Praise for On Being Presidential "This is the best book I've ever read on being a college president."—Arthur Levine, president, Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation, and president emeritus, Teachers College, Columbia University "A must-read for anyone involved in higher education. Susan Resneck Pierce's cautionary tales and commonsense approach to college management present, in a very entertaining way, the 'dos' and 'don'ts' of effective postsecondary academic leadership. Highly recommended... I am so enthusiastic that I plan to share On Being Presidential with two new university presidents!"—Barbara Young, vice-chair, Sweet Briar College Board of Directors, and two-time appointee to the University of Kentucky Board of Trustees "Susan Pierce provides an insightful guide to the successful presidency, lessons based not on theory but gleaned from meaningful experiences. Nearly every page contains pearls of wisdom both for college and university presidents and for those who aspire to lead campuses."—Constantine W. Curris, president emeritus, American Association of State Colleges and Universities

“This volume combines specific recommendations, observations, and takeaways filled with candor, humor, and uplifting stories for one of education’s most challenging roles.” —FROM THE FOREWORD An indispensable manual for the most demanding position in higher education, The College President Handbook supports campus leaders in becoming powerful and effective stewards of their institutions. This comprehensive guidebook offers clear counsel in the form of candid essays by highly regarded current and former college and university presidents from across the nation. It pairs their expert appraisals with research and data to examine the critical issues that define the role today. The book's contributors acknowledge the broad skill set that presidents, and their executive teams, must cultivate in order to achieve success. Beginning with a macro view, the contributors address the universal questions of vision that each higher education leader must consider critically and understand strategically: Why be a president? How should campus leadership engage with our board of trustees? What tone should our actions communicate to stakeholders? The book's chapters offer concrete tactical advice in a range of key leadership areas and emphasize essential career skills such as managing financial resources and strategic planning. The contributors speak to student-facing concerns as well as institutional interests, and discuss personal issues specific to the office, such as weathering controversy, attaining work–life balance, and planning for post-presidential life. Drawing on the unique expertise of peers and predecessors, this work will prove to be a core resource for anyone who is or aspires to become a president or chancellor in higher education.

If you wish to know what effective college presidents actually think and how they behave, this is the book for you. It is must reading for all who are interested in the American college presidency and leadership in general.

"The Education of a College President" is a personal account of the author's association with M.I.T. for sixty years as student, editor, and administrative officer, including his service as President from 1948 to 1959, and as Chairman of the Corporation. Interwoven with this account of an unusual career at one of the world's leading science-based universities is the story of Killian's excursions into the public sector as the nation's first full-time presidential science adviser, when NASA and our national space program were created and Eisenhower began initial efforts to ban atmospheric nuclear tests and to encourage disarmament. Attention is also paid to his role as the "father of public television." In his memoir, Killian shows how M.I.T. grew from an engineering school offering technical courses to undergraduates into a research university of a unique kind, with a new focus on developing better links between the "two cultures" of science and the humanities. He provides an inside report on the major events and policies of his administration: the establishment of a School of Humanities and Social Science, the rationale for the later formation of a School of Management; and many improvements in the Institute's environment. Following his student days at M.I.T., Killian joined the staff and later became editor of the institute's alumni journal, "Technology Review. In 1939 he became President Karl T. Compton's Executive Assistant. He became Vice President of the Institute in 1943, President in 1948, and Chairman of the Corporation in 1959. James R. Killian has received numerous awards, including the Public Welfare Medal of the National Academy of Sciences, the first Vannevar Bush Award ofthe National Science Board, the Hoover Medal, one earned degree (S.B.) and thirty-nine honorary degrees. He is the author of "Sputnik, Scientists, and Eisenhower and coauthor (with Harold E. Edgerton) of "Moments of Vision," both published by The MIT Press.

Higher education has changed significantly over the past 50 years, and the individuals who provide leadership for these institutions has similarly changed. The pathway to the college presidency, once the domain of academic administration, has diversified as an increasing number of development officers, student affairs and enrollment management professionals, and even politicians have become common in the role. It is important to understand who the presidents are in the current environment and the challenges they face. Challenges such as dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, enrollment shortfalls, Title IX, and athletic scandals have risen to the forefront and have contributed to the issues and role of college and university leadership. The Handbook of Research on the Changing Role of College and University Leadership provides important research on the topic of college and university leadership, especially focusing on the changing role of the college president. The chapters discuss college leadership as it is now and how it will evolve into the future. Topics included are the role of the president at various types of universities, their involvement within university functions and activities, and the duties they must carry out and challenges they face. This book is ideal for professionals and researchers working in higher education, including faculty members who specialize in education, public administration, the social sciences, and management, along with teachers, administrators, teacher educators, practitioners, researchers, academicians, and students who are interested in college and university leadership and how this role is transforming.

