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Missouri State Universitys General Counsel Office Chelsea Clark, Robin Hamilton, Riley ODell, and Alex Owens

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1.How does leadership within the General Counsel Office impact the offices operations? 2.How does the offices organizational culture affect the way work is completed? 3.How are the culture and climate perceived amongst those who work with the office, and how does that perception affect the partnership? Research questions to be answered

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Data Collection METHOD Interviews Conducted With: Interviews Conducted With: Ed Choate Director of Human Resources Ed Choate Director of Human Resources Chris Craig Associate Provost Chris Craig Associate Provost Ryan DeBoef - Legal Counsel Ryan DeBoef - Legal Counsel Penni Groves General Counsel Penni Groves General Counsel Belinda McCarthy Former Missouri State Provost and Current Professor Belinda McCarthy Former Missouri State Provost and Current Professor TJ Phinney Part Time Administrative Assistant TJ Phinney Part Time Administrative Assistant Clif Smart Former Missouri State General Counsel and Current President Clif Smart Former Missouri State General Counsel and Current President Lisa Taylor Paralegal Lisa Taylor Paralegal Artifacts Collection - Pictures of Office Artifacts Collection - Pictures of Office

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This unit is in charge of assisting with university compliance with Federal and State laws providing legal advice to administrators, and assisting university employees, and carrying out tasks assigned by the Board of Governors and President of Missouri State University (Provost Communiqu, 2012). (Provost Communiqu, 2012). GENERAL COUNSEL OFFICE DEFINED

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History John BlackJohn Black Clif SmartClif Smart Penni GrovesPenni Groves GC office is unique because manyGC office is unique because many large universities rely on outside large universities rely on outside counsel, versus having a team of counsel, versus having a team of attorneys directly working for the attorneys directly working for the university as hired staff. university as hired staff.

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Organizational Structure Board of Governors Paralegal Lisa Taylor Legal Counsel Ryan Deboef Admin. Assistant TJ Phinney General Counsel Penni Groves System President Clif Smart

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Office Structure Penni Groves General Counsel Lead Legal Counsel for MSU Represents Board of Governors, University Administration, and Faculty Serves as a sounding board for all legal decisions for policy changes at MSU in order to minimize litigation Member of Administrative Counsel and other committees

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Office Structure Ryan DeBoef Legal Counsel Serves as a sounding board for all legal decisions for policy changes at MSU in order to minimize litigation Focuses on the Division for Student Affairs Member of VPSA Administrative Counsel and Behavioral Intervention Team

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Office Structure Lisa Taylor Paralegal Clerical tasks and budgetingClerical tasks and budgeting Coordinates meetings Coordinates meetings Draft writer for legal language of new policies and contractsDraft writer for legal language of new policies and contracts TJ Phinney Admin. Assist Welcomes guests and visitors Answers phones Clerical tasks Other duties as assigned

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Style Leadership Approach Combines two different types of behaviors task and relationship Task Behaviors include facilitating goals and accomplishing the production of tasksTask Behaviors include facilitating goals and accomplishing the production of tasks Relationship Behaviors include those that build positive morale amongst subordinates and collegesRelationship Behaviors include those that build positive morale amongst subordinates and colleges (Northouse, 2013)

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Leadership Approach of Penni Groves Team Management (9,9) Collaborative; prefers face to face communication; trusts her colleaguesCollaborative; prefers face to face communication; trusts her colleagues Penni is very hands-on and she wants to know what is going on. If it involves this department, she wants to know, and for good reason. Lisa TaylorPenni is very hands-on and she wants to know what is going on. If it involves this department, she wants to know, and for good reason. Lisa Taylor Even though I have a great deal of respect for Ryan, he still works for me. Penni GrovesEven though I have a great deal of respect for Ryan, he still works for me. Penni Groves

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Leadership Approach of Ryan Deboef Country Club (1, 9) Laid back; easy going; does not worry about how goals are accomplished; uses humorLaid back; easy going; does not worry about how goals are accomplished; uses humor I dont make mountains out of molehills. I'm very hands-off. I dont care how it gets done, just as long as it gets done. Ryan DeBoefI dont make mountains out of molehills. I'm very hands-off. I dont care how it gets done, just as long as it gets done. Ryan DeBoef You give your advice, and you dont get too concerned with whether your advice gets followed or not. Ryan DeBoefYou give your advice, and you dont get too concerned with whether your advice gets followed or not. Ryan DeBoef

