Higgerson, Mary Lou and Rehwaldt, Susan S. (1993). Complexities of Higher Education Administration: Case Studies & Issues. Reviewed by Gypsy M. Denzine, Northern Arizona University

Higgerson, Mary Lou and Rehwaldt, Susan S. (1993). Complexities of Higher Education Administration: Case Studies & Issues. Boston: Anker Publishing. xxx + 252 pp $35.95 (Cloth)       ISBN #0-9627042-7-X Reviewed by Gypsy M. Denzine Northern Arizona University February 18, 2000           Higgerson and Rehwaldt's aim in this book is to present a wide variety of cases studies that demonstrate the ambiguity and complexity of higher education administration. As the authors note, one of the benefits of case studies is that individuals can analyze situations and take more time for reflection than one would be afforded if they were actually dealing with a real life issue.           Complexities of Higher Education Administration: Case Studies & Issues contains an introductory chapter, sixteen in- depth case studies, and a bibliography. In the introductory chapter, the authors outline three primary audiences for the book. One audience is current administrators, who can use this book as a tool for self-directed instruction and reflection. A second targeted audience for this book includes individuals who may be considering a career in higher education administration. For example, a faculty member who is contemplating becoming a department chair may find this book useful in his or her career decision making process. Similarly, a department chair considering a dean role may find this book helpful because he or she will get a sample of the types of issues dean's encounter. The reality of the situations underlying the case studies invites the reader to ask "would I really want to deal with issues like this on a daily basis?"           The third potential audience for this book is students enrolled in a graduate course in higher education administration or educational leadership. As a course textbook, this book lends itself well to collective use and has several features worth mentioning. First, the majority of cases are short enough (10-20 pages) that they can be read and discussed during a single class period. A second useful feature is that each case contains a series of questions that prompt the reader to strategize, consider alternatives, and make decisions. Unlike typical case studies in which questions are presented at the end of the case study, Higgerson and Rehwaldt carefully embed questions at key points throughout the case presentation. In their attempt to provide authentic situations, the authors present some information, ask questions of the reader, and then present additional information. This format allows for a realistic picture of higher education administration in that individuals are frequently required to make decisions without having all of the information. This book illustrates that complex cases often become more complex over time. The authors achieve their goal of demonstrating that difficult situations are not always resolved after a meeting is held or a memo is written. Several cases in this book show how some situations seem to take on a life of their own, even though an administrator believes he or she has resolved the program. Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of this book is that the authors do not provide "right answers or strategies," which leaves readers to generate their own plan of action.           For faculty interested in using this book as a text, they will find the appendices for each case study to be of great value. For example, there are appendices containing letters written by deans and department chairs and excerpts from a student handbook and faculty handbook. In some cases, the reader is asked to reflect upon and rewrite memos or critically evaluate a policy statement. The authors have provided excellent resources for faculty to engage students in theory-to-practice exercises. In fact, several of the cases and accompanying questions could serve as take home exams in a graduate course.           Two additional strengths of this book deserve mention. First, the authors are to be commended for their commitment to providing such a wide variety of cases. The cases involve all administrative levels and constituency groups (i.e., student/faculty, faculty/department chair, student affairs/academic administration, chair/dean, president/institutional governing board). Second, the authors present cases that represent the many types of institution of higher education. The book contains cases that equally represent community colleges, four-year private institutions, Research I, and comprehensive colleges.           A limitation of the book is that the authors do not provide more information on communication theory. In the introductory chapter, they state their work is grounded in communication theory because of its practical utility in addressing complex situations in higher education administration. Unfortunately, the authors provide little theoretical background and the cases are not connected to communication theory. A chapter on communication theory and principles would have been helpful. In addition, a final summary chapter would have contributed to quality of this book. A final chapter could have integrated the sixteen cases and made connections back to communication theory.           Overall, Higgerson and Rehwaldt accomplish their goal of providing a wide range of case studies appropriate for individual or collective use. At first glance, this might book might appear to be a collection of "war stories," however, I did not find this to be the case. The case studies were not presented for their drama or shock value, but they do reveal the complexity of administration work in higher education. In conclusion, I would highly recommend this book for any person considering a position in higher education administration. About the Reviewer Gypsy Denzine is an Assistant Professor of Educational Psychology at Northern Arizona University. Her research focuses on graduate students' approaches to learning, teacher efficacy, implicit learning processes, and the application of social-cognitive theory to college student development.