1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910812102803321

Titolo

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

Pubbl/distr/stampa

Baltimore, : Johns Hopkins University Press, 2001

ISBN

0-8018-7456-4

Edizione

[1st ed.]

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (vi, 364 pages) : illustrations

Altri autori (Persone)

AltbachPhilip G

GumportPatricia J

JohnstoneD. Bruce <1941-> (Donald Bruce)

Disciplina

378.73

Soggetti

Education, Higher - Aims and objectives - United States

Education, Higher - Social aspects - United States

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Nota di bibliografia

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Nota di contenuto

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

Sommario/riassunto

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.