The prevalence of labour disruptions in the Canadian education sector requires a comprehensive analysis of the adverse implications of strikes for stakeholders and Canadian society in general. Education is a kind of public good that generates positive externalities and strikes in Canadian universities and colleges engender negative externalities…

"Disruption"--while an evocative word triggering feelings of anxiety and perhaps even fear--also signals renewal and growth. The Higher Education (HE) sector in England has experienced some profound disruption over the years, and yet has emerged stronger and renewed in many ways. The impact of recent disruptive forces, from fees to the…

This article explores why some universities may be "invisible" to adults in their local communities. It suggests that funding changes in UK higher education, particularly those initiated by the Browne Review in 2010, may reinforce such a divide. The article draws on Stefan Collini's critiques of government policy, particularly in…

Achieving high performance in tough times is the most serious challenge facing presidents and trustees during this recession, when the temptation may be to substitute "getting by" for truly outstanding governance. Defining victory as making it through the fiscal year, with little thought to where the institution should be positioned in…

"IMHE-Info" is a newsletter published by the Institutional Management in Higher Education (IMHE) programme of OECD. This issue includes: (1) Breaking Ranks: Assessing Quality in Higher Education (Lyndon Thompson); (2) How to Improve Quality in Higher Education: A Study of Institutional Strategies; and (3) No More Ivory Towers: New Phase…

Wright College, part of a seven-college Chicago (Illinois) district, has a strong transfer program central to its institutional identity, and because of its role in the multicampus system, its faculty and administrative commitment to the transfer function, and its student needs and preferences. The college's historical role and reputation as a…

In each of the past three years, a dozen or so public and private colleges have elevated themselves to universities, less because of substantial institutional changes than to highlight institutional vision and communicate prestige, in turn improving fund raising. Many have gradually added master's degree programs. Private colleges can change…

High-profile athletic programs contribute to the collegiate ideal and are used by many institutions to provide connections to their internal and external constituencies. The magnitude of major athletic events contributes to and in some cases defines institutional image, even serving as a surrogate for the more intimate community-building…

Conflicts arising when a new university, the Roskilde University Centre, is exposed to many different expectations are described. The impact of confrontations between the university and politicians on university activities and actions taken by university members to counteract the unfavorable public image are discussed. (MSE)

Bloomfield's declaration of financial exigency, Chapter XI bankruptcy reorganization, and shift to a primary emphasis on recruiting nontraditional students enabled it to survive and emerge from its status as an invisible institution. (MSE)

The University of Redlands responded successfully to financial and administrative crisis by tapping institutional and community pride in the institution's stature, affirming a dual commitment to liberal education and career training, developing a new governance system, and reorganizing financial and program priorities. (MSE)

A 5-year effort to project a new and more realistic public image and to bring about improvements in student recruiting and fund-raising for a small, private, liberal arts women's college is described. The changes included offering bachelor's degrees for the first time and building pride and support among alumnae. (MSE)

Features of the matrix model of the research university and myths about the academic enterprise are described, along with serious dissonances in the U.S. university system. The linear model, from which the matrix model evolved, describes the university's structure, perceived mission, and organizational behavior. A matrix model portrays in concise,…