Chapter 2: Churning Forces in Higher Education: Are Nonprofits Becoming More Like For-Profits?

The field of higher education is increasingly a bifurcated one, with both nonprofit and for-profit institutions vying for resources, stability, and legitimacy. In an earlier chapter, we hypothesized a convergence between for-profit and not-for-profit sectors. In this chapter, we explore nonprofit higher education administrators’ perceptions of that potential convergence, as well as their perceptions of its implications for policy in nonprofit higher education. Findings are based upon in-depth interviews with 30 administrators (presidents to department chairs) in 15 universities. Most administrators perceived convergence in student services, program delivery, and marketing practices. These changes also influenced policy especially as related to accountability, accreditation, student outcomes, and faculty work.