Leading in a higher education setting is a complex undertaking, largely because the enterprise is like no other sector of our society. It is uniquely structured with a distinctive organizational culture. Colleges and universities are inward oriented, slow to anticipate and make changes, and often unable to address unfolding pressures efficiently, effectively, and comprehensively. In fact, higher education celebrates tradition even though external forces necessitate quick action and reinvention. Restructuring the curriculum and adjusting policies and procedures sometimes requires multiyear time commitments. Practices steeped in conventional processes produce a highly hierarchical environment that few outside the academy can fully understand.
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Why We Need to Fight for Our Students: The Example of Stephanie Land
It is a commonplace to say that our campuses need to be “student centered.” That we need to “meet students where they are” and recognize that our students are less