The All-Administrative University? Exploring the Relationship Between Administrative Costs and Administrative Staff at Public Comprehensive Institutions

• In Event: 16.058 - Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: 16.058-5 - Division J Section 5 1

Abstract

Despite intense scrutiny from the media and policymakers, scholarly research on administrative costs in higher education remains under-developed. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between administrative costs and the number of full-time administrative staff at public comprehensive institutions. It uses a ten-year panel dataset to empirically analyze several theoretical propositions related to rising administrative costs, including Ginsberg’s (2011) notion of the all-administrative university. The analysis shows that the number of full-time managerial and executive staff and full-time professional staff are positively related to administrative costs at public comprehensive institutions. The paper discusses the implications of these findings for theory, practice, and future research.

Authors

• Marvin A. Titus, University of Maryland

• Kevin R. McClure, University of North Carolina - Wilmington