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Mergers forming the South Australian College of Advanced Education
Abstract
This thesis, a historical case study, traces the establishment of the South Australian College of Advanced Education from the beginning of formal higher (postsecondary) education in Australia. Using models developed by Boberg (1979) and Harman (1982) as a framework for discussion and set against a background of the development of higher education in Australia and of merger literature in business and higher education, the factors influencing the formation of mega-colleges are delineated. The mergers which formed the South Australian College of Advanced Education (SACAE) occurred between 1973 and 1982, resulting in the establishment of a single institution in lieu of the previous seven. The research questions addressed the motivation for merger, the processes involved, the role of individuals and agencies, and the effects, personal and professional, on staff and students involved. An interview instrument was developed from Boberg's (1979) model and administered to 30 academic staff employed by the College in September 1983. The proportionate stratified random sample was selected using a table of random numbers. Three senior administrators were also interviewed. Each interview was recorded on audiotape and the findings collated in table form as frequency distributions. The motivation for the mergers (amalgamations) came predominantly from the principal funding authorities, the state and federal governments. Mergers were thus involuntary and occurred between institutions in the same sector of higher education. Data from the study confirmed that finance, demographics, and redirection of effort into technological courses were contributing factors. The perception of the process of merger by the senior administrators as democratic and people oriented was not supported by staff who considered that they were too remote from decision making, that the time frame was too condensed, and that a complete restructuring on centralized lines after each amalgamation was unnecessarily costly and stressful, and failed (two years postmerger) to provide adequate support for the teaching program. Deep concern was expressed for students affected by several course changes. Staff saw advantages in a large, diverse institution providing greater opportunities for research and professional development, a diversity of student programs, more resources, a collegial identity, and high academic reputation.
Subject Area
School administration
Recommended Citation
Chapman, Denise Alcon, "Mergers forming the South Australian College of Advanced Education" (1988). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8818611.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8818611