The article explores the tension in higher education between operating as a business and providing a public service, leading to an identity crisis. It examines how this conflict has shaped the sector’s current dilemmas in a two-part essay. Authored by Kathy Johnson Bowles, it was published on April 28, 2026, in Inside Higher Ed.
Key Points
- Higher education faces a profound crisis due to conflicting roles as a business and a public service.
- The essay analyzes how this tension contributes to the sector’s identity dilemma.
- It questions whether higher ed should prioritize corporate efficiency or public good.
Implications for Educational Freedom
This identity crisis in higher education could highlight government overreach in treating colleges as public services, potentially advocating for more market-based reforms like vouchers or choice mechanisms to empower students and parents. It aligns with EFI’s emphasis on educational freedom by critiquing bureaucratic models that limit innovation and parental rights.
