Posts published in April, 2013

Politics Of Deference Hinders Postsecondary Policy Change

Many have characterized the political attitude toward higher education as being one of deference: higher education is funded to the best ability of policymakers, and more or less left alone. Compared with other areas of major state expenditure like K-12, transportation, corrections, institutions of higher education and their leaders are not subject to scrutiny or micro-managemen

While few current analysts believe that this mode of exchange is still the dominant one between policymakers and higher education, it’s worth noting that many higher education organizations and associations still use the level of complexity of higher education as a rationale for reducing government oversight and involvement in the affairs of institutions. Lobbyists for institutions of higher education tend to frame their arguments not in terms of the interests of institutions, but rather in the broad public interests, arguing that what is good for higher education will be good for the country. They also connect this rhetoric with the historical relationship of deference, arguing that higher education as an institution knows best how to handle its own affairs