The author goes on to discuss the continuous shift in use of customer wants and customer needs, though the terms are not so interchangeable or synonymous. Yet students perceptions of quality change as they advance through their educational experiences. Another conflict arises with whether want is synonymous with best interest. In educational policy, this takes the form of emphasizing basic skills. However, such a policy raises questions regarding the relationship between quality and excellence.
People tend to like that which provides confirmation of pre-existing beliefs.
The author of this essay illustrates quite effectively both the advantages and drawbacks of the use of TQM terminology in higher education settings. The potential overuse of the metaphor of student as customer has serious implications for how people think about education and the potential compromise of the goals of education. This research effort is a particularly timely piece for Auburn as the University considers cost reduction measures as a response to state imposed budget cuts in higher education. Nowhere on campus has the competition for dollars been more noticeable than in the Office of Student Affairs. The campus community has witnessed firsthand the effects of downsizing initiatives as the Office shrinks, collapses, and expands departments, programs, and staffing.