Abstract
Institutional power over the decision-making process in post-secondary institutions has traditionally been concentrated in the academy itself and, to a lesser extent, in state regulatory offices. Recently, however, this type of governance has been challenged and, in many places, replaced by a new, entrepreneurial model emphasizing more control by college administrations, increased involvement by outside “stakeholders,” and the use of competition among and within schools for students and resources as the main criterion for determining investment and curricular priorities. This article describes the entrepreneurial model of academic governance, then shows it in action through a detailed examination of the presidential succession crisis at the University of Virginia. This case study reveals many aspects of the discourse of entrepreneurial governance and illustrates the utilitarian nature of the model. The article proceeds to consider the reasons why such a discourse developed, tying the entrepreneurial model to the promulgation of neoliberal ideologies that are remaking social institutions more generally. The effects on the role of education in democratic politics in the United States are then analyzed. The conclusion of the article speaks to the difficulties of addressing these effects and recommends ways of analyzing responses to the model by the institutions and individuals involved.
