Conflicts, Commitments, and Cliques in the University: Moral Seduction as a Threat to Trustee Independence

Michael N. Bastedo
2009 The American Educational Research Journal  
My work examines the organizational politics of public higher education, both in the U.S. and cross-nationally, with a particularly focus on state and institutional governance. Using my training in higher education and organizational sociology, my current research projects are trying to expand our understanding of the organizational dynamics of governing board relationships and their effects. Ultimately, my hope is to construct a theory of higher education governance that can provide a better
more » ... ide for administrators and scholars in the field. ABSTRACT The ability of trustees to make independent judgments in the best interests of the university is a fundamental characteristic of an effective governing board. Trustee independence is increasingly threatened, however, as the university becomes more deeply embedded in government, industry, networks, and the professions. This topic is investigated through analysis of qualitative interviews, focus group observations, and informant-produced documents from 59 public university presidents. It is argued that threats to trustee independence are produced primarily through a process of moral seduction that allows trustees to engage in self-interested decision making while maintaining an ethical self-concept. The article then provides a conceptual model to frame our understanding of how important social actors seek to capture and co-opt boards of trustees to serve external interests, and describes how the mechanisms of moral seduction differ across contexts.
doi:10.3102/0002831208329439 fatcat:pmr5r6wh3rd45l6zinb3gkxzpi