… in store for the academy? The estimable Charles Miller says that as “HMOs started due to the rage over the failure to cut costs,” so Education Maintenance Organizations are likely to take root in higher education.

He also lets loose with other ripostes to the higher-education status quo. For instance, regarding criticism of the higher education task force he headed by a major establishment organization – the group quoted a Shanghai University ranking – he asks: “Isn’t it ironic that the only ranking they could use that showed them in a good light came from a communist totalitarian system?”

Ironic, yes, but logical – given the socialist and secretive bent of today’s academy.

And Miller inveighs against university philosophical bias, lack of transparency, and unwillingness to measure its own success, warning that it the university does not heal itself, campuses will “lose their autonomy.”

It is of interest that he was addressing a group consisting of many higher education lobbyists, who are enriching themselves nicely as matters stand. In my experience, these vested interests – or at least those they allow to govern them – could care less about threats of EMOs, etc. They are hanging in there to get their piece of the action.

Exhortation is “educational,” and we should welcome Miller’s frank comments. But it will take more than exhortation to budge the controlling education powers-that-be. Perhaps fear of innovations such as EMOs will stir them.