Skip to main content
Log in

Strategic Faculty Hiring in Two Public Research Universities: Pursuing interdisciplinary connections

  • Published:
Tertiary Education and Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper examines innovations in strategic faculty hiring emphasizing interdisciplinarity at two major public research universities in the USA. The research investigated how and why the Pennsylvania State University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison chose to pursue interdisciplinary faculty recruitment, how it was structured, and how it was intended to cause changes in academic work at each university. The paper analyzes how the interdisciplinary aims of those innovations intersected with competitive pressures, resource acquisition strategies, and organizational problems. Implications are discussed in the last section.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott, A. (2002). The disciplines and the future. In S. Brint (Ed.), The future of the city of intellect (pp. 205–230). Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alexander, F. K. (2001). The silent crisis: The relative fiscal capacity of public universities to compete for faculty. The Review of Higher Education, 24(2), 113–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alpert, D. (1985). Performance and paralysis: The organizational context of the American research university. Journal of Higher Education, 56, 241–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brint, S. (2005). Creating the future: ‘New directions’ in American research universities. Minerva, 43(1), 23–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, N. (Ed.). (1994, April 18). The future of the Life Sciences at Penn State—A report of the Life Sciences Study Group to President Joab Thomas. University Park: Pennsylvania State University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Burgan, M. (2005). Superstars and rookies of the year: Faculty hiring practices in the postmodern age. Research & Occasional Paper Series: CSHE.10.05. Center for Studies in Higher Education, University of California at Berkeley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chait, R. (2002). The ‘academic revolution’ revisited. In S. Brint (Ed.), The future of the city of intellect (pp. 293–321). Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, B. (1984). The organizational conception. In B. Clark (Ed.), Perspectives on higher education: Eight disciplinary perspectives and comparative views (pp. 106–131). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Epton, S. R., Payne, R. L., & Pearson, A. W. (1983). Managing interdisciplinarity research. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feller, I. (2002). New organizations, old cultures: Strategy and implementation of interdisciplinary programs. Research Evaluation, 11, 109–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Feller, I. (2005). Who races with whom; who is likely to win (or survive); why. Paper presented at the symposium The Future of the American Public Research University, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman, R., & Friedman, R. C. (1982). The role of university organized research units in academic science. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University, Center for the Study of Higher Education/Center for the Study of Science Policy, Institute for Policy Research and Evaluation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geiger, R. L. (1990). Organized research units—Their role in the development of university research. Journal of Higher Education, 61, 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • Geiger, R. L. (2004). Knowledge and money: Research universities and the paradox of the marketplace. Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gumport, P. (2002). Universities and knowledge: Restructuring the City of Intellect. In S. Brint (Ed.), The future of the city of intellect (pp. 47–81). Stanford: Stanford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikenberry, S., & Friedman, R. (1972). Beyond academic departments: The story of institutes and centers. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jencks, C., & Riesman, D. (1968). The academic revolution. Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • June, A. W. (2008, August 15). Public colleges fight raids on faculties. Chronicle of Higher Education, p. A1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kerr, C. (1982). The uses of the university (3rd ed.). Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein, J. T. (1990). Interdisciplinarity: History, theory, and practice. Detroit, MI: Wayne State University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Larson, D. J. (2007, July 18). Memo to Department Heads in the Eberly College of Science Promotion and Tenure, 2007/2008.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lattuca, L. R. (2001). Creating interdisciplinarity: Interdisciplinary research and teaching among college and university faculty. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lattuca, L. (2002). Learning interdisciplinarity: Sociocultural perspectives on academic work. Journal of Higher Education, 73(6), 711–739.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mallon, W., & Bunton, S. (2005). Characteristics of research centers and institutes at U.S. medical schools and universities. Washington, DC: Association of American Medical Colleges.

    Google Scholar 

  • Miles, M., & Huberman, A. (1994). Qualitative data analysis: An expanded sourcebook. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Academies. (2005). Facilitating interdisciplinary research. Washington, DC: National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pell, E. (2004, March 2). The challenges of public research universities. Paper presented at the Research Universities Colloquium, Department of Education Policy Studies, Penn State University, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennsylvania State University (University Futures Committee). (1993). Preserving tradition, planning for change: Report of the university future committee. University Park, PA: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennsylvania State University. (2002). Office of the vice president for research strategic plan 2002–2005. University Park, PA: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennsylvania State University. (2005). Office of the vice president for research strategic plan 2005–2008. University Park, PA: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pennsylvania State University. (2007, January 30). Revision of administrative guidelines for HR-23: Promotion and tenure procedures and regulations (Advisory and Consultative Report), Appendix I, Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs. University Park, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Remick, F. J. (2000). Barriers to organized interdisciplinary research in a university environment. In R. Roy (Ed.), The Interdisciplinary imperative: Interactive research and education, still an elusive goal in academia (pp. 153–166). Lincoln, NE: Writers Club.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rhoades, G. (2000). Who’s doing it right? Strategic activity in public research universities. The Review of Higher Education, 24, 41–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rhoten, D. (2004). Interdisciplinary research: Trend or transition. Items & Issues, 5, 6–11.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, E. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roy, R. (2000). Interdisciplinarity in America 1949–1999. In R. Roy (Ed.), The interdisciplinary imperative: Interactive research and education, still an elusive goal in academia (pp. 209–229). Lincoln, NE: Writers Club.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sa, C. (2008). ‘Interdisciplinary strategies’ in U.S. research universities. Higher Education, 55(5), 537–552.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spanier, G. (1995, January 15). Inaugural address. University Park, PA: Pennsylvania State University, Office of the President.

    Google Scholar 

  • Strout, E. (2007, September 10). Berkeley will receive 8113-million gift to help endow 100 faculty chairs. Chronicle of Higher Education.

    Google Scholar 

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2003). Report of the ad hoc advisory committee to evaluate the Cluster Hiring Initiative. Madison, WI: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison. (2007). Cluster Hiring Initiative evaluation report 2006–2007 (Draft manuscript). Madison, WI: Author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ward, D. (1995). A vision for the future—Priorities for UW-Madison for the next decade. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Office of the Chancellor.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weingart, P. (2000). Interdisciplinarity: The paradoxical discourse. In P. Weingart & N. Stehr (Eds.), Practising interdisciplinarity (pp. 25–41). Toronto: University of Toronto Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Yin, R. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Creso M. Sâ.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sâ, C.M. Strategic Faculty Hiring in Two Public Research Universities: Pursuing interdisciplinary connections. Tert Educ Manag 14, 285–301 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1080/13583880802481682

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13583880802481682

Navigation