In this article, chief executive officer (CEO) and president are used generically to identify the chief executive of a college. CEO titles vary from institution to institution.) Turnover in community college chief executive officers is high. A recent survey (Blum, 1989) indicated that 15% of community college CEOs change annually. If, as conventional wisdom says, good leaders "make a difference" (Roueche, Baker, & Rose, 1989, p. 17), then choosing a new president is a fundamental and profound decision for a community college. Colleges with languishing enrollments or financial support may be able to improve institutional performance with a new president. Board members may ask themselves if the college would be more effective if it just had a new leader. Faculty may think that the educational quality of the institution could be enhanced under a new CEO who took a greater interest in academic reform.Yet, changing presidents is not a move that should be undertaken lightly. It breaks existing operational practices-both good and bad-within the organization and forces college constituencies to learn different ways of relating to the new leader. This article examines the effects of changing CEOs in community colleges, that is, the measurable or perceived impact a new CEO may have on the college, including its effectiveness, culture, and structure. C g P itsWhat is known about CEO succession in higher education is quite limited (Birnbaum, 1988). Studies such as Bjork's (1985) research on a four-year institution do not tell us what happens to a community college when it changes CEOs. They do, however, suggest some relationships between a CEO change and a college's environment.Community College Review Volume 21, No. 4 3

for his support, encouragement and perceptive guidance during the course of this research. That support was vitally important to my success and is particularly appreciated.

Michelle. Nancy's constant assistance, unending support, and encouragement kept me xvi going. I sincerely appreciate the support of all of these people. xvii DEDICATION This work is dedicated in loving memory of Jerry Alan Hilleman who left us January 27, 1990. He was an admirable son, father, husband, and friend. We miss him. 10 Problem Statement Community colleges, like other educational institutions, are asked to document their impact on students. However, much of the literature reviewed on the effect of community colleges were descriptive studies of graduates or alumni. Generally, these studies surveyed former students to determine job titles, income levels, job responsibilities, employment status, relation of college study to current employment, and satisfaction with college services. Both Ewell (1985) and Pace (1984) stated that student outcomes research has examined a number of outcome typologies (e.g., persistence, change in major, job performance, and advanced degree attainment). Consequently, the research body of knowledge on the impact of the community college on students has been limited. Another form of community college outcome assessment has been comparisons of former community college graduates with native university students (i.e., students who begin their study at the baccalaureate-granting institution) or senior college students