Article 27Academic Values and the Lure of

Profit

Written by Derek BokPresented by Renee McEady

Summary The author speaks about how higher-education institutions have turned their backs on their academic standards and values because of their pursuit for making money. State governments are cutting investments in higher-education to serve the needs of society in lure of profit. Institutions are signing research agreements with consumers that allow a lot of secrecy in order to build their financial support.

Now that I have discussed the article, I will focus on the academic standards and the avenues that the institutions have taken towards cutting cost in order to make a profit.

Academic Standards

Performance standardsContent standards Teaching standardsAssessment standards

Performance Standards

What a student should know and be able to do.

Content Standards

Materials that are being taught to ensure that students can meet the performance standards.

Teaching Standards

Outlines the skills and competencies that teachers need to provide learning opportunities and experiences for students to be able to master performance standards.

Assessment Standards

Identify the essential criteria for determining whether students have met specified performance standards.

Cutting Cost In Institutions

Teachers Students Educational

programs Textbooks Small classes

Secrecy

96% of researchers are writing favorably about a drug or a particular research because they are being funded by the manufacturer.

Institutions do not always disclose their financial relationships with the industry, even when they are making decisions about research protocols sponsored by that industry in which they are being funded.

CONCLUSION

Marketing concerns have taken priority over scientific goals in continuing education.

Implementing thoughtful policies and procedures to prevent, disclose, and manage conflicts of interest before they become a problem.

Making sure institutions are following academic standards for all students.

Maintaining the core academic standards are important to higher education.

Sources:

Bok, Derek. “Academic Values and the Lure of Profit.” Business Ethics: 08/09 2007: Article 27.

Cobb, Nina. The Future of Education. New York; College Board Publications, 1994.

Gonder, Peggy. Cutting Costs: Successful Ways To Reduce School Expenditures. Virginia: National School Public Relations Association, 1977.

Schank, Roger. Making Minds Less Well Educated Than Our Own. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc., 2004.

Smith, Phillip. Theories of Value and Problems of Education. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1970.

THE END!

QUESTIONS?