Missouri State Universitys General Counsels Office Chelsea
Clark, Robin Hamilton, Riley ODell, and Alex Owens
Slide 2
Data Collection Interviews Interviews 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 Preisdent Clif Smart Former Missouri State General Counsel
and Current Preisdent Lisa Taylor Paralegal Lisa Taylor Paralegal
Artifacts Collection - Pictures of Office Artifacts Collection -
Pictures of Office
Slide 3
This unit is in charge of assisting with university compliance
with Federal and State laws providing legal advise 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).
Slide 4
History John BlackJohn Black Clif SmartClif Smart Penni
GrovesPenni Groves Office is unique because manyOffice 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 lawyers directly working for the lawyers directly
working for the university university
Slide 5
Organizational Structure Board of Governors Paralegal Lisa
Taylor Legal Counsel Ryan Deboef Admin. Assistant TJ Phinney
General Counsel Penni Groves System President Cliff Smart
Slide 6
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
Slide 7
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 student affairs Member
of VP Staff and Behavioral Intervention Team
Slide 8
Office Structure Lisa Taylor ParalegalLisa Taylor Paralegal
Clerical tasks budgetingClerical tasks 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 Administrative Assistant Answers
phones Welcomes guests and visitors Clerical tasks
Slide 9
Style Leadership Approach Combines two different types of
behaviors task and relationshipCombines two different types of
behaviors task and relationship Task Behaviors include facilitating
goals and accomplishing tasksTask Behaviors include facilitating
goals and accomplishing tasks Relationship Behaviors include those
that build positive moral amongst subordinates and
collegesRelationship Behaviors include those that build positive
moral amongst subordinates and colleges
Slide 10
Leadership Approach of Penni Groves Team Management (9,9)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
Slide 11
Leadership Approach of Ryan Deboef Country Club (1, 9)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
Slide 12
Bureaucracy Organizational Approach The Bureaucracy approach is
hierarchal in nature. It position 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 position
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
Slide 13
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 organizations tasks and projects. This approach includes the
following aspects: NondulisticNondulistic Trust and
cooperationTrust and cooperation CommunicationCommunication
PowerPower LeadershipLeadership
Slide 14
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 privilegeAttorney client privilege
Clif SmartClif Smart From the outside looking in the office appears
to be closed off and secretiveFrom the outside looking in the
office appears to be closed off and secretive
Slide 15
New Science and THe General Counsels Office
TransparencyTransparency Supportive AtmosphereSupportive Atmosphere
CommunicationCommunication 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
First come First ServeFirst come First Serve
Slide 16
Leadership Impact Common thread of the General Counsel Office
Penni GrovesCommon thread of the General Counsel Office Penni
Groves Personal and Professional RelationshipsPersonal and
Professional Relationships Presence with Other OfficesPresence with
Other Offices CommunicationCommunication Office BuyinOffice
Buyin
Slide 17
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 Arrangement dress in the office, secure
environmentPhysical Arrangement dress in the office, secure
environment Buying and Sharing of the CultureBuying and Sharing of
the Culture
