Increasingly administrators are concerned with inspiring and supporting faculty members in the creation of interdisciplinary programs in response to research and funding shifts and public need. This article presents an initiative undertaken at the University of Colorado Denver, demonstrating a method for identifying and launching a set of…

"Building Institutional Capacity for Data-Informed Decision Making" is the third installment of the Cutting Edge series, which aims to help colleges engage faculty, scale successful interventions, and create a strong culture of evidence through use of data to strengthen their institutional change and student success efforts. Though the…

Development of leadership teams, a technique developed in the corporate sector, can help colleges and universities create a leadership culture to cope with institutional issues. The experience of the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science (Pennsylvania) is offered as an illustration. (MSE)

Describes an innovative approach to college and university facility improvement--creation of learning environments that integrate the advantages of a "virtual" learning environment with traditional campus-based instruction. Offers examples from a number of colleges and universities in which telecommunications technology, multimedia…

Programs for faculty and teaching assistants at eight universities were designed to address the instructional needs of increasingly diverse student populations. Common elements of success included institutional commitment, administrative support, faculty involvement, active learning strategies, facilitator training, and evaluation. The programs…

Colleges can use institutionally-sponsored internships, in-house opportunities to participate in the daily activities of leadership, to let employees learn the culture of leadership and interact with staff currently in such positions. Administrative internships at Pennsylvania State University, Eastern Illinois University, and Arizona State…

Efforts of Ball State University (Indiana) to internationalize its curriculum are described, focusing on the process used to develop a curriculum and on program considerations. Major problems addressed were student attitudes, faculty expectations, and institutional budgetary constraints. Goals were identified for the curriculum, faculty/student…

Mount Ida College (Massachusetts) has found the use of college administrators as mentors to students, complementing academic advising and faculty mentoring, to be an effective approach to strengthening the tie between first-year college students and their institutions. The impact has been noticeable in the campus culture as well as in student…

Urban and metropolitan college students often experience a traditionally organized curriculum as a series of disconnected course requirements. Portland State University (Oregon) has found that integrating attention to community-building as a central element of the core curriculum strengthened student and faculty affiliations and improved…

Orientation for first-year college students is important for students, parents, and the institution. It should fit institutional traditions, values, and culture, involve parents, be staffed by well-trained current students, and be carefully evaluated for improvement. Mississippi State University's program focuses on retention and is festive,…