Who is who in colleges and universities

The governing board of an institution of higher education in the United States operates, with few exceptions, as the final institutional authority. Private institutions are established by charters; public institutions are established by constitutional or statutory provisions. In private institutions the board is frequently self-perpetuating; in public colleges and universities the present membership of a board may be asked to suggest candidates for appointment.

As a whole and individually, when the governing board confronts the problem of succession, serious attention should be given to obtaining properly qualified persons. Where public law calls for election of governing board members, means should be found to ensure the nomination of fully suited persons, and the electorate should be informed of the relevant criteria for board membership. Since the membership of the board may embrace both individual and collective competence of recognized weight, its advice or help may be sought through established channels by other components of the academic community.

The governing board of an institution of higher education, while maintaining a general overview, entrusts the conduct of administration to the administrative officers—the president and the deans—and the conduct of teaching and research to the faculty. The board should undertake appropriate self-limitation. The board plays a central role in relating the likely needs of the future to predictable resources; it has the responsibility for husbanding the endowment; it is responsible for obtaining needed capital and operating funds; and in the broadest sense of the term it should pay attention to personnel policy.

In order to fulfill these duties, the board should be aided by, and may insist upon, the development of long-range planning by the administration and faculty. When ignorance or ill will threatens the institution or any part of it, the governing board must be available for support. In grave crises it will be expected to serve as a champion. Although the action to be taken by it will usually be on behalf of the president, the faculty, or the student body, the board should make clear that the protection it offers to an individual or a group is, in fact, a fundamental defense of the vested interests of society in the educational institution.

The president, as the chief executive officer of an institution of higher education, is measured largely by his or her capacity for institutional leadership.

The president shares responsibility for the definition and attainment of goals, for administrative action, and for operating the communications system that links the components of the academic community. The president represents the institution to its many publics. As the chief planning officer of an institution, the president has a special obligation to innovate and initiate. The president must at times, with or without support, infuse new life into a department; relatedly, the president may at times be required, working within the concept of tenure, to solve problems of obsolescence.

The president will necessarily utilize the judgments of the faculty but may also, in the interest of academic standards, seek outside evaluations by scholars of acknowledged competence. It is the duty of the president to see to it that the standards and procedures in operational use within the college or university conform to the policy established by the governing board and to the standards of sound academic practice.

It is also incumbent on the president to ensure that faculty views, including dissenting views, are presented to the board in those areas and on those issues where responsibilities are shared. Similarly, the faculty should be informed of the views of the board and the administration on like issues. The president is largely responsible for the maintenance of existing institutional resources and the creation of new resources; has ultimate managerial responsibility for a large area of nonacademic activities; is responsible for public understanding; and by the nature of the office is the chief person who speaks for the institution.

The presidential function should receive the general support of board and faculty. The faculty has primary responsibility for such fundamental areas as curriculum, subject matter and methods of instruction, research, faculty status, and those aspects of student life which relate to the educational process.

It is desirable that the faculty should, following such communication, have opportunity for further consideration and further transmittal of its views to the president or board. Budgets, personnel limitations, the time element, and the policies of other groups, bodies, and agencies having jurisdiction over the institution may set limits to realization of faculty advice.

The faculty sets the requirements for the degrees offered in course, determines when the requirements have been met, and authorizes the president and board to grant the degrees thus achieved. Faculty status and related matters are primarily a faculty responsibility; this area includes appointments, reappointments, decisions not to reappoint, promotions, the granting of tenure, and dismissal.

The primary responsibility of the faculty for such matters is based upon the fact that its judgment is central to general educational policy. Furthermore, scholars in a particular field or activity have the chief competence for judging the work of their colleagues; in such competence it is implicit that responsibility exists for both adverse and favorable judgments.

Likewise, there is the more general competence of experienced faculty personnel committees having a broader charge. Determinations in these matters should first be by faculty action through established procedures, reviewed by the chief academic officers with the concurrence of the board. The governing board and president should, on questions of faculty status, as in other matters where the faculty has primary responsibility, concur with the faculty judgment except in rare instances and for compelling reasons which should be stated in detail.

The faculty should actively participate in the determination of policies and procedures governing salary increases. The chair or department head should not have tenure in office; tenure as a faculty member is a matter of separate right. The chair or head should serve for a stated term but without prejudice to reelection or to reappointment by procedures that involve appropriate faculty consultation.

Board, administration, and faculty should all bear in mind that the department chair or head has a special obligation to build a department strong in scholarship and teaching capacity.

Agencies for faculty participation in the government of the college or university should be established at each level where faculty responsibility is present. An agency should exist for the presentation of the views of the whole faculty. The structure and procedures for faculty participation should be designed, approved, and established by joint action of the components of the institution.

Faculty representatives should be selected by the faculty according to procedures determined by the faculty. The agencies may consist of meetings of all faculty members of a department, school, college, division, or university system, or may take the form of faculty-elected executive committees in departments and schools and a faculty-elected senate or council for larger divisions or the institution as a whole.

The means of communication among the faculty, administration, and governing board now in use include: 1 circulation of memoranda and reports by board committees, the administration, and faculty committees; 2 joint ad hoc committees; 3 standing liaison committees; 4 membership of faculty members on administrative bodies; and 5 membership of faculty members on governing boards.

Whatever the channels of communication, they should be clearly understood and observed. Universities will also offer a more diverse curriculum and programs because they have a much larger number of enrolled students. During the Middle English period, between CE and CE, the term university appeared and is older than the word college which did not appear for another 50 to years.

They both have Latin origins — universities guild, corporation, society and Collegium club, community, society. Before a college can receive a university status, it must meet a few requirements for at least five years:. Organization — It must have a graduate studies program and its associated programs plus they must be separate from the undergraduate program and the entire organization itself.

It must also have staff that has the primary responsibility for administering the graduate and professional programs. Resources — It must be able to financially support its graduate and professional programs and have the facilities and equipment required to exhibit the level of work needed in both. Accreditation — It must be accredited and depending on the state, possibly licensed and incorporated within the state. Universities have evolved into large, widespread institutions with different academic programs that serve a broad range of students throughout the United States and around the world.

On occasion, there is a blurry line between a college and a university; this can happen when a college offers graduate programs in a few areas. These institutions prefer to remain a college because of tradition. They have been a college for so long; it would be upsetting to student and alumni to change their name now. Mt saw this. Union College in Ohio who considered changing their name to the University of Mt. Union but abandoned the idea among protest from the alumni. Depending on what country you are in, the difference between college and university are how the terms are used differently.

In the United States, the two terms are used interchangeably, and both mean a school at the postsecondary level. Otherwise, the term university usually means a large institution that offers graduate and doctorate programs while college means undergraduate degrees or associate degrees. A college and university generally are academic equals. For example, if a student wants to attend a school with a variety of programs and classes, then a university may be a better choice. If a student values small class sizes and a closer relationship with professors, then a college might be the best option.

Think about what you want your college experience to be like, and choose the college or university that meets your expectations. Use articles and resources to uncover answers to common questions, get guidance on your goals, and learn about applying to schools. Are you interested in helping others resolve their issues and hurdles through talk therapy?

You may want to consider a career in the counseling field. Staff Writers December 17, Are you ready to find your fit? What is a College? Resource: 25 Best Value Colleges If you are interested in learning more about the difference between a college, community college and junior college, check out the U.

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