Are campuses becoming battlegrounds?

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2006 | by Jim Hopkins

SAN FRANCISCO -- Universities are in a tug of war pitting traditionally powerful professors against a new generation of business-savvy presidents hired to control costs, boost research and make classes more relevant in a global economy.

Last month's resignation of Harvard President Larry Summers after a faculty mutiny is adding fuel to the simmering tensions, and could slow long-sought reforms in higher education across the USA.

The Harvard meltdown is "probably the most-discussed presidential leadership change in history," says Baylor University President John Lilley, who took the helm in January after professors rebelled over his predecessor's aggressive management style.

Pressure on presidents is rising: Tuition, room and board jumped 67% in the past...