CASE ANALYSIS: SU
Abstract
In
this
organizational
theory
case
analysis
the
focus
will
be
placed
on
Shorter
University.
The
organizational
areas
of
political,
cultural,
and
bureaucracy
will
be
assessed
in
detail
analyzing
stakeholders,
power
dynamics,
influence
of
tradition,
and
influence
of
modern
beliefs.
There
will
be
a
personal
reflection
on
the
effects
and
influences
the
case
had
on
me.
CASE ANALYSIS: SU
Case
Analysis:
Shorter
University
Shorter
University
is
a
small
liberal
arts
faith
based
Baptist
institution
in
Rome,
GA.
The
town
has
a
population
of
36,000,
while
the
institution
manages
to
bump
that
up
to
37,700
when
classes
are
in
session.
The
college
was
established
in
1873
and,
to
this
day,
is
very
strong
in
their
Christian
faith
and
values.
In
October
2011,
Shorter
introduced
four
new
faith
statements.
Controversy
sparked
with
them
banning
premarital
sex,
adultery
and
homosexuality".
They
are
now
apart
of
Shorters
personal
lifestyle
statements
which
is
apart
of
the
employee
contract.
Staff
and
faculty
are
forbidden
from
drug
use,
drinking
in
public,
and
sex
outside
of
a
heterosexual
marriage.
The
statement
also
requires
that
the
faculty
and
staff
be
active
members
of
a
church
in
Rome,
GA.
Once
the
Board
of
Trustees
approved
the
statement,
uproar
broke
out
over
the
campus
among
students,
staff,
faculty,
alumni,
and
the
public.
There
were
a
number
of
public
demonstrations
by
the
students
protesting
the
vote.
Six
years
prior
to
the
new
lifestyle
statement,
Shorter
and
the
Georgia
Baptist
Convention
went
to
the
Georgia
Supreme
Court
to
determine
who
would
control
the
colleges
board
of
trustees
and
its
direction.
Shorter
lost
and
the
new
lifestyle
statement
is
part
of
the
impact
from
that
case.
While
faith
statements
or
lifestyle
requirements
are
not
unusual
at
Christian
colleges,
most
are
not
so
explicit
in
their
banes.
The
case
was
focused
on
institutional
control
while,
at
the
time,
many
Baptist
colleges
were
breaking
away
from
their
state
conventions
over
disputes
on
policies
surrounding
gay
students
and
faculty.
CASE ANALYSIS: SU
Guiding
Shorter's
policies
are
now
a
board
of
trustees
appointed
by
the
church.
The
board
says
the
new
faith
statement
is
Shorters
effort
to
be
more
intentionally
Christian
and
is
apart
of
the
movement
to
define
what
being
Christian
means
for
the
college.
Beginning
in
2008,
the
college
has
only
hired
Christians,
a
condition
of
its
membership
in
the
Council
of
Christian
Colleges
and
Universities.
However
the
lifestyle
statement
applies,
not
only
to
new
hires,
but
to
existing
faculty
as
well.
Criticism
from
alumni
and
the
public
surrounds
the
fear
that
the
college
is
becoming
too
close-minded.
However,
the
lifestyle
statements
only
put
into
writing
hiring
practices
that
were
already
in
place.
Shorter
receives
significant
financial
support
from
the
Baptist
convention.
At
the
time,
Shorter
was
guaranteed
a
$7.2
million
convention
endowment
for
campus
projects
passed
to
the
Board
of
Trustees.
Another
$2
million
was
issued
in
2012
for
operational
purposes.
Dowless,
the
university
president,
believes
the
new
policies
will
boost
enrollment
among
students
for
those
that
want
to
know
they
are
attending
a
Christian
college
that
adheres
to
Baptist
beliefs.
He
claims
that
many
faculty
and
alumni
have
been
supportive
of
the
changes
because
they
see
it
as
an
opportunity
to
create
a
close-knit
community
with
effective
Christian
role
models
for
students,
It
is
important
to
represent
ourselves
as
Bible-believing
Christians.
A
new
strategic
plan
has
been
in
development,
focusing
the
college
on
becoming
more
of
an
intentionally
Christian
university.
This
is
defined
as
a
belief
in
the
inerrancy
of
the
Bible,
promoting
a
Biblical
worldview
in
the
classroom
and
hiring
faculty
who
are
believing
Christians.
They
seek
to
move
more
towards
Scripture
so
that
they
may
make
CASE ANALYSIS: SU
decisions
that
honor
Jesus
Christ
and
provide
a
positive
academic
experience
for
all
at
the
university.
Political
There
are
a
number
of
political
agendas
playing
out
at
Shorter
University.
Interests
of
various
groups
are
present;
some
being
heard
others
being
ignored.
From
the
start
of
the
institution
it
was
based
in
the
Baptist
church.
