University as business
Leadership

The Wrong Way to Talk about Higher Ed 

Picture a day when you’ve gathered your faculty together to have a substantive conversation about some pressing issue facing the institution. You explain the situation using terms such as revenue, the business of education, efficiencies, degree production, throughput, and the like. This may seem sensible given that, in part, universities function like businesses. As with...
How to Have a Difficult Conversation: 7 Rules
Leadership

How to Have a Difficult Conversation: 7 Rules 

Difficult conversations are inevitable in any organization. Understanding how they arise and how they play out can help minimize the disruption without avoiding the issue or alienating those involved. The way an academic leader handles a difficult conversation can have a major effect on how the issue gets resolved. In...
MOOCs and the Law: Five Key Questions
Distance Education Administration

MOOCs and the Law: Five Key Questions 

Although much has been written and discussed about MOOCs’ educational, access-opening, and revenue-generating potential, less is known about their legal implications. Administrators and faculty interested in MOOCs need to consider not only pedagogical and financial concerns but also legal concerns before getting involved, says Linda Enghagen, attorney and professor in...