美國大學由教授、校長、與董事會共同治理學校的傳統,被視為是美國學術能夠蓬勃發展、並提供建立卓越大學之溫床的重要原因之一。本文回顧美國大學治理的歷史演進,以及不同類型大學(分研究型大學、人文學院、公立綜合大學及專業學院、以及社區學院)之不同治理模式,並探討近年影響美國大學治理之因素。這些因素可分為內外部環境的變數,內部環境的變數包括:高等教育的擴張、校長及董事會的反擊、以及兼任及非永聘教授的增加;外部環境的變數則包括:與政府關係的改變、高等教育的市場化、學生人口結構的改變、資訊科技的興起、以及大眾對績效責任的要求。本文最後並探討美國之制度對於我國大學治理的啟示。
The dual system of shared governance between faculty and administration/governing boards in American colleges and universities has been largely attributed to the success of higher education in the country. This article reviews the history of university governance, different modes of governance among different types of higher education institutions (i.e. research universities, liberal arts colleges, public comprehensive universities and professional schools, and community colleges), as well as forces influencing university governance in the United States today. These forces consist of changes in internal and external environment of higher education. Changes in internal environment include higher education expansion, counteraction of the governing boards and administration, and the increase of part-time and non-tenured faculty. Changes in external environment include changing relations with the government, the intrusion of market forces, new demographic realities, the rise of information technology, and more accountability demanded of higher education. The article also discusses what people interested in Taiwanese university governance can learn from American higher education.