The Luke Principle - Counting the Costs of Organizational Change for One-Stop Service Models in Student Affairs

Oct 15, 2026

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The Luke Principle argues that organizational change succeeds only when leaders count costs before implementing new structures. The manuscript examines expenses tied to creating one-stop service models in student affairs, including facility remodeling, technology acquisition and training, opportunity costs, staffing and compensation, and the emotional costs of staff paradigm shifts. It also addresses cultural and interpersonal adjustments, and evaluates qualitative findings from three community colleges transitioning from siloed services to integrated centers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

The Luke Principle

Counting the costs of organizational change

Literature Review

Context driving the one-stop model

The College Student Affairs Journal

The Luke Principle in the 1980s and 1990s

Research questions for evaluating one-stop centers

The Luke Principle:Counting the Costs of OrganizationalChange for One-Stop Service Models in Student AffairsMelissa Ousley For which of you,intending to build a tower,sitteth not down first,and counteth the cost,whetber be have suficient to finish it?Lest baply,after be hath laid the foundation,andis not able to finish it,all that bebold it begin to mock bim,saying,this man began tobuild and was not able to finish.Or wbat king going to make war against another king,sitteth not down first,and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet bimthat cometh against bim with twenty thousand?Or else,wbile the other is yet a great wayof,he sendeth an ambassage,and desireth conditions of peace.Luke 14:28-32(Thompson,1988) The Luke Principle states that the successful implementation of anyorganizational change requires a counting of the costs(Ousley,2003).Asdevelopers do not construct a building,nor do governments go to war,withoutcounting costs,administrators in higher education should not reorganize unitsor merge departments without counting costs.This manuscript addresses thecosts of implementing a one-stop service model.In the implementation of aone-stop service center,the costs include(a)the remodeling of facilities;(b)theacquisition and training associated with technology;(c)the opportunity costs ofchoosing the one-stop model over an alternative model;(d)the hiring,trainingand compensation of staff;and (e)the emotional costs for staff as they make aparadigm shift,learning new tasks and adapting to an environment with newboundaries and relationships.The human element must be considered inimplementing change.Staff members need time to grieve the loss of the oldwork environment and time to adjust to the new work environment.Countlesscultural issues arise as a result of a change,and it is difficult to plan for thenuances of personality and culture that can dramatically affect the workenvironment and productivity.In making a decision to implement change,it isessential to count these costs and be prepared for dealing with theconsequences of these changes. Management fads leading to organizational change often originate innonacademic sectors and are absorbed into higher education through the useof powerful narratives (Birnbaum,2000).These trends follow a cycle in whichmany institutions virtually or symbolically adopt the fad to show acceptancethat the new method is being followed,but eventually,the fad is abandoned.Ina few cases,the new methods are adopted effectively,and these success stories OUSLEY lead more institutions to adopt the fads,perpetuating the cycle (Birnbaum,2000). The push in some higher education institutions to transition from traditionalsilo methods of offering student services to an integrated one-stop model is anorganizational trend originating from government and business (FederalBenchmarking Consortium,1997),and this trend is currently being pursued incommunity colleges nationally(Moneta,2001).The silo model processes tasksfrom department to department,whereas the one-stop model providescomprehensive services in one location.For example,in the silo model,students enroll in the admissions department,complete paperwotk in the officeof financial aid,select classes with an advisor,and register for classes withregistration staff.The one-stop model combines these steps so that studentswork with one person in one office,rather than working with several officesand staff members.The explanation in adopting a one-stop model is thatcolleges and universities face pressure from multiple sources to be moreaccountable,efficient,and customer-service oriented (Hrutka,2001).Implementing a one-stop model uses resources effectively in a student-centered environment (Marsee,2000) This article presents findings from qualitative research on one-stop servicecenters in three community colleges.The effectiveness of the organizationalchange from a silo model,where parts of a process or service are provided byseparate d

FAQs

What does the Luke Principle require before organizational change is implemented?

It requires counting the costs before proceeding. The text emphasizes that institutions should not reorganize units or merge departments without assessing costs and consequences.

Which cost categories are included when implementing a one-stop service model?

Costs include facility remodeling, technology acquisition and training, opportunity costs of choosing the one-stop model, staffing (hiring, training, compensation), and emotional costs as staff adapt to new boundaries and relationships.

How does the study evaluate the transition from a silo model to a one-stop model?

It uses qualitative research findings from three community colleges and assesses emphasis on customer service, center design and function, implementation processes, staffing and training, compensation, reactions to reorganization, and changes in work relationships.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by jayni