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Bureaucracy Organizational Approach The Bureaucracy Approach is hierarchal in nature. It positions individuals with authority to use a top-down structure for completing organizational tasks, maintain order, and remain consistent. It includes the following aspects: The Bureaucracy Approach is hierarchal in nature. It positions individuals with authority to use a top-down structure for completing organizational tasks, maintain order, and remain consistent. It includes the following aspects: Appointment of StaffAppointment of Staff AuthorityAuthority CommunicationCommunication Decision MakingDecision Making Ways of OperatingWays of Operating Labor Organization Span of Control Stability of Personnel Centralization/ Decentralization (Manning, 2013)

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New Science Organizational Approach The New Science Approach is rooted in relationships and open communication within an organization. It is holistic and allows employees to have autonomy with an organizations tasks and projects. This approach includes the following aspects: NondulisticNondulistic Trust and cooperationTrust and cooperation CommunicationCommunication PowerPower LeadershipLeadership

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Bureaucracy and The General Counsels Office If Penni tells me what to do, I have to do it, or she will fire me - Ryan DeBoefIf Penni tells me what to do, I have to do it, or she will fire me - Ryan DeBoef At the end of the day I still sign [Ryans] times sheets Penni GrovesAt the end of the day I still sign [Ryans] times sheets Penni Groves Attorney Client Privilege InfluenceAttorney Client Privilege Influence Clif Smart InfluenceClif Smart Influence The office appears to be closed off and secretive from an outsiders point of viewThe office appears to be closed off and secretive from an outsiders point of view

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New Science and THe General Counsels Office TransparencyTransparency Supportive AtmosphereSupportive Atmosphere Open-CommunicationOpen-Communication First Come-First Serve PolicyFirst Come-First Serve Policy No matter what the situation is, we always try to have each others backs Ryan DeBoefNo matter what the situation is, we always try to have each others backs Ryan DeBoef

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Culture and Martin Culture is the set of important understandings (often unstated) that members of a community share in commonCulture is the set of important understandings (often unstated) that members of a community share in common Technical Jargon is task orientated and appears to be emotionally neutralTechnical Jargon is task orientated and appears to be emotionally neutral Attorney-Client PrivilegeAttorney-Client Privilege Secret and Stilted EnvironmentSecret and Stilted Environment Physical ArrangementPhysical Arrangement Dress AttireDress Attire Secure environment (e.g. black file cabinets & clean desks)Secure environment (e.g. black file cabinets & clean desks) Buying and Sharing of the CultureBuying and Sharing of the Culture

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Leadership Impact Common Denominator of the General Counsel Office >Penni GrovesCommon Denominator of the General Counsel Office >Penni Groves Personal and professional relationshipsPersonal and professional relationships Presence with other offices and external stakeholdersPresence with other offices and external stakeholders Open-CommunicationOpen-Communication Office buyin with institutionOffice buyin with institution

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References Manning, K. (2013). Organizational theory in higher education. New York: Routledge. Martin, J. (2002). Organizational culture: Mapping the terrain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Missouri State University Fact Book. (2012-2013). Retrieved from http://www.missouristate.edu/assets/oir/2012-13_Fact_Book_FINAL_DRAFT_3-5- 13.pdf http://www.missouristate.edu/assets/oir/2012-13_Fact_Book_FINAL_DRAFT_3-5 13.pdf Missouri State University Committees Handbook. (2013-2014). Retrieved from http://www.missouristate.edu/assets/Provost/CommitteesHandbook.pdf http://www.missouristate.edu/assets/Provost/CommitteesHandbook.pdf Missouri State University Office of Human Resources. (2007). General counsel. Retrieved from Retrieved from http://www.missouristate.edu/human/jobdescriptions/21802.htmhttp://www.missouristate.edu/human/jobdescriptions/21802.htm Northouse, P. G. (2013). Leadership: Theory and practice (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Provost Communiqu (2012). Faculty, student, and staff seminar: Top 10 ways General Counsels office can help you. Retrieved from http://blogs.missouristate.edu/provost/2012/08/30/provost-communique-for-august- 302012/ http://blogs.missouristate.edu/provost/2012/08/30/provost-communique-for-august- 302012/

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Questions and Comments