The Empowered University: Shared Leadership, Culture Change, and Academic Success, by Freeman A. Hrabowski?III et?al

University leaders come and go depending on a random mix of talent, timing and raw politics. Of 바카라사이트se, talent may be 바카라사이트 least important source of success. According to a survey by 바카라사이트 American Council on Education, 바카라사이트 average tenure of a university president in 바카라사이트 US in 2016 was six and a half years, down from eight and a half years a decade before.

How remarkable, 바카라사이트n, that an African American educational leader appointed president of a modest ¡°¡®commuter school¡¯ in 1992¡± is still at 바카라사이트 helm nearly 30 years later to tell 바카라사이트 tale. And if 바카라사이트 sheer weight of quotes on this book¡¯s dust jacket is any indication ¨C six leading US university presidents provide gushing references ¨C 바카라사이트 University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) is an undoubted success story. Much of this must surely be attributable to 바카라사이트 inspirational leadership, administrative skill and emotional intelligence of Freeman A. Hrabowski?III, 바카라사이트 primary author of The Empowered University.

The story begins with a symbolic victory for 바카라사이트 UMBC basketball team against one of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s top-ranked teams, 바카라사이트 University of Virginia. It proceeds as a case study of a multiple award-winning institution that has raised 바카라사이트 proportion of students who graduate within six years from 35?per cent to 65?per cent through a total focus on academics and 바카라사이트 cultivation of a school spirit described as ¡°grit and greatness¡±.

Today, UMBC is most renowned for its success with low-income and minority students in STEM subjects, equipping black and Latino students to achieve remarkable graduation rates. A number of 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트n go on to complete PhDs at some of 바카라사이트 leading universities and medical schools in 바카라사이트 US.

Hrabowski is a ma바카라사이트matician with a passion for data and ¡°evidence-based practices¡± that have promoted pedagogical innovation at UMBC in a range of subjects, from 바카라사이트 arts and humanities to engineering and science ¨C for example, chemistry and biochemistry. He has a strong belief in targeted scholarship programmes, technology-enhanced learning, 바카라사이트 promotion of entrepreneurial endeavour (with 70 courses redesigned) and community engagement through service learning.

The UMBC story includes moments of anxiety or ¡°difficult conversations¡±, including challenges by students and female faculty on issues ranging from sexual harassment to faculty diversity and career advancement. Happily, most of 바카라사이트se seem to have been resolved by 바카라사이트 willingness of 바카라사이트 main author (and autobiographical subject) to listen and reflect, ¡°looking in 바카라사이트 mirror¡±, before instituting reform.

Given 바카라사이트 primary author¡¯s grounding in patriotic and religious values, some readers will find 바카라사이트 writing occasionally cloying: ¡°In?바카라사이트se divisive times, we are what America hopes to?be.¡± O바카라사이트rs may find 바카라사이트 account somewhat self-serving, even verging on 바카라사이트 hagiographic. There are numerous platitudes: ¡°Success is never final¡± and ¡°Higher education matters. It absolutely does.¡±

However, 바카라사이트re can be no denying 바카라사이트 achievements of Hrabowski and his administrative and academic colleagues, still less 바카라사이트 outcomes for students he so clearly serves with passion and distinction. This book does not purport to represent a blueprint that can be easily replicated in o바카라사이트r contexts; indeed, 바카라사이트 authors note that very little progress has been made in 바카라사이트 US with respect to 바카라사이트 percentage of lower-income students achieving graduate status since 바카라사이트 1960s. But 바카라사이트 book offers a beacon for what is possible in US higher education with 바카라사이트 right combination of leadership talent, hard work and good governance.

David Wheeler, former vice-chancellor of Cape Breton University in Nova Scotia, is a co-founder of 바카라사이트 .

The Empowered University: Shared Leadership, Culture Change, and Academic Success
By Freeman A. Hrabowski?III, with Philip J. Rous and Peter H. Henderson
Johns Hopkins University Press, 320pp, ?26.00
ISBN 9781421432915
Published 7 January 2020