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Universities in the Market Place: The Commercialization of Higher Education (review)

In the chapter focusing on structural and cultural elements of governance, the authors posit that organizational culture, which is shaped by the central beliefs and values of the participants (i.e., trustees, senior administrators, and faculty members), contributes to effective governance when trust is a central component. Gayle, Tewarie, and White effectively illustrate that there is significant controversy over the distribution of authority among trustees, senior administrators, and faculty. They stress that shared governance can be achieved only when there is mutual respect and an inclusive process. Additionally, leaders must be embedded in the organization’s culture because not having a clear understanding can result in failure when change is introduced into the system. The authors assert that the “nature of governance has a direct and very significant impact on the effectiveness of teaching and learning” (p. 81) because how an institution is governed—for example, like a corporation or as a place that fosters innovation in teaching and learning—can greatly influence the teaching environment as well as the motivation of faculty and students. This observation seems to be a request for institutions to examine their governance structures to ensure that those structures are not in opposition to the institution’s mission. When the authors discuss governance and information technology, they raise a series of questions that most higher education institutions are currently addressing or will be addressing in the near future. They state that “the implementation of an effective information technology strategy actually implies new models of governance, administration, and management” (p. 90). Thus, they are challenging institutions to think beyond the traditional concepts of governance when creating systems that incorporate e-learning. When discussing resource allocation and governance, the authors spend a considerable amount of time on Responsibility-Centered Management (RCM) and how it can change the perceptions of shared governance. For readers unfamiliar with the term, they highlight the major points of this budgetary model and give examples to illustrate the concept. In the closing chapter of the monograph, the authors recommend, “Governance must be shared among all major stakeholders, not just faculty, students, administrators, and trustees, on the basis of mutual respect and open communication” (p. 110). This viewpoint is evident throughout the book and provides the basis for many of the discussions. As previously stated, the synthesis of the current literature is a major strength of this monograph, especially for those who may not have the time to review the latest research findings on university governance. Additionally, the authors’ use of numerous examples, both national and international, and their thoroughness in providing definitions of terms position the monograph as an educational tool for practitioners. The authors also provide a comprehensive analysis of various institutional roles and how they interact as they pertain to each focus area, thus giving readers the opportunity to contemplate each issue from the differing viewpoints of the various stakeholders. The research basis for the book was a national survey. Unfortunately, they do not discuss this survey until midway through the text. This criticism, however, does not diminish the work’s overall effectiveness. Finally, the authors’ addition of thought-provoking one-liners—for example, “the obvious is sometimes overlooked until it is simply stated” (p. 111)—and their use of poetry to emphasize their observations create a sometimes lighthearted tone, which makes reading the book more enjoyable.