Urban Education 73200 – Contemporary Issues in Higher Education

Instructors: Matthew Goldstein and Anthony Picciano

Fall 2015: Sect. 001 (Tuesday 4:15 – 6:15 pm)     Room – 3309

Draft: 08/28/15

The purpose of this seminar is to examine current issues in American higher education. Issues to be examined include:

1. The organization and purpose of higher education.
2. Who governs the university (trustees, administration, faculty)
3. Funding of public higher education
4. The role of community colleges
5. The liberal arts, professional programs, and commoditization
6. The changing professoriate (adjunct and contingent faculty)
7. Student issues (cost, debt, and careers)
8. Accountability, assessment, and accreditation
9. The role of technology in instruction (online and blended learning)
10. The role of technology in administration/research (Big Data, Analytics)
11. New models of higher education (for-profit, competency-based, global campuses)
12. Issues of Academic Freedom

Readings will be provided for each topic and students will be expected to participate fully in each week’s discussion.

Dr. Goldstein will lead discussions for Roman Numerals:  III, IV, VI, VII, XII

Dr. Picciano     “      “        “                       “            “           II, V, VIII, IX, X, XI

Weekly Outline

09/01    I.   Introduction to the Seminar/Assignments.

09/08   II.  The organization and purpose of higher education.  Bok, Ch. 1 & 2

09/15   No Class

09/22   No class

09/25  III. (Friday) Who governs the university (trustees, administration, faculty). Bok, Ch. 3, Goldstein & Otte (pp. 42-68), Recommended: Bowen & Tobin (2015).

09/29  IV.  Funding of public higher education. Pew Charitable Trust (2015), U.S. General Accounting  Office (2015), Goldstein & Otte, (pp. 9-41),  Academy of Arts & Sciences I (Lincoln Project – Public Research Universities), Academy of Arts & Sciences II (Lincoln Project, Public Research Universities)

10/06    V.  Student issues (cost, debt, and careers).  Bok  Ch. 4-7

10/13   VI.  The liberal arts, professional programs, and commoditization. Zakaria (2015), Picciano (2013)

10/20  VII.  The role of community colleges. Goldrick-Rab et al, (2009)

10/27 VIII.  Accountability, assessment, and accreditation. Middle States Association (2014), Katz (2010), National Conference of State Legislatures (2015).

11/03   IX.  The role of technology in instruction (Online and Blended Learning). (Allen & Seaman, (2015); Picciano (2009),  Jordan (2015).

11/10    X.   Big data, analytics, data-driven decision making. Swan (2012),  Picciano (2014)

11/17   XI.  New models of higher education (for-profit, competency-based, global campuses). Kinser, K. (2006);  Western Governors University (2015); Minerva (2015).; Redden (2013).

11/24  XII.  Changed from The future of American higher education to Issues of Academic Freedom.   Bilgrami & Cole (2015) Chs. Intro, 1,5,12; AAUP 1940 Statement on Academic Freedom

12/01 XIII. Student Presentations

12/08 XIV. Student Presentations

12/15  XV. Final Evaluation