Inside Higher Education today alerted us to the new book
'The Constitution Goes to College: Five Constitutional Ideas That Have Shaped the American University in which the author, Rodney A. Smolla, president of Furman University, "argues that key values in American higher education can be traced to the U.S. Constitution. Some of the traditions in academe that the book traces to the Constitution include the divide between public and private spheres, the distinction between rights and privileges and ideas of equality." The book is published by New York University Press. Quote is from Inside Higher Education, http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2011/04/26/new_book_about_how_the_constitution_influences_higher_education retrieved April 26, 2011. The Inside Higher Education article, also available via tiny url: http://tinyurl.com/constitutionuniversity, includes an interview with the author. Following is one question and an excerpt from the author's response:
"Q: How do you see the Constitution influencing the shape of private higher education in the United States, given that private colleges are not state actors?

A: I argue that there is a 'shadow constitution,' a blend of statutes, contracts, and customs, providing a network of principles that often mirror the protections that derive directly from the Constitution, providing legal or customary protections that largely reflect constitutional principles and doctrines. ..."

Willingness and ability to learn identified as key traits for CEOs

"The C.E.O.’s are not necessarily the smartest people in the room, but they are the best students," writes Adam Bryant in an article adapted from The Corner Office: Indispensable and Unexpected Lessons From CEOs on How to Lead and Succeed. The article appeared in the New York Times, April 16, 2011.

In the book, which was just published, Adam Bryant analyzes interviews he has conducted with 70 leaders to determine traits that indicate what it takes to be a leader. The five traits he identifies in the article are: 1. "Passionate curiosity," 2. "Battle-hardened confidence," 3. "Team smarts," 4. "A Simple Mind Set," and 5. "Fearlessness"

We are ordering Adam Bryant's book for the GGU University Library, so you can soon come and check it out.

Student Success in Higher Education Report from AFT

Academic Impressions today alerts us to the report, "Student Success in Higher Education," from the American Federation of Teachers Higher Education.

According to the AFT website http://www.aft.org/yourwork/highered/studentsuccess.cfm
"The report outlines a number of key elements of college student success, recommends ways to create effective programs and outlines the roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders in creating the conditions for students to succeed. The publication is based on extensive outreach with AFT higher education members and education policymakers, as well as a series of focus groups among higher-risk first- and second-year college students that are documented in the companion report "Exploring Student Attitudes, Aspirations and Barriers to Success."

Quote is from http://www.aft.org/yourwork/highered/studentsuccess.cfm

retrieved April 4, 2011. Both reports, Student Success in Higher Education, and Exploring Student Attitudes, Aspirations and Barriers to Success, are available at the website for downloading.