The Development of Intra-Departmental Stratification and Competition for Resources: A Case Study of a Non-Research Based Higher Education Institution

Fluctuations in the financial welfare of institutions of higher education have long been tied to our country’s economic well-being. For many institutions the most recent financial downturns have led to historic revenue and enrollment difficulties that have necessitated the use of cost containment st...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Innovative higher education 2017-04, Vol.42 (2), p.145-156
Main Authors: Sanders-Dewey, Neva E. J., Liszewski, Kyle
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Case Studies
College Administration
Competition
Course Selection (Students)
Departments
Economic conditions
Economic Impact
Education
Education finance
Educational Resources
Enrollment Trends
Enrollments
Financial Problems
Higher Education
Institutional Characteristics
Majors (Students)
Outcomes of Education
Resource Allocation
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Summary:Fluctuations in the financial welfare of institutions of higher education have long been tied to our country’s economic well-being. For many institutions the most recent financial downturns have led to historic revenue and enrollment difficulties that have necessitated the use of cost containment strategies to conserve dwindling resources. Included in these tactics are resource allotment decisions that reflect administrative favor towards some academic departments, leading to the development of a prestige-based stratification system and competition driven funding. A case study of a non-research based institution is used to take a preliminary look at the impact of institutional resource conservation on intra-departmental competition for resources and disparate funding allocations across disciplines in this setting. Special attention is given to the trends in enrollment and the selection of particular academic majors that have occurred across time and in response to the institution’s continued fiscal difficulties.
ISSN:0742-5627
1573-1758
DOI:10.1007/s10755-017-9397-8