Student Success In College: 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.

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.

Preface.
PART ONE: INTRODUCTION.
1. Student Engagement: A Key to Student Success.
Why Effective Educational Practice Matters.
Documenting Effective Educational Practice (DEEP).
Keep in Mind.
No Single Blueprint for Student Success.
PART TWO: PROPERTIES AND CONDITIONS COMMON TO EDUCATIONALLY EFFECTIVE COLLEGES.
2. "Living" Mission and "Lived" Educational Philosophy.
Mission.
Operating Philosophy.
Meet the DEEP Schools.
Making Space for Difference.
Mission Clarity: "Tell Me Again—What Are We About?"
Summary.
What's Noteworthy about a Living Mission and Lived Educational Philosophy.
3. An Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning.
Valuing Undergraduates and Their Learning.
Experimenting with Engaging Pedagogies.
Demonstrating a Cool Passion for Talent Development.
Making Time for Students.
Feedback: Improving Performance, Connecting Students and Faculty.
Summary.
What's Noteworthy about Focusing on Student Learning.
4. Environments Adapted for Educational Enrichment.
Using the Setting for Teaching and Learning.
Creating Human-Scale Learning Environments.
What's Noteworthy about Adapting Environments for Educational Advantage.
5. Clear Pathways to Student Success.
Acculturation.
What New Students Need to Know.
Affirming Diversity.
Alignment.
What's Noteworthy about Creating Clear Pathways to Student Success.
6. An Improvement-Oriented Ethos.
Realizing the Vision: The University of Texas at El Paso.
Making Student Success a Priority: Fayetteville State University.
Investing in Undergraduate Education: The University of Michigan.
Fostering Institutional Renewal: University of Maine at Farmington.
Championing Learning Communities: Wofford College.
Creating a Campuswide Intellectual Community: Ursinus College.
Positive Restlessness.
Curriculum Development.
Data-Informed Decision Making.
Summary.
What's Noteworthy About Innovating and Improving.
7. Shared Responsibility for Educational Quality and Student Success.
Leadership.
Faculty and Staff Diversity.
Student Affairs: A Key Partner in Promoting Student Success.
Fostering Student Agency.
The Power of One.
What's Noteworthy about Sharing Responsibility for Educational Quality.
PART THREE: EFFECTIVE PRACTICES USED AT DEEP COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
8. Academic Challenge.
High Expectations for Student Performance.
Extensive Writing, Reading, and Class Preparation.
Rigorous Culminating Experience for Seniors.
Celebrations of Scholarship.
Summary.
9. Active and Collaborative Learning.
Learning to Learn Actively.
Learning from Peers.
Learning in Communities.
Serving and Learning in the Local Community.
Responding to Diverse Learning Styles.
Summary.
10. Student-Faculty Interaction.
Accessible and Responsive Faculty.
Academic Advising.
Undergraduate Research.
Electronic Technologies.
Summary.
11. Enriching Educational Experiences.
Infusion of Diversity Experiences.
International and Study Abroad.
Electronic Technologies.
Civic Engagement.
Internships and Experiential Learning.
Cocurricular Leadership.
Summary.
12. Supportive Campus Environment.
Transition Programs.
Advising Networks.
Peer Support.
Multiple Safety Nets.
Special Support Programs.
Residential Environments.
Summary.
PART FOUR: SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
13. Principles for Promoting Student Success.
Tried and True.
Sleepers.
Fresh Ideas.
Perennial Challenges.
Summary.
14. Recommendations.
Organizing for Student Success.
Conclusion.
Epilogue.
Advancing the Student Success Agenda.
Drifting Off Course.
Sustaining Effective Educational Practice.
Campus Culture and Sustaining High Performance.
Final Word.
References.
Appendices.
Appendix A: Research Methods.
Appendix B: Project DEEP Research Team.
Appendix C: National Survey of Student Engagement.
Index.