These are old reading questions that I didn’t originally post.

3/6: History of HE

According to Lagemann, one of the duties to be fulfilled by a college curriculum is to promote student awareness of civic understanding. Do you think civic education should occur on a college campus or during K-12 education?

Lagemann also stresses the concept of “long term global thinking,” as a necessary element of the college curriculum. Does this concept of “global thinking” perpetuate into all college majors? Does a focus on world issues seem pertinent to all college studies?

3/13: History of CUNY

After discussing the different structures of CUNY and the California state college systems, which system seems to be most effective for the student body? For the faculty? For the administration?

Would it be possible to implement a system similar to California’s in New York City? What would be some the logistical struggles and some of the benefits?

According to many people, SEEK is considered “systematic remediation.” Does a program like this fit into the mission of senior colleges or community colleges?

3/20: Governance of Higher Education

Recently the role of a college president has evolved to include many overarching features, such as organizational, political, and possibly religious involvement. With this considered, does the prospect co-presidency hold a logical place in the college environment? What challenges would face co-presidents and their ability to effectively lead?

We read about several different accrediting organizations, including regional and departmental accreditations. Is it necessary to have multiple accreditations or would it be more logical to offer accreditation for each degree program?

When forming a college’s mission statement, there are many important factors to consider. It should distinguish the institution from others and bind the administration, faculty and students. Yet, it should also be adaptable. How can a college avoid “mission creep” while still adapting to the changing student population and their needs?

Many institutions are experiencing a shift from full-time tenured faculty to more part-time contingent faculty. This helps the college remain adaptable to students needs, but what can be done to increase the mission commitment of these faculty members and involve them in governance of the institution?

The college environment is not simply run by internal parties. The academic environment is fiercely influenced by external organizations, including the government and other intuitional authorities. How much involvement should be allowed by these external sources? Should the government intervene with the internal workings of private colleges? If so, is there a limit on the government involvement?