Higher Education: The Problem with Priorities - Brian C. Mitchell, Huffington Post

It's been interesting to watch over the years how priorities emerge on college and university campuses. Some develop organically, whether in service of an academic program, to meet a perceived need, or at their best, to fulfill an institution's strategic plan. They are part of the business of evolution, matching and balancing people, programs and facilities to available resources and aspirations. In these cases, colleges and universities differ little from other growing enterprises offering a quality product in a competitive marketplace. For others, the game is all about process. It may be that the best outcome emerges, but the complaint can be that the perpetrators of change violated "standards," "process," and "protocol," especially if the inherited guidelines and the roles assigned are unclear. In this respect, some college and university staff behave more like bureaucrats, and sadly, discussions with them focus more on motivation than aspiration. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-brian-c-mitchell/higher-education-the-prob_b_6416078.html