Abstract
This essay considers the future of the university through the relationship between liberal education, civic virtue, and academic governance. It distinguishes the life of the mind from the university as a historical social institution, arguing that higher education has traditionally been tied to the preparation of citizens for public life. The essay traces this civic purpose from Renaissance humanism through American republican educational ideals and the development of public higher education. It identifies the academic department system and campus governance structures as central sites of crisis, rather than treating curricular reform or educational quality debates as the primary issue. The essay argues that declining faculty participation, bureaucratic administration, and managerial models have weakened the university’s ability to model civic activity for students. It connects this governance problem to a broader depoliticization of citizenship and a narrowing of liberal education into vocational preparation and professional credentialing. The essay concludes by urging universities to recover their responsibility to prepare citizens for active public life.
Recommended Citation
Rosenfield, Lawrence W.
(1985)
"Civic Virtue and the university of the Future,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 51, Article 15.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol51/iss1/15
