What’s AHEAD Poll # 11: Academic Freedom, Tenure, and Shared Governance

This report summarizes the results of a poll of members of the What’s AHEAD trend-spotter panel (n = 388). The panel is made up of higher education leaders, including alumni of the Executive Doctorate program in Higher Education Management at the University of Pennsylvania, and members of NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. We received 144 responses during the nine days in which the poll was open (September 13-21, 2016): 122 of 269 Executive Doctorate alumni, 17 members of NASPA, and 5 other higher education leaders. About half (51%) of respondents work at private not-for-profit four-year institutions, 22% work at public four-year institutions, 5% at public two-year institutions, 2% at for-profit institutions, 3% at non-US based universities, and 1% in administrative units (e.g., system offices). The remaining respondents (15%) work in organizations other than colleges and universities. Nearly half (40%) of respondents hold positions that focus on administration, 24% on academic matters, 18% in student affairs, 4% in finance, and 15% in other areas. Additional commentary is available at https://ahead-penn.org/whats-ahead/commentary-october-2016