The XXVth Anniversary of CercleS brings back memories not only of the CercleS Association and its development, but also of the role of Language Centres in European universities. This article presents the Centre of Languages and Communication (CLC) at Poznan University of Technology (PUT) in Poland. It focuses on the main challenges the CLC has…

Strategic Performance Management (SPM) is a multistep process that guides an organization's leadership in designing and revising a system of strategic performance management. Communication is key to the success of any change initiative. SPM provides a logically coherent process for linking strategic planning with performance management, ultimately…

"Transformational Learning in Community Colleges" details the profound social and emotional change that nontraditional and historically underserved students undergo when they enter community college. Drawing on case study material and student observations, the book outlines the systematic supports that two-year institutions must put in…

This paper addresses critical issues related to student support and how different departments define inclusivity for graduate students in the context of American higher education. A four-framed, comprehensive, tripartite model is provided to guide institutions by assisting graduate school administrators, who are charged with improving…

The New Mexico Public Education Department's (NMPED) mission is to ensure all students in New Mexico receive the education they deserve and that students are prepared for college, careers, and lifelong learning. To do this, the department is focusing on supports, sustained learning and outreach to districts, charter schools, tribal education…

The initial support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the group that became Project Kaleidoscope (PKAL) was one of a cluster of grants the foundation made in the late 1980s to lay the groundwork for reforming the nation's undergraduate science and mathematics sector. What inspired the NSF to initiate and support these groups was a…

The phrase "Catholic intellectual tradition" appears in many self-descriptions of Catholic colleges and universities. It communicates the identity of these institutions to the broader Catholic community, to members of the particular college or university community, and to the broader academic world. The phrase "Catholic intellectual…

North Park University's adult program has moved steadily from a centralized governance structure toward a more distributed structure in many ways. The School of Adult Learning hires its own faculty, some of whom are full time in the adult program. The school also has autonomy over academic policy. Ultimately, this academic autonomy has fostered…

The position of electronic resources librarian was created to serve as a specialist in the negotiation of license agreements for electronic resources, but mission creep has added more functions to the routine work of electronic resources such as cataloging, gathering information for collection development, and technical support. As electronic…

In this article, the author addresses classroom teachers, department heads, and supervisors who have direct contact with students and what they learn. They need to tell students, parents, policymakers, and everyone else that social studies is critical and that the NCSS mission statement is not just a nice set of words, but absolutely crucial to…

This article describes how public engagement was incorporated into a research university's current Academic Plan, how the public engagement metrics were selected and adopted, and how those processes led to subsequent strategic planning. Some recognition of the importance of civic engagement has followed, although there are many areas in which…

In the space of four years, the School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University made eight faculty hires. But for various reasons, three of the eight hirees did not prove to be good "mission fits" for the institution. Suspecting that the regrettable outcome of these searches lay not in the persons hired, but in the deficiencies of the hiring…

Since 1971, Department of Educational Administration at Texas A&M University has achieved considerable recognition for the strength and diversity of its various program offerings. The department's success may derive from its willingness to respond productively to forces of change, maintain a vision of success, and remain dedicated to the…

An accounting school used a structured process to develop a tailored mission statement linked to specific, measurable goals and objectives at the department level. The mission statement is part of the departmental assessment process. (SK)

A fatal flaw in accountability programs is that they leave academic departments--the units most responsible for results--out of the performance loop. This article ties together institutional priorities and departmental performance through a limited list of common departmental indicators. It also links institutional aims and departmental…