"Although it is commonly known that college students and other activists, as well as politicians, actively participated in the fight for and against civil rights in the middle decades of the twentieth century, historical accounts have not adequately focused on the roles that the nation's college presidents played in the debates concerning racism. Focusing on the period between 1948 and 1968, The Campus Color Line sheds light on the important place of college presidents in the struggle for racial parity. College presidents, during a time of violence and unrest, initiated and shaped racial policies and practices inside and outside of the educational sphere. The Campus Color Line illuminates how the legacy of academic leaders' actions continues to influence the unfinished struggle for Black freedom and racial equity in education and beyond."--

"This book aims to give women the frank, supportive advice they need to advance in their careers and to lead with excellence. Based on the author's fifteen years of senior leadership experience at three different colleges and her mentorship work with dozens of women, this book guides women through launching, building, and advancing an academic career"--

A fresh, fun, and "thought-provoking" New York Times bestseller about the American electoral college and why every vote counts from bestselling and award-winning duo Kelly DiPucchio and LeUyen Pham. "Where are the girls?" When Grace's teacher reveals that the United States has never had a female president, Grace decides she wants to be the nation's first and immediately jumpstarts her political career by running in her school's mock election! The race is tougher than she expected: her popular opponent declares that he's the "best man for the job" and seems to have captured the votes of all of the class's boys. But Grace is more determined than ever. Even if she can't be the best man for the job, she can certainly try to be the best person! This timely story not only gives readers a fun introduction to the American electoral system but also teaches the value of hard work, courage, independent thought -- and offers an inspiring example of how to choose our leaders.

Each fall, thousands of eager freshmen descend on college and university campuses expecting the best education imaginable: inspiring classes taught by top-ranked professors, academic advisors who will guide them to a prestigious job or graduate school, and an environment where learning flourishes outside the classroom as much as it does in lecture halls. Unfortunately, most of these freshmen soon learn that academic life is not what they imagined. Classes are taught by overworked graduate students and adjuncts rather than seasoned faculty members, undergrads receive minimal attention from advisors or administrators, and potentially valuable campus resources remain outside their grasp. Andrew Roberts’ Thinking Student’s Guide to College helps students take charge of their university experience by providing a blueprint they can follow to achieve their educational goals—whether at public or private schools, large research universities or small liberal arts colleges. An inside look penned by a professor at Northwestern University, this book offers concrete tips on choosing a college, selecting classes, deciding on a major, interacting with faculty, and applying to graduate school. Here, Roberts exposes the secrets of the ivory tower to reveal what motivates professors, where to find loopholes in university bureaucracy, and most importantly, how to get a personalized education. Based on interviews with faculty and cutting-edge educational research, The Thinking Student’s Guide to College is a necessary handbook for students striving to excel academically, creatively, and personally during their undergraduate years.

Elevating Customer Service in Higher Education provides an in-depth guide by three practitioners with decades of combined experience in the higher education and hospitality sectors. Our authors are deeply embedded in customer service initiatives and have certified hundreds of higher-ed professionals at Academic Impressions' customer service trainings and on-campus workshops. In this guide, our authors will walk you through: Core service competencies Strategies for supporting frontline staff in enhancing customer service Examples of customer service scripts for dialogue, phone, voicemail, and email Detailed guidelines for creating physical environments on campus that facilitate better service Worksheets and tools for auditing policies and practices that impact customer service Tips for cultivating faculty and staff buy-in Examples of exemplary customer service initiatives at other colleges and universities REVIEWS "Elevating Customer Service should be read by every administrator who cares about retention and service excellence." - Neal Raisman, N. Raisman & Associates "In today's competitive market in higher education, a partnership between academics and customer service is key to attracting and retaining students. This handbook shows practitioners how to enhance service excellence while maintaining academic integrity." - Bill Destler, President Emeritus, Rochester Institute of Technology "How refreshing and encouraging it is to read a book about customer service on today's college campuses. The reality is higher education today is rapidly changing and models of leading a university are significantly altered in todays environment. Customer service can no longer be viewed as a negative concept on our campuses. Rather, such service is mandated today in whatever form one wishes to call it. Students, parents, employers, and college employees are demanding it. Implementing such measures that change a campus's culture may mean the difference between those colleges that survive and those that do not. The foundations of quality service discussed in this book should be mandatory reading for all college administrators." - David DeCenzo, President, Coastal Carolina University "This insightful book provides a step-by-step guide to assess, evaluate, and implement strategies to improve the effectiveness of any department or division within the academy. The authors provide valuable information and a workable template to enhance the student experience on campus and ultimately improve retention, and recruitment efforts in an era in which colleges and universities are fiercely competing to attract and retain students." - Jim Pillar, Associate Vice President of Housing, Monmouth University "This really made me think about our office environment and how we can work toward improving not only the student experience but the front-line staff experience as well. It truly is a practical guide with relevant activities and things to consider." - Kerri Wilson, Director of Off-Campus Living and Community Partnerships, Rutgers University-New Brunswick