美国高校教师参与学校治理研究——以匹兹堡大学为案例

The Practice Research of American University Faculty Participation in the Shared Governance——A Case Study of University of Pittsburgh

虽然教师参与学校治理已经成为美国高等教育界共识,但由于治理和各方权责界限与切身利益等密切相关,教师参与治理的实践较其理念层面更为复杂。通过对美国匹兹堡大学20位教师进行半结构化深度访谈,就收集到的访谈资料进行编码与分析发现,教师参与治理有利于调节高校内部复杂的权力关系、维护非终身制教师合法权益、保障学术自主与自由。目前,匹兹堡大学教师参与治理实践在专业事务领域以教师与行政人员的联合决策为主,在非教师专业事项中则主要基于协商式或讨论式决策,参与范畴较为广泛,由学术、财务等传统领域延伸至学校战略规划和管理人员遴选等新领域。在共同治理文化形成过程中,匹兹堡大学管理者与教师不断明确事务范围、协调正式与非正式参与、重视充分沟通基础上的意见整合。

Although the concept of faculty participation in shared governance has become a consensus in the American higher education community,the practice of faculty participation in governance is more complex than its conceptual level due to the close relationship between governance and the boundaries of power and responsibilities as well as the vital interests of all parties.Through conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews with 20 faculty at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States,coding and analyzing the collected interview data,it was found that faculty participation in governance is beneficial for regulating complex power relationships within the university,safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of non-tenure track faculty,and ensuring academic autonomy and freedom.At present,the faculty participation in governance practices of University of Pittsburgh is mainly based on joint decision-making between faculty and administrators in professional affairs,while in non-professional matters,it is mainly based on consultative or discussion decision-making.The scope of participation is relatively broad,extending from traditional fields such as academia and finance to new fields such as university strategic planning and management personnel selection.In the process of forming the culture of shared governance,the administrators and faculty of the University of Pittsburgh have continuously clarified the scope of affairs,coordinated formal and informal participation,and emphasized the integration of opinions based on sufficient communication.