Higher Education in Transition: The Challenges of the New Millennium

This book explores the state of higher education at century’s end and the challenges awaiting it in the next millennium. It assesses changes in the student population, the role of faculty, spending patterns, government support, the role of intercollegiate athletics, the nature of presidential leadership, and the impact of technological change. This volume is a call to educators, parents, and taxpayers alike to enter into a dialogue about the future directions of higher education that they are willing to support.

Because in the last few decades higher education has attempted to extend both its reach and scope despite the finite nature of resources at its disposal, the new millennium will mark a time when colleges and universities must clearly delimit and prioritize their goals. This volume is a call to educators, parents, and taxpayers alike to enter into a dialogue about the future directions of higher education that they are willing to support.

The role of higher education in a high-tech, interdependent world economy has never been more important than it is today. Yet, never before has its future been so cloudy. Changes in the nature of the student population, tuition increases that consistently outpace the cost of living, increasing conflict between faculty and administration personnel, attacks on tenure, the professionalization of collegiate sports, and political attacks and threats to state funding are all transforming an institution in ways that are, as yet, uncertain at best. This volume reviews the source and impact of change on today’s colleges and universities. Leading scholars contribute chapters on specific aspects of collegiate life and the way internal and external forces are changing the scope and function of higher education.