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by Andrew J. Policano (Author)
The first edition of From Ivory Tower to Glass House has inspired the development of seminars, workshops and conference presentations for faculty members who are either new to a leadership role or contemplating a leadership path. The book now forms the foundation for Leadership Academies for faculty at several universities including the University of California, San Diego, UCLA and the University of California, Irvine. Existing workshops for aspiring leaders and new deans have also adopted the book in their discussions. In addition, the chapters on external relations and development have been used in seminars for academic leaders and development officers on the rigors of fundraising. This positive reaction provides strong evidence of the need for a systematic treatment of both the challenges faced by higher education and potential strategies to address them. The second edition provides an more recent description of the dynamics facing higher education with expanded treatments of several key strategies. While the Great Recession has passed, public funding for higher remains woefully below historical levels with little hope of recovering. Chapter 1 provides an expanded view of the current funding environment, which depressingly shows that the percent of state funding allocated to higher education is at a twenty-five year low. The discussion examines several additional critical topics including the affordability of higher education, student debt and who should pay-students and their families or taxpayers. Later chapters add an expanded discussion of mediation and negotiation techniques and how to lead and manage change. Once again, the intent is to provide a basis for discussion, with suggested ways to address specific problems. Still, every university has its own culture and every leader has their own style; adjustments need to be made for what will work best in a particular environment. Understanding the external environment and reacting appropriately remain as the primary drivers of the analysis. While there are many challenges ahead, those individuals who are well prepared to take on academic leadership roles will have the potential to make a greater impact on society that ever in our history.
