Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success - Hardcover

Mcnair, Tia Brown; Albertine, Susan; Cooper, Michelle Asha; Mcdonald, Nicole; Major, Thomas, Jr.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1119119510 ISBN 13: 9781119119517

Publisher: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub, 2016

Synopsis

Boost student success by reversing your perspective on college readiness

The national conversation asking "Are students college-ready?" concentrates on numerous factors that are beyond higher education's control. Becoming a Student-Ready College flips the college readiness conversation to provide a new perspective on creating institutional value and facilitating student success. Instead of focusing on student preparedness for college (or lack thereof), this book asks the more pragmatic question of what are colleges and universities doing to prepare for the students who are entering their institutions? What must change in an institution's policies, practices, and culture in order to be student-ready?

Clear and concise, this book is packed with insightful discussion and practical strategies for achieving your ambitious student success goals. These ideas for redesigning practices and policies provide more than food for thought—they offer a real-world framework for real institutional change. You'll learn:

• How educators can acknowledge their own biases and assumptions about underserved students in order to allow for change
• New ways to advance student learning and success
• How to develop and value student assets and social capital
• Strategies and approaches for creating a new student-focused culture of leadership at every level

To truly become student-ready, educators must make difficult decisions, face the pressures of accountability, and address their preconceived notions about student success head-on. Becoming a Student-Ready College provides a reality check based on today's higher education environment.

About this title

About the Author

TIA BROWN MCNAIR is the vice president for diversity, equity, and student success at the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U).

SUSAN ALBERTINE is senior scholar for faculty at the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U).

MICHELLE ASHA COOPER is the president of the Institute for Higher Education Policy.

NICOLE MCDONALD is a strategy officer at Lumina Foundation.

THOMAS MAJOR, JR. is corporate counsel at Lumina Foundation.

American Association for Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) is the leading national association concerned with the quality, vitality, and public standing of undergraduate liberal education. Its members are committed to extending the advantages of a liberal education to all students, regardless of academic specialization or intended career. Founded in 1915, AAC&U now comprises more than 1,300 member institutions—including accredited public and private colleges, community colleges, research universities, and comprehensive universities of every type and size.

From the Back Cover

ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS BY REVERSING YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON COLLEGE READINESS

"This book on 'student ready college' articulates a vision for what higher education research has been reiterating for years is needed for student success—a brave undertaking. They lay out the premise that we do not lack ideas but the will to change and believe the vision they set forth will provide that needed motivation. It speaks to important principles for the future of postsecondary education—the need for ongoing improvement through organizational learning, the need to redesign our colleges to collaborate and partner, and to operate through shared governance and distributed leadership to create holistic learning experiences for students."
—Adrianna Kezar, professor of higher education, University of Southern California

"Once again AAC&U paves the way and helps to set the standards for transformative, meaningful change in higher education. Becoming a Student-Ready College not only challenges higher education to have honest, self-reflective conversations regarding the extent to which we are committed to serving all students—including, and perhaps especially, those from underserved populations—but also provides extensive, practical advice on the often creative ways in which higher education institutions can succeed in meeting this commitment. Some of the issues raised in this book might prove uncomfortable. However, these issues must be addressed forthrightly if higher education as a whole is to succeed in our efforts to help all students be well-educated, enfranchised members of the workforce and well-informed, committed citizens of a strong democracy. Recommended for everyone who works in higher education, Becoming a Student-Ready College offers a philosophically cogent, systemically grounded response to the urgent student-success challenges facing the Academy."
—Richard J. Prystowsky, provost/senior vice president of Academic and Student Affairs, Lansing Community College

"The authors should be congratulated for synthesizing important 'what works' research to offer higher education leaders a practical guide to increasing student success while building an inclusive campus culture. They illustrate how the diverse talents and collaborative efforts of faculty and staff can be harnessed by academic leaders to improve student-centered institutional outcomes, acknowledging that 'there are actions that can be taken right now.'"
—Martha J. Kanter, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Higher Education and senior fellow, New York University; Former U.S. Under Secretary of Education (2009–2013)

From the Inside Flap

"ARE STUDENTS COLLEGE-READY?"

This question has fueled the ongoing national conversation that puts the focus on the myriad factors that are beyond higher education's control. Becoming a Student-Ready College challenges the conventional wisdom that states that students aren't ready for college and offers a new perspective on creating institutional value and facilitating success for all students.

The book encourages colleges and universities to take the initiative and prepare for the students who are entering their institutions. The authors offer an insightful discussion and outline practical strategies for achieving student success. The ideas presented for redesigning practices and policies provide more than food for thought—they offer a real-world framework for actual institutional change.

Becoming a Student-Ready College explores new ways to advance student learning and shows what it takes to develop and value student assets and social capital. This important resource contains down-to-earth strategies and approaches for creating a new student-focused culture at all levels of the academy.

If our institutions are to become truly student-ready, educators must make difficult decisions, face the pressures of accountability, and question their preconceived notions about student success.

Edition details

• Publisher: Jossey-Bass Inc Pub
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1119119510
• ISBN 13: 9781119119517
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 188