Learning Resources

Abstract: Branding is a strategy that many universities have adopted to enhance their competitive position in the marketplace. In this article the author explores the important role that the visual image of the campus can play in any branding strategy. He suggests a variety of measures that can be taken to enhance the visual quality of the institution and indicates which can be most effectively used on various types of campuses as part of an effort to strengthen the university’s brand. He also identifies elements of analytical data needed to inform the decision-making process.

Abstract: Consortia tend to be groups of either public or private institutions that have formed an alliance that allows them to achieve more collectively than they could individually, and consortial efforts are gaining moment as significant powerhouses in enhancing academic life on campus and reducing administrative expenses. This article examines some of the current consortial models, which have two primary areas of focus: academic affairs and administrative functions. The potential for building academic breadth/depth on campus and the possibility of cost savings offer a powerful incentive for institutions to explore avenues for substantial consortial efforts. This overview includes a question set that should be addressed before embarking on a collaboration.

Abstract: Will online education render the traditional university campus irrelevant? Is there a there there when it comes to online education? What makes the flesh-and-blood, brick-and-mortar material realm still relevant—even essential—to education? While online education has brought with it radical transformation, bringing people together in physical space is and will be essential for student success. The reasons for coming together, however, are changing; institutions must adapt if they are to remain vital. Institutions need to know where they stand. What is their “there”? What can they do “there” that cannot be done online?

Abstract: College and university administrators understand that parking is a necessary and valuable resource. By taking a fresh look at their campus parking resources, planners across the country are using parking to achieve a wide array of objectives, including promoting important institutional values like sustainability. They are also using cutting-edge technologies to improve the quality of life on campus and streamline the administration of campus parking facilities. Furthermore, the emerging trend of privatizing or leasing campus parking offers new opportunities for financing important institutional initiatives. These—and other—trends are helping colleges and universities fully realize the potential of their parking resources.

Abstract: Change in higher education is ubiquitous. Accountability, assessment, outcomes, competencies, affordability, and quality continue to be of critical importance to stakeholders, policy makers, students, and communities. A three-part strategy for reinventing the paradigm around student success includes analytics, policies, and politics. As stewards of the future, we all need to be aware of the importance of analytics in developing continuous improvement strategies; the role of policies in supporting the framework that allows us to deliver on the promise of education; and the politics that form the complex environment that must sustain and support new approaches to meeting students’ learning needs.

Abstract: The passing of the Complete College Tennessee Act (CCTA) was a watershed moment in how the state’s institutions of higher education operated and would be funded. Under the act, state policy shifted to focus on degree production, efficiency, resourcefulness, and economic growth. This article examines how one public institution prepared itself in a fluctuating leadership climate to navigate a quickly evolving and complex planning environment. It discusses the background and fundamentals of CCTA as they relate to higher education funding, the implications for strategic planning and assessment at the university, and the promises and challenges of new accountability formulas for quality improvement in higher education.

Abstract: This grounded theory research investigates climate action plan implementation using Cal Poly Pomona as a case study. It analyzes organizational dynamics in climate planning processes, investigates actions that may have been taken without the plan, and identifies the challenges of taking climate action. The results indicate that while most actions could have been taken without the plan, the planning process yielded social, political, and intellectual capital that would otherwise not have been realized. In areas where progress is slow or stalled, there is a lack of effective collaboration, a mismatch between plan strategies and organizational norms, or a perceived or real lack of efficacy.