The Future of the University: A Contingency Analysis of Professors' Perspectives

Abstract

Within the framework of contingency theory, the impact of environmental and organizational variables on professors' perspectives on the future of the university is analyzed. The sample consists of 1 225 university professors of all Québec universities who answered a survey questionnaire in the fall of 1984 and the winter of 1985. More than two thirds of respondents (76,2%) advocate a greater selectivity in university admissions. A majority (55,4%) agree with a market orientation of universities. Approximately 90% are in favour of the search for non-governmental funds. Almost two thirds (63,7%) think that less viable departments should be protected. A strong majority (80,7%) support a closing of the technological gap of Québec society. Finally, 80% favour greater university autonomy. Regression analyses show that area of specialization of department is related to all future issues, while language of department is related to four of them. Organizational variables, particularly decline, did not prove to be decisive factors in determining professors' perspectives. With the exception of sex, control variables were not consistently related to future issues.