members are nominated and vetted by the governance committee within the

Board itself (Brandeis University, 2017). At Bridgewater State University the Board of Trustee

members are appointed by the Governor (Bridgewater State University, n.d). Another major

difference is the size of the departments. The leadership at Brandeis is clearly much larger,

although they are a smaller school.

Analysis

The size of the governing bodies at each university reveals some of how the structure

operates. At Brandeis the Board of Trustees is comprised of 50 members, while at Bridgewater

State the Board of Trustees is 11 members. The larger the board, the more professional opinions

and knowledgeable experts to assist in the governing, however, there is also the opportunity for

differences of opinion on the direction of the university. At both universities the President and

his support staff propose the budget, and the Board of Trustees has ultimate authority to approve

the budget and take fiscal responsibility. Policy making although ultimately approved by the

Board of Trustees is a collaborative experience at both universities. Committees and faculty

senate address issues of the faculty as well as curriculum and student engagement. The president

generates a budget and oversees all administrative functions. Even the student population is

engaged through the representative on the Board of Trustees at both schools.

Conclusion

Each university has a unique set of governing bodies, however, many of the basic

principles of governance apply to many different universities in different locations. Similarities

can be found in governing systems of expensive elite private schools, to more affordable state
COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES
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schools. Policy change can originate from multiple sources, faculty, student, board member or

presidential team. And the implementation of such initiatives is a collaborative process, but the

ultimate authority at every university is the Board of Trustees. The success or failure of any

institution relies on faculty, staff and board to carry out the mission and direction of that

university.
COLLEGE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES
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References

Brandeis University. (2017). Retrieved March 19, 2017 from www.brandeis.edu

Bridgewater State University. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2017 from www.beidew.edu

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