An Entrepreneurial University: The Transformation of Tufts, 1976-2002 [Paperback]

Sol Gittleman (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1584654163 | ISBN-13: 978-1584654162 | Publication Date: October 4, 2004

In 1981, Sol Gittleman was named Provost of Tufts University. He retired in 2002, after twenty-one years of service, the longest-serving Provost in the history of American higher education. In An Entrepreneurial University Gittleman leads the reader on an entertaining journey through the sometimes turbulent history of Tufts University since the 1970s, placing Tufts' growth in the context of the ever-evolving world of American higher education. These often tumultuous years were dominated by the challenges presented by the rise of multiculturalism and affirmative action, financial crisis in higher education, student activism, and the changing face of American higher education. During his tenure as Provost, Gittleman administered the typical University arts, sciences, and engineering programs, he also oversaw significant growth and change in Tufts' specialized fields--the School of Medicine, the School of Dental Medicine, the School of Nutrition, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and the School of Veterinary Medicine--as well as Tufts' expanding overseas opportunities, its proliferating of Ph.D. programs, and its burgeoning academic reputation. This evolution naturally sparked academic and personal rivalries and collaborations, which are explored in An Entrepreneurial University. Gittleman served with distinction under three very stylistically different presidents, the extraordinary Jean Mayer, John DiBiaggio, and Lawrence Bacow, who arrived in May 2001. The book focuses on Tufts University and beyond its campus to American higher education in general, through the eyes of one of the most significant players, Provost Gittleman.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A delightful writer . . . we are indebted to Gittleman for a great tale, told with great humility and verve." --CONNECTIONS, the New England Board of Higher Education

"There is a lot of wonderful information in this book. An Entrepreneurial University draws not only upon Gittleman's historical research, but also his nearly 40 years personal experience as a professor and administrator . . . Gittleman's voice adds a dynamic element to the straight-talking and amusing book. Sol is not afraid to tell it like it is [and he] tells a very compelling tale." --

The Tufts Daily

From the Publisher

6 x 9 trim. 69 illus.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Tufts (October 4, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584654163
• ISBN-13: 978-1584654162
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #194,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Up on the Hill at the End of the 20th Century, July 4, 2006

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This review is from: An Entrepreneurial University: The Transformation of Tufts, 1976-2002 (Paperback)

Let's face it - if you're looking at this book you are either a Tufts graduate or a Tufts supporter. Dr. Gittleman's book comprises the third volume of the history of Tufts University. And with nothing against Russell Miller's two volumes of Light on the Hill, Sol's book reads a lot more lively in no small part because it is written by someone who was on the inside during this transformative period rather than researching it from the outside. Gittleman was in the middle of the changes he talks about and brings an immediate and inside view of the Mayer and DiBiaggio presidencies. While not a "tell all" book, it does contain a lot of comments, stories and insights that would not be found in researching archives. The problems of the Mayer years is not glossed over - the turbulence of Mayer's forceful management style and the havoc he wrought as he changed the school is presented in detail. And despite his position on the Hill, Gittleman is able to speak of the other schools - the battles being waged by (sometimes petty jealous and power hungry) players at the medical school, the unique relations of the Fletcher School and the tumultuous births of the school of nutrition and the veterinarian school. For anyone who lived through the era, it is interesting to see if your own perceptions and memories align with the story Dr. Gittleman tells. The book is the right length, and extremely readable. A must for Tufts friends, and a worthy successor to Light on the Hill.