Higher Ed’s Middle-Manager Problem
Preview:
Faculty have warned for decades about rising administrative costs, pointing to expanding bureaucracy, a proliferation of rules and processes, and growing layers of middle management. Authority and money have steadily migrated from academic units to central administration. The piece argues it is time for higher education to get serious about administrative bloat.
Originally published: September 15, 2026
Author: Nicholas S. Zeppos
Position: Chancellor Emeritus
Institution: Vanderbilt University
Published by: The Chronicle of Higher Ed