FACULTY PARTICIPATION IN ACADEMIC GOVERNANCE OF BACCALAUREATE PROGRAMS IN NURSING (DECISION-MAKING, POLICY-MAKING, ADMINISTRATION).
Contributors: Columbia University. Teachers College.
Published: 1984
Number of pages: 234
Subjects: Education, Higher.
Description: A survey of 294 full-time nursing faculty in colleges and universities in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York investigated levels of actual and ideal participation and satisfaction related to the governance of baccalaureate schools of nursing. Areas of governance studied were academic affairs, student affairs, personnel affairs, public affairs and financial affairs. Professional, organizational and personal characteristics influencing participation were also examined. A survey instrument was designed for these purposes.

The results indicated that nursing faculty actually participated substantially in academic affairs, but were less involved in student affairs, personnel affairs, public affairs and financial affairs which are traditionally administrative in nature. Regardless of the level of actual participation, they desired greater participation in all areas of governance.

Nursing faculty were generally satisfied with their level of participation in academic affairs, student affairs, personnel affairs and public affairs, even though there was little or no participation in some of these areas. Financial affairs was an area of dissatisfaction.

The majority of nursing faculty agreed that participation in governance was limited by a lack of socialization into the faculty role, heavy teaching and clinical obligations, frequent absences from campus due to nursing related activities, time required for professional practice, increased clinical loads because of retrenchment, centralization of authority during financial exigencies and the disadvantages faced by women in a male dominated professoriate.

The majority of nursing faculty agreed that participation in governance was facilitated by faculty members' belief in participation in governance and in collegiality, their belief that participation increases morale and productivity, support of faculty participation in governance by nursing education administrators, and a strong influence of tenured faculty on decision making processes.

Based on these findings, the study recommends that shared authority be stressed and that consideration be given to altering governance patterns in schools of nursing, as necessary, to facilitate faculty participation in governance and to increase satisfaction and productivity. Attempts should be made to examine time distribution over teaching, research, community service and professional practice to allow for participation in governance. Efforts should be made to promote socialization of nursing faculty into the academic role.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-08, Section: A, page: 2405.

Thesis (ED.D.)--COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY TEACHERS COLLEGE, 1984.

School code: 0055.