Alternative Solutions to Higher Education's Challenges

Laura M. Harrison is Associate Professor in the Counseling and Higher Education Department at Ohio University, USA. Peter C. Mather is Associate Professor in the Counseling and Higher Education Department at Ohio University, USA.

"In a time of many reform efforts in higher education, a major challenge today is knowing what to preserve and what to discard. In this book, Harrison and Mather offer an approach to reform that is grounded in the strengths and best practices of contemporary higher education. Their book is a repudiation of those who are obsessed with higher education's shortcomings and a gift to those who are dedicated to preserving and ‘paying forward’ the best of today's higher education."--Jon C. Dalton, Professor Emeritus of Higher Education and Co-Editor, Journal of College and Character, Florida State University"Harrison and Mather provide a well-thought-out approach for reframing organizational structures and activities within higher education using appreciative inquiry and positive organizational scholarship. This text raises questions we must address at a time when higher education is in need of restructuring and reconceptualization, and it pushes the boundaries of current practices in very meaningful ways. The authors use their own personal and professional experiences to expertly transition from theory to practice." --Diane L. Cooper, Professor of College Student Affairs Administration, University of Georgia

• PrefaceChapter 1: Developing a Toolbox for Appreciative Approaches to Change Chapter 2: Cultivating Organizational Strengths Through Democratic Leadership Chapter 3: Fostering an Enriching Community Life and Effective Public Service Chapter 4: Centering Institutional Practices Around Meaningful Student Learning Chapter 5: Leveraging Liberal Education to Promote Equal Opportunity Chapter 6: Embracing the Heart in the Head(y) World of Higher Education Chapter 7: Reclaiming Teaching in PersonChapter 8: Moving Forward ReferencesIndex