Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Sunday, June 17, 2012

What Corporate Management Can Teach Academia???

Last update: Friday 6/3/2015
I originally posted this note back in June 2012 in response to an outrageous overreach by the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia when it fired Uva's president, Dr. Teresa A. Sullivan. President Sullivan responded with a statement that contained the following quote:
"Corporate-style, top-down leadership does not work in a
great university.  Sustained change with buy-in does work."
An article in the Chronicle (6/15/12) suggested that President Sullivan's unexplained dismissal reflected the influence of a powerful alumnus, a venture capitalist, who proposed that UVa needed leadership that embodied "strategic dynamism" -- whatever that is. Another article in the Chronicle (7/17/12) implied judgement by the Board that Dr. Sullivan hadn't implemented MOOCs fast enough. The eventual good news, of course, was that the Board subsequently rescinded its decision by reinstating Dr. Sullivan president of UVa.

Monday, June 04, 2012

HBCU Websites -- Some Best Practices

Part I -- It's a Web World
A consensus has recently emerged within the HBCU community that lack of public awareness of the recent achievements of HBCUs makes them vulnerable to judgments that they have nothing more to contribute to U.S. society, that HBCUs have a distinguished legacy, but a dubious future. HBCUs need to tell their stories more effectively so that the general public can better understand why they are still needed. I agree with this consensus.