Why university presidents refuse reform

By Mark C. Taylor. This piece is part of an On Leadership roundtable on higher education and the 21st-century leadership challenge for university presidents.
American higher education—long the envy of the world—is facing unprecedented challenges. While the situation varies from colleges to universities and from private to public institutions, the most pressing problems are shared.  The current situation is simply financially, academically and institutionally unsustainable.
American higher education—long the envy of the world—is facing unprecedented challenges. While the situation varies from colleges to universities and from private to public institutions, the most pressing problems are shared.  The current situation is simply financially, academically and institutionally unsustainable.
Student debt just passed $1 trillion and costs are continuing to escalate at an alarming rate. Colleges and universities are also carrying a significant debt burden at a time when income is flat or declining. Academically, the over-specialization and professionalization of professors has led to a fragmented curriculum that is not preparing students for life and work in the 21st century. The imbalance between research and teaching has created a distorted incentive structure for faculty that is detrimental to students.