To frame and analyze the most critical issues facing higher education in major research universities in the United States today, to understand their historical evolution and to project how these issues may affect universities of the future.
The course begins with a consideration of the university's external environment: its sources of revenue and its relationshiips with state and federal government as well as the private sector. Then we shift focus to the student body, information technology and governance. We also look closely at two important domains: intercollegiate athletics and the health system. Finally, we conclude by considering various perspectives on restructuring the research university.
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