Looking in the Mirror: How Administrators Describe the Effectiveness of Metropolitan Universities

Abstract

In this age of accountability, external constituents search for a clear definition of institutional effectiveness. Systematically, they ask faculty, students, and in some states, alumni, to take a turn peering into a looking glass hoping to find a reflection that will clarify the effectiveness construct. The purpose of this article is to add to that list the reflection of administrators as relatedto the criteria they use to define and evaluate quality for the metropolitan university.