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4. THOMAS JEFFERSON: An Administrative Creator and Conservator of American Constitutional Tradition
- State University of New York Press
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Four THOMAS JEFFERSON An Administrative Creator and Conservator of American Constitutional Tradition INTRODUCTION THOMAS JEFFERSON’S ROLE in establishing the University of Virginia places him within the intellectual, institutional, and historical confines of American public administration scholarship and practice. After serving the nation for two terms as president, Jefferson’s ability to understand and appreciate matters affecting the policy process, public-sector management, and the role of the president in directing the vast political and administrative responsibilities of executive branch dynamics grew exponentially. His time in Washington afforded him a rare opportunity to experience the importance of the chief executive ’s role in upholding the integrity of the nation’s constitutional regime. Stephen Skowronek (1997), in his analysis of the politics U.S. presidents make, has characterizes the Jefferson presidency as one that illustrates important qualities associated with reconstructive leadership. This descriptive observation lays the foundation for how the presidency changed Jefferson’s perception for how sound administrative practice enhances the ability of the state’s leaders to preserve republican ideals. It also provides insight into the way he relied on the same types of leadership techniques used throughout his administration to change the organizational structure and educational standards for institutions of higher education across the nation during his retirement . A thoughtful understanding of how Skowronek conceptualized the characteristics of Jefferson’s leadership skills while president provides the field with a richer, more accurate account for his contribution to administrative 97 thought. In addition, it illustrates how far he traveled from the beginning of his career to retirement when he developed the intellectual, political, and administrative mindset needed to create a state institution designed to support and conserve the nation’s constitutional tradition. When viewed through the lens of Philip Selznick’s (1957) and Larry Terry’s (2003) work relating to institutions and administrative conservatorship , Jefferson’s contribution to the development of the field becomes even more relevant. Selznick’s emphasis on how organizations become institutions and the importance of institutional statesmanship were quite apparent in Jefferson ’s establishment of the university as well as in his managerial approach to running the nation as president. Terry’s emphasis on the invaluable role public servants play in conserving the nation’s democratic institutions is plainly evident when examining Jefferson’s goals and objectives for establishing Virginia’s first public university as well as in his efforts to connect statesponsored education with core principles associated with republican government. The concluding section of this book examines each of these theoretical perspectives and demonstrates how they relate to Jefferson’s transformative journey into a valuable and notable figure of American administrative history. JEFFERSONIAN LEADERSHIP: THE RECONSTRUCTIVE EXAMPLE Due to the political and administrative successes of the Jefferson presidency, Skowronek characterized it as exhibiting qualities associated with reconstructive leadership. He argues, “Reconstructive leaders seek to broaden the political consensus around their commitment to change things and to manipulate the ambiguities that linger around their opposition to the policies of the past” (1997, 70). Jefferson, in particular, “transformed national politics so thoroughly without being forced into any make-or-break confrontation with it” (1997, 70). Chapter 2 of this work provides the primary evidence and historical documentation to support the accuracy of Skowronek’s analysis. From the beginning of his administration until he left office, Jefferson worked to transform executive branch dynamics and the organizational structure of how the president communicated with top advisors, Congress, members of the Democratic -Republican party, and the public as a means to ensure greater accountability standards within the federal government. Such efforts complement Chester Barnard’s (1938) recommendation for how an executive should function in managerial settings, particularly in terms of illustrating how important communication is within the confines of seniorlevel management. For example, the president’s secretaries knew the proper channels of communication; knew when Jefferson preferred to communicate 98 ALL BUT FORGOTTEN [44.222.231.51] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 10:11 GMT) in writing versus what circumstances constituted formal meetings; and knew that the president greatly preferred the lines of communication to be as short and direct as possible. Jefferson’s distinctive communication style while president is significant because neither of his predecessors operated the executive branch in this manner. Jefferson created his own style of management, organizational structure, and communication preferences independently and this administrative process serves as an important, reconstructive model in the historical development of the U.S. presidency. Importantly, never before in American history had such extensive policy objectives and executive decisions...