"In conservative states, a spate of recent laws gives legislators and governors more control over public higher education curriculum, take authority from faculty over educational policy decisions, and require the policing of faculty and programs for left-leaning bias. States exercising increasing levels of control over public colleges and universities are moving toward a regulatory environment for higher education more like that for public elementary and secondary schools."
"Debates about oversight and accountability for public higher education have occurred in both liberal and conservative states for decades. What is different about recent initiatives compared to previous accountability efforts across the political spectrum is that they inject more state control over curricular and personnel decisions, take authority away from governing boards, and slash the faculty's role in shared governance."
"Under a law enacted in June of this year, faculty councils or senates, if allowed to exist at all, will only be advisory in nature. In addition to setting specific standards for faculty senate membership and terms, the law mandates that institutional presidents will select the leaders for any advisory faculty body and gives presidents broad discretion to remove members."
Some states have enacted laws increasing legislative and gubernatorial control over public colleges and universities, expanding oversight of curriculum, personnel, and alleged ideological bias. These laws reduce faculty influence by limiting faculty councils or senates to advisory roles and by shifting selection and removal authority to institutional presidents. Governing boards have had authority taken away in some cases, and curricular and personnel decisions face greater political review. The regulatory approach in these states increasingly mirrors the centralized oversight used for public elementary and secondary schools. The consequences may include public universities that differ markedly across states in autonomy and academic governance.
Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs
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