Consensus decision-making at Guilford College: a case study analysis

The Quaker tradition of consensus decision-making provides a provocative approach to internal governance in Quaker related colleges and universities. Guilford College, a small, private, liberal arts college with Quaker roots in Greensboro, North Carolina, employs the consensus model in college governance. Guilford College recently used the consensual model while developing a policy on open source containers of alcohol, particularly small kegs of beer, in College residence halls. This research project of the consensual process at Guilford College used qualitative research methods and examined the extent to which the consensual process was actually employed in a particular policy making event. A written summary of the actual case was developed followed by a series of interviews with students, administrators, and staff. These interviews were targeted at assessing the extent to which consensus decision-making was used to create the policy permitting open source containers of beer in the residence halls. The research project findings indicate that Guilford College employs elements of the consensual model in student affairs policy making while there also exists elements of a more bureaucratic model. While not indicative of true Quaker consensus decision-making as indicated by the literature in this area, many of the anticipated outcomes associated with consensus decision-making are exhibited by the participants of this particular consensual process. The findings offer, for student affairs practitioners at colleges and universities, a provocative model of alternative decision-making in working with students. Additional research about the effects of consensual decision-making on student learning and personal growth would be helpful to student affairs professionals as they continue their work with college students.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Student Personnel Services and Counseling

Department dc:contributor.department

Student Personnel Services and Counseling

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

1994

Author dc:creator

• Watkins, Dawn Adele

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

en

Dc Identifier Other

etd-07112009-040429

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/43682