The
universities
attempt
to
sever
ties
was
unsuccessful
in
the
Georgia
Supreme
Court
case
leaving
the
hungry
church
to
reign
power
and
influence
over
the
colleges
functioning.
The
universities
intention
to
separate
from
the
church
was
a
political
and
power
move
to
allow
the
college
to
be
in
control
of
its
direction.
However
post
court,
the
Baptist
Convention
was
able
to
appoint
all
of
the
Board
of
Trustees
members
that
are,
bureaucratically,
the
owners
of
the
university.
Through
this
action
the
church
turned
itself
and
the
board
into
the
power
elites:
the
most
prominent
and
influential
stakeholders
for
the
university
(Manning,
2013).
This
created
a
dynamic
between
church
and
board
where
the
board
essentially
still
answered
to
the
church
for
the
almighty
dollar.
It
seems
too
convenient
that
at
the
time
Shorters
Board
of
Trustees
votes
to
have
the
lifestyle
requirements,
the
Baptist
Convention
endows
nearly
$9
million
to
the
university.
With
the
conjugation
of
power
and
authority,
any
dollar
the
convention
can
provide
to
the
board,
the
board
is
diligent
to
do
what
will
please
the
convention.
This
affect
on
decision-making
leaves
the
other
stakeholders
of
Shorter
in
the
dark,
unheard,
and
abandoned.
However,
not
all
stakeholders
were
completely
upheaved
by
the
boards
decision.
While
some
of
the
strengths
the
power
elite
plays
to
seem
dark,
they
do
allow
for
the
university
to
do
a
powerful
analysis
and
clarification
on
what
the
institutions
vision,
CASE ANALYSIS: SU
mission,
and
goals
are
(Manning,
2013).
This
provides
clarity
to
what
the
institution
has
intentionally
set
forth
historically,
culturally,
and
traditionally.
It
can
provide
clarification
to
all
stakeholders
at
the
institution
including
faculty,
staff,
students,
parents,
alumni,
donors,
and
the
public
(Manning,
2013).
Through
the
clarification
of
its
values
Shorter
displayed
in
the
lifestyle
requirements,
they
have
given
way
to
allowing
the
university
to
build
processes
for
change.
This
often
happens
at
all
colleges
and
universities;
change
is
inevitable.
However,
change
is
often
not
met
with
as
much
public
backlash
due
to
the
nature
of
the
change
Shorter
chose
to
proceed
with.
The
issue
with
clarification
and
direct
intentions
of
getting
the
university
back
on
track
leaves
Shorter
lost
in
trying
to
provide
its
stakeholders
any
sense
of
empowerment.
When
the
political
powers
take
control
into
their
own
hands,
as
the
convention
and
board
have
done,
it
can
disempower
the
underrepresented
and
those
with
less
access
to
power
(Manning,
2013).
This
causes
unrest
and
dissatisfaction
from
the
various
underrepresented
stakeholders.
Alumni
and
students
were
upset
when
the
lifestyle
requirements
were
released.
It
caused
confusion,
anger,
and
distrust
in
the
institution
to
rise.
While
the
Baptist
Convention
does
provide
a
larger
amount
of
funding
to
the
university,
current
and
former
students
are
also
donating
their
money.
Shorter
would
not
function
without
their
support.
It
is
in
the
interest
of
the
institution
to
be
aware
of
the
values
they
are
serving
in
their
student
and
alumni
populations.
Another
frazzled
stakeholder
is,
of
course,
the
staff
and
faculty
of
Shorter.
Dowless,
the
president,
claims
that
many
of
the
staff
and
faculty
were
for
the
change
however
the
decision
left
the
entire
staff
in
a
state
of
having
diminished
morale
and
[lacking
a]
healthy
work
environment
(Manning,
2013).
No
matter
if
a
staff
or
faculty
member
was
for
or
CASE ANALYSIS: SU
the
shift.
Depending
on
the
direction
of
change
whether
it
is
in-line
with
the
current
culture
of
the
institution
or
moving
the
opposite
direction,
the
influence
it
has
over
the
university
will
vary.
If
it
is
a
change
that
is
in-line
then
there
will
likely
be
a
small
amount
of
upset.
However,
when
the
change
goes
against
the
grain
of
the
current
culture
it
is
likely
there
will
be
a
large
amount
of
backlash.
In
the
case
of
Shorter
University,
the
lifestyle
CASE ANALYSIS: SU
requirements
were
a
balance
between
in-line
and
against
the
grain
of
their
culture
at
the
time.
The Board of Trustees was doing what it thought would move the university in the
direction
of
the
historic
and
intentionally
Christian
mindset.
However,
the
issue
with
this
seemingly
mild
move
for
a
Baptist
school
is
that
the
modern
culture
surrounding
LGBTQ
is
nowhere
near
the
traditional
Baptist
beliefs.
Having
brought
in
students,
faculty,
staff,
and
alumni
over
the
years
that
may
identify
more
with
the
modern
view
of
LGBTQ
issues,
meaning
acceptance
no
matter
your
sexual
preference,
the
shift
to
a
conservative
position
left
these
people
confused
about
the
culture
that
originally
bought
into.
As
it
was
outlined
in
the
summary,
Shorter
had
been
hiring
only
Christian-lined
value
employees
since
2008,
making
the
cultural
shift
starting
then
but
not
explicitly
stating
the
expectations
the
institution
places
on
their
employees.
When the board put into effect their intentions for being more Christian the
Despite the outrage from various stakeholders the corporate culture has the
potential
to
turn
into
the
anthropological
culture
of
Shorter.
This
will
allow
the
stakeholders
to
make
meaning
within
the
day-to-day
of
[institutional]
life
(Manning,
2013).
As
Dowless
hoped
that
the
effort
to
be
intentionally
Christian
would
be
evident
for
onlookers
the
shift
allows
for
possible
connections
to
[the]
community
(Manning,
2013).
This
is
likely
to
happen
because
the
assumption
can
be
made
that
the
small
town
that
they
CASE ANALYSIS: SU
are
in
is
also
predominantly
Baptist.
However,
the
issues
with
anthropological
culture
remain
in
Shorters
likelihood
to
be
out
of
step
with
current
higher
education
issues
[,
such
as
globalization]
(Manning,
2013).
Bureaucracy
While it was stated previously that Shorter University is more political than
bureaucratic,
the
institution
is
structured
bureaucratically
so
that
it
may
push
the
political
agenda.
Bureaucracies
are
helpful
because
they
are
rationally
ordered
[]
for
the
achievement
of
stated
goals
(Manning,
2013).
Since
Shorters
board
implemented
the
lifestyle
statement/requirements
it
has
explicitly
stated
and
directed
the
institution
in
one
direction.
However
the
weaknesses
of
bureaucracy
appear
to
be
the
only
factors
highlighted
in
the
case
study.
From the nature of the extreme conservative view the board enforced it has taken
on
the
agenda
that
it
is
the
ideal
type
of
[institution
and
has]
eliminate[ed]
other
possible
forms
(Manning,
2013).
This
does
not
allow
for
the
institution
to
get
into
a
healthy
state
of
reevaluation.
With
their
shift,
they
have
inherited
the
tradition
to
be
unmoving
in
their
values,
no
matter
the
benefit
of
a
repositioning
change.
They have also created an environment that discourages innovation because their
imposition
of
order
and
rationality
will
take
charge
(Manning,
2013).
The
issue
here
rolls
back
to
one
of
the
weaknesses
created
by
the
political
aspects
is
that
it
diminishes
morale
and
creates
an
unhealthy
work
environment
where
stakeholders
do
not
feel
valued
by
the
institution.
CASE ANALYSIS: SU
10
Reflection
I chose this case because it annoyed me to think that there are still extremes to
While I understand students need to feel connected to their institution and that is
often
through
religion
I
do
not
see
the
point
in
an
institution
being
so
conservative
that
it
actually
does
a
disservice
to
the
students.
An
extreme
conservative
view
like
this,
aims
to
instill
that
all
sinners
are
going
to
hell
unless
they
choose
to
be
saved.
This
breeds
confusion
for
young
people
because
they
have
not
been
exposed
to
other
perspectives
where
in
those
opportunities
they
could
learn
acceptance.
However,
the
confusion
breeds
distrust
and
distrust
breeds
hate.
In
my
opinion,
and
I
am
not
religious,
hate
is
the
greatest
sin
of
all
and
is
the
one
extremists
carry
around
with
them
but
deny
its
presence.
Living
in
this
ignorance
is
incredibly
sad
to
me.
If
institutions
of
higher
learning
are
supposed
to
give
students
a
global
perspective
and
acceptance
for
all
that
are
different
from
them,
than
why
is
Shorter
University
considered
a
valued
institution
of
higher
learning?
Shorters mission statement wants to send their students out into the world with a
global
view
and
live
actively
in
the
global
community.
With
the
lifestyle
requirements
they
have
instituted
they
are
not
inherently
providing
this
opportunity
to
their
students.
I
believe
that
the
only
way
a
student
from
their
university
will
gain
a
global
perspective
while
attending
their
institution
is
by
going
against
the
grain
of
the
institution
and
developing
a
less
extreme
view
on
the
topics
raised
in
the
lifestyle
statement
or
at
least
questioning
the
stance
of
the
college.
CASE
ANALYSIS:
SU
11
I hope that the students that attend Shorter University gain a global perspective, are
outstanding
members
of
their
community,
and,
above
all,
love
and
accept
the
beauty
that
is
in
the
diversity
of
our
world.
CASE ANALYSIS: SU
12
Reference
Manning,
Kathleen.
(2013).
Organizational
Theory
in
Higher
Education.
New
York,
NY:
Routledge.