外行可以领导内行吗——美国大学聘用非传统型校长的争议及其思考

Can Non-expert Lead Expert?Disputes and Reflections on the Employment of Non-traditional Presidents in American Universities

在美国学界,关于大学聘用非传统型校长所引发的争议一直不断。赞成者基于市场的逻辑,认为随着大学生存与发展环境的改变、大学组织复杂程度的增加,以及大学校长角色与职责的变化,大学完全有必要打破传统偏见,起用非传统型校长。反对者基于学术的逻辑,认为大学作为专业型组织,有其独特的学术文化,唯有传统型校长才能胜任大学的领导工作。这两种论争难有定断,因为背后都可以找到各自的理论基础。对于大学这样的专业型组织而言,理想状态是选择兼具学术背景和概念技能的传统型领导者,但是绝不能盲目地排斥非传统型领导者,因为专业知识和技能只是领导胜任力的一个维度,人际沟通与概念等技能对领导者可能更为重要。

In American academic circles,there has been a constant controversy about the employment of non-traditional presidents who are not the expert and from the outside of higher education.Based on a logic of market,the proponents believe that with the changes in the survival and development environment of universities,the increase in the complexity of university organizations,and the changes in the roles and responsibilities of university presidents,it is absolutely necessary for universities to break traditional prejudice and employ non-traditional presidents.Based on an academic logic,opponents believe that the university as a professional organization has its unique academic culture.Only the traditional president can be competent for university leadership.These two arguments are difficult to make a definite conclusion,because they represent different theoretical bases.For professional organizations,such as universities,an ideal state is to choose traditional leaders with both academic background and conceptual skills.However,we must not blindly exclude non-traditional leaders,because professional knowledge and skills are only a dimension of leadership competence,and their skills such as interpersonal communication and concept may be more important to leaders.