In an increasingly competitive higher education environment, Americas public universities are seeking ways to differentiate themselves. This book suggests that a hopeful vision of what a university should be lies in a reexamination of the land-grant mission, the common system of values originally set forth in the Morrill Land Grant Acts of 1862 and 1890, which established a new system of practically oriented higher learning across the United States. While hard to define, these values are often expressed by the one hundred or so institutions that currently define themselves as land grants under the three pillars of research, teaching, and engagement/extension.
In order to understand the unique character of a modern land-grant institution, this book focuses especially but not exclusively on the multiple components of a single organization, Oklahoma State University, founded in 1890 and currently enrolling 35,000 students across five campuses. Contributors from across the university focus on what the land-grant mission means to them in their daily endeavors, whether that be crafting the undergraduate academic experience, stimulating research, or engaging with the community through extension activities. The twenty contributions are divided into four parts, exploring in turn the core mission of the modern land-grant university, the university environment, the universitys public value, and its accountability. The volume ends with an epilogue by the editor, which summarizes the values underlying the activities of land-grant institutions.
In a time of uncertainty in higher education, this volume provides a helpful overview of the many different types of value public universities bring to American society. It also offers a powerful vision of a future founded on land-grant ideas that will be inspiring to university administrators and trustees, other educational policymakers, and faculty and staff, especially those fortunate enough to be part of land-grant institutions.
Preface, by Robert J. Sternberg
PART I The Core Mission of the Modern Land-Grant University
1 History and Mission, by Charles I. Abramson, W. Stephen Damron, Michael Dicks, Peter M. A. Sherwood
2 Teaching and Learning, by Melanie C. Page, Lucy E. Bailey, Hong Lin, Sue C. Jacobs, Belinda Bruner
3 Research and Other Scholarship, by D. Alan Tree
4 Service, Cooperative Extension, and Community Engagement, by Jorge H. Atiles, Chris Jenkins, Patricia Rayas-Duarte, Randal K. Taylor, Hailin Zhang
PART II The University Environment of the Modern Land-Grant University
5 Diversity, by Sue C. Jacobs, Belinda Bruner, Shelia M. Kennison, Jeff J. Simpson
6 Undergraduate Academic Experience, by Jeremy D. Penn, John D. Hathcoat, Sungah Kim
7 Liberal Studies, Undergraduate Curriculum, and the Land-Grant Idea, by Pamela Martin Fry
8 Graduate Academic Experience, by Jean Van Delinder, Sheryl Ann Tucker
9 Honors Colleges and Competitive Fellowship Programs, by Robert Spurrier, Robert E. Graalman Jr.
10 Campus Life, by Matthew S. Brown, Jovette R. Dew
11 The Library in the Modern Land-Grant University, by Sheila Grant Johnson, Mary A. Larson, Anne M. Prestamo, Bonnie Ann Cain-Wood, M. Robin Leech, Johnny L. Johnson
12 Athletics, by Ry Marcattilio-McCracken, Kyle Tatroult, James R. Knecht, Marilyn Middlebrook
PART III The Public Value of the Modern Land-Grant University
13 Economic Development, by Steven C. Price, Ron D. Duggins, Stephen W. S. McKeever
14 Fostering Human Capital and Human Potential, by J. Shane Robinson, Whitney A. Bailey
15 Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, by Michael H. Morris, Melanie C. Page, Mary Ruppert-Stroescu, Diane Montgomery
16 Role of the Arts, by Jean Van Delinder, Betty Ann Sisson
17 Wisdom and Ethics, by Eric Reitan, Scott D. Gelfand, R. Steven Harrist
PART IV Accountability of the Modern Land-Grant University
18 Promotion and Tenure, by Tami L. Moore, Timm J. Bliss, Dale R. Fuqua, Brandt C. Gardner
19 Role of Institutional Rankings, by Laura L. B. Barnes, Christie Hawkins
20 Financing and Fiscal Accountability, by Robert E. Dixon, Mary D. Bryans, Robert J. Lofton, Kathy Kamm Elliott, Robert M. Klein, Suzanne McNatt, Jeffrey B. Walters, Carmen E. Tetik, David Loyless, Lisa M. Faulkner
Epilogue: Values Underlying the Activities of Land-Grant Universities, by Robert J. Sternberg
Contributors
Index
