The University of Alaska went through multi-year budget cuts, triggered by perceived low accountability. New leadership of the university has turned that perception around. Now all eyes are on the university to improve its accountability. The low accountability in the education profession can be linked to the tenure system, which numbs the sensitivity to the stakeholders' expectations. Accountability of a university can be improved by balancing the academic culture centered on thinking and the accountability culture centered on doing.
Every organization has a written and unwritten accountability culture.
The written accountability culture begins with a vision articulated by the leaders and evolves into a shared vision, mission statement and implementation plan of the organization. Success in realizing the implementation plan depends on the unwritten accountability culture, which is often communicated in the manner in which people treat each other in an organization. Learn from them. Start with what they know. Build on what they have.