Balancing Care and Excellence in Higher Education


Book Description

We believe the world needs more care. This volume seeks to describe theoretical, empirical, and phenomenological evidence toward creating a higher education environment that values excellence in its teaching, research, and service while at the same time ensuring that those involved in these endeavors are cared for. The primary purpose is to provide a state-of-the-art synthesis of the delicate balance between striving for excellence in higher education while at the same time exhibiting an ethic of care for all stakeholders involved. The second purpose is to honor the work and legacy of Jeffrey W. Cornett who embodied this balance during his long and successful career in higher education. Upon Dr. Cornett’s retirement, it is fitting to visit balance between care and excellence as multiple tensions push and pull on higher education – from innovative ideas, changing funding structures, and the corporatization of higher education. This volume will serve to inform all those invested in faculty development, student learning and administration in higher education from educational researchers, practitioners, and policymakers – with the most up-to-date understandings of how we can simultaneously strive for excellence in higher education and simultaneously ensure that those around us in this shared space are cared for. Contributors are: Carolyne Ali-Khan, Richard Chant, Jeffrey W. Cornett, Daniel L. Dinsmore, Jerry Johnson, Dilek Kayaalp, Wanda Lastrapes, Madalina Tanase, Hope (Bess) E. Wilson and Brian Zoellner.




Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education


Book Description

Student wellbeing is foundational to academic success. One recent survey of postsecondary educators found that nearly 80 percent believed emotional wellbeing is a "very" or "extremely" important factor in student success. Studies have found the dropout rates for students with a diagnosed mental health problem range from 43 percent to as high as 86 percent. While dealing with stress is a normal part of life, for some students, stress can adversely affect their physical, emotional, and psychological health, particularly given that adolescence and early adulthood are when most mental illnesses are first manifested. In addition to students who may develop mental health challenges during their time in postsecondary education, many students arrive on campus with a mental health problem or having experienced significant trauma in their lives, which can also negatively affect physical, emotional, and psychological wellbeing. The nation's institutions of higher education are seeing increasing levels of mental illness, substance use and other forms of emotional distress among their students. Some of the problematic trends have been ongoing for decades. Some have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic consequences. Some are the result of long-festering systemic racism in almost every sphere of American life that are becoming more widely acknowledged throughout society and must, at last, be addressed. Mental Health, Substance Use, and Wellbeing in Higher Education lays out a variety of possible strategies and approaches to meet increasing demand for mental health and substance use services, based on the available evidence on the nature of the issues and what works in various situations. The recommendations of this report will support the delivery of mental health and wellness services by the nation's institutions of higher education.




Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services


Book Description

Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services REVISED AND UPDATED Increasing economic concerns make the new edition of this best-selling classic an invaluable resource for those who want and need to implement a proven step-by-step approach to reallocating resources in tough times. Thoroughly revised and updated, Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services includes new recommendations from the field, communication strategies for more successful campus implementation, a new section on the sources of hidden costs, and a Prioritization Process and Implementation workbook designed to help administrators avoid costly mistakes. This book includes access to additional content online, including models for prioritization from a variety of campuses. Based on the author's extensive consulting experience, this necessary and timely resource offers the best advice for addressing the current economic concerns affecting most colleges and universities. Praise for Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services "For more than a decade, higher education leaders have turned to Dickeson's practical guide to academic program assessment. These newly expanded approaches are just in time for today's competitive environment." SUZANNE SHIPLEY, president, Shepherd University "Dickeson provides a compelling rationale for program prioritization as well as a practical planning structure that promotes alignment between programs, resources, and university mission. Presidents and provosts can use his approach to frame campus discussions around the future of the institution and away from legacy programs whose time has passed." KYLE R. CARTER, provost and senior vice chancellor, Western Carolina University "Dickeson's approach ensures that critical decisions regarding academic programs and resource allocation are aligned with strategic goals and institutional mission. As one of the early adopters of the process that he proposes, I am convinced that it is a powerful and practical tool for any college or university committed to remaining focused, resilient, vital, and relevant in a dynamic and increasingly challenging environment." DAVID MAXWELL, president, Drake University




Universal Design in Higher Education


Book Description

Universal Design in Higher Education looks at the design of physical and technological environments at institutions of higher education; at issues pertaining to curriculum and instruction; and at the full array of student services. Universal Design in Higher Education is a comprehensive guide for researchers and practitioners on creating fully accessible college and university programs. It is founded upon, and contributes to, theories of universal design in education that have been gaining increasingly wide attention in recent years. As greater numbers of students with disabilities attend postsecondary educational institutions, administrators have expressed increased interest in making their programs accessible to all students. This book provides both theoretical and practical guidance for schools as they work to turn this admirable goal into a reality. It addresses a comprehensive range of topics on universal design for higher education institutions, thus making a crucial contribution to the growing body of literature on special education and universal design. This book will be of unique value to university and college administrators, and to special education researchers, practitioners, and activists.




The Future of Nursing


Book Description

The Future of Nursing explores how nurses' roles, responsibilities, and education should change significantly to meet the increased demand for care that will be created by health care reform and to advance improvements in America's increasingly complex health system. At more than 3 million in number, nurses make up the single largest segment of the health care work force. They also spend the greatest amount of time in delivering patient care as a profession. Nurses therefore have valuable insights and unique abilities to contribute as partners with other health care professionals in improving the quality and safety of care as envisioned in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enacted this year. Nurses should be fully engaged with other health professionals and assume leadership roles in redesigning care in the United States. To ensure its members are well-prepared, the profession should institute residency training for nurses, increase the percentage of nurses who attain a bachelor's degree to 80 percent by 2020, and double the number who pursue doctorates. Furthermore, regulatory and institutional obstacles-including limits on nurses' scope of practice-should be removed so that the health system can reap the full benefit of nurses' training, skills, and knowledge in patient care. In this book, the Institute of Medicine makes recommendations for an action-oriented blueprint for the future of nursing.




The Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education


Book Description

In the United States, broad study in an array of different disciplines â€"arts, humanities, science, mathematics, engineeringâ€" as well as an in-depth study within a special area of interest, have been defining characteristics of a higher education. But over time, in-depth study in a major discipline has come to dominate the curricula at many institutions. This evolution of the curriculum has been driven, in part, by increasing specialization in the academic disciplines. There is little doubt that disciplinary specialization has helped produce many of the achievement of the past century. Researchers in all academic disciplines have been able to delve more deeply into their areas of expertise, grappling with ever more specialized and fundamental problems. Yet today, many leaders, scholars, parents, and students are asking whether higher education has moved too far from its integrative tradition towards an approach heavily rooted in disciplinary "silos". These "silos" represent what many see as an artificial separation of academic disciplines. This study reflects a growing concern that the approach to higher education that favors disciplinary specialization is poorly calibrated to the challenges and opportunities of our time. The Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education examines the evidence behind the assertion that educational programs that mutually integrate learning experiences in the humanities and arts with science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) lead to improved educational and career outcomes for undergraduate and graduate students. It explores evidence regarding the value of integrating more STEMM curricula and labs into the academic programs of students majoring in the humanities and arts and evidence regarding the value of integrating curricula and experiences in the arts and humanities into college and university STEMM education programs.




Balancing Care and Excellence in Higher Education


Book Description

Balancing care and excellence in higher education: A festschrift in honor of Jeffrey W. Cornett presents multiple and layered perspectives on creating caring environments and practices in higher education. It illustrates a path toward balancing excellence and care.




Active Learning


Book Description

This monograph examines the nature of active learning at the higher education level, the empirical research on its use, the common obstacles and barriers that give rise to faculty resistance, and how faculty and staff can implement active learning techniques. A preliminary section defines active learning and looks at the current climate surrounding the concept. A second section, entitled "The Modified Lecture" offers ways that teachers can incorporate active learning into their most frequently used format: the lecture. The following section on classroom discussion explains the conditions and techniques needed for the most useful type of exchange. Other ways to promote active learning are also described including: visual learning, writing in class, problem solving, computer-based instruction, cooperative learning, debates, drama, role playing, simulations, games, and peer teaching. A section on obstacles to implementing active learning techniques leads naturally to the final section, "Conclusions and Recommendations," which outlines the roles that each group within the university can play in order to encourage the implementation of active learning strategies. The text includes over 200 references and an index. (JB)




Learning Reconsidered 2


Book Description

More than 10,000 copies of Learning Reconsidered: A Campus-Wide Focus on the Student Experience are in circulation on college and university campuses worldwide. The publication has been used as an invitation from student affairs educators to their colleagues in other sectors of their institutions to engage in dialogue and planning for institution-wide student learning outcomes. It has become a frequent focus of professional development programs and workshops, and is the topic of many student affairs presentations. Learning Reconsidered 2: Implementing a Campus-Wide Focus on the Student Experience is a blueprint for action. It shows how to create the dialogue, tools, and materials necessary to put into practice the recommendations in Learning Reconsidered. This companion book brings together new authors, discipline-specific examples, and models for applying the theories in the original publication to move beyond traditional ideas of separate learning inside and outside the classroom.




Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century


Book Description

The U.S. system of graduate education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has served the nation and its science and engineering enterprise extremely well. Over the course of their education, graduate students become involved in advancing the frontiers of discovery, as well as in making significant contributions to the growth of the U.S. economy, its national security, and the health and well-being of its people. However, continuous, dramatic innovations in research methods and technologies, changes in the nature and availability of work, shifts in demographics, and expansions in the scope of occupations needing STEM expertise raise questions about how well the current STEM graduate education system is meeting the full array of 21st century needs. Indeed, recent surveys of employers and graduates and studies of graduate education suggest that many graduate programs do not adequately prepare students to translate their knowledge into impact in multiple careers. Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century examines the current state of U.S. graduate STEM education. This report explores how the system might best respond to ongoing developments in the conduct of research on evidence-based teaching practices and in the needs and interests of its students and the broader society it seeks to serve. This will be an essential resource for the primary stakeholders in the U.S. STEM enterprise, including federal and state policymakers, public and private funders, institutions of higher education, their administrators and faculty, leaders in business and industry, and the students the system is intended to educate.