A large research project on state governance and coordination of higher education is introduced. Attention is directed to the objectives, intellectual roots, and interdisciplinary scope of research that is necessary on the topics of state higher education executive officers, their agencies, and their boards. Following a brief review of relevant literature, findings are presented related to a survey of state higher education executive officers, their orientations toward task performance, formal responsibilities, representation, leadership, expertise, and decision referents. Emphasis is placed on basic types of role strains and incongruences, as well as various political characteristics bearing on role in the context of campus, legislative, and executive relationships. The findings indicate a primacy of political roles, significant legislative and executive branch interaction, substantial variation in types of political roles, wide latitude for leadership initiative, divergent perspectives on representation of various interests, and the existence of fundamental role strains and conflicts inherent in the intermediary position of higher education governing and coordinating boards in the American states. (SW)