Academic Turnarounds

Reviews / Votes

Filled with vivid case studies and careful analyses, Academic Turnarounds is a highly useful and insightful book. Terry MacTaggart and his co-authors have made a substantive contribution to both the theory and the practice of leadership and management in academic institutions. It merits the interest of a wide audience, including faculty leaders, administrators, and trustees. -- Richard L. Morrill, Chancellor, University of Richmond, Virginia, president, the Teagle Foundation For both practitioners and academicians, Academic Turnarounds provides essental information about how institutions get into trouble and recover. Its lessons are applicable to a wide range of public and private colleges and universities and especially during these tough economic times. The book's use of case studies and real word examples are nicely balanced with more conceptual frameworks about revitilization, financial analysis, and leadership lessons. I plan to refer to this book in my work with trustees, teaching, and writing and urge my colleagues to do the same. -- Kent John Chabotar, professor of political science and president, Guilford College, North Carolina In today's challenging environment for higher education there is increased pressure for institutions to maintain a high level of quality while managing efficiently. When institutions find themselves in a difficult position, they need to take bold steps to renew themselves. Financial pressure is just one area that can put an institution in jeopardy. It is time for a fresh take on collaborative leadership to meet these challenges head-on and to develop and implement a path to a turnaround strategy, when it becomes a necessity. MacTaggart and his colleagues raise some important issues and present solid recommendations. Presidents, board members and other institutional leaders should read and consider the advice contained in its pages. It is a volume that adds value. -- Richard D. Legon, President, Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges