Fixing the Fragmented University: Decentralization with Direction (review)

Beginning in the mid-1990s and culminating in a compilation of executive summaries from its Returning to our Roots series, the Kellogg Commission (2001) concluded that the “public university” envisioned by Abraham Lincoln and Justin Morrill had become “fragmented” and, in turn, challenged our nation’s state universities to become as student-centered and publicly engaged as they are in building research capacity and advancing institutional prestige.

In response to this clarion call, this volume edited by Joseph C. Burke advances a potpourri of strategies for fixing the fragmented university—strategies that are aimed at providing institutional “direction” (such as through strategic planning assessment, quality assurance, and priority budgeting) while simultaneously preserving the historic decentralization of our universities. To this end, the book draws on the voices of “national experts”—major university presidents, faculty, and individuals associated with foundations—who have been directly or indirectly engaged in efforts aimed at revitalizing the “public” in the contemporary university.

Following an introductory chapter in which the editor revisits the Kellogg Commission’s narrative and argues for “decentralization with direction” (p. 11) the book is organized into four major parts. In the first part, a trio of chapters focuses on the respective roles of major stakeholders—trustees, presidents, and faculty senates—in transforming the university. For example, Richard Ingram argues that trustees must be at the forefront of reconciling societal needs with campus autonomy, and James Duderstadt draws on his experiences as president of the University of Michigan in arguing for both caution and courage in the exercise of presidential leadership.

In the second section, “Means and Methods of Cohesion,” a handful of chapters advances myriad change strategies. To wit, William Massey argues that budgeting should be decentralized as well as centralized to generate revenues while ensuring commitment to university goals and priorities. Ralph Wolf argues that universities should build on regional accreditation agencies’ focus on learning outcomes by placing accrediting documents on their websites for the purpose of stimulating discourse about student learning and assessment.

The third part consists of two chapters that propose strategies for “redesigning the mission” of public universities. Drawing on his findings from his oft-cited National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) projects, George Kuh advances a series of recommendations for enhancing student learning and success (e.g., highlighting diversity both within and outside of the classroom, building partnerships between the campus and community). Richard Cherwitz and E. Joanna Hartelius contend that a compelling rhetoric is needed to convince faculty that research on public problems can be as significant and rigorous as conventional inquiry.

The fourth section, “Making It Happen on Campus,” consists of three chapters that draw on institutional narratives to suggest alternative approaches to rescuing the public university followed by two concluding chapters to the volume. For example, Robert Bruininks, president of the University of Minnesota, shares how his institution is using John Kotter’s eight-stage process for change aimed at catapulting his institution to one of the “top three universities” in the world. Another chapter traces President Modesto Maidique’s initiatives at Florida International University that culminated in the transformation of a small upper-division college into a major urban research university over a 35-year period.

In the last chapter, Burke argues for restoring “unity,” “students,” and the “public” in state universities and then draws from the chapters in a summary of specific recommendations for fixing fragmented institutions. The latter range from such suggestions as faculty taking charge of developing programs in general education and assessing student learning to administering the NSSE instrument and comparing results with those of peer institutions.

For those interested in an overview of largely traditional change strategies for rescuing the contemporary university, this volume is a reliable place to start. For those familiar with the conventional wisdom, a handful of chapters in this volume breathe some fresh air into the formidable challenge of reinventing the public university. Perhaps most notably, J. Frederick Volkwein has...