How Universities Work: A Field Guide to the Academic Enterprise (BIOS 998-006)
Instructor: William Wagner (wagner@unl.edu)
Time: Wednesdays 12:00-3:00
Location: Manter 203
Most graduate students have only a cursory understanding of how universities function, the challenges that universities and their faculties are having to confront, and the differences between various types of universities and colleges. As a result, many students are largely ignorant about the enterprise in which they are already working. (This was likely true for their advisors as well, and it was certainly true for me.) The major goal of this course is to introduce graduate students to some of the complexities of American higher education so that they better understand and can better navigate the world in which they are choosing to build their careers.
Some of the specific goals of the course will be to:
- Talk about the history of the American university system, why it is so diverse, and why it has been extraordinarily successful.
• - Talk about the complexities of the modern research university, university governance and university management.
• - Talk about some of the many challenges facing universities and faculty.
• - Compare different types of institutions of higher education (from community colleges to research universities) in terms of governance, faculty work, and their unique challenges.
We will approach these topics through discussions of some classic and newer books on higher education and higher education administration, discussions of some contemporary issues in higher education, and discussions with faculty members and administrators at various levels from both within UNL and other types of institutions.
The target audience for the course is PhD students who are interested in pursuing a career in the academy (although MS and MFA students are also welcome).
The course is listed under Biological Sciences, but it is meant to provide a general introduction to the breadth of the academic enterprise. There will be little to no biological content.
The course was taught in Spring 2017 and Spring 2018, and it has included students from a diverse range of programs, including: Biological Engineering; Biological Sciences; Chemical Engineering; Computer Sciences; Earth & Atmospheric Sciences; Engineering; English; Human Sciences; Journalism and Mass Communications; Natural Resource Sciences; Physical & Astronomy; Teaching, Learning & Teacher Education; and Theater.
Student comments from the previous offerings included the following:
• The course should be required for all PhD’s.
• This should be required for ALL grad students. The majority of us aspire to faculty positions and this course provides us with the kind of understanding of the inner workings and big picture of a university that we otherwise would not get.
• This is one of the best courses I have taken throughout undergraduate and four years of graduate school. I believe it is essential for anyone interested in higher education (and education at any level) and research.
• This is the most real-world applicable course I have taken during my graduate study.
• Incredibly interesting topics.
• This has been one of my favorite courses.
• The discussions in this course were very interesting and engaging.
The class is limited to 15 students.
If you have any questions about the course, feel free to contact wagner@unl.edu">William Wagner.