Governance in the Twenty-First Century University: Approaches to Effective Leadership and Strategic Management (review)
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Governance in the Twenty-First Century University is important reading for all of those concerned about the future of American higher education. The book is well researched and documented and covers many of the critical topics facing the academy.
The authors take an objective look at traditional forms of shared governance and recent attempts to incorporate the university governance system. The major question posed is whether either approach is appropriate to meeting the needs of the modern American college and university and the challenges of today's environment. The fundamental premise in the analysis is that governance structures should be evaluated from the perspective of their contribution to teaching and learning, leadership and management, use of technology, and budgeting.
The book is organized into seven sections including the results of litigation, surveys, and case studies pursued over the past six years. A fundamental conclusion is that faculty, administrators, and trustees view governance differently as evidenced by empirical data and pronouncements by the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) and the Association of Governing Boards (AGB). Issues of academic freedom, control of the curriculum, promotion and tenure, faculty workload, admissions criteria, accountability, quality, and access are major focal points of the discussion. The authors emphasize the importance of organizational culture in the process and structure of decision-making. Does the system of "shared meaning" held by members of an academic community emphasize teaching and learning or take on a more commercial approach that reflects interest in customers (students), labor force (faculty), profits, net income, and productivity?
It is also noted that a consensus exists that governance models fall short of expectations in the view of faculty, administrators, and trustees. Faculty tend to maintain a strong belief in shared governance and their essential role in the decision-making process. Administrators express concern about the lack of flexibility and time required to respond to necessary change while trustees tend to view their role as the "ultimate responsibility center" in all areas of governance and that "commonly accepted business standards should inform academic management."
The authors display insights into potential innovations in collegiate teaching and learning methodologies by attempting to bridge the gap between theory and practice. They refer to active learning as a "low risk, high return activity" and discuss how the curriculum, teaching methods and assessment, campus climate, and the broader institutional environment are all critical components that influence student learning and understanding. Organizational culture and governance of the university are viewed as determining the extent to which these approaches can engage students in a better way to equip them to function in a complex, interdependent world. The critical [End Page 210] variable is not institutional size, student profiles, or range of programs but whether universities and colleges are viewed from the top as academic corporations or institutions intended to foster innovative teaching and learning.
The impact of information technology, distance learning, needs of the adult learner for education and training, and for-profit and corporate delivery systems are discussed in relation to potentially new models of governance, administration, and management. In terms of decision-making, the authors feel that administrative process needs to be delegated downward to the most appropriate level such as the department or program and budgetary systems must reflect this responsibility-centered management.
Governance in the Twenty-First Century University is more than a book about decision-making in contemporary higher education. It covers a wide range of topics dealing with important issues that impact on faculty, administrators, trustees, students, politicians, as well as the public good.
Discussing how our colleges and universities function in a changing environment is an important exercise for individuals having a significant stake in the quality of the American college and university. Although the work builds on past research by Balderson (1995), Baldridge (1986), Birnbaum (1988) and others, it takes a more comprehensive...
