Dr Richard Hartnett

Professor, Higher Education Administration, West Virginia University, USA

The Future of the American University and the Changing Nature of Work in Higher Education

Abstract

This study examines the major changes and innovations sweeping the landscape of the American university in the new century and analyzes the implications of these transformations for key organizational components of the higher education enterprise. Among the most significant trends emerging are: the expansion of knowledge and the need for enhanced work force adaptability; the spread of technology and the generation of new norms and work practices; the transformation of faculty roles, including the challenges to the institution of tenure, the preservation of academic freedom, and workload; the new round of state budget reductions and the scope of academic activities; internal collaborations and external mergers; privatization of campus services; diversity in employment and impact on learning; and new forms of student learning and the integration of academic and student services. The implications of these changes will be analyzed from the perspective of institutional restructuring, executive leadership, organizational effectiveness, and assessment and learning outcomes. A final section will identify the most appropriate research questions and strategies for measuring the impact of the major transformations on the new university.

Bionote

Professor of Higher Education Administration for 25 years with a special focus on comparative higher education. Recently published a book-length study of the history of Chinese higher education. Completing a study of the "University of Excellence" and the corporatization of academe.

Presentation Type
30 min. Paper

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Country
USA