In April 2013, "NEJHE" launched its "New Directions for Higher Education series" to examine emerging issues, trends and ideas that have an impact on higher education policies, programs and practices. In this installment, DiSalvio interviews Richard Ekman, president of the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), an association of…

The circumstances of tenure have changed and will likely continue to change, perhaps even dramatically. The proportion of university and college faculty members with full academic qualifications--which usually means those with earned doctorates--who either have tenure or are serving a probationary period for tenure has been declining steadily over…

In 2001, the University of Denver included language in its vision statement that committed the institution to becoming "a great private university dedicated to the public good." This essay (1) explains how the development of an institutional visioning statement led to the implementation of a series of campus dialogues and action steps…

Nontenured faculty's claims to tenure as a property right, by virtue of common law principles, are examined from historical and litigation perspectives. The common law analysis proposed is applied to employment relationships in private and public institutions. (MSE)

The establishment of a regulation commission is proposed that would bolster the national character of the academic profession, assure administrators that valid administrative concerns can be accommodated, and allay faculty anxiety. (MLW)

The Supreme Court's decision that tenured faculty members at Yeshiva University are managers and do not have the right to unionize and enter into a collective bargaining agreement is discussed. It is suggested that the surge toward unionization begun in 1971 by private sector faculty has apparently been curbed. (MLW)

This monograph offers reflections on the role of private higher education in American society. Chapter 1, "Scope and Diversity of Private Higher Education," defines private higher education and notes that private institutions run the gamut from liberal arts colleges to comprehensive colleges and universities, to specialized institutions, two-year…

The generally accepted view of tenure as that of an unbreakable relationship has actually grown out of institutional practices rather than from precise judicial doctrines. The courts have upheld a variety of "bona fide" causes based on unsatisfactory performance, as well as financial exigency. (MLW)

The report of an AAUP committee's investigation of the termination of four tenured Temple University faculty members following an administration declaration of retrenchment is presented. (MSE)

This report presents a perspective and analysis of the current state and future direction of the state higher education system in Virginia and recommends a comprehensive legislative package that will ensure the quality and economic viability of Virginia's system into the next century. Concerns about educational quality and state commitment to…

The comprehensive colleges and universities--often former normal schools that have grown quickly in recent years--are seen to be affected primarily by declining financial resources, declining enrollment, and competition, now and in the near future. Financial resources are affected by higher priority placed on other state budget items; tax…

This document, a summary of reports presented at the 1998 annual symposium of the Forum for the Future of Higher Education, covers a wide range of issues that are likely to influence how colleges and universities deal with such questions as what business they are actually in, what are their institutional strengths, how will they compete in a…

Issues related to reevaluation of tenure at "Exeter College," a fictitious small, private college, are examined. Based on analysis of financial resources, students and faculty ratios, and systematic effects of tenure at Exeter, a mandate for tenure reevaluation was established. The following areas were reviewed: the relationship between tenure and…

Major issues affecting higher education in Texas in the 1980s are identified in 20 working papers from outside consultants, the academic community, and Texas College and University System Coordinating Board staff. Topics and authors include: higher education in Texas in the 1980s (Christopher Dede); leadership in higher education (Joseph…

This book explores the causes of tuition inflation, using Cornell University (New York) as a prototypical institution. There are 9 sections with 20 chapters. Section 1, "Setting the Stage," includes (1) "Why Do Costs Keep Rising at Selective Private Colleges and Universities?" and (2) "Who Is In Charge of the…