CASE STUDY How Do You Keep a Group on Task? You have been appointed to a task force whose pur- concur at first, but then make jokes about the futility pose is to recommend ways to better integrate stu- of retention programs and how the administration is dents who take mostly online courses with students always looking for ways to collect more tuition from who commute to the campus as well as resident students. When the chairperson makes no effort to students. The dean of students is concerned with the keep the group on track, you feel overwhelmed and drop-out rate and is hopeful that your group will offer bewildered. You know that the dean expects a report positive suggestions that will enhance the college within a month. experience for all students. The committee is composed mostly of juniors Questions for Analysis and seniors. The dean thinks they have been around 1. Begin by analyzing the situation. What are the long enough to "know the ropes." A majority of group important components? Differences of status members are traditional undergraduates who live in among group members? Other differences? Time residence halls. One is a single mother who takes her constraints? The group's task? What else? How classes online. As president-elect of next year's soph- many can you identify? Which of these do you omore class, you are the youngest of the six commit- think will help you explain the situation, make tee members. You are also one of the few commuter predictions, and choose the most effective course students on the committee. The chairperson is a grad- of action? uating senior and an assistant in the residence halls. 2. Use the variables you identified to write a one- You arrive at the first meeting ready to work. You paragraph explanation of the situation. are excited about being a part of a decision-making 3. Review the section in this chapter on social ex- process that will have a real effect. To your dismay, change theory, What costs and rewards (real or the other members of the group seem to disregard potential) can you identify in this situation that their assignment and spend the meeting discussing might influence participants' behaviors? the prospects for the basketball team, hardly mention- 4. Consider this group as a system: How would a ing the task at hand. You leave the meeting confused change in one part of the system affect the other but hopeful that the next meeting will be more fruitful. components? For instance, if the dean gives the You resolve to take a more active role and to try to group three additional months to complete the steer the meeting more toward the committee's task. work, what is likely to happen? At the second meeting, you suggest that the 5. If you were really in this situation, what would committee discuss the assigned problem. Members you do