Student Success in College, (Includes New Preface and Epilogue): Creating Conditions That Matter

Student Success in College describes policies, programs, and practices that a diverse set of institutions have used to enhance student achievement. This book clearly shows the benefits of student learning and educational effectiveness that can be realized when these conditions are present. Based on the Documenting Effective Educational Practice (DEEP) project from the Center for Postsecondary Research at Indiana University, this book provides concrete examples from twenty institutions that other colleges and universities can learn from and adapt to help create a success-oriented campus culture and learning environment.

Table of Contents:
Preface ix Part One: Introduction 1 1. Student Engagement: A Key to Student Success 7 Why Effective Educational Practice Matters 8 Documenting Effective Educational Practice (DEEP) 10 Keep in Mind 18 No Single Blueprint for Student Success 20 Part Two: Properties and Conditions Common to Educationally Effective Colleges 23 2. ‘‘Living’’ Mission and ‘‘Lived’’ Educational Philosophy 25 Mission 25 Operating Philosophy 27 Meet the DEEP Schools 28 Making Space for Difference 59 Mission Clarity: ‘‘Tell Me Again—What Are We About?’’ 59 Summary 61 What’s Noteworthy about a Living Mission and Lived Educational Philosophy 62 3. An Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning 65 Valuing Undergraduates and Their Learning 66 Experimenting with Engaging Pedagogies 69 Demonstrating a Cool Passion for Talent Development 77 Making Time for Students 80 Feedback: Improving Performance, Connecting Students and Faculty 84 Summary 88 What’s Noteworthy about Focusing on Student Learning 88 4. Environments Adapted for Educational Enrichment 91 Using the Setting for Teaching and Learning 93 Creating Human-Scale Learning Environments 106 What’s Noteworthy about Adapting Environments for Educational Advantage 108 5. Clear Pathways to Student Success 109 Acculturation 111 What New Students Need to Know 113 Affirming Diversity 116 Alignment 123 What’s Noteworthy about Creating Clear Pathways to Student Success 131 6. An Improvement-Oriented Ethos 133 Realizing the Vision: The University of Texas at El Paso 134 Making Student Success a Priority: Fayetteville State University 136 Investing in Undergraduate Education: The University of Michigan 138 Fostering Institutional Renewal: University of Maine at Farmington 140 Championing Learning Communities: Wofford College 142 Creating a Campuswide Intellectual Community: Ursinus College 145 Positive Restlessness 146 Curriculum Development 150 Data-Informed Decision Making 152 Summary 155 What’s Noteworthy About Innovating and Improving 156 7. Shared Responsibility for Educational Quality and Student Success 157 Leadership 158 Faculty and Staff Diversity 163 Student Affairs: A Key Partner in Promoting Student Success 164 Fostering Student Agency 167 The Power of One 170 What’s Noteworthy about Sharing Responsibility for Educational Quality 171 Part Three: Effective Practices Used At Deep Colleges and Universities 173 8. Academic Challenge 177 High Expectations for Student Performance 178 Extensive Writing, Reading, and Class Preparation 182 Rigorous Culminating Experience for Seniors 188 Celebrations of Scholarship 190 Summary 191 9. Active and Collaborative Learning 193 Learning to Learn Actively 194 Learning from Peers 195 Learning in Communities 198 Serving and Learning in the Local Community 200 Responding to Diverse Learning Styles 204 Summary 206 10. Student-Faculty Interaction 207 Accessible and Responsive Faculty 208 Academic Advising 213 Undergraduate Research 214 Electronic Technologies 216 Summary 217 11. Enriching Educational Experiences 219 Infusion of Diversity Experiences 220 International and Study Abroad 226 Electronic Technologies 230 Civic Engagement 233 Internships and Experiential Learning 236 Cocurricular Leadership 238 Summary 239 12. Supportive Campus Environment 241 Transition Programs 242 Advising Networks 245 Peer Support 248 Multiple Safety Nets 251 Special Support Programs 252 Residential Environments 257 Summary 260 Part Four: Summary and Recommendations 263 13. Principles for Promoting Student Success 265 Tried and True 266 Sleepers 275 Fresh Ideas 284 Perennial Challenges 287 Summary 294 14. Recommendations 295 Organizing for Student Success 297 Conclusion 316 Epilogue 319 Advancing the Student Success Agenda 322 Drifting Off Course 330 Sustaining Effective Educational Practice 334 Campus Culture and Sustaining High Performance 341 Final Word 342 References 345 Appendices 353 Appendix A: Research Methods 353 Appendix B: Project DEEP Research Team 363 Appendix C: National Survey of Student Engagement 373 Index 375

About the Author :
George D. Kuh is Chancellor's Professor of Higher Education and director, Center for Post-secondary Research at Indiana University. He directs the College Student Experiences Questionnaire Research Program, the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), and the NSSE Institute for Effective Educational Practice. Jillian Kinzie is associate director of the NSSE Institute for Effective Educational Practice and project manager of the Documenting Effective Educational Practice (DEEP) Initiative. John H. Schuh is distinguished professor of educational leadership at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Elizabeth J. Whitt is professor in the College of Education, and director of Student Success Initiatives in the Office of the Provost, at the University of Iowa.