Covering the business of education and training

There are often many people who have a stake in a non-profit university.

I have borrowed much fodder from Richard Ruch and his book HIGHER ED, INC. He deserves much credit for his insights and the discussions he creates.

He lists the following stakeholders:

1.  Students

2.  Families of the students

3.  Faculty members

4.  Administrators

5.  Trustees

6.  Alumni

7.  Donors

8.  Employers

9.  Accreditation bodies

10. Community Leaders

and

11. Government Agencies

All of these groups have an interest in the school; the interests are of varying degrees and often are in conflict.

Faculty may want a raise when the student body thinks they need a new community center. Trustees might want to change the name of the school but city leaders will have nothing to do with it. And so on.

Because any of all of these people have given something to the school, each feels they should have a 'say' in the way things are done.

It can be easily seen how this desire to please everyone and usually know one will totally bog down the decision making process

There is no remote possibility that a non-profit can make a quick decision. It is like trying to get the members of a church to decide on pew or carpet colors.

It can only be done with tremendous patience...and by then the people who initiated the project have graduated or moved on.