Effective governance : the transformation of a community college board

Community college boards of trustees are faced with the awesome responsibility of governing complex systems and responding to conventional organizational challenges. One Texas board of trustees was faced with the inconceivable challenge of regaining the trust of its district and the community after questionable circumstances surrounding the resignation of the chancellor, indictments of two board members and the former chairman of the board, and other behavior that although not illegal, was unethical and morally corrupt. This study looks at the transformation of a community college board over a two-year period, from a state of organizational disarray to seeking community support for a $450 million bond package. The research chronicles the transition by comparing and contrasting the accounts of what transpired, with the principles of chaos theory, transformational leadership and the John Carver Policy Governance® Model. For an entity in organizational chaos, a commitment to transform is needed to ultimately reach the point where it can adopt governance principles to provide the foundation for effective leadership, such as those espoused by the Carver model. Change must occur and the success or failure of an organization or system depends on how effective the leadership is at identifying challenges and working with them to create opportunities. When an organization approaches chaos and the need for changes with trepidation, progress and success are improbable. It is the understanding that order emerges from chaos that leads to a renewed mindset; a mindset that looks beyond traditional structures and embraces flexibility, innovation and creativity. The resolve of the trustees to regain public trust and support has served as the impetus to implement the changes needed to govern the district effectively.