U.S. Universities Under the Microscope

Four environmental forces will influence the future trajectory of U.S. universities: federal patronage, state subsidies, new technologies, and social movements promoting greater equity across racial-ethnic and gender lines. The article describes how they will influence universities and how their impact is influenced by the positional strength of universities, the interests of departments, and the strategic assessments of senior managers. I show how these enviornmental forces can be directed to strengthen, rather than to further weaken, universities.