academia

These institutional aspirations make it clear that academic drift is alive and well in higher education.

While there can be little debate that academic drift has been a common occurrence historically within the U.S.

This occurs because stronger governing boards are able to combat the tendency of institutions to engage in academic drift and copy the missions of the largest, most comprehensive institutions in the system.

Moreover, it is a vivid example that explains why institutional theory and academic drift concepts linked to the professionalization of the workforce can explain the behavior of both not-for-profit and for-profit colleges and universities.

In particular, statewide boards or other agencies that share the role of limiting academic drift would do well to consider implementing policies that acknowledge the reality of this organizational behavior among colleges and universities.