ABSTRACT
The most fascinating aspects of human behavior are the phenomenon of institutional change. But if the growth of academic improvement in higher educational institutions is a matter of considerable interest both theoretically and practically, the question of growth among the more than three hundred colleges affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church has some unique and intriguing aspects. Anyone who has had even a brief experience with Catholic colleges knows that there is a complicated problem in the relationship between the religious order that owns the school and the educators who administer it. Indeed, the structure of the relationship between the educational institution and the religious community is perhaps the most critical aspect of the school's organization and operation. In most instances, the trustees who are the legal owners of the school are appointed by the religious superior of the community, generally the person called the provincial. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
