In defense of American higher education / edited by Philip G. Altbach, Patricia J. Gumport, and D. Bruce Johnstone.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Altbach, Philip G.

Gumport, Patricia J.

Johnstone, D. Bruce (Donald Bruce), 1941-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Education, Higher--Aims and objectives--United States.

Education, Higher.

Education, Higher--Social aspects--United States.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (vi, 364 pages) : illustrations

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Baltimore : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The current era in higher education is characterized by increased need for accountability and fiscal constraint coupled with demands for increased productivity. Higher education is expected to meet the demand of changing student demographics, as well as requests for research and service from government and industry. To preserve the academy's ability to meet these demands, the editors and contributors to this volume argue that, while change is inevitable and desirable, any radical alterations to the practices that have established and upheld the excellence of higher education in the United States must be carefully considered. The editors and contributors cherish the best ideals of higher education: academic freedom, commitment to both inquiry and teaching, and preservation of an independence of mind and spirit in the face of external pressures. At the same time, the authors of these essays also reflect upon the failings of higher education, including problematic historical legacies such as racism, sexism, and anti-semitism. In Defense of American Higher Education is a careful analysis of what we have inherited, undertaken with a critical eye for constructive reform. It will be of interest to anyone concerned about the future of American higher education.

Contents:

Contents; Introduction; Chapter One The American Academic Model in Comparative Perspective; Chapter Two Higher Education as a Mature Industry; Chapter Three The "Crisis" Crisis in Higher Education: Is that a Wolf or a Pussycat at the Academy's Door?; Chapter Four Built to Serve: The Enduring Legacy of Public Higher Education; Chapter Five From Mass Higher Education to Universal Access: The American Advantage; Chapter Six Higher Education and Those "Out-of-Control Costs"; Chapter Seven The Liberal Arts and the Role of Elite Higher Education

Chapter Eight The Technological: Revolution Reflections on the Proper Role of Technology in Higher Education; Chapter Nine Academic Change and Presidential Leadership; Chapter Ten Graduate Education and Research; Chapter Eleven College Students Today: Why We Can't Leave Serendipity to Chance; Chapter Twelve Governance: The Remarkable Ambiguity; Chapter Thirteen Understanding the American Academic Profession; Contributors; Index

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0-8018-7456-4

OCLC:

923191277