Learning Resources

Privatizing Public Higher Education: Beliefs that Fuel the Conversation

By: Katrina Meyer

Why do some people think privatization would be better and others think of it as anathema? This article addresses what lies behind nine related “beliefs” held by higher education leaders and policy makers.

From Volume 34 Number 3 | April–June 2006

Abstract: What fuels the push toward privatization of public higher education institutions? This article attempts to unravel the nine beliefs that underlie conversations taking place in state legislatures and on higher education campuses and then asks, Will privatization work? How will it work for the state's citizens, the states, and institutions? The answer is mixed and depends upon how certain questions are answered and how much faith one places in the higher education market.

Institutions Mentioned: University of Virginia-Main Campus, The University of Texas at Austin

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The Dynamics of Organizational Culture and Academic Planning

By: Richard Wilson

How often do you get to learn, in depth, about why something did not work? This article analyzes the death of Cal Poly Pomona's Academic Affairs Master Plan (AAMP) process and suggests that the “right” planning approach may be less important than understanding an institution's organizational culture before beginning.

From Volume 34 Number 3 | April–June 2006

Abstract: Planning approaches are in a dynamic relationship with organizational culture. This article uses a case study of academic planning at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona to draw a correspondence between types of organizational culture and planning approaches. The case study shows the differing conceptions of organizational culture held by stakeholders and links them to alternate planning approaches. Unresolved conflicts about organizational culture impeded agreement on a planning process. Understanding the dynamics of organizational culture can help academic planners design contingent processes that draw from multiple planning approaches. The article concludes with suggestions for academic planners on how to design and implement such processes.

Institutions Mentioned: California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

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The Future of Higher Education: Rhetoric, Reality, and the Risks of the Market

By: Betsy Ackerson

From Volume 34 Number 3 | April–June 2006

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The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century

By: John C. Adams

From Volume 34 Number 3 | April–June 2006

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User-Driven Planning for Digital-Image Delivery

By: Henry Pisciotta,Michael Halm,Michael J. Dooris

Writing for “informed generalists” rather than IT experts or systems development experts, the authors report on user-needs assessment issues for academic digital-image management and retrieval systems: “Content is king” and content needs are dynamic, not static.

From Volume 34 Number 3 | April–June 2006

Abstract: This article draws on two projects funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation concerning the ways colleges and universities can support the legitimate sharing of digital learning resources for scholarly use. The 2001-03 Visual Image User Study (VIUS) assessed the scholarly needs of digital image users-faculty, staff, and students. That study led to the 2003-06 development of LionShare, an authenticated peer-to-peer network for a variety of e-learning resources, including digital images. This article highlights the assessment aspects of those projects. The article is intended for anyone interested in the planning of systems for the management of e-learning resources in higher education.

Institutions Mentioned: Pennsylvania State University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Simon Fraser University-Burnaby, James Madison University

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Campus Futures

By: James Dator

There’s more than one way to put up a residence hall, deliver a calculus course, and fund a research initiative. When leaders and stakeholders band together to envision and invent a preferred future for their institution, they readily spot alternatives to the status quo.

From Volume 34 Number 3 | April–June 2006