Based on Penn State's popular "Innovation Insights" series, this book brings together in one handy reference nearly a decade of tried and true insights into continuous quality improvements in higher education. Their five-step model for integrating planning, assessment, and improvement moves plans off the shelf and into the weekly and daily scheduling and prioritizing process. It uses assessment as a guide for future actions and goals, and process improvement, innovation, and reengineering as a means to implement a plan. Supported by data and tools, readers will learn how to create a culture of innovation; adopt a student-centered approach to Continuous Quality Improvement; lead a successful innovation; make accurate assessments; foster teamwork and collaboration; and implement plans. Drawing on Penn State's IMPROVE method, as well as many other leaders in the field, this book offers proven methods and tools for running effective meetings, facilitating teams, conducting surveys, using focus groups, benchmarking, and developing strategic performance indicators. A glossary is included. Individual chapters contain references. (Contains 19 figures.)