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

Conversations in higher education tend to focus on defining college readiness and asking What is a college-ready student? The unvoiced but equally important question is What is a student-ready college? The first question focuses on addressing student deficits that can be influenced by numerous environmental factors beyond educators’ control. The second question focuses on how higher education leaders and educators can better serve today’s college students--regardless of perceived deficits--through redesigned practices and policies. 

Becoming a Student-Ready College explores university leaders' shared responsibilities in advancing student success and provides practical recommendations for leaders at all levels. The book covers four complementary leadership areas that influence institutional change efforts in higher education:

• Campus leadership (e.g., academic and student affairs)
• Faculty leadership (full-time and part-time)
• Policy leadership (federal and state)
• Foundation leadership

Higher education leaders may not be directly responsible for preparing students for postsecondary success, but they are responsible for preparing their institutions to serve--in the best way possible--the students they admit. By reframing this common question, they can create a new culture of leadership that focuses on understanding and utilizing student assets and social capital to achieve their shared goals for student success.