This article provides a conceptual reformulation of Merton's scientific ethos widely known by the acronym CUDOS (i.e. communism, universalism, disinterestedness and organised scepticism). While Merton perceived the threat to the autonomy of science as coming from "outside" the walls of academe, mainly in the form of nationalism and…

This article provides a conceptual framework of the dimensions of a toxic culture in higher education and the impact it has on the meaning of work. Seven dimensions of a toxic culture in higher education are presented as follows: toxic leadership; bullying and mobbing; colleagues as enablers; reinforced toxic social norms; purposeful, chaotic…

This article is grounded on an exploratory inquiry to explain the low rates of female academics in Ghana's higher education sector and its implication for higher education policy and practice. Though our article shows the continued presence of institutional barriers, the evidence suggests that these are strongly fortified by dispositional (women's…

This contribution offers a reflection on the theme of religious educational leadership (REL) at a time when the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is gripping society. The main question that guides the contribution is: How does one practice REL in theological education during COVID-19 and its accompanying measures? In answering this question, the…

In response to the events of the 2018 Annual Meeting of the Religious Education Association, the author reflects on white racial ignorance as the inability to read racialized situations with nuance and to respond appropriately, naming three particular practices of academic conferencing in which her own actions potentially contribute to…

We describe a unique co-curricular honor and integrity program at a large, research university's business school. We discuss the evolution of the program as well as the array of stakeholders who were involved in its early development and sustenance. We use an ethical culture template to highlight the formal and informal systems, and we discuss…

Does organizational governance contribute to academic quality? Two top research universities are observed in-depth: Berkeley and the MIT. Three key factors are listed that help generate consistent and lasting high performance. Priority is allocated to self-evaluation and to the development of talent. Values and norms such as community membership,…

This article takes a look at five mistakes that candidates should avoid making during their research presentations. These mistakes are the following: (1) they didn't do any research on the norms of the campus culture; (2) they presented a single, well-thought-out project that had no future; (3) they didn't use the opportunity to demonstrate their…

Codes of conduct can and should fulfill a critical role in higher education. Codes help overcome some of the challenges inherent in a system predicated on high levels of autonomy and on self-regulation. Codes not only are important indicators of critical topics that are deemed worthy of explicit protection or expectations for behavior; they may…

Most college faculty approach plagiarism as a moral issue: a violation of the rules of the university and a violation of the behavioral standards of the academic world. However, business communication faculty can enhance students' educations by approaching plagiarism as one aspect of a larger business issue: the protection of intellectual…

College professors are evaluated for promotion and tenure on the basis of their accomplishments in three areas: teaching, research, and service. All too often, however, service is considered the poor cousin of the trio. In political science in particular, we believe that this imbalance is detrimental to the individual scholar, our students, the…

The incidence of plagiarism, according to the literature, is increasing. But why do students plagiarise and why the increase? Is it due to laziness, opportunity, ignorance, fear or ambivalence? Or do they know that there is little chance of any significant penalty? The literature suggests that all of these apply. Given this, are universities and,…

During instruction, higher education faculty should properly address matters of concern related to student performance, conduct and behavior. History is a reminder of this persistent issue. Therefore, a logical sequence of decision-making can be followed to recognize, distinguish and act upon these concerns. Applications for a flowchart tool are…

In 1911 Jean Baptiste Beck, a scholar of international reputation, was appointed to a three-year term on the faculty of the University of Illinois. His personal eccentricities conditioned his adjustment to the community. In 1912 he married the daughter of a University professor, and as a result Edmund J. James, president of the University of…

This paper summarizes variations in instructors' implementation practices during Peer Instruction (PI) and shows how these differences in practices shape different norms of classroom interaction. We describe variations in classroom norms along three dimensions of classroom culture that are integral to Peer Instruction, emphasis on: (1)…