Chris Lavergne, Ed.D.
He/him
Education: Bachelor of Science in agricultural communications and journalism (December 2002)
Master of Science in agricultural communications from Texas A&M University
Doctor of Education in agricultural education from Texas Tech University
McNair Project: Identifying and Clarifying Kansas State University Research and Extention's Organizational Methods (2002)
Mentor: Tracy Rutherford, Ph.D.
The purpose of this study was to (1) determine organizational values of Kansas State Research and Extension personnel and add validity to the identified values that will be representative of Kansas State Research and Extension and (2) investigate possible relationships between the expressed values and the employee's age, gender, race, job tenure in K-State Research & Extension Service, level of formal education, primary appointment responsibility, and position within the organization.
The population consisted of all employees and supporting collaborators listed in the most recent Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service directory, (N=1,375).
Responses were received from 261 employees, a response rate of 19%. Responses were divided between three primary responsibilities: teaching, research, and extension. Fifteen (15) respondents did not specify primary responsibilities. Twenty-six (26) responses were received from teaching personnel, forty-two (42) from research personnel, and one-hundred and seventy-eight (178) were received from extension personnel.
Data were collected using a two-section questionnaire. Section 1 included two, four-point Likert scales containing forty value statements. The population was asked to rate the degree to which he/she values the statement and also to rate the degree to which the value is evident in K-State Research and Extension organizational procedure and policy. Response categories ranged from 1 representing "never value" or "not evident;" and 4 representing "always value" or "extremely evident." Section 2 of the instrument collected demographic information of the respondents.