Abstract
This article analyzes how evolving governance arrangements in California public higher education shape operational decisions within a suburban community college speech communication department. Drawing on organizational analysis, it traces the effects of state reform legislation AB 1725, district campus hierarchies, and divisional affiliations on funding streams, credit hour generation, staffing ratios, course scheduling, and general education curriculum. The discussion shows that dependence on statewide full time equivalent student formulas and divisional budget priorities constrains capital purchases, promotes high enrollment basic courses, and limits elective offerings. Curriculum mandates requiring oral communication, writing, and critical thinking further complicate program design, while board level decisions on resource distribution and facility utilization condition departmental autonomy. By mapping structural layers to functional outcomes, this article supplies community college leaders, speech communication faculty, and policy scholars with an evidence grounded framework for evaluating program resilience, strategic planning, and instructional quality.
Recommended Citation
Wells, Lvnn K.
(1990)
"The Relationship of Structure to Function at the Community College Level: Saddleback College as Model,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 71, Article 6.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol71/iss1/6
