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by Christopher J. Lucas (Author)
Not since student turmoil and unrest wreaked havoc on the nation's campuses three decades ago has American higher education been the subject of so much controversy and popular criticism. Countless indictments compete for the public's attention as critics explore vital issues confronting today's institutions of higher learning: curricular fragmentation, declining academic standards, the apparent erosion of liberal learning within academe, widespread neglect of undergraduate education in favour of academic research and unprecedented financial woes. Confusion over fundamental priorities and purposes, the author argues, lies at the heart of the dilemma facing end-of-the-century higher education. Thoughtful and timely, Crisis in the Academy offers a wide-ranging analysis of contemporary higher education while making an important contribution to the ongoing public debate over the future of America's beleaguered and diverse institutions of higher learning.
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Not since student turmoil and unrest wreaked havoc on the nation's campuses three decades ago has American higher education been the subject of so much controversy and popular criticism. Vital issues confronting today's institutions of higher learning include: admissions, student enrollment management, curricular fragmentation, declining academic standards, the apparent erosion of liberal learning within academe, neglect of undergraduate education in favor of academic research, unprecedented financial woes, shifting campus priorities, faculty tenure, the "publish or perish" syndrome, and renewed demands for accountability. Confusion over fundamental priorities and purposes, the author argues, lies at the heart of the dilemma facing end-of-the-century higher education. Having failed in its attempt to be all things to all people, the academy must now reinvent itself to meet the challenges of the millennium ahead. Thoughtful and timely, Crisis in the Academy offers a wide-ranging analysis of contemporary higher education and makes an important contribution to the ongoing public debate over the future of America's beleaguered and diverse institutions of higher learning.
Author Biography
Christopher J. Lucas is Professor of Higher Education and Educational Statistics and Research Methods in the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas, USA.
