This study sought to understand the Community College Career and Technical Educational (CTE) deans' perceptions of the internal and external forces they perceive as influencing their decision making; what evidence exists to demonstrate the influence of the completion agenda on CTE deans' decision making; and if there is a perception that there is a conflict between providing immediate career opportunities for students versus meeting the needs of the completion agenda. Four themes emerged: limited control, dependency, indifference, and cognitive dissonance.