A Critique of the Customer Model of Higher Education: The Tail Wagging the Dog(4 Equity in Higher Education Theory, Policy, and Praxis)

A Critique of the Customer Model of Higher Education is part of a public discussion as to why American higher education, once rated number one in the world, is now rated number twelve. The book's purpose is to expose the many drawbacks of the present system of evaluating college teaching. The book also raises questions about the role social class plays in American academia today, especially where the customer model is involved. A Critique of the Customer Model of Higher Education is based on a wide variety of sources; among them are some of Soucy's own teaching experiences, along with the experiences of other teachers with student evaluations and research studies of undergraduate culture. This book describes how various students view their college educations, ranging from students at large public universities, to those at small, selective private schools, and to students at community colleges. A Critique of the Customer Model of Higher Education is a provocative book that might upset some defenders of student evaluations of college teaching, while pleasing teachers who no longer want to see the drawbacks of the customer model of higher education brushed under the rug.

About the Author :
Robert J. Soucy earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin at Madison after an M.A. from Kansas University. Over his career as a historian, he has taught as an instructor at Harvard University, an assistant professor at Kent State University, and as a full professor at Oberlin College. He is presently a professor emeritus at Oberlin College. He has published five books on different aspects of French fascism, over thirty articles in scholarly journals, and numerous conference papers.

Review :
"This book is an important contribution to the debate on the decline of American higher education, which allows students to think and act like customers. Having paid so much tuition, they are encouraged to stand in judgement over their teachers through the evaluation process, resulting in relaxed standards and reduced demands. In this appeal for an abandonment of the 'customer model' of higher education, Dr. Soucy brings a lifetime of experience to bear and examples from many college settings." Patrick Allitt, Professor of American History, Emory University ''Based on a long career of teaching at elite universities and a careful reading of a wide range of opinions on how to assess university professors, Robert J. Soucy, an eminent American historian of Europe, delivers a sharp rebuttal to the idea that student views should dominate the approach to teaching. This is a no-holds-barred, well-crafted response to those who are willing to risk the quality of education in order to please students who no longer see themselves as education seekers, but as customers.'' Patrice Dutil, Professor, Department of Politics and Public Administration, Ryerson University ''Education is a fundamental institution of civilized humanity. But like any other institution, it is often at the whims of those who are involved in it along with ephemeral trends within the society that enfolds it. Robert J. Soucy's critical analysis of American higher education is an eyeopener. It dissects what is inherently anomalous about it, namely its susceptibility to trends, which erode the possibility of true learning, a Socratic bond that must arise among teacher, student, and knowledge. This is an especially crucial book given the times in which we live. It should be read by everyone, from educators and academics to anyone who truly cares about learning and education. It is written with both intellect and heart. It talks to both the mind and the soul at once.'' Marcel Danesi, Professor of Anthropology, University of Toronto