Achieving Accountability in Higher Education: Balancing Public, Academic, and Market Demands Hardcover - 2004 - 1st Edition

First line

Accountability is the most advocated and least analyzed word in higher education.

From the rear cover

In an era and economy driven by knowledge and information, accountability becomes of ever increasing importance.

With contributions from leading experts in the field, this comprehensive and timely book presents the principles and guidelines for effective accountability for states, colleges, and universities. Achieving Accountability in Higher Education clarifies the concept of accountability for both public and private colleges and universities and explores its reaches and limits. The book examines the most recent developments, offers current models for each of the major approaches to accountability, and analyzes their shortcomings.

Achieving Accountability in Higher Education is filled with a wealth of information, models, and suggestions and

• Presents the "Accountability Triangle"--balancing state priorities, academic concerns, and market forces

• Describes state and federal policies, system designs, and funding strategies
• Outlines the current state and future prospects of the major approaches to accountability
• Examines the pressures on accreditors to hold campuses and programs responsible for performance results

• Explains the value of student and alumni survey information for policymakers
• Details the weaknesses and possibilities of standardized tests of student learning
• Explores the development of credible and comparable methods for assessing and auditing student learning
• Describes the current problems and possibilities of performance reporting, budgeting, and funding
• Assesses the impact of student markets and national ratings on quality and price in higher education
  
  

Achieving Accountability in Higher Education is an important resource that identifies the delicate balance between accountability and autonomy that allows the academy to simultaneously serve and scrutinize society.