Academic Freedom and Shared Governance: A Framework to Reclaim Academic Prestige in the Academy

Volume 12 Issue 4 March - May 2017

Review Paper

Academic Freedom and Shared Governance: A Framework to Reclaim Academic Prestige in the Academy

Philliph Masila Mutisya* , James Edward Osler II**

* Professor, Educational Technology Program, North Carolina Central University, USA

** Faculty Member, School of Education (SOE), North Carolina Central University, USA.

Mutisya, P.M., and OslerII, J.E. (2017). Academic Freedom and Shared Governance: A Framework to Reclaim Academic Prestige in the Academy. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 12(4), 35-48. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.12.4.13550

Abstract

There are sweeping changes facing higher education institutions today that have resulted in diminished power, privilege, and prestige that the professorate have had in the past. Higher education institutions are faced with many challenges that often demand radical changes in the reconceptualization of the professorship and adversely preservation of the prestige of the profession in the academy. Prestige in this respect refers to a notoriety, reputation or influence arising from success, achievement, rank, or other favorable attributes. In other words. Prestige is a “distinction” or “reputation attached to a person or estimation in the eyes of people that has weight or credit (in general opinion), and a commanding position in people's minds. The aforementioned challenges are not only experienced locally depending on one's location on the globe, but also regionally, nationally, and internationally. This paper addresses the challenges faced by academics in higher education today that have been observed and experienced over the last twenty five years of teaching in higher education and offers a dynamic and empowering solution to those challenges that benefits both the professorate and the institutions in which they respectively serve.