How Universities Are Organized and Operated

By Dr. Gary L. Deel, Ph.D., J.D.

Colleges and universities in the United States provide a vital service to students of all walks of life who aim to better themselves through formal education and development. However, institutions of higher learning are only as good as the teams that operate them.

Post-secondary schools rely on large and complex networks of infrastructure in order to support the diverse needs of students at each step in the higher education process. In this article, we’ll review some of the most fundamental components of those teams and the contributions they make to ensure students have the support they need to be successful in their academic pursuits.

The Hierarchy of Roles in Higher Education

There are multiple ways to taxonomize the infrastructure of a university. One way is to examine the different levels of professional positions and what their responsibilities generally entail.

All colleges and universities have some form of executive leadership who set a course from the top. Often this takes the form of a President or Chancellor — a single individual position with executive authority for decision making. However, in other cases schools may be overseen by a Board of Regents, Board of Trustees, or Board of Chancellors — a collection of senior…