Michael S. Harris

Witch-Hunting at Crucible University: The Power and Peril of Competing Organizational Ideologies

The literature on organizational culture underscores the benefits of a strong culture—its capacity to draw people together through shared values and norms. Yet, the formation of a powerful ideology also has the capacity to promote divisiveness and to alienate those who fail to conform. This study employs Frank W. Lutz’s witch-hunting framework in order to examine an institutional crisis at a small private faith-based institution. The case provides a rich illustration of the potential dangers of divisive ideologies on campus.

Universities as Anchor Institutions: Economic and Social Potential for Urban Development

While non-U.S. scholars and academic disciplines other than higher education have given great consideration to the relationships among universities, cities, and economic development, research in the U.S. often fails to consider the potential and significance of higher education for fostering city development. In this chapter, we review the concept of anchor institutions and discuss its potential in terms of understanding the relationship between universities and cities. Anchor institutions serve an integral role in the local culture, providing employment, purchasing power, and real estate stability. These institutions are well-suited to engage with local stakeholders to foster activities of shared value. We examine the influence of anchor institutions related to knowledge networks, economic competitiveness, and economic geography. The conclusion offers methodological insights and future research questions for higher education scholars interested in advancing work in this area.

Exploring Involuntary Presidential Turnover in American Higher Education

ABSTRACT University presidents face a variety of competing demands and pressures to successfully lead their institutions. We sought to better understand these issues by studying unsuccessful presidencies ending in an involuntary turnover. We collected data on 1,029 presidential terms across 256 institutions with Division I athletics from 1988 to 2016. Our findings revealed 7 causes of involuntary turnover including athletics controversy, financial controversy, loss of board confidence, loss of faculty confidence, loss of system confidence, poor judgment, and poor fit. In addition to identifying trends in presidential involuntary turnover, we propose a presidential turnover framework to explain the causes of presidential turnover.