Change The Magazine of Higher Learning

Over the last ten years, American colleges and universities have spent over $400 billion on their physical plants despite the fact that student enrollments have continued to decline. The increase in maintenance and energy costs has caused a financial strain, forcing cutbacks in vital ingredients of education: research, course offerings, student financial aid, faculty and staff support. The author draws a comparison between higher education and the health care industry and suggests that costs can be reduced by avoiding duplication of facilities and developing modes of interinstitutional cooperation. An increase in institutional efficiency will reduce the reliance of the higher education community on public subsidies for operations. This approach is seen to be particularly important during an era when every qualified student is expected to have the opportunity to obtain a university education without undue financial strain.

Hesburgh, the President of Notre Dame, draws on his experience to write a very human account of what makes a good college president. He suggests that the basic cause of most presidential failure is the inability to realize that all constituencies cannot be satisfied all the time. Hesburgh advises that criticism is a far greater part of presidential life than plaudits and gratitude. He acknowledges that decisions should be based on what is right, given the alternatives, not what is least costly or most popular. The author suggests ways to satisfy the various constituencies of the college president (students, faculty and trustees) and says that "effective leadership means getting the best people you can find to share the vision and help in achieving it".