Change Leadership in Higher Education

The title Change Leadership in Higher Education expresses the dual focus of Jeffrey Buller’s new book. Buller describes processes for leading change in colleges and universities. He also argues that how leadership is exercised in higher education needs to change. Both focuses are linked in Buller’s opinion. He argues that change efforts in higher education have largely failed because university and college leaders have adopted change processes designed for the hierarchical structures of business and the military. Such processes are not applicable to the decentralized structures of higher education institutions. Buller puts forth a detailed and convincing case for why faith in revered processes such as strategic planning and change management is misplaced. He goes on to propose specific methodologies that are more effective and analyzes case studies of university and college change initiatives to make his case. This book is essential reading for anyone striving to implement change in higher education. The book is also recommended to those outside of higher education who are responsible for initiating organizational change. Buller challenges many of the long held practices of change management and describes how to move to change leadership.