Honoring the Trust: Quality and Cost Containment in Higher Education

by William F. Massy

Book Overview

How does higher education honor (or dishonor) the trust that society places in it? While colleges and universities may perform an adequate job of educating students, this book argues that institutions might still improve their competency while reining costs.In Honoring the Trust , the author examines how the environment of higher education and institutional policies has led to shortfalls in education competency. Rather than simply list the flaws in...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1882982568
• ISBN13: 9781882982561
• Release Date: January 2003
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 376 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

How to reconcile aspirations outside and inside the academy

There is a contrast today between those in the academy and those outside. Those inside believe they are under pressure as never before and underappreciated. Those outside increasingly believe that those inside are both greedy and careless with their finances and also with quality. Neither perception is right. But those of us inside higher education need to rethink how we describe our finances and how we think about them. We need to also rethink our notions about how to organize. What Massy offers us is a set of very thoughtful suggestions about how to do all of those things. To think about costs and quality; technology and lots of professor contact; and a number of other ideas that each person responsible for a college or university in the country could benefit from. There is no one best way - after all colleges and universities in the US are a rich blend of types - but Massy offers ideas and models that could work in all kinds of institutions. In the year of higher education reauthorization with cost controls and new ways to regulate - this is very timely.

Must read for Higher Ed Execs

Massy is right on the mark with this work. His depiction of the struggle between quality and funding, research and undergraduate instruction, external control and academic freedom, and many other very real, very current issues in Higher Education is not only insightful but backed up with research and references. He has very practical advice and tools. I was so impressed with this book that I ordered several copies... for our President, the Chairman of the Board of Control, the Provost, the Vice President for Research, the Dean of Graduate Studies, etc.. The book received overwhelming glowing praise from each of them. I've no doubt this book will be on the table as we resume both strategic planning and assessment this fall.