Missouri higher education reform: moving up on the public policy agenda

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] This study identifies and examines 14 contributing factors that, taken together, caused reform of public higher education governance to move up on the public policy agenda within a relatively brief period of time in one state -- Missouri -- and led to the adoption of a sweeping omnibus bill for higher education. The study also evaluates the perceptions of 22 key participants in the public policy process, including state elected officials, leaders in state level higher education governance, and leaders of public universities, with respect to the need for reform of Missouri's public higher education. The qualitative method chosen for this study was the descriptive case study. Data were derived from semi-structured interviews, direct and participant observation, archival records and documents, and physical artifacts. The researcher considers the findings against the backdrop of the three process streams that flow through a policy making system, as described by John Kingdon's (1995) theory of agenda setting: Problem recognition, generation of policy proposals and political events. The study concludes by identifying six guidelines that can be used as a blueprint for action by aspiring agenda setters and policy entrepreneurs.