Page 256 - Crisis in Higher Education

Reforming Administration and Management • 227

11.2 CREATING AN EXTERNAL RULING CLASS
It is a challenge to know when and how the separation between admin-
istration and faculty began, but it most likely started after World War II
when the GI Bill and other factors stoked demand and an era of unprec-
edented enrollment growth began. During this period, the oversight
boards for public universities were perfunctory—filled with alumni of
the university, supporters of the governor, and other political and com-
munity leaders. These boards rarely said no. In responding to unprec-
edented growth, errors were made, especially in allocating resources
as universities built facilities to serve what appeared to be unending
demand and hired administrators to solve problems. Little attention was
paid to rising costs.
As enrollment grew and problems that accompany growth contin-
ued, states began to take board appointments more seriously. Wealthy
alumni, who were appointed to the board and made their money in
business, engineering, medicine, or other endeavors, began to exercise
authority. They wanted more responsiveness and accountability from
top administrators. Thus, a process began to centralize decision mak-
ing and move away from faculty administrators to professional managers
who were hired through a national search process. Professional managers
owed allegiance to the board and depended on its chairperson for recom-
mendations for their next job. The idea of national searches and hiring
external candidates expanded beyond the presidency to include VPs, pro-
vosts, deans, and others. Many, even most, of the people hired to fill these
positions, including the president, held faculty rank, but make no mis-
take, these hires represent the “ruling class” with allegiance to the board,
not the faculty. These professional tended to view management as an end
in itself. They did not want to return to the faculty.
In addition to this change in leadership, public universities became
large, complex entities that are difficult to manage. Universities are not
command and control organizations with top-down decision making and
a singular bottom-line metric. They are PSOs that depend on the expertise
and creativity of faculty to mediate relationships between students and
potential employers. Faculty members co-create value by working closely
with students, potential employers, and suppliers of learning materials to
develop and deliver educational programs. They also work closely with
government agencies, private companies, and other entities to develop and