The University of California is unique among American multicampus systems in that it is organized around a principle known as the one-university idea. Its premise is simple: that a large and decentralized system of ten campuses, differing in size, resources, aspiration, and stage of development, can nevertheless be governed as a single university. The one-university idea has long been regarded as a major force behind UC's rise to pre-eminence among American research universities. But does it have a future in the age of public disinvestment in higher education? CSHE Senior Research Associate Patricia A. Pelfrey discusses the one-university principle in the context of UC's history, its contemporary relevance to the governance of the UC system, and the drive for institutional redesign in American universities. More...