Future Of The American Public Research University PDF Download

Grounded firmly in the 21st century context in which public higher education presently is situated, the objective of this study was to research the change variables that are not merely affecting higher education in the modern era, but most importantly, the determinative change variables, which will define the future role and purpose of American higher education. Moreover, this study sought to illuminate the historical purpose of public higher education using the theoretical lens of social contract theory in an effort to first understand, and thereafter to perpetuate, the societal good that public higher education is intended to serve---for which it was created and has been sustained throughout our Nation's history. Specifically, the study addressed the following research question: Within the current era, what determinative change variables do higher education leaders believe are likely to reshape the societal purpose of public higher education? This question was researched in order to achieve two major purposes: (1) To identify a comprehensive set of determinative change variables by analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data; and (2) To develop datasets and analyses that will facilitate success for public higher education leaders in the modern era as they strive to effectively manage determinative change variables, while simultaneously building a sustainable future for their respective institutions of higher education and sustaining the fundamental tenets of public higher education's public service role within American society. In order to achieve these ends, this study utilized a mixed methods approach within a sequential explanatory research design. The first stage of data analysis began with quantitative data that was extracted from two national surveys of college presidents from both public and private higher education institutions, which were conducted in 2006 and 2013 by the Chronicle of Higher Education. The Chronicle provided the researcher with non-longitudinal, depersonalized datasets in electronic form, and the 2006 survey included responses from 767 college presidents, whereas the 2013 survey included responses from 395 college presidents. Analysis of this quantitative data resulted in the identification of four initial variables about which research university presidents and chancellors were highly concerned. These included: (1) diminished state and federal funding, (2) institutional reputation; (3) enrollment goals; and (4) fundraising and increasing revenue. During the second, qualitative phase of data analysis the researcher studied the variables illuminated by the quantitative data analysis. This was accomplished by conducing in-depth interviews with nine high-performing public higher education leaders from geographically diverse, public research universities on the East Coast, West Coast, Midwest, Southeast, and Southwest regions of the United States. Within the final phase of analysis, the researcher drew meta-inferences, which identified themes in both the quantitative and qualitative data that are responsive to the research question. Seven determinative change variables were identified, and they are: (1) The multi-faceted impact of diminished state and federal support for public higher education; (2) The impact of information technology in effectuating the "open architecture university," and of data analytics in changing relationship-management techniques; (3) A demographic shift, which is changing enrollment patterns, inter-institutional relationships, and driving an increased need for student federal aid; (4) Commercialization of university research in order to generate revenue, and its impact upon shifting incentive structures and review procedures for faculty; (5) Unsustainable capital infrastructures and operational models for managing higher education institutions; (6) The deleterious effect that rankings and emulation have in creating a false dichotomy between "excellence-only" and "access-only" institutions; and (7) The deleterious impact that for-profit institutions have upon vulnerable populations in society, especially veterans. In furtherance of studying the impact of these determinative change variables upon the social contract between public higher education and society, this study also described the participants' collective vision for the future of public higher education. Finally, the study identified that the social contract is dynamically shifting to focus upon workforce preparation, economic development, and accountability. Therefore, the study concludes that it is important for increasing numbers of higher education scholars to engage in proactive, purposeful, and collaborative research and publication regarding the future of the social contract between public higher education and American society. For this future ought to be purposefully constructed, not unintentionally rendered by determinative